Backing a Trailer — What Finally Made It Click for You?

[RoadRunnerRick]

Let’s be honest, backing is what separates the rookies from the ones who’ve been around a while. I don’t care who you are — every one of us looked like a clown in a truck stop parking lot at some point. I sure did.

For me, it finally clicked one night in a dark dock in Memphis. No spotters, no help, just me and about a foot on each side. I stopped trying to rush it and started taking my time, little corrections instead of big swings. After that, something just clicked.

Curious how it went for y’all. Was it a certain trainer, a trick you figured out, or just one of those “it finally made sense” moments?

And for the new guys reading this — don’t sweat it. Nobody’s good at backing when they start. We’ve all been there.

 

[389 Hood]

Not sure how today's automatic transmissions operate when trying to make very slow moves, but the slower the better. You can make minor corrections that will have major effects.

Backing in the dark and in a tight spot? Get off of your ass and go look. NEVER depend on anyone to guide you into a spot or dock. They won't be there when you tap something and you have to answer for it.

 

[Duck]

Long before I got into trucking, when I was still a teenager, I worked at a crane shop as the "easy stuff" mechanic and the parts gopher.

One time the boss sent me to Wisconsin to get a tandem axle car hauler trailer the owner had bought at an auction, with the parts gopher vehicle, an underpowered 4 cylinder 80's model Toyota pickup that probably weighed less than the empty trailer I was pulling.

Anyway I got back to the shop after they were closed, & nobody was there.

So I had fun with it. I decided to back the trailer around the big empty gravel employee parking lot, because I'd never backed up a trailer before.

Nobody had ever told me that stupid "move the top of the steering wheel the opposite direction you want the trailer to go" thing.

That would've probably confused me.

So here's what I figured out on my own:

Move the BOTTOM of the steering wheel the SAME way you want the trailer to go.

Palm the wheel at it's 6 o'clock position where it's closest to your stomach, look in the mirror and move your hand in the direction you want it to go.

Once I figure that out, the rest was easy.

 

[quillcom]

Placement of those Tandems:

At our sister company at the cross docks, theres an east side and west side. The east side is for the 53's with the yard in the background and tons of space, and the west side is mostly for the straight trucks with a ditched treeline barely 2 trailer lenghts away from the docks.

So pulling out of a dock there in a 53' next to trailers on either side of you less than a foot apart, you have to start making your turn before your tail has cleared the adjacent trailers otherwise your in the ditch.

Pulling out is tricky enough, now imagine backing in. I remember my first few years going over there I would just move the tandems all the way up
and no problem getting her in.

That was until they put us in those newer automatic tracors with a longer wheelbase. The first time I went ovber there in the newer tractor with my tandems all the way up. I could not get her in after trying several times. Got out moved the tandems a few notches up and voille, got in.

Mind you many of the regular drivers over there will rarely use the west side because it is so tricky. And you can see the scars on many trailers especially the swing doors where you can clearly tell where the door had rubbed up against another trailer.

Every tricky backing scenario has a sweet spot for those tandems and many newer drivers are clueless regarding this, as they just think; "ohh sliding the tandems is only for the scales".

 

[Electric Chicken]

Still ain't clicked. Feels like dumb luck 86% of the time.

I just try to get close enough so that I can correct it without looking like a Western Express.

 

[Uncle Birchy]

Let’s be honest, backing is what separates the rookies from the ones who’ve been around a while. I don’t care who you are — every one of us looked like a clown in a truck stop parking lot at some point. I sure did.

For me, it finally clicked one night in a dark dock in Memphis. No spotters, no help, just me and about a foot on each side. I stopped trying to rush it and started taking my time, little corrections instead of big swings. After that, something just clicked.

Curious how it went for y’all. Was it a certain trainer, a trick you figured out, or just one of those “it finally made sense” moments?

And for the new guys reading this — don’t sweat it. Nobody’s good at backing when they start. We’ve all been there.

When its very tight dock line up ease her very slowly inch by in & if ya gotta get and look 3/4 times do that..

Once ya enough trailer inside start pulling up a bit if ya got the room straighten er out..

Some places dont give ya enough room pull it uo might take ya 10/15 minutes before ya hit the home.

Youll look like a fool for afew minutes but eh ya didnt wreck anything neither

 

[Uncle Birchy]

Another thingy too allotta places got 2/3/4 different enterances & adresses..

Consult with your dispatch office get customer details and phone number.

When arriving pull off side road check place out make sure ya know what enterance or gate or a Security guard will mame ya "Blind Back" into a busy street

 

[Rigjockey]

Backing up can be hard when people are looking.
It's even harder when people are laughing.

 

[GAnthony]

Let’s be honest, backing is what separates the rookies from the ones who’ve been around a while. I don’t care who you are — every one of us looked like a clown in a truck stop parking lot at some point. I sure did.

For me, it finally clicked one night in a dark dock in Memphis. No spotters, no help, just me and about a foot on each side. I stopped trying to rush it and started taking my time, little corrections instead of big swings. After that, something just clicked.

Curious how it went for y’all. Was it a certain trainer, a trick you figured out, or just one of those “it finally made sense” moments?

And for the new guys reading this — don’t sweat it. Nobody’s good at backing when they start. We’ve all been there.

when there wasn't any more people to run over and squash and see blood splatter all over the place..????



i'd say, right about that time.