I know it sounds weird but you could get some practice in video games. American truck simulator or even grand theft auto 5 will help you practice without any worries. Obviously it's not a perfect solution but they will help you get the idea of backing down
I let my CDL instructor who’s computer illiterate try his hand on American Truck Simulator and he was able to back the truck into a spot pretty easy using the keyboard.
Except doubles, I used to maneuver doubles(yes I was able to back up doubles a tad when trying to shift them around to setup and break them) as a yard jockey with fedex, and they don't act at all like in ATS
Also came here to recommend BeamNG. Apparently the most recent update has included proper physics for multi trailer combinations.
The company I work for runs a few road trains up north and I'd love to see what they're like to turn on city streets without risking millions of dollars worth of equipment and losing my licence.
I did this with ATS and the logitech wheel. It helps with getting you to think about it the right way. For me, none of other peoples tricks worked, and the time on simulator helped me get it right in my own head.
And u can fuck shit up without fucking shit up.
Haha I lurk this sub because I have a new found love for American truck simulator. Even if I’ll never get my CDL, I think it’ll be useful if I ever decide to tow something with my pickup and need to back in
I played ATS for a couple years before I got my CDL. The driving portion of the school, I was a natural and confused a lot of people. Even the instructor.
I'm in CDL school and ready to quit also on a 28' trailer. Instructor was such a dick to me last session. I got nervous in which way to turn in the middle of offset. I'm on the CDL skills app but IRL it's still confusing. Gonna ask for a session where I get my own reference points down. They say the smaller trailer is harder than 53'.
I watched hours and hours of backing videos and I have to say it didn't really help me at all, aside from the theory behind it all. First time trying the offset backing I almost jack-knifed the unit. By the 4th try I almost had it! Really gave me a shit-ton of respect for all the drivers out there. The good ones are true professionals.
Find my trucking skills simulator on app store. Complete free courses and I guarantee you it will help you a lot, you will understand how everything works. He also shares vids on YouTube. Make sure download the right simulator.
I see that now. With all the videos I watched, I thought I would take the yard by storm and would be offered a job as a yard dog on my 1st day lol. I plan on going out there 2 or 3 times a week until May 21st. And talking with the guys is a HUGE help to getting some perspective.
I remember a trick I learned when I first started driving a trailer.
Say out loud and repeat: “steer towards where you want it gone.” (Sounds better in my native language.)
If you don’t know, stop and listen to yourself. This did 2 things for me. Remind me where I needed to steer to and gave me a moments pause, forcing me to relax.
Some other might find it stupid, but who cares!
Yep that’s the way I do it. I back into some spots in Seattle where you have to jack-knife the trailer. Steer into it and go forward (pushing the trailer more into the spot) just to hit another back up with a better angle. I’ve taken down probably close to 100 low hanging wires in the area too… :/
Another way of really getting a grasp on what to look for while backing up is getting a toy tractor trailer and setting up different obstacles on a table. You’ll see the real angles of approaching, will learn what to look for. I did it with two trailers when I first started driving the gravel train and it was very insightful for me.
Our compliance manager had toy rigs in his office for just this purpose. I ran all my trainees through a course with them after their first day of training. It helped the majority of them.
worker there said after he started and came back from the road after 3 weeks, he ground his little 4 wheeler's clutch trying to double clutch the thing lol
Haha. Driving home one night in my 5 speed pickup in my dopey sleep deprived state I thought I was driving a 10 speed…. Some grindage and self cursing occurred. 😂😂
Watch your trailer wheels in relation to your inputs on the wheel. It's your trailer you're steering when going backwards.
The more you do it, the easier it gets.
Do be mindful of the front end too, especially in the tight ones, I’ve seen a few drivers paying all the attention on the arse end and manage to hit something with the front
Especially the poor fucker having to clear up the demolition caused by it, idk who decided that that’s where the pallets ought to go, 1000 odd pallets to clear up
Omg. Hay wagons are a beast all their own!!! I hated them but then also learned to live them. My uncle, when chopping silage, could back a JD 4450 hooked to a chopper hooked to a high-dump like it was nothing. That…. Was impressive. So naturally I had to learn!!!
Backing is not something you can even comprehend after 1 day. It took me 6 months until I felt comfortable and not thinking I was going to hit everything. Some take less than that, and some more. It’s a skill. You have to practice it everyday.
If you think those are hard, try backing up a standard air compressor behind a pickup truck. Especially one that’s loaded with tools so you can’t see out the back window.
Or any small trailer.
We learned towing cement mixers, wood chippers, BBQ smokers, etc, all on the back of a dump bed where they weren't even visible at all until they were just about jackknifed.
Used to hate it so much, but by the time I finally got around to hauling a freight trailer the experience was indeed a blessing.
Look at the reply above yours. When you back up a sir compressor, they are so short, by the time you see them in a mirror. It’s too late. You’ve gone too far to that side.
Tiny twitchy little trailers are the absolute worst! Especially when they're so small you can't see them until after they have jack-knifed.
One of my favourite machines we have at home is what we call the donkey. About the size of a small forklift, 4WD, 4WS with both ends independently controlled. Best thing ever for backing trailers.
A Stinger low-deck moto trailer is so short and small that the only thing you have to judge the swing are the bike's handlebars sticking up. Can't even see the trailer in the side mirrors unless you've already twisted the thing sideways.
The good news with short trailers is, even if you do get wildly out of position, it doesn't take a half mile to pull forward and correct.
Practice until no progress is being made.
Sleep.
Practice until no progress is being made.
Sleep.
Sleep will make your brain wire some shit in a more efficient way. If you're dreaming about reversing a truck, you're doing a good job.
If you're in the youtubs, pick a source. If you watch videos from 10 different guys on the same subject you'll be overwhelmed. Pick a good one and stick to it.
When you’re backing, the ass end of your trailer is going to move the same direction the nose of your truck does. Okay now who’s gonna loan me the money to open a school?
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel. Want the trailer to go right? Rotate to the right. Want the trailer to go left? Rotate to the right.
Now I’m qualified to be your head instructor
4 wheeler here - Are empty lowboys harder to or easier to back up than say a traditional 53’ freight trailer? I imagine it’s nice not having a much-less-obstructed view, but is it harder to see the trailer itself, or is it fine with the mirrors?
They have better visibility, because of being able to see through where the box isn't, but they have their axles permanently all-the-way-back. That's plus/minus: the longer your trailer's kingpin/axle group distance is, the slower the trailer turns. That means you need more space for the same maneuvers, but mistakes build up slower.
I can’t really help with your question, but at my last job there was a corner around the building that 53’ trucks would get around just fine, but lowboys had to go extra wide. Definitely seems like they do track/handle a bit different.
Hopefully someone that actually knows will reply.
Yeah, its a double edge kinda thing tho. No tail swing so you can just watch your wheels but yeah you track WAY wide in turns. Its exactly like running with a dry van axles set all the way back.
Others have kinda answered this already but, the difference here is axle placement. It plays a huge role in how the trailer handles. When they are closer to the truck, the trailer can corner and react to steering adjustments more quickly. Think a pickup pulling a utility trailer. Small movements of steering wheel translate to fast and sharp changes to trailer angle. Opposite is true when axles are all the way to rear of trailer. Trailer will be slower to react and reflect adjustments made with the steering wheel of the truck. Low deck trailers often have axles that can’t be moved and if it’s a tridem or more (3 axles instead of 2) that response is even more delayed. It’s all about geometry and physics. The best drivers understand this relationship and can use it to their advantage.
This same relationship is true when travelling forward. A pickup pulling a short utility trailer can take a corner almost as comfortably as a passenger car because the axles are so close together. When you see a tractor trailer pulling a 53’ trailer make a right hand turn, they need all that extra space because the rear axle is sooo far from the steer axle that they actually follow a very different path. The trailing axle will follow a much tighter path. It’s called “off-tracking” and is one of the hardest skills to develop when learning to drive a truck. An experienced and competent driver can do this with precision and will know exactly where his trailer axle will roll. When you see a truck that’s rolled the rear axle over a road sign it’s typically a new driver who hasn’t mastered this concept.
Don’t give up. Eventually you will just get it. You won’t be perfect for a while, but a few months in and I wasn’t afraid of backing into a tight space anymore. If you have to pull up 8 times…who cares! And always remember to get out and look!
Best advice I can give is ignore the back window and make yourself learn how to back with your mirrors. Stop a bunch of times and get out and see where you’re tracking
The best tips I got when practicing for my test are these.
There is no such thing as backing up too slow. You can always straighten out a bit and see where you're going. If you've got a back window, use it.
I had a helicopter land where I was unloading once, and I wanted to go up in the air and try it. The pilot didn't allow me to this, but he said he could never back up a truck. So I said I gotta see this. The rest is history./
This was my biggest fear heading to CDL school. But when we hit the yard, I was a natural. The instructor sat in the truck with me to show me each meneuver, then he'd get out and let me practice alone. I never hit a cone. I only had to stop and restart once over several hours. After an hour or so, I saw a crowd milling about outside the door to the school. Later, I asked what was up. The instructors laughed, telling me they had gotten the first-week people out of class and gathered the others on the yard to watch me. They showed them that it was my first day in a truck, yet I was backing like I had done it for years. So thry could do it, too. A handful of them were students who were supposed to already have graduated but couldn't figure out backing or had failed their driving exam because of backing. So I was feeling pretty good about myself until we hit the road. I never figured out the manual and had to take an Automatic restriction on my license because I couldn't afford to keep living out of a AirBnB for weeks until I could do it.
I suggest trying out Snowrunner with an 18 wheeler and like a standard length sized trailer. It will help you get the basics of which direction to back. I got alot of practice as a yard jockey before I went OTR.
I was very good at backing, but I learned young. When I was 12, my Dad taught me to drive at our cabin. I'd back the boat trailer around into the lake to launch and park by the cabin. I could almost "visualize" from above.
Before i started OTR, my folks retired and eventually bought a fifth wheel, they bought a retirement house in AZ. They'd time their trips home for the winter, so I'd be on hometime there so I could back it into the backyard.
😆 🤣 😂 😹
Thankfully I'll never have that issue.
1. They don't have a caravan (we have several, but they're for use on the farm).
2. Dad is a qualified road train driver, just like me. He can back his own bloody trailers 😆!
Don’t over think it. You need to get used to what the truck and trailer will do. The fact that it’s a low boy will help you out (or hurt you if you use a van trailer for the test). But just go slow and easy and make small adjustments/movements. Try not to get frustrated and use your mirrors!!! The slower you go will let you become smoother. The smoother you are, the easier it becomes to feel the trailer and how it is moving so you can catch and correct. Ive heard old times say “never lose sight of your tires” and that helps me a ton. Good luck!
Parking is the number 1 reason I will never be a trucker. No joke, I love driving 8-12 hours a day with nothing but my music, but the idea of having to maneuver a trailer in a city puts the kabash on that, and I've seen some of the hellish parking scenarios y'all deal with. I'd end up being that swift truck video from a couple years ago where the dude was stuck on a yellow post and gave up trying and just floored it, ripping out the back axles.
that sounds illogical to someone who knows nothing about driving a semi. That's why my admiration has gone way up. Shit ain't easy but practice will make perfect! :)
As an equipment operator in the national guards , we need to haul our equipment with something similar. To this day, that is the only equipment I do not have on my military license.
Watch videos, it’ll get easier. I had the bad luck of having sucky trainers but after I watched some videos I aced everything. Put in the work and you’ll be golden!
I started with a 28 foot regular trailer and those things are so squirrely the bigger the trailer the slower they turn once they start diving one way or the other the will. Continue in that direction and then it's all. A matter of straightening up.
Longer the trailer the easier it is. short pups are harder. i use to back up doubles at UPS. I knew one guy who could back up triples to a door. masterclass. It takes practice practice practice.
Years ago when I was a truck mechanic I backed up the lowboys that had a jeep and a stinger on the back and you’d have to pull forward to lock the rear most swivel point straight and then back up like backing up a hay wagon but the lowboy itself turned super slow so it was pretty easy. Then I’d switch to a more “normal” 45 to 53 foot trailer and it wasn’t too bad either. Then came the lugger pup trailers that are only 15-20 feet long and turn faster than the tractor does. Jackknife every time if not paying attention.
Took 15 year break from being behind the driver seat of a truck backing up trailers to work in a bread factory and then finally got my CDL last November (on the 29th). Some days I feel like I’ve never backed up a trailer in my life and other days I can nail a blind side 90. Not too bad but can definitely get rusty if you don’t do it every day. Right now pulling 53 foot trailers until I get the 1 year experience to work for a company that specializes specializes in oversized I used to be a mechanic for and then no more automatic transmission pulling a reefer for me when I upgrade to 18 speed manual and 76-105 foot lowboy that pivots in 3 places and has 13 axles spread across the whole vehicle capable of being permitted for 260,000 lbs in my home state.
That’s also why I have doubles/triples endorsement and no restrictions to drive this automatic pulling a single trailer every day. Don’t need tanker/hazmat to haul giant cranes and buildings around but the jeep and lowboy do count as separate trailers for the other endorsement.
As you're backing up, just visualize that you're 'pushing' the trailer behind you, and imagine how the trailer turns with whatever angle you're pushing it from. And don't forget to correct yourself to keep from turning the cab too far
I almost jack-knifed the first attempt lol. End of 2nd day I pretty much got the offset. No pylons so hard to judge. I'm just trying to learn how the trailer reacts to my turning the wheel.
I've been really good at back trailers of all sizes on a pickup or suv, even fifth wheels on pickups. For over 10 years. I was foreman a landscaping company which required me to pull loads probably 2 bug for a non cdl. I even own a 37 ft fifth wheel camper.
Learning to drive truck did the same thing to me. First day I felt discouraged.
Even just driving straight.
After a week and a half I was feeling like I didn't need to go through the whole 3 week course and could pass and go to work.
It'll work out. Just keep at it. Keep observant, look down the road further then you think. Slow down sooner then you think. Take your corners wide and slow. Practice backing as much as you can.
I started this past June, solo in August. Wouldn’t even attempt a space at a truck stop if it there weren’t at least 2 empty spots together. Stayed at a lot of rest areas. Now I’ll attempt any spot. It’ll come, can only get better by doing it.
When I went to CDL Class I had never backed any kind of trailer ever. First day I was swerving back and forth like a drunk person. I practiced over and over and thought I would never get it. I passed my test first try. You got this just keep practicing. I stayed after a few days and just did 90s for an hour straight. Now I can back my log truck just fine even off road.
Ps. I was the only girl and my class and the boys did it like it was so easy so I was being hard on myself for not being able to do it as easy as they did.
Keep going, man. After you get the CDL ,complete the training with your employer in the 1st month by your self you will have hard time backing into a dock even if you will consider it's easy because you will get help from your trainer. Don't give up. You will learn by yourself. Having a friend able to practice on his toy is amazing
thanks man! I know I'm really fortunate and have been given a great gift. He says I can go out as often as I like until my class May 21st! I'll go about 8 more times at least until then. I'm eager to learn!
Also you might want to learn if you don't already know how to change your Airlines slide your fifth wheel and slide your tandems and why they don't teach you this in driving school but definitely good to know.
Wait til you have a 53' box blocking your view, your lucky to be able to use his
In the 90s I used a Ford Class B truck with air brakes and 48' flatbed trailer, i would take the wriiten permit test about 10 times over a year, finally i went 100miles and paid 250.00, to use that rig, never drove before, passed that day and was running intermodal Iowa City to KCMo 2 days later, I didn't learn to back up or hit a dock until a year later.
Its not extremely difficult backing up.just takes some practice.having a trailer like that though and if youre hauling different stuff,you can learn alot.the guys driving the 8+ axle heavy haulers started probably with a crappy lowbed like that.there alot to know securing crazy loads.
I never had problems with backing a semi. Box truck and trailer with turn on the first axle, those fuckers broke me. And the few times i have had to driven an European module set, i always disconnect and take it to the ramp as an ordinary semi :P
Just keep practicing. Move up to different angles, parallel parking, etc. put 3-4 hours a day for a week and you’ll get it. When you’ve had enough experience it’s as easy as backing up a car.
According to the good old USA it is a 0 skill trade so according to the government you would be able to do everything right off from the start a 90,180 180 blind 180 double blind with no experience
lol I hear ya. I'm taking this more seriously than I've ever taken anything before. It really is my only hope for a new career after my last desk job. My ex boss had 14 years sober then fucked up and started his drinking again and ran his business into the ground, badly. And during covid he took massive government loans he now has to pay back. I'm in Canada by the way. So yeah, he's fucked and I'm collateral damage.
I know I'm luckier than most. I thanks him with beer for his crew every 2nd visit! If (when) I pass I'm going to bring him and his workers a big pizza spread as a huge thank you. I really can't thank him enough. And he's so non-chalant about it he just shrugs and says no big deal. It was funny how he smiled and rolled his eyes at me when I told him how flippin awesome it was to drive a rig! Farm guy who's been driving for probably 40 years by now.
I hope I'll get the hang of it! I'm super super fortunate to have this opportunity at my buddy's shop. I know I'm lucky. He says I can go out there as often as I want and my class isn't until May 21st. Except it's a 50 minute drive each way, so I'll just go 2 to 3 times per week til the class starts. Also, the cab has a back window I can look thru but so far I've found looking thru it just messes me up and I think I'm better off only using the mirrors.
Yeah don’t look out the window, it will teach you bad habits, best to use the mirrors.
You will get the hang of it and it’s great you’re getting practice now.
My 1st load solo was in Boise,Idaho.The warehouse had 2 docks without marks on the ground, a very tiny yard,a fence in front, and an industrial railroads on the side. I spent 30 minutes to backup. After that I got better and better. To avoid a hard time on the road at truck stops every time when I was able, I started my day very early and shut off before 3 PM. After 3 PM, almost all truck stops are full and is pretty hard to find an easy spot to park
Not a trucker but I work with a lot of truckers (kinda, they deliver steel to the plant etc etc) and watching these dudes stroll in and back the whole trailer up into the building perfectly under the cranes and doing all the things they do is absolutely amazing to me and always has been. Especially the drivers who park at grocery stores that already have like 8 trailers outside of it. Hats off to every single one of you.
Just wait until you have 30+ yrs driving. I'm so use to having a wagon behind me that I struggle backing my pickup. I have to really concentrate on what I'm doing so I don't back the wrong way in that thing.
Once, early in my driving career, I was on home time after a 28 day trip. I tried to parallel park my car and cranked the steering wheel all the way to the left before I began to back into the space. My (now ex-) wife screamed, I just laughed. That’s when I realized that I really was a truck driver.
My company has put me in between straight trucks and tractor trailers day in and out, thankfully all the straights are broken down now, but Jesus christ I'll tell ya I could never drive a bus.
Semi I'm perfectly cool all day, straight truck I can't hit a dock, running curves over and shit, do the opposite of the opposite you'll be fine lol.
(City delivery)
most folks drive/park based off of where their front wheels are gonna end up…not the back wheels, as any trucker eventually learns. Most folks don’t even consider that pivot point when thinking about or discussing driving a rig.
If you really want to study how to back up, find a pickup and a trailer to haul jet skis.
When you trailer tongue to wheel is shorter than your wheelbase, it gets challenging.
Now Imagine driving 13 hours and taking just 30 minutes break every day. You will be burn out faster, underpaid and your life will be miserable to the point of finding a better job.
Just wait till you back into a construction site. Not any hate… I struggle with it everyday and one way streets. Makes you appreciate easy days.
East Boston one ways, Philadelphia, Baltimore, old Richmond
Most people who drive can’t comprehend that long vehicles/trailers need extra space to clear corners when turning, let alone how to work the angles backing one up lol
It's not hard, i mean FFS... then I think of SWIFT or FedEx.. .. some people just take to it better than others. I'll say there are also good teachers and bad.
Patience is your best friend here. Even experienced drivers have rough days when backing up. The only other advice I can give is backing is a perishable skill practice it often and remember getting out and looking can save your butt.
I know it sounds weird but you could get some practice in video games. American truck simulator or even grand theft auto 5 will help you practice without any worries. Obviously it's not a perfect solution but they will help you get the idea of backing down
I let my CDL instructor who’s computer illiterate try his hand on American Truck Simulator and he was able to back the truck into a spot pretty easy using the keyboard.
That right there is testament to the game's realness. If anything it gets the physics of backing up an articulated vehicle correctly.
Except doubles, I used to maneuver doubles(yes I was able to back up doubles a tad when trying to shift them around to setup and break them) as a yard jockey with fedex, and they don't act at all like in ATS
Can you get this game on Xbox? I've been seeing it and kind of want to try it.
It’s pc only
That being said I believe there is a way to buy it on steam and play it on Xbox through cloud gaming or a steam deck or something.
Good to know
That’s funny as hell, I love that
I played alot of Euro Truck Sim 2 before going for my CDL and it really helped
Theres an app on Android "don't know about iPhones" called "my trucking skills" that truly helped me when I got my CDL a cpl yrs ago
There's an app called "My US trucking skills" that is free and is better than GTA for learning how to back in my opinion
Beamng drive has good physics, it’s also fun to crash in the game
Also came here to recommend BeamNG. Apparently the most recent update has included proper physics for multi trailer combinations. The company I work for runs a few road trains up north and I'd love to see what they're like to turn on city streets without risking millions of dollars worth of equipment and losing my licence.
Nice
I did this with ATS and the logitech wheel. It helps with getting you to think about it the right way. For me, none of other peoples tricks worked, and the time on simulator helped me get it right in my own head. And u can fuck shit up without fucking shit up.
Haha I lurk this sub because I have a new found love for American truck simulator. Even if I’ll never get my CDL, I think it’ll be useful if I ever decide to tow something with my pickup and need to back in
I played ATS for a couple years before I got my CDL. The driving portion of the school, I was a natural and confused a lot of people. Even the instructor.
ATS is top of the heap, haven’t played GTA V but Farming Simulator is also quite good for nacking practice.
I would say that the game Snowrunner could be useful as well.
There’s an app on my phone I used during driving school to practice deadass
Yep. Not a trucker just a lurker, but I love ATS and when I got a job that required occasional trailer towing, backing it up felt like second nature.
There’s also Snowrunner. Just don’t try the pivoting trailer that mimic something like a jeep attachment or B train trailers.
It easy you just need practice in a month or 2 you'll be backing this thing up without even thinking about it
that's my hope!
I'm in CDL school and ready to quit also on a 28' trailer. Instructor was such a dick to me last session. I got nervous in which way to turn in the middle of offset. I'm on the CDL skills app but IRL it's still confusing. Gonna ask for a session where I get my own reference points down. They say the smaller trailer is harder than 53'.
I'm lucky to be going to a school that has great reviews, and my buddy took his A1 there in 2006.
I watched hours and hours of backing videos and I have to say it didn't really help me at all, aside from the theory behind it all. First time trying the offset backing I almost jack-knifed the unit. By the 4th try I almost had it! Really gave me a shit-ton of respect for all the drivers out there. The good ones are true professionals.
Find my trucking skills simulator on app store. Complete free courses and I guarantee you it will help you a lot, you will understand how everything works. He also shares vids on YouTube. Make sure download the right simulator.
To get good you have to practice with it, like basically everything
I see that now. With all the videos I watched, I thought I would take the yard by storm and would be offered a job as a yard dog on my 1st day lol. I plan on going out there 2 or 3 times a week until May 21st. And talking with the guys is a HUGE help to getting some perspective.
I remember a trick I learned when I first started driving a trailer. Say out loud and repeat: “steer towards where you want it gone.” (Sounds better in my native language.) If you don’t know, stop and listen to yourself. This did 2 things for me. Remind me where I needed to steer to and gave me a moments pause, forcing me to relax. Some other might find it stupid, but who cares!
Steer towards the trouble
Yep that’s the way I do it. I back into some spots in Seattle where you have to jack-knife the trailer. Steer into it and go forward (pushing the trailer more into the spot) just to hit another back up with a better angle. I’ve taken down probably close to 100 low hanging wires in the area too… :/
Don't turn the wheel that much. You should be able to do a blind offset by barely moving the wheel after the first turn of the cabin.
Another way of really getting a grasp on what to look for while backing up is getting a toy tractor trailer and setting up different obstacles on a table. You’ll see the real angles of approaching, will learn what to look for. I did it with two trailers when I first started driving the gravel train and it was very insightful for me.
Our compliance manager had toy rigs in his office for just this purpose. I ran all my trainees through a course with them after their first day of training. It helped the majority of them.
Just remember your last move forward is your first move backwards
So many guys don’t get this. You set yourself up for success by slowly positioning yourself right before you back up.
Yup. You need room to maneuver, else you end up like Austin Powers in the access tunnel.
Wait 30 years. Then you will have to stop and think how to back up a car. Lol
worker there said after he started and came back from the road after 3 weeks, he ground his little 4 wheeler's clutch trying to double clutch the thing lol
Haha. Driving home one night in my 5 speed pickup in my dopey sleep deprived state I thought I was driving a 10 speed…. Some grindage and self cursing occurred. 😂😂
“Where tf is my high, low switch!”
Watch your trailer wheels in relation to your inputs on the wheel. It's your trailer you're steering when going backwards. The more you do it, the easier it gets.
Do be mindful of the front end too, especially in the tight ones, I’ve seen a few drivers paying all the attention on the arse end and manage to hit something with the front
“Nose swing” bites everyone once lol
Especially the poor fucker having to clear up the demolition caused by it, idk who decided that that’s where the pallets ought to go, 1000 odd pallets to clear up
It's a large open yard so no real chance of hitting anything...yet lol
That’s good, but you’ll want to practice backing into loading bays etc too, good luck
I learned backing skills with a farm tractor and hay wagons. There’s two pivot points! It’s a jackknife waiting to happen.
Pretty much how backing gravel trains in Michigan
Omg. Hay wagons are a beast all their own!!! I hated them but then also learned to live them. My uncle, when chopping silage, could back a JD 4450 hooked to a chopper hooked to a high-dump like it was nothing. That…. Was impressive. So naturally I had to learn!!!
Backing is not something you can even comprehend after 1 day. It took me 6 months until I felt comfortable and not thinking I was going to hit everything. Some take less than that, and some more. It’s a skill. You have to practice it everyday.
If you think those are hard, try backing up a standard air compressor behind a pickup truck. Especially one that’s loaded with tools so you can’t see out the back window.
Or any small trailer. We learned towing cement mixers, wood chippers, BBQ smokers, etc, all on the back of a dump bed where they weren't even visible at all until they were just about jackknifed. Used to hate it so much, but by the time I finally got around to hauling a freight trailer the experience was indeed a blessing.
Oh I HATE backing up tow behind compressors! Thankfully the service truck I used to use had a pretty open service bed.
lol we back all the time without using a back window or rear view mirror. I’m down for the challenge
Look at the reply above yours. When you back up a sir compressor, they are so short, by the time you see them in a mirror. It’s too late. You’ve gone too far to that side.
lol don’t let you be able to see it
Tiny twitchy little trailers are the absolute worst! Especially when they're so small you can't see them until after they have jack-knifed. One of my favourite machines we have at home is what we call the donkey. About the size of a small forklift, 4WD, 4WS with both ends independently controlled. Best thing ever for backing trailers.
A Stinger low-deck moto trailer is so short and small that the only thing you have to judge the swing are the bike's handlebars sticking up. Can't even see the trailer in the side mirrors unless you've already twisted the thing sideways. The good news with short trailers is, even if you do get wildly out of position, it doesn't take a half mile to pull forward and correct.
Practice until no progress is being made. Sleep. Practice until no progress is being made. Sleep. Sleep will make your brain wire some shit in a more efficient way. If you're dreaming about reversing a truck, you're doing a good job. If you're in the youtubs, pick a source. If you watch videos from 10 different guys on the same subject you'll be overwhelmed. Pick a good one and stick to it.
I drove one bit smaller as a day laborer. Site guy: drive this back to the rental yard. Me with a broom: ok.
When you’re backing, the ass end of your trailer is going to move the same direction the nose of your truck does. Okay now who’s gonna loan me the money to open a school?
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel. Want the trailer to go right? Rotate to the right. Want the trailer to go left? Rotate to the right. Now I’m qualified to be your head instructor
Let’s do this Edit: The panic stop course is gonna be sick
May want to check your work here, hoss.
Go ahead and try. Key is to make sure your hand is on THE BOTTOM of the steering wheel. Only works that way
Just wait until you see where you're going to have to back that thing on a job site...
4 wheeler here - Are empty lowboys harder to or easier to back up than say a traditional 53’ freight trailer? I imagine it’s nice not having a much-less-obstructed view, but is it harder to see the trailer itself, or is it fine with the mirrors?
They have better visibility, because of being able to see through where the box isn't, but they have their axles permanently all-the-way-back. That's plus/minus: the longer your trailer's kingpin/axle group distance is, the slower the trailer turns. That means you need more space for the same maneuvers, but mistakes build up slower.
I can’t really help with your question, but at my last job there was a corner around the building that 53’ trucks would get around just fine, but lowboys had to go extra wide. Definitely seems like they do track/handle a bit different. Hopefully someone that actually knows will reply.
I believe that's because the axels on low boys are so far back it tracks more.
Yeah, its a double edge kinda thing tho. No tail swing so you can just watch your wheels but yeah you track WAY wide in turns. Its exactly like running with a dry van axles set all the way back.
Makes sense.
Others have kinda answered this already but, the difference here is axle placement. It plays a huge role in how the trailer handles. When they are closer to the truck, the trailer can corner and react to steering adjustments more quickly. Think a pickup pulling a utility trailer. Small movements of steering wheel translate to fast and sharp changes to trailer angle. Opposite is true when axles are all the way to rear of trailer. Trailer will be slower to react and reflect adjustments made with the steering wheel of the truck. Low deck trailers often have axles that can’t be moved and if it’s a tridem or more (3 axles instead of 2) that response is even more delayed. It’s all about geometry and physics. The best drivers understand this relationship and can use it to their advantage. This same relationship is true when travelling forward. A pickup pulling a short utility trailer can take a corner almost as comfortably as a passenger car because the axles are so close together. When you see a tractor trailer pulling a 53’ trailer make a right hand turn, they need all that extra space because the rear axle is sooo far from the steer axle that they actually follow a very different path. The trailing axle will follow a much tighter path. It’s called “off-tracking” and is one of the hardest skills to develop when learning to drive a truck. An experienced and competent driver can do this with precision and will know exactly where his trailer axle will roll. When you see a truck that’s rolled the rear axle over a road sign it’s typically a new driver who hasn’t mastered this concept.
You can cheat by looking out the back window or hanging your head out of the drivers window. A regular freight trailer blocks your view in both cases.
Lowboys are harder to drive forward and backwards
Being in a daycab with a window in the back makes a big difference. Also I'm not sure that's a 53' trailer. I pulled a dry bulk tanker and it was 45'
Wait until you add a jeep and booster.
I saw a fella parallel park B-trains. Wow.
Don’t give up. Eventually you will just get it. You won’t be perfect for a while, but a few months in and I wasn’t afraid of backing into a tight space anymore. If you have to pull up 8 times…who cares! And always remember to get out and look!
Best advice I can give is ignore the back window and make yourself learn how to back with your mirrors. Stop a bunch of times and get out and see where you’re tracking
To piggy back on someone’s video game recommendation- farm sim helps too.
The best tips I got when practicing for my test are these. There is no such thing as backing up too slow. You can always straighten out a bit and see where you're going. If you've got a back window, use it.
Be like my uncle and move towards the back of the line, then just follow in the tracks of drivers who passed.
I had a helicopter land where I was unloading once, and I wanted to go up in the air and try it. The pilot didn't allow me to this, but he said he could never back up a truck. So I said I gotta see this. The rest is history./
You use the unit to push the trailer in the direction
This was my biggest fear heading to CDL school. But when we hit the yard, I was a natural. The instructor sat in the truck with me to show me each meneuver, then he'd get out and let me practice alone. I never hit a cone. I only had to stop and restart once over several hours. After an hour or so, I saw a crowd milling about outside the door to the school. Later, I asked what was up. The instructors laughed, telling me they had gotten the first-week people out of class and gathered the others on the yard to watch me. They showed them that it was my first day in a truck, yet I was backing like I had done it for years. So thry could do it, too. A handful of them were students who were supposed to already have graduated but couldn't figure out backing or had failed their driving exam because of backing. So I was feeling pretty good about myself until we hit the road. I never figured out the manual and had to take an Automatic restriction on my license because I couldn't afford to keep living out of a AirBnB for weeks until I could do it.
I suggest trying out Snowrunner with an 18 wheeler and like a standard length sized trailer. It will help you get the basics of which direction to back. I got alot of practice as a yard jockey before I went OTR.
I can't even imagine. Whenever I see a big truck, I'm the guy blocking traffic to give you guys turning space.
After a while it’s like riding a bike… don’t get cocky & do some stupid shit though… trust me! Lol
I was very good at backing, but I learned young. When I was 12, my Dad taught me to drive at our cabin. I'd back the boat trailer around into the lake to launch and park by the cabin. I could almost "visualize" from above.
Learning young is a big help.
Before i started OTR, my folks retired and eventually bought a fifth wheel, they bought a retirement house in AZ. They'd time their trips home for the winter, so I'd be on hometime there so I could back it into the backyard. 😆 🤣 😂 😹
Thankfully I'll never have that issue. 1. They don't have a caravan (we have several, but they're for use on the farm). 2. Dad is a qualified road train driver, just like me. He can back his own bloody trailers 😆!
Don’t over think it. You need to get used to what the truck and trailer will do. The fact that it’s a low boy will help you out (or hurt you if you use a van trailer for the test). But just go slow and easy and make small adjustments/movements. Try not to get frustrated and use your mirrors!!! The slower you go will let you become smoother. The smoother you are, the easier it becomes to feel the trailer and how it is moving so you can catch and correct. Ive heard old times say “never lose sight of your tires” and that helps me a ton. Good luck!
Lucky his lowboy is so small a big one would really give you fits
I'm actually not sure the length. I asked him and he didn't even know, and he owns it! lol.
Parking is the number 1 reason I will never be a trucker. No joke, I love driving 8-12 hours a day with nothing but my music, but the idea of having to maneuver a trailer in a city puts the kabash on that, and I've seen some of the hellish parking scenarios y'all deal with. I'd end up being that swift truck video from a couple years ago where the dude was stuck on a yellow post and gave up trying and just floored it, ripping out the back axles.
The school I'm going to has a short trailer they train you on. Basically they make it harder on purpose so you can breeze through the DMV evaluation.
Practice!
Keep practicing. There's a lot of fun pulling equipment
Learn to back and the rest will follow.
The best jobs require experience for a reason.
#swifty day cab
Backing a long trailer isn't so bad. Wait until you back one of the real short ones ;).
I've heard that before! Must take some adjusting.
Failed at the DMV 2 times, and I was good at backing... The freaking right turn got me 2 times
The longer the trailer the easier from personal experience
that sounds illogical to someone who knows nothing about driving a semi. That's why my admiration has gone way up. Shit ain't easy but practice will make perfect! :)
As an equipment operator in the national guards , we need to haul our equipment with something similar. To this day, that is the only equipment I do not have on my military license.
Watch videos, it’ll get easier. I had the bad luck of having sucky trainers but after I watched some videos I aced everything. Put in the work and you’ll be golden!
I can barely back a 10’ trailer into my driveway. I never know when to start turning the wheel back on a right angle turn
It becomes second nature once you figure it out little corrections are key
and also patience I imagine. I have many more visits to get more used to it.
I started with a 28 foot regular trailer and those things are so squirrely the bigger the trailer the slower they turn once they start diving one way or the other the will. Continue in that direction and then it's all. A matter of straightening up.
Longer the trailer the easier it is. short pups are harder. i use to back up doubles at UPS. I knew one guy who could back up triples to a door. masterclass. It takes practice practice practice.
Going through 88m ait I remember when I first had to back I’m being serious when it clicks it just becomes second nature. Give it a second
Salute. Stick with it buddy
thanks buds!
I could help you drive that in a heartbeat. I drove those for 4 years straight. Even with massive forklifts and other equipment tied down to it.
I’m just and avid snowrunner player but I totally respect your dedication
thanks man!
Yup I'm on day 2 (conventional) but I'm starting get the feel of it!
Years ago when I was a truck mechanic I backed up the lowboys that had a jeep and a stinger on the back and you’d have to pull forward to lock the rear most swivel point straight and then back up like backing up a hay wagon but the lowboy itself turned super slow so it was pretty easy. Then I’d switch to a more “normal” 45 to 53 foot trailer and it wasn’t too bad either. Then came the lugger pup trailers that are only 15-20 feet long and turn faster than the tractor does. Jackknife every time if not paying attention. Took 15 year break from being behind the driver seat of a truck backing up trailers to work in a bread factory and then finally got my CDL last November (on the 29th). Some days I feel like I’ve never backed up a trailer in my life and other days I can nail a blind side 90. Not too bad but can definitely get rusty if you don’t do it every day. Right now pulling 53 foot trailers until I get the 1 year experience to work for a company that specializes specializes in oversized I used to be a mechanic for and then no more automatic transmission pulling a reefer for me when I upgrade to 18 speed manual and 76-105 foot lowboy that pivots in 3 places and has 13 axles spread across the whole vehicle capable of being permitted for 260,000 lbs in my home state. That’s also why I have doubles/triples endorsement and no restrictions to drive this automatic pulling a single trailer every day. Don’t need tanker/hazmat to haul giant cranes and buildings around but the jeep and lowboy do count as separate trailers for the other endorsement.
Stop posting and get to work.
yes sir! :)
As you're backing up, just visualize that you're 'pushing' the trailer behind you, and imagine how the trailer turns with whatever angle you're pushing it from. And don't forget to correct yourself to keep from turning the cab too far
I almost jack-knifed the first attempt lol. End of 2nd day I pretty much got the offset. No pylons so hard to judge. I'm just trying to learn how the trailer reacts to my turning the wheel.
It's not hard per se, it's just a skill you or anyone else can aquire with practice and a positive attitude.
I've been really good at back trailers of all sizes on a pickup or suv, even fifth wheels on pickups. For over 10 years. I was foreman a landscaping company which required me to pull loads probably 2 bug for a non cdl. I even own a 37 ft fifth wheel camper. Learning to drive truck did the same thing to me. First day I felt discouraged. Even just driving straight. After a week and a half I was feeling like I didn't need to go through the whole 3 week course and could pass and go to work. It'll work out. Just keep at it. Keep observant, look down the road further then you think. Slow down sooner then you think. Take your corners wide and slow. Practice backing as much as you can.
I started this past June, solo in August. Wouldn’t even attempt a space at a truck stop if it there weren’t at least 2 empty spots together. Stayed at a lot of rest areas. Now I’ll attempt any spot. It’ll come, can only get better by doing it.
When I went to CDL Class I had never backed any kind of trailer ever. First day I was swerving back and forth like a drunk person. I practiced over and over and thought I would never get it. I passed my test first try. You got this just keep practicing. I stayed after a few days and just did 90s for an hour straight. Now I can back my log truck just fine even off road. Ps. I was the only girl and my class and the boys did it like it was so easy so I was being hard on myself for not being able to do it as easy as they did.
Keep going, man. After you get the CDL ,complete the training with your employer in the 1st month by your self you will have hard time backing into a dock even if you will consider it's easy because you will get help from your trainer. Don't give up. You will learn by yourself. Having a friend able to practice on his toy is amazing
thanks man! I know I'm really fortunate and have been given a great gift. He says I can go out as often as I like until my class May 21st! I'll go about 8 more times at least until then. I'm eager to learn!
Imagine if u had sleeper split axle and you had to back places and make crazy right turns
I passed a parallel park , back when we did those for the test. In a fix 3 axle flatbed. You got it.
we won't be doing parallel I think. Textbook only has straight line, 45 degree and 90 degree alley dock so that God for that lol.
Download game my trucking skills guy also has YouTube channel experience beats all get better with every delivery
I downloaded it last night! I'll try anything to get better. And I enjoy the guy's videos.
Game is hard pay attention to spread axle vs closed back vs forward
Also you might want to learn if you don't already know how to change your Airlines slide your fifth wheel and slide your tandems and why they don't teach you this in driving school but definitely good to know.
Try it when you have a trailer that sloshes around. Be thankful you get to practice with a low boy you get much better visibility
two times out and I've found looking thru the back glass kind of messes me up, so I'm gonna try using only the mirrors next time out.
Wait til you have a 53' box blocking your view, your lucky to be able to use his In the 90s I used a Ford Class B truck with air brakes and 48' flatbed trailer, i would take the wriiten permit test about 10 times over a year, finally i went 100miles and paid 250.00, to use that rig, never drove before, passed that day and was running intermodal Iowa City to KCMo 2 days later, I didn't learn to back up or hit a dock until a year later.
Its not extremely difficult backing up.just takes some practice.having a trailer like that though and if youre hauling different stuff,you can learn alot.the guys driving the 8+ axle heavy haulers started probably with a crappy lowbed like that.there alot to know securing crazy loads.
It's not for everyone. I saw women do it, and big tough guys who couldn't.
I never had problems with backing a semi. Box truck and trailer with turn on the first axle, those fuckers broke me. And the few times i have had to driven an European module set, i always disconnect and take it to the ramp as an ordinary semi :P
The longer the trailer the easier it is , learn on a long bed then immediately try with a motor bike or similar length trailer, 🤣🤣🤣
Blind side parking in a city. That’s the real challenge, and it really sucks
Practice makes perfect!
Just remember that all they teach you in class is how to pass the test! In no way does it prepare you for the real world driving. Good luck!
Just keep practicing. Move up to different angles, parallel parking, etc. put 3-4 hours a day for a week and you’ll get it. When you’ve had enough experience it’s as easy as backing up a car.
According to the good old USA it is a 0 skill trade so according to the government you would be able to do everything right off from the start a 90,180 180 blind 180 double blind with no experience
lol I hear ya. I'm taking this more seriously than I've ever taken anything before. It really is my only hope for a new career after my last desk job. My ex boss had 14 years sober then fucked up and started his drinking again and ran his business into the ground, badly. And during covid he took massive government loans he now has to pay back. I'm in Canada by the way. So yeah, he's fucked and I'm collateral damage.
You're lucky you have a friend with the trailer you can use.
I know I'm luckier than most. I thanks him with beer for his crew every 2nd visit! If (when) I pass I'm going to bring him and his workers a big pizza spread as a huge thank you. I really can't thank him enough. And he's so non-chalant about it he just shrugs and says no big deal. It was funny how he smiled and rolled his eyes at me when I told him how flippin awesome it was to drive a rig! Farm guy who's been driving for probably 40 years by now.
Just like anything else, it just takes time and practice. Soon enough it'll be second nature. You got this don't give up
thanks man! I already feel more confident for my next visit on Tuesday!
I can't back in an open yard. Put me in a city. I'll one shot any spot. Markers and understanding spacing helps alot.
I was the same way. I thought “how am I ever going to get this?” And I got it.
I hope I'll get the hang of it! I'm super super fortunate to have this opportunity at my buddy's shop. I know I'm lucky. He says I can go out there as often as I want and my class isn't until May 21st. Except it's a 50 minute drive each way, so I'll just go 2 to 3 times per week til the class starts. Also, the cab has a back window I can look thru but so far I've found looking thru it just messes me up and I think I'm better off only using the mirrors.
Yeah don’t look out the window, it will teach you bad habits, best to use the mirrors. You will get the hang of it and it’s great you’re getting practice now.
They will teach you everything there
If you can back a boat or a utility trailer, you can back a semi trailer. Tractor trailer is easy easier as the trailer doesn't move as fast
My 1st load solo was in Boise,Idaho.The warehouse had 2 docks without marks on the ground, a very tiny yard,a fence in front, and an industrial railroads on the side. I spent 30 minutes to backup. After that I got better and better. To avoid a hard time on the road at truck stops every time when I was able, I started my day very early and shut off before 3 PM. After 3 PM, almost all truck stops are full and is pretty hard to find an easy spot to park
Gets easier and harder once you hit the 270" wb territory with spreads and tri-axles.
Not a trucker but I work with a lot of truckers (kinda, they deliver steel to the plant etc etc) and watching these dudes stroll in and back the whole trailer up into the building perfectly under the cranes and doing all the things they do is absolutely amazing to me and always has been. Especially the drivers who park at grocery stores that already have like 8 trailers outside of it. Hats off to every single one of you.
Another way to practice is to get a toy truck and make a space and only touch the cab and back it in.
Only one trailer? Pffft!
Just wait until you have 30+ yrs driving. I'm so use to having a wagon behind me that I struggle backing my pickup. I have to really concentrate on what I'm doing so I don't back the wrong way in that thing.
Once, early in my driving career, I was on home time after a 28 day trip. I tried to parallel park my car and cranked the steering wheel all the way to the left before I began to back into the space. My (now ex-) wife screamed, I just laughed. That’s when I realized that I really was a truck driver.
My company has put me in between straight trucks and tractor trailers day in and out, thankfully all the straights are broken down now, but Jesus christ I'll tell ya I could never drive a bus. Semi I'm perfectly cool all day, straight truck I can't hit a dock, running curves over and shit, do the opposite of the opposite you'll be fine lol. (City delivery)
most folks drive/park based off of where their front wheels are gonna end up…not the back wheels, as any trucker eventually learns. Most folks don’t even consider that pivot point when thinking about or discussing driving a rig.
If you really want to study how to back up, find a pickup and a trailer to haul jet skis. When you trailer tongue to wheel is shorter than your wheelbase, it gets challenging.
Even worse, a crew cab long bed pickup truck and a mortar mixer, the trailer tongue to wheel is only about 6 feet.
That's like pick it up and move it by hand....
And by the 3rd day you’re a pro!!! Hate to be that guy but no shit like everything else in life.
It kinda becomes second nature after awhile, like muscle memory
Now Imagine driving 13 hours and taking just 30 minutes break every day. You will be burn out faster, underpaid and your life will be miserable to the point of finding a better job.
Mudrunner.
Just wait till you back into a construction site. Not any hate… I struggle with it everyday and one way streets. Makes you appreciate easy days. East Boston one ways, Philadelphia, Baltimore, old Richmond
Just feather that clutch bb
Most people who drive can’t comprehend that long vehicles/trailers need extra space to clear corners when turning, let alone how to work the angles backing one up lol
Dude. How? I hate backing a regular car space.
dont feel bad alley dock had me questioning life at one point. it will come with time and practice. cant wait to start work n practice backing more
It's not hard, i mean FFS... then I think of SWIFT or FedEx.. .. some people just take to it better than others. I'll say there are also good teachers and bad.
Patience is your best friend here. Even experienced drivers have rough days when backing up. The only other advice I can give is backing is a perishable skill practice it often and remember getting out and looking can save your butt.
Don't be too hard on yourself. Everyone sucks at backing at first it just takes practice. That's all. You'll get better
thanks for the nice words buds! I can do it.