Profile For Mike N.

This is what I'm dealing with.

I hear ya. I've spent about 10 hours practicing with cones. My biggest problem is the initial setup after driving past the cones. I've found the most success by being about 12' in front of the cones and about 14' past them. I can cut it hard right, back up until a spot on the front of my trailer, then cut it hard left. This gets the trailer pretty close to parallel to the cones. The problem is that it doesn't leave me much room for correction if I'm not centered in the cones. I'm not saying there isn't a better way, but I haven't found one. I have found if I get much more than 12' in front of the cones, I cross the 70' boundary line with the frontend when I'm chasing the trailer.

I agree, I'm not even sure if I could back up a shorter trailer. Like I said in my first post, I'm not a trucker, I'm just a drag racer trying to get somewhat legal in a HUGE gray area of DOT rules. I won't be using anything different than my truck conversion motorhome and 38' gooseneck trailer, almost 72' The problem is not really the trailer as much as the 310" wb motorhome and the 6' of overhang on the trailer. I find I have to be quite parallel when entering the cones and it's very tough to chase the trailer with the motorhome in 70' of space. I think I can do it, however I really would like to pass my next test in case I fail the road test. I would hate to have to go into the road test blind.

Update, took my first Class A skills test. I ace'd the pre trip/air brake tests. Even the tester was impressed. My off road tasks were straight line, one offset right, and the alley dock. Straight line has never been an issue before....lol. I had to pull through the cones to the edge of the boundaries and back up. What I didn't realize was that the boundary cones were not lined up with the alley cones and I inherently steering towards the center of the cones while going forward. I did not notice this until starting my back up and my rig was jacked, then I panicked and had to do a few pull ups and crossed the side boundaries.......etc. I completed that, then completed the offset, but the alley dock got me due to not having enough pull-ups(points) left. The tester suggested a shorter trailer next time and I agree. No big deal, I'll try it again. Thanks for all the help.

The most current Michigan CDL manual states straight line, right and left offsets, and a site side 90 degree alley dock, for required skills tests. My tester told me he follows the excersises in the manual. I'm practicing these moves. Not sure about the road test yet, but I should be ok as long as I keep both hands on the wheel and stop at the white lines. Right turns kinda suck with this mh, but probably no different than a tractor/trailer. My pre trip is pretty good, but I do keep forgetting 2-3 random items. Thanks for the help.

Thanks. From the Mi CDL manual, it states I will need to complete a straight, both offsets, and 90 degree back ups. No parallel or right turns as other states have. I spent a couple hours last night and completed 5 90 degrees. Two being nearly perfect, the other three I hit one cone. It sounds like I'd be better pulling up than hitting a cone, which I would rather do anyway. Four pull ups ought to get me there with no issues. I know where the front cone should be on the motorhome, but I want at least one GOAL to check the rear trailer placement. Thanks for the help.

Thanks. I tried searching, but I found big differences in the time frame of info. Older info seems inaccurate to todays standards. It's fairly confusing.....lol.

I'm not trucker. I'm a race car guy that is testing for his CDL due to DOT cracking down on our rigs. I'm taking my first skills test next week. I say first because I'm sorta expecting to fail the first one. I've been towing with 70' motorhome/trailer combo's for 20 years all over the Midwest. I've never been required to complete an alley dock and rarely an offset backup...lol. My current motorhome is a 2003 Freightliner Columbia conversion, 310" wb with a 38' gooseneck trailer for 71.5' total.. The motorhome has a single rear axle with the hitch ball 3' behind the rear axle cl. I was struggling with the alley dock due to about 6' of overhang on my trailer. After watching several vids, I can now find spots on my trailer to use while backing and turning to consistently get parallel before entering the cones. My problem is setting up in the same spot every time. I have found if I'm not in a good spot to start, I'm outside of the correction window by the time I get close enough to the cones. I think I can see a front lug nut cover and count the revolutions for decent placement each time. Any suggestions?

Can anyone explain to me the current points system for a Mi skills test? How many pull ups and goals? I'm told its a straight line, two offsets, and the 90 degree alley. Thanks for your time.