Sliding Tandems For Docking...do You?

Do you slide your tandems once you've reached your destination to make it easier to dock in tight situations?

If so, do you go forward for quicker turning or back for less tail swing?

When sliding your tandems all the way to the rear, you eliminate almost all tail swing, which is why it is a preferred method used by some drivers when backing into tight spots. When docking to be loaded or unloaded, it is also much safer for the forklift driver to be running in and out of a trailer with the tandems slid to the rear, as it keeps the tandems from acting as a fulcrum close to the center of the trailer.

The only disadvantage to sliding them to the rear, is that your trucks overall wheelbase will be longer. In some tight situations, you will need to be careful that you don't snag your tractors front bumper, on another parked trailer in front you on the opposite side of the parking lot, facing the docks, when you line your tractor back up and "get under" your trailer.

Do you slide your tandems once you've reached your destination to make it easier to dock in tight situations?

If so, do you go forward for quicker turning or back for less tail swing?

I'm not an experienced driver like Dutch here, but I actually usually slide them forward. Sure, you have more tail swing, but you don't need quite as much space in front of the parking spot or dock. I guess it just depends on the situation, but usually the spots I find the most difficult are the ones where you have a wall or something like 70ish ft in front of the parking space. If your tandems are all the way back, you have to get the whole semi nearly straight before getting very far back into the spot. That's pretty darn difficult in this example, considering the whole semi is around 70 ft long. If your tandems are more forward, you have a bit more maneuvering room in front of the spot or dock since you can get a little more of the trailer in the hole before getting straight.

That's my thing get too Paul. Easier to move in tight spots. Of course I would slide them back for the safety of the dock workers once I got lined up.

Only if asked to do so.

All depends on the customer and room you have too work with. Like has been said, if tight slide forward ti you get in the hole. Some customers make you slide them at the guard shack because they know alot of drivers wont do it otherwise. Always do as the customer asks. If they never said anything I left them where they were unless I had to move them to manuaver.

Some places require you to slide tandems to the back before you can get past the guard shack. It has to do with running loaded forklifts in & out of your trailer.

I usually slide tandems twice: move to balance (34,000 lb. max per axle set) and before getting to the dock, as above.

I always slide mine all the way forward unless directed at the gate. But as soon as I clear the gates line of sight I slide them back full forward.

Just makes life easier when docking.

Once in the door and lined up I slide them all the way to the rear again.

My take on this is a bit different, purely pragmatic, plus it works for me.

First of all, if you are a student or have less than 3 months of experience (and backing is still a harrowingly "iffy" proposition), I highly suggest not backing with the tandem set at the very rear of the trailer, unless there is a substantial amount of setup space directly in front of the dock. When the tandems are set to the far rear of the trailer, it will respond/adjust much slower than you are accustom to. Typically when first learning how to back, students will over-correct and over-steer, running their arms to exhaustion. That approach, with the tandems in the rear, will only exacerbate an already difficult task. If the dock is tight requiring a 45 degree or greater, angle of approach, a 2 minute job becomes a 20 minute exercise in futility and arm twisting. Likened to putting toothpaste back in the tube.

Most of the time I run between the 9-11 hole, aka "legal" in PA, NJ, and MD. When I enter a dock, be it a Walmart or commercial vendor dock I leave the tandems where they are. I don't move it, no need to, it's a "happy medium". If the vendor requires the tandem set all the way to the rear for loading, I will move it to the rear once I am in the hole and lined up. I have never had an issue with security on this because in the 11 hole, its within a few feet of the rear.

Case in point, Kellogg's in Breinigsville, PA. requires tandems slid to the rear of the trailer when loading. When I arrive and check-in, I always let them know I will slide the tandems before bumping the dock. There are parts of Kellogg's that are tight, less than a trailer length to set-up. Attempting to back to a dock door with the tandem slid to the rear will net nothing but frustration and stress. Late one night, I watched a student driver repeatedly attempting to get in the hole. After her third unsuccessful try, I got out and suggested that she move the tandem to the 8 hole. After that adjustment, she got the trailer lined-up and in the hole after one pull-up and slid the tandems back before bumping the dock. She thanked me and we went about our business. Took all of five minutes for that entire operation.

Point being, make it easy on yourself, especially in the beginning. Unless you have over one hundred feet of setup, set the tandems at a reasonable point (8-11 hole), line it up in the hole and then slide them back before bumping the dock. Remember we are on the clock and paid for driving forward miles not reverse.

Do you slide your tandems once you've reached your destination to make it easier to dock in tight situations?

If so, do you go forward for quicker turning or back for less tail swing?

I worked in a warehouse as a Manager for 20 years before driving over the road. We never once asked the drivers to move there tandems to the rear and I have unloaded thousands of trucks all with forklifts. Never once did I ever see a trailer have a problem holding up a forklift with a pallet full of product on it. You do have more overhang on the trailer when you make turns, but I think that is the only concern.