Failed CDL Test #2 - Backing Again

Failed during offset this time, two encroachments and too many pull ups. I suck at backing trailers is what I am learning. I know this is not a very positive post, but I'm just frustrated beyond hell right now. I need to decompress before I get too far into posting. Just wanted to post the update.

I'll come back when my head is more in the game... ..

Failed during offset this time, two encroachments and too many pull ups. I suck at backing trailers is what I am learning. I know this is not a very positive post, but I'm just frustrated beyond hell right now. I need to decompress before I get too far into posting. Just wanted to post the update.

I'll come back when my head is more in the game... ..

On offset, I accomplished it by keeping my tractor and trailer straight after the first 2 turns you make. First turn is full turn the opposite direction, next turn is a full turn going the other way once the back of your trailer is about to align with the center cone (view on your mirrors). I stop when tractor Is lined with trailer, straight my steering wheel and it's straight back after that. The key is that I make sure my tractor and trailer are straight at an angle so that I can perform the offset.

Im in the same boat as you on alleydock but Im going through an issue where Im not receiving any help at all from my teacher so I had to self learn the straight back and offset really, tweeking it from advice given by other students. Its sad but yeah...

Moses I have copied the link to Turtle's offset backing below.

Turtle's offset back with toy truck.

Here in Alberta we get only a truck and half length for headroom for the test, about 106' for a 48' trailer, and about 110' for a 53' trailer. I wish we got the 140' of headroom all those youtube videos show!

I have started nailing my offsets, and the way I do it is to go a foot PAST my landing gear when doing the first steer. When the second, counter-steer runs out of room, long before the rig is lined up, I do a pullup off at the angle of my trailer. Since I jacked the truck so far with the first steer, the trailer is inevitably coming into the hole "late", i.e. towards the far side cone. So my pullup at that angle moves my trailer back towards the early side. Now, when I do get the rig lined up, I have an angled back towards and around the inside cone. Easy after that, and if I get a bit too close to the cone, I've got another pullup available.

My instructor just changed her mind about how I get to do my 90° alley dock. I was nailing it with a gentle arc into the hole, using GOAL to check the angle. Now she wants me to jackknife it in instead. So I'm going to use the same tactic as I do for offset. I will start the jackknife LATE so that I'm coming into the hole late. Then the first pullup will walk the trailer back and get it close to aimed at the hole.