Hard Time With Straight Backing, Any Tips Would Be Appreciated.

Whats going on fellas hope you all had a good weekend. US Marine turned trucker something i never saw myself doing but figured i served my country why not see it. Anyways i am having the hardest time with backing. Now i just started school last week with Star trucking driving school in Hickory Hills, IL, Great school by the way for anyone in the area. Picked up everything well except for backing. I think maybe i am overcompensating and overthinking at the same time. I understand its delayed when looking in the mirrors and making the correction but you see where i'm going with this. Any tips would by MUCH appreciated. Great site by the way Brett help me alot and continues to do so.

I think maybe i am overcompensating and overthinking at the same time.

Brian, that is a brilliant analysis!

99% of rookie problems with backing are because they are over steering.

Try making minimal adjustments from the wheel, and then make sure and give the trailer plenty of time to roll 8 - 10 feet - it takes that much time for the trailer to begin responding to the correction you are giving it from the wheel. Most people don't see the correction taking place, so they just keep on turning the wheel. Next thing you know they've got themselves twisted up into an eighteen wheeler pretzel shape that they can't get back out of!

Brian, at the top left of the Trucking Truth forum window is a search box. I dare you to enter "backing" and look through the results.

Backing is probably the most frustrating thing you will have to deal with while learning how to drive. (And then double clutch shifting). You can look on YouTube, but don't follow the ones that use 'tricks", like putting a roll of Duct tape to mark a point on the turn (Yeah, that one is on YT) or watching for the landing gear in the mirror.

I suggest getting a toy truck, and playing with it on the dining table. Try backing between two table knives kind of thing. You will see how the trailer works when you put a bend in the joint between the tractor and the trailer.

Just try to work through the frustration, and focus on getting that back end between the cones. It's hardest in school, then it will get easier once you get some on-the-road experience.

Old School and I posted at the same time. But what he says about watching and actually waiting for things to happen is the key. This is one of those things you can write pages and pages on, but once you get it figured out in your brain it won't be so bad.

Thanks for taking the time guys maybe im just being to hard on myself since ive only done it for a day. Funny you said that about ending up like a pretzel Old School. It was on Thursday that i was practicing and i only have 6 students in my class with 4 trucks so i was straight backing for about an hour straight and as time when on i got more frustrated with it and found myself wildly turning the steering back and forth. I just feel a little overwhelmed since i'm going straight to Schneider orientation after school so i have no time to waste. Thanks for your tips as well Errol. Luckily double shifting is going well.

Brian worries about

straight backing

Watch both mirrors. If you see the trailer bending into the right mirror, turn the wheel to the right - top of the wheel to the right, or clockwise or however you want to think about it. My instructor's phrase here was "Turn to the trouble"

Old School says, "Patience"!"

Gurranteed to work..watch both! mirrors,when you see tandems dissappear in a mirror,steer the direction you see tandems,then COUNTER steer for a moment,until tandems are again in both mirrors. Whenever you make a correction backing,you must counter steer to straighten tractor,or your going to be off course again.

Errol "Turn to the trouble" as soon as i got into the rig this morning and remembered that it solved all my problems. Now of course while i'm having a good time backing up starting to enjoy not being frustrated what gets added in? Yep backing on an angle so any other tips for angle would again be much appreciated.

Brian, re-read Old School's post:

I think maybe i am overcompensating and overthinking at the same time.

Brian, that is a brilliant analysis!

99% of rookie problems with backing are because they are over steering.

Try making minimal adjustments from the wheel, and then make sure and give the trailer plenty of time to roll 8 - 10 feet - it takes that much time for the trailer to begin responding to the correction you are giving it from the wheel. Most people don't see the correction taking place, so they just keep on turning the wheel. Next thing you know they've got themselves twisted up into an eighteen wheeler pretzel shape that they can't get back out of!

For that note about 8-10 feet: You look at the tandems - where they are "now". Then look back about 8-10 feet. That's where they will be. So you need to steer for the next 8-10 feet after that! This is why you will get so much practice backing. By the end of your training, you might just be able to get the trailer barely where you need it. But after you get on the road, it won't be so bad. Both from experience, and there won't be an instructor or examiner watching.

I'm a little late to responding to this post as I've been very busy the past couple of weeks trying to finish up my year OTR.

For strait line backing, make sure you adjust your mirrors so you only see the very outside edge of the trailer in both mirrors. Literally when you look into the mirror (assuming the trailer is strait behind you) you should only see the outside edge of the trailer. If half of your mirror is filled with trailer it creates an optical illusion and will trick your mind into thinking the trailer is turning as you back. You'll constantly be turning the wheel towards it and thus getting it out of whack. It's a constant losing battle and the result will be chasing a trailer you think is turning and it's not.

Did I over explain that enough?? I know what I mean to say but typing it out doesn't seem to be working....