Hi Guys,
Relatively new driver. Getting better at backing in a trailer in a bay, but not always. Sometimes find that while straight, I’m 3ft+ to left or right of where I should be.
Question: What’s the best way of moving trailer sideways to line up. I’ve tried making an ‘S’ but it doesn’t see to help much.
Artic? Unless you have a football pitch in front of you driving forward in an “S” will do little.
Not easy to describe in words but:
You need to pull forward on an angle, reverse “on the skew” and tuck the unit around to straighten up the trailer when the back is in the right place.
If you’ve got enough room in front, your method is best. If no, you’ll have to pull out and have anothe crack, try to pull to the right, avoiding a blindside.
I aint the best at explaining things mate, no doubt someone who is will explain it better.
I reckon it depends how much space you have in front of you…use all available space and try and line up your trailer straight, so that you just need to reverse back in a straight line and/or adjust accordinglly with your steering.
(I know what I am trying to say, even if it aint clear to you.
)
Bottom line when any reversing, use all available space to your advantage, do not reverse in on an angle, more of a wide ‘arc’ so that you end up backing in in a straight line.
And as always keep getting out to check, and dont be afraid to ask for guidance, if they are ‘proper’ drivers they will be glad to help.
Good luck…you WIll get there.
Thanks,
Sometimes I have to take about 5 or 6 shunts to get it right, which is frustrating. It doesn’t help that when looking in the mirrors you get a distorted view, in that it looks narrow at the back of the trailer, but 3 times the space at the cab. Wonder if opening out the mirrors would fix that. I’ll give it a try next time.
Going forward, I can manoeuvre into the tightest places, but reversing is my weak spot still.
Think I get you. So if I’m to the left of where I want to be, go hard left on the wheel moving forward to bring back end to right, then wheel over the other way and chase back?
Dont worry about it mate.
I was once the worlds worst reverser.
I even ballsed it up on my test, but must have been satisfactory enough driving forward to pass.
The examiner even said…you have passed but get some practice in on your reversing.
A owner driver mate of mine who was not known for his tact (or his teaching skills) and took no prisoners MADE me do it right later on.
More or less, yes.
Forward straight ahead a little, then hard left, and straighten up.
Reverse on an angle across the bay, and straighten up the trailer onto the bay.
Practice, practice, practice, we all started like you are now.
Be very careful of going hard left or right. Less is more. For every bit of input that you put into the steering wheel you will at some point need to take the same amount back out.
If you ever study someone doing a quite high speed reverse in an artic you’ll notice that they make tiny adjustments to the steering.
Instead of thinking of it as ‘steering’, think of it ‘unsteering’. Get the wheel over and then as you seep backwards start to undo the steering. 
Sometimes it’s better to pull out completely and re-do it, esp. if you’re 3+ ft off and don’t have at least 1.5 or even 2 full lengths in front
Firstly an artic or close coupled trailer is steered by the unit/prime mover drive/rear axle/s.They have to cover considerable distance to change lock.
In this case if you don’t have the forward distance, required to steer the trailer to either side, to the required position, just by going forwards on the required lock, then the opposite lock to straighten it, then go straight back, it’s stuffed.Pull out and start again.
We had a few depots like that especially at base it had to be right first time or start again.Dont bother trying to shunt it into the correct position.
Well that’s clarified that then. Sorted.
Amazing how he can get irrelevant crap into a conversation, especially if it can be about a truck and dog combination.
I actually said no different to ets.I was clearly talking about artics/drawbars with ONE point of articulation.If there’s insufficient room ahead to just move it over by going forwards and straight back then it will generally be best to go out and start again.Whats ‘irrelevant’ about that ?.
