Never really had to do them with previous employer but since changing quite a few drops are blindside and some ■■■■ tight!
At moment it’s embarrassing pathetic attempts ( at least getting fitter hopping out of cab nearly 10 times - and no that’s not an exaggeration!)
I seem to be over cooking the turn in and then end up ■■■■ close to whatever’s on my blindside. Nearly got myself into a point that I was seriously struggling to get trailer away from a wall so I could start again.
Bit stuck as I keep making same mistake and it’s annoying - both for me and anyone waiting to get past !
Thinking my perception when looking at wide angle mirror is main problem but no more adjustment in main and no window above bunk I can look out of.
Get that wide angle one out as far as you can too.And make sure they are clean.The wide angle one takes some getting used too.But you soon do.i keep an eye on my ns trailer headboard too.If thats at a big angle then so is the ns rear trailer.
xichrisxi:
Do you have electric mirrors?
If so use them as you are reversing by adjusting them as you go it’ll give you a better view of what’s going on.
I have been but some of the places I’ve had to go to I’m running out of adjustment. Been leaning over as far as can to see but it’s hard to control unit then and by time I’ve had to sit down I’ve ended up too far over.
Tried not turning as fast then it ends up not enough.
I know it’s simply practice practice but it’s starting to get me slightly stressed when I see a blindside drop
I’m working next Sunday when yard supposedly quieter so if time I’m going to try a few in yard least then I can’t hurt much [emoji3]
daftvader:
Get that wide angle one out as far as you can too.And make sure they are clean.The wide angle one takes some getting used too.But you soon do.i keep an eye on my ns trailer headboard too.If thats at a big angle then so is the ns rear trailer.
daftvader:
Get that wide angle one out as far as you can too.And make sure they are clean.The wide angle one takes some getting used too.But you soon do.i keep an eye on my ns trailer headboard too.If thats at a big angle then so is the ns rear trailer.
Get in position. Start to push back and once you’ve got what you think is the right amount of bend on, stop there and get out. Sort of before you actually “need” to get out.
That way you can tell if you need more lock, less, or to start again, before you actually get too far into it.
I have my wide angles looking far out anyway, same as my main mirrors, but in the Scania I lose sight of the trailer wheels much sooner than the DAF, so I’m doing more GOALing than I used to. The nearside camera does help, but its resolution isn’t quite good enough to revolutionise blindsiding.
Look for features on the ground that run parallel to your bay, like seams in the concrete. Guide middle trailer axle using then as a guide. Even if they are not level to where you want to go, you can judge how far your trailer needs to be away from the line as well.
A problem with blind-side reversing is you tend to focus on the obstacle on your near-side. and in doing that you inevitably end up driving towards it. Like in skiing…don’t look at the tress, or people stopped on the slope…you will end up hitting them. Focus on where you want to go. You should also bear in mind that when blind-siding you do sometimes have to use the ‘force’. Something that only comes with experience.
Practice makes perfect, whenever I can I’ll blind side into a space either in our yard or msa for example, now I wouldn’t do it if it was tight but providing it’s reasonably impossible to hit anything I’ll have a go to keep my eye in.
As above … “practice makes perfect” nobody can really advise you how to reverse from any angle, it is just something you will pick up as you go. Just test your own instincts and don’t worry about people teasing you if you can’t get it right first time.
I get plenty of practice at our place when box shunting…
The dopey car drivers and also the car hire company next door do add to the challenge by abandoning cars wherever they want.
Practice practice practice…
Crack a bit of the turn off and then straighten up a bit in the space you’ve made and you will see a bit more. Then do a couple of times and eventually you can see enough. Doesn’t work on really really tight ones but it gets you used to how much you need to turn it. Don’t be afraid to get out and check it’s less embarrassing than hitting something
I’ve noticed the people that get it wrong always get it wrong because they over do it and end up near enough jack knifed. Practice is the only way to learn it and not be afraid of it. Like somebody else said find a line or somewhere you want the trailer wheels to head for and stay focused on it but an occasional glance at the headboard in the o/s mirror gives you an idea of how much angle you’ve got going on.
Don’t be afraid of it like a lot seem to be and it will become natural eventually.
Until you have suss it out move have you tried doing lots of small manoeuvres, just remember what ever angle you put on you have to take off so don’t go in for the full lock straight away
Some good advice already given above but… if youre really not absolutely 100% sure get out and have a look. Would have saved me putting a fully freighted tilt through the workshop doors… …
… 