Having passed my cat. C back in October I decided I wanted to go straight into the C+E whilst I was still in training mode.
I have started my C+E training and day #1 kicked off with a demonstration drive from the instructor out on the roads for around 20 minutes and then back to the yard for a reverse demo. Then it was over to me…after a couple of circles around the yard it was straight out onto the roads. Being a PSV driver I didn’t really have a problem with the size of the vehicle and I feel quite happy cornering and such with my positioning.
Back at the yard I had my first crack at the reverse and made a complete hash of it with an almost 45 degree kink in the setup. After trying this for about half an hour I just could not get it and I reverse buses every day. It just seems so completely alien to me.
the reversing will come and you will find it will suddenly click
Big turns of the steering wheel to put the bend on is usually the biggest error - put a little turn on - let it go back on that for a couple of seconds then turn the wheel the other way to get it back in line again - then repeat
That will get you into the way it reacts
Doing a straight line reverse with tiny little adjustments is always a good way to start reversing
Another crack at the reverse and things are still not so good…I am really struggling with this aspect and just can’t even begin to get my head around it!
Out on the road things were fine, was taken around some fairly tight corners and that went fine…brushed a few curbs but I am fairly happy with my driving really.
The couple and uncouple was quite straight forward, I thought that would be the hardest part but it’s really quite easy. Just start at the trailer handbrake and work around to the legs, air lines and electrics, check handbrake then remove dog clip and pull handle to disconnect king pin. and the opposite for coupling.
I am now starting to get stressed over the reverse, I have watched youtube video’s and searched on this forum but I just think I am going to fail the test next week before I am out of the yard!
Apart from one trainee who took twice as long, all my trainees on the artic reverse took under 2 hours to crack it so perhaps its the way in which it is being taught to you …
Making certain the trainee has the underpinning knowledge is paramount to success in this
I will give the straight line reverse a go tomorrow, with slight turns…That is my problem I think, I just don’t know how the trailer is going to react to my inputs. I just don’t actually know what I am doing! I have been looking at some videos on you tube and thinking through the procedure that my instructor has given me trying to get it into my head.
I start of in a straight line at the cones
1 and quarter turns on steering right hand down
reverse back for a few seconds and then 1 and quarter turns left hand down
watching out the window that i don’t cross lines
I keep this on until the O/S/R corner of trailer comes back into view in O/S mirror
(this is where it goes pear shaped)
I then try to straighten up and aim O/S/R corner of trailer for the O/S cone
small movements of left hand down on steering
then slightly right hand down
repeating to move trailer to the cones and bring cab back into alignment.
I either end up running over the cone or leving the reverse area on the N/S
You are trying to learn a set routine where a slight placing of the set up at the start can make it different every time
what you need to learn and do is the basic stuff first and much of that is in the LGV TRAINING TIPS link in my signature below
The very first thing I did with my trainees was to do a straight line reverse and put in the basics I mention in that link so they could do it
They then achieved something using that basic info which could then be expanded upon
PS - I never used bits on the set up or X amount of turns on the wheel to teach the test reverse
Night Spirit:
I start of in a straight line at the cones1 and quarter turns on steering right hand downreverse back for a few seconds and then 1 and quarter turns left hand downwatching out the window that i don’t cross lines I keep this on until the O/S/R corner of trailer comes back into view in O/S mirror (this is where it goes pear shaped)
This is a very similar method to what we teach. You could try increasing the amount of left turns which will straight you up quicker.
One tip is that to straighten the truck up turn the steering wheel towards whichever mirror you can see the trailer in.
Once you have got past cone B (the middle one with the stick in it) get the truck almost straight but so that you can just see the trailer in the O/S mirror. If you want to increase the amount of bend turn the wheel left and if you want to straighten up turn the wheel towards the O/S mirror.
Try getting out the cab at different stages of the manoevre to see what it looks like from outside. This sometimes helps (don’t do this on the test though).
Finally don’t be worried about taking a shunt or 2 forwards to get a better position. You are allowed up to 2 shunts. Why hit a cone when you could have taken a shunt.
When both mirrors are seeing the same amount of trailer in each and all the unit wheels are in line with the trailer then its straight so perhaps a pause at that point by holding it on the footbrake for a few seconds will allow you time to think
Hi Night Spirit!
I’ve done 5 days of training on Wag&Drag. Probably about 4-6 hrs
of reversing. Still not happy with it. As been said above, you have two shunts! Use them before it’s too late! However my test is set for tuesday morning.
Good luck to sort out your reversing!
.
Mario
I normally start off with a straight line reverse followed by another with very gentle steering movements. This gets the feel of the truck. Then I move on to a similar method as John and give big clues as to how much steering will be needed, particularly at the start.
I rarely have a problem with the reverse.
Hopefully your trainer has the skill to sort out your difficulties - which are not severe or unusual BTW.
Thanks for all the input and advice guys, I really appreciate it.
I have read through all the info on here…mainly the info on the link in ROG’s signature!
Really helpfull. I did a lot of practice on the reverse on Monday which was day 3 of my 4 days of training. Got it in the box twice (but not straight!) and messed it up loads of times. Today being day 4 I had a lot more practice, I have still hashed it up but also I have managed to get in the box. Sometimes when I get my view back of the B cone the whole setup is just lined up nicely and other times i am not clear of the B cone.
My new system is to take off the right hand lock and go back with the wheels straight a second or two and then apply left hand turn to get the B cone back in view and it seems to work.
Test day tomorrow but I will be glad when the reverse is out of the way…I am looking forward to the rest of the drive just not the reverse.
Night Spirit:
My new system is to take off the right hand lock and go back with the wheels straight a second or two and then apply left hand turn to get the B cone back in view and it seems to work.
Is that the - put the rear wheel of the unit about 2.5 feet from the yellow line then match that with the front wheel - move unit back in that position for 2 seconds then put front unit wheel next to yellow line - that way the trailer kicks out a bit more so it misses the B cone ?
If it is then note where the rear of the n/s trailer is in the big n/s mirror when you start to move front unit wheel towards the yellow line as that is your mark for the future
In the one I taught in the trailer just filled the n/s mirror as the mark so it was easy to remember
