I’m guessing you two guys are new or something?
Yes, quite a newcomer to driving , only 27 years this year since I passed my HGV test. 
yes i’m fairly new to the game and i’ve not used a rear steer since I left ken thomas in 94, but if you tried to continue in reverse once they turned to one side you’d have ended up ripping the rear axle off, you’d have certainly blown the tyres trying to force a fully laden trailer back
there was no manouverability at all once the rear axle turned
The nearest I’ve ever got to pulling a rear steer was
“have you ever driven a rear steer”.
- “No”.
“Well, if you get one just remember to make gentle turns reversing or you’ll be all over the place”. - “I thought you could lock the axles for reversing”.
“On hydraulic ones you can but ours are just mechanical”
I had a look at one in the yard and sure enough there was just rod linking the vee by the kingpin to the axle.
When this thread started I was interested to find out what defined “command” and “castor” systems. I think I’ve worked it out and i think this is where the confusion is coming from. As I see it there are 3 systems;
Hydraulic based command steer - as shown in the link above. Steer axle controlled by 5th wheel angle but being hydraulic valves can be set to lock wheels straight for easy reversing.
Castor steer - Steer axle simply follows where it’s pulled with the wheels working like shopping trolley castors. Wheels must be mechanically locked for reversing or they’d simply go to full lock and stay there. (that’s why if you let go of a car steering wheel in reverse the turn gets tighter)
Mechanical command steer - the sort I described above and I think this is probably the type Mike-C is using at Tesco (I’ll have a look next time I’m there). In principle this works the same as the hydraulic type, with a V piece connecting to the 5th wheel to push/pull the bar to turn the axle. But the downside to it’s simplicity is that it’s always in use and can’t be disabled for reversing.
Have I cleared things up or just fuelled the argument? I’m happy either way 
Tony1968:
The nearest I’ve ever got to pulling a rear steer was
“have you ever driven a rear steer”.
- “No”.
“Well, if you get one just remember to make gentle turns reversing or you’ll be all over the place”.- “I thought you could lock the axles for reversing”.
“On hydraulic ones you can but ours are just mechanical”I had a look at one in the yard and sure enough there was just rod linking the vee by the kingpin to the axle.
When this thread started I was interested to find out what defined “command” and “castor” systems. I think I’ve worked it out and i think this is where the confusion is coming from. As I see it there are 3 systems;
Hydraulic based command steer - as shown in the link above. Steer axle controlled by 5th wheel angle but being hydraulic valves can be set to lock wheels straight for easy reversing.
Castor steer - Steer axle simply follows where it’s pulled with the wheels working like shopping trolley castors. Wheels must be mechanically locked for reversing or they’d simply go to full lock and stay there. (that’s why if you let go of a car steering wheel in reverse the turn gets tighter)
Mechanical command steer - the sort I described above and I think this is probably the type Mike-C is using at Tesco (I’ll have a look next time I’m there). In principle this works the same as the hydraulic type, with a V piece connecting to the 5th wheel to push/pull the bar to turn the axle. But the downside to it’s simplicity is that it’s always in use and can’t be disabled for reversing.
Have I cleared things up or just fuelled the argument? I’m happy either way
All looks good, apart from the fact that you cannot lock hydraulic command rear steer when reversing. If you did you would either blow the nose seals out of the hydraulic rams or burst a hose!