Best Backing Videos On YouTube?

Hey folks!

I seriously need to step up my backing game, as I’m not much better than the day I started training and my solo week is fast approaching.

There seem to be hundreds of how-to videos on YouTube to choose from.

Does anyone recommend a specific one or series of them, or a particular YouTuber? Or am I just as likely to receive good help from any of them at random?

Thanks!

Eugene, I'm not a fan of learning to back a truck from YouTube. It is an eye hand coordination issue. You've already confessed to being a confirmed klutz. I think you just have to realize that backing is something that takes a lot of time to master. I'm talking years. My best advice is to purposely practice. Repetition sets the visual and muscle memory that you are needing. I'm not just talking about the practice you get at a customer's location. You need to find truck stops with space available in the middle of the day. Pull in and spend at least an hour or more practicing. The only thing I know of that helps at all with backing is just doing it. I could watch a thousand videos on backing a semi and still glean no help from them. I could spend the same amount of time actually setting up scenarios and practicing them and master it in a much more valuable way.

You may not think you have time for that kind of practice. Maybe your trainer is pushing hard for the miles. If that is the case, they need to do something to help you with your final testing before upgrading. Look, none of us were experts at backing when we went solo. You have got to focus on getting yourself set up in your own rig, and then you can figure out how to set up some time to practice. Don't let it control your mind with fears of failure. You can get this done. You just need to make the time to practice properly.

My Trucking Skills goes over a bunch of different scenarios.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvIOEFJvQSx-BH6Ln3uOYDg

That’s what I suspected, but unfortunately taking an hour in the middle of each day to practice backing simply isn’t an option the way we are running. It’s more of an audition than training, really, since it appears to be throw you right into production and see who sinks or swims. Brett did mention on one of his podcasts that’s exactly how it would be, but I never figured I would be one to struggle with something like this.

Ive always been a fairly quick learner and naturally gifted with learning new skills, so to have something flummox me so much with so much riding on it in such a short period of time to get it, is stressing me out a bit. Some other trainees could back pretty well at first on the pad and are doing just fine with it from what they tell me over the phone, but I just haven’t been one of them yet. That doesn’t mean I won’t get it, but I am running out of options for help. Asking for YouTube video suggestions is clearly a bit of a last resort.

I thought you had written awhile back that the backing had "finally clicked". Am I mistaken on that post?

Packrat, I had written that, but it’s possible that I was so excited to finally have had two backs that were somewhat passable, that I jumped the gun with my celebration. In essence the only thing that “clicked” for me was that I had no idea what I was doing but still managed to back it in. They were basically just lucky shots, as my backing this week has been worse than my first week out.

I understand the fundamentals of trailer movement. What I don’t understand is WHEN to turn the steering wheel as I watch the tires. I closely watch other drivers back, both their hands and the tires, and see no correlation whatsoever. As they steer, it’s always this complicated dance of right, left, straight, hold, hard right, slight left, etc, but the tires always seem to keep moving in a smooth arc. I don’t see any translation between when they move their hands on the wheel, and a change in movement in the tires.

I'm my CDL class I recommend CDL College for home viewing. A very good collection of all types of CDL videos.

Once solo you will really start to learn. Be patient and GOAL, GOAL, GOAL.

I know the one that really helped me....now granted I'm still not THAT great...but the SWIFT one was really good with showing reference points.

https://youtu.be/O8I0OwRHzUQ

I do agree that nothing will do better than figuring out your own little way. There is the basic overall techniques but building your own muscle memory will ultimately be the best.

I should probably keep my mouth shut as Im not even in training yet, but I fear that backing will be difficult too for me as i suck at times with a small bike trailer and pickup and I keep searching and looking for a formula for it. Logic would dictate that given the total vehicle length being the relatively the same each time, If the vehicle is placed in the same position at start, in relationship to the front, back and sides of the vehicle and intended hole for the trailer, that the same movements could be repeated each backing incidence in a set pattern for a set length of time.

In other words, if one knew where to place the truck at start up for a maneuver, could they not turn the steering wheel X number of times, proceed in X direction for X number of seconds (assuming a set speed of travel), then change to Y direction, Y number of steering wheel turns for Y number of seconds(assuming set speed of travel), so on and so forth until completion of maneuver?

Understanding that of course, each parking area is different, but once there, the intended spot for the trailer is relatively the same size, the truck and trailer is relatively the same size and if placed in the spot in relationship to the parking spot for the trailer the same distance (my thought was to use a sonic or laser measurer, they are cheap and accurate, easy to use), would not a formula net relatively the same results each time?