Straight Line Backing Troubles.

Hi everybody I am in CDL school in Fresno Ca. I have taken the permit test and been checked out by my instructor on air brake/pre trip inspections. So starting last Friday I began straight line backing. The first time I think I got lucky and just did it right out of sheer fear and nerves. However I have had trouble with it since. I steer left when the trailer drifts left and right when it drifts right and then counter steer back to center but I do not know if I am over steering the wheel as I try and correct and I have panicked 2 or 3 times and made the problem so much worse. My school uses 28 foot pup trailers and I have been told they react to steering corrections very quickly. Perhaps I am steering too much or maybe not enough this really has me feeling the frustration and that makes correcting the problem worse as well. Any help or advice would be appreciated maybe I am simply trying to hard and overthinking it.

Not sure if this helps but I was told that its very easy to over stear when backing. I was also showed that when straight line backing grasp the top of your stearing will with your hand and turn the will in the direction you want the back of your trailer to go. So if you see the back of your trailer drifting to the left, you would turn the top of stearing wheel to the right. Hope that helps on that part.

Not sure if this helps but I was told that its very easy to over stear when backing. I was also showed that when straight line backing grasp the top of your stearing will with your hand and turn the will in the direction you want the back of your trailer to go. So if you see the back of your trailer drifting to the left, you would turn the top of stearing wheel to the right. Hope that helps on that part.

I believe this instruction is incorrect, if the back of the trailer is drifting left and you turn the top of the wheel to the right you will go further left, you want to turn towards the problem, so if you are drifting left that is a problem so turn to the left and the trailer will go right...

Not sure if this helps but I was told that its very easy to over stear when backing. I was also showed that when straight line backing grasp the top of your stearing will with your hand and turn the will in the direction you want the back of your trailer to go. So if you see the back of your trailer drifting to the left, you would turn the top of stearing wheel to the right. Hope that helps on that part.

I believe this instruction is incorrect, if the back of the trailer is drifting left and you turn the top of the wheel to the right you will go further left, you want to turn towards the problem, so if you are drifting left that is a problem so turn to the left and the trailer will go right...

correct. steer towards tbe danger... turn towards tbe mirror you see the trailer in . bht remember your name is not zoro so dont get all crazy with the hand movement its already straight no need to turn more than a hair with a pup to kee it,in line go to 10 if its on,the left go,to,2 if in the right miror but only for,a,second,not until its too late

Not sure if this helps but I was told that its very easy to over stear when backing. I was also showed that when straight line backing grasp the top of your stearing will with your hand and turn the will in the direction you want the back of your trailer to go. So if you see the back of your trailer drifting to the left, you would turn the top of stearing wheel to the right. Hope that helps on that part.

I believe this instruction is incorrect, if the back of the trailer is drifting left and you turn the top of the wheel to the right you will go further left, you want to turn towards the problem, so if you are drifting left that is a problem so turn to the left and the trailer will go right...

correct. steer towards tbe danger... turn towards tbe mirror you see the trailer in . bht remember your name is not zoro so dont get all crazy with the hand movement its already straight no need to turn more than a hair with a pup to kee it,in line go to 10 if its on,the left go,to,2 if in the right miror but only for,a,second,not until its too late

Thanks Mr Smith, that is the best I've seen that described. Left and right while looking backwards could really mean either way depends on how you look at it. Turn to the mirror you see the trailer in really clears that up.

Watch your tandems through BOTH mirrors,as soon as your tandems disappear in a mirror,steer to the side you see the tandems. counter steer for a second,then continue backing straight. This will be the first sign your off track,if you wait too long to make adjustments,large corrections will be needed.

I just wanted to thank everybody who offered advice and support. I did the straight line 6 or 7 times today and put it right in the spot every time. I just made my steering corrections small and took care not to go too fast. By the end of the day I felt like the one controlling the trailer and not the other way around. I think they are going to let me move on to the offsets now. This website is a great help and it was nice to read some other posts and know I am not the only one having some trouble out there. Thanks to all who offered advice and encouragement.

turn towards tbe mirror you see the trailer in..

I'm now feeling your pain too. After day 2 on the range, my instructor (who is very nice btw) is thoroughly confusing me. If he's not in the truck.. I do fine. He left early yesterday and after that did well. Today.. he was back.. and it was extremely frustrating... even more so when he moved us on to offset backing. I'll ask about that in another post.