Newbie - Starting Next Week

I use four hand signals. Left, right, straight and stop (plus a modified 'pinching' motion to indicate 'very slow, inches').
 
Mine are similar...but when it gets close, say inside 2 feet...hands held apart horizontally and moving together as the distance closes to represent the specific distance left or right yet to go...hands held vertically and moving together same same for distance yet to back.

Actually, Sean may have the best system. KISS.
 
I use crane and heavy equipment signals, then throw my hardhat if they mess it up :D
 
Lemme 'Splain!

This is just for guiding a driver who's backing up a truck attached to anything...

Straight and Stop = self-explanatory.

Ketchup = "Catch-up" I hold the mirror on the passenger side to direct the driver and stay caught up with them. If the chipper starts to drift to my side I say "Catch up!" When the chipper is going straight I just say "Straight." If the chipper needs to drift to the driver's side, I say "Mayo." When I don't want any more mayo I say "Straight," but I usually don't need to after a mayo command because then the driver can start to see the chipper, from their side mirror.



Clear as mud? Mayo means nothing more than a word to go with "catch-up."
 
I?m just in disbelief here. Backing in I do pretty well and the spotter is either for tight spaces or just for show. And when hooking up I tell him to stay out of my line of sight unless I need to do it at a hard angle. Narrow chippers are tough to but on most of what I haul they are wide enough to see. Anyhow I?m just surprised that I seem to do pretty good. I thought i was the norm:O
 
I'm dumbfounded. Running along side the truck and telling the driver what he should already be able to see by looking in his mirror? Why not just drive the truck for him and save everybody time and hassle? But then again we are talking about tree guys.
 
I don't get the need for the spotter to be at the P side mirror, but I understand your signal calls now Butch. Makes perfect sense...sorta :).

For me, as the driver (rather than the spotter, whose responsibilities as I took them to be when I had that duty, and was speaking to in my previous posts), I don't need help seeing down my sides, I don't need help with which way to turn my steering wheel or front wheels, I don't need help with anything but telling me what is back there that I cannot see directly behind the truck and/or trailer. Just as Sean said for himself.

'Eff me...I've backed double axle rigs over a mile down single tracks overgrown with brush on the sides with no spotter without trouble, about as fast as I could drive that track forwards. I've backed truck and trailer combos through devilish convoluted access on logging roads. I've put trailers properly in place in unlighted garages or sheds without contact by what can only be called sense of touch :).

Skillfully driving and even more so backing trucks or truck/trailer combos is a highly developed skill. If you have it, you ought to be just about as valuable to a treeco as a talented climber, imo. Either position can put large financial deficits on a company's spreadsheet in a heartbeat. Either can make more money for the company by being efficient and saving time on every job.

My 2 cents. Worth every penny you paid for it :D.
 
I was referring to tight places.

gMscglN.gif


I was asked for an explanation. I explained.

Skwerl2 said:
I'm dumbfounded.
Click to expand...

Stop eating those dummy biscuits! :lol:
 
I regularly astound people with my backing up skills.
Untill I tell them about the rear view camera, that is.

Cost about $650 installed.
Worth every penny.
 
I'm one of those people who if I can't see the thing behind me as I am backing up...I lose the plot. I am trying to train myself to be able to use the mirrors when reversing with the chipper or the boat, but it doesn't take long and I have to turn my head and look out the back window, then no worries, got it done. If I go really slowly and don't have far to go I can manage with the mirrors, baby steps.
I dunno why, it's like a total complete brain disconnect and I find it incredibly annoying!!
 
Just put your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel, and back up normally. Takes your brain out of the equation :)
 
That's probably why I am so comfortable with mirrors for backing, right there. Every work truck I drove for the USFS from 1979 until 2004 had a tall insulated canopy on the bedrails. No rear view from the windshield mirror, no rear view by turning and looking back. All you had was the outside door mirrors.

I learned because there was no other option.

That, and I'm off the charts amazing in all things vehicular...there is that :D.
 
Oh I can reverse the truck by itself no problem at all with just mirrors, even the 12 tonne fire truck into the station with only a few inches to spare...just backing up with the chipper or boat attached...left hand down, right hand down...aaghhh, pull out straighten up and try again.
 
I've gotten pretty good backing hitched or to hitch. Dyslexic as all get out I am , so it took awhile. Like Burnham's experience with no rear view mirror or rear windshield option it forces the issue (I've had two trucks w utility bodies that blocked both)... Use the mirrors.
 
When backing up you have to think of it as driving a rear steering vehicle, like a forklift. You are steering with the rear wheels and pushing the trailer with the front bumper. In order to push the trailer left, you need to first push the hitch right and then follow it.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #100
For backing a trailer or similar, I always just use the bottom of the steering wheel to tell my brain which way the trailer will go. Bottom goes to the right, trailer will go to the right. That's what works for me.

Thursday was a good day. We did a large silver maple in a small front yard. Boss up in the bucket, two of us on the ground. I got to lower about 15-20 pieces with the port-o-wrap. It was my first time using it, but I got the basic hang of things after 2 or 3 different cuts. All were "in-it" or 1 wrap max, so nothing giant. I like that he's teaching me things right away. It's exciting and makes me feel like he has confidence in my ability to handle things. All the while communication and instruction has been great, so it's been fun so far.

Overall it was a successful first week. Definitely got a good workout, but I like it because I can tell I'll be getting stronger after a month of this. The boss said that there's a large job coming up in a few weeks where I may be able to work on some simple climbing. A ton of pines that need to be pruned for an aerial ropes course that someone is building. Definitely looking forward to that. We'll see what next week brings!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Kaveman
Need a climber?
2
Replies
40
Views
2K
Bermy
Bermy
MTforester
Good books on felling?
Replies
12
Views
826
davidwyby
davidwyby
BlackBikeDave
stihl 201 kickback when starting
Replies
20
Views
2K
Ed L
Ed L
J
Filling Hollow in Tree?
Replies
13
Views
811
Jager
J
Dopey
Need some equipment advice for my pruning job.
Replies
11
Views
775
Bermy
Bermy
Back
Top