Tips on Parking truck?

Question

I have recently started driving truck ( chev y silvera do ). Before this always been driving small cars. I love the drive of the truck but I have trouble parking and getting it out of the parking spots. Anybody has any helpful tips

Answer 1

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!!! Sensors are good but learning how to handle/maneuver your truck is important. If you're use to driving smaller cars learning to judge your front/rear end distances can be frustrating but not as costly as hitting cars, walls etc. Try to find an open lot, set up some kind of barriers to use as focal points(the brady bunch cone/egg test is good for a laugh) and just work on it until you feel comfortable. Good side mirror placement is also helpful and as silly as it might sound, bring a friend with you and have them video tape some of your driving, it allows you to see a different prospective of where you need help and what you're doing wrong. Hope some of this helps

Answer 2

Well, I can reverse a 60ft long truck and trailer into a gap about 70ft long, and there is a technique involved.

Never get too close to the vehicle you stop alongside, and draw reasonably well forward. You then check for pedestrians obviously, and start to reverse. As soon as your rear wheels are level with the rear of the stationary vehicle, you start to swing the front end of your vehcile out, so that you start turning into the parking space.

THEN comes the critical bit.

You use your door mirrors, and especially the one furthest away from the kerb or parking-lot line, and angle your vehicle to the point that ONE HALF OF THE WIDTH OF THE VEHICLE BEHIND IS SEEN IN THE REFLECTION.

At that point, you start to trun the other way, and bring the front-end of your vehicle round into the parking-space (obviously making sure that you are not about to hit anything with the front-end).

You will find, that as your vehicle straightens up, it will perfectly positioned in the parking-space, with just enough of a gap between yourself and other vehicles.

It sounds very complicated, but it soon becomes second-nature, and with a bit of practise, anyone can do it.

I must admit, that after years of driving very large vehicles, this is the one manouvre that I enjoy more than any other, and there is something satisfying about climbing out of a large truck, perfectly lined-up, 5ft away from the vehicle behind and 5ft from the vehicle in front.

Answer 3

practice, practice, practice!
I have been driving trucks of various models and sizes (from 1/4 ton p/u to 18 wheelers, busses, etc) and all I can tell you is that you need to take the time to learn how your vehicle turns and where the corners are. You could add mirrors that will show you where your corners are at all times, but that's probably a bit excessive.
I would suggest learning to back into parking spaces. I nearly always back into tight spaces, as it's easier than pulling in forward, due to the difference in turning radius.

Answer 4

I would find an empty or nearly empty parking lot I could be out of the way in. I would get a couple of cones or whatever to mark the length , and set them up like you are parking between 2 cars and practice.

Answer 5

swing it wide....sometimes i like to swing it soo wide that it is near the car in the next parking space, then reverse and straighten out and then pull into the space....this makes it much easier to park...believe me!!!

Answer 6

get a backup sensor...it help me backup easily on my truck and park...etc

my truck came from the factory with backup sensor but there are aftermarket one available.

Answer 7

Practice, and more practice. Find a place where it is safe to practice and get the feel of the bigger vehicle.

Answer 8

Park where you can maneuver easily, leave yourself plenty of room, and don't run over any kids.