Anyone worried about 13'3" height hitting something

[BigGuy82]

Re: Anyone worried about 13'3" height hitting something

Btw, Garmin just announced a new GPS:

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Garmin


Introducing the RV 770 LMT-S Navigator

Whether you own an RV, or plan to rent one for your next big road trip, you’ll want an RV-dedicated navigator to guide your adventure. While your current Garmin navigator is excellent for your car, the RV 770 LMT-S is a dedicated RV navigator with a large 6.95" edge-to-edge touchscreen and RV-specific features, including custom RV routing¹ (based on the size and weight of your RV or towable trailer) and a searchable directory of RV parks and services. It also includes live traffic² and helpful road warnings for bridge heights, weight limits, sharp curves, steep grades and more.


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Thanks for the heads up.

I'm a chump for high tech, so I just ordered one from GPS City - the only place I could find that was taking pre-orders. They figure it won't ship until Feb/Mar, but I like the features so much, I had to get in line. Turns out I'm the first one in the queue - the first one for a new device. Is that good or bad? Anyway, card doesn't charge unitl it ships, cancellable at any time. My built-in Ford GPS isn't too bad, but it doesn't do height and it always seems to prefer the long way around, even if you ask for the short way. Now, I just have to find a place to put the **** thing.

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If you are very worried about hitting an overhead obstacle, you might want to consider this:

http://giraffeg4.com/rv-info/

Probably would also work well for you independent truckers.

If you really want to be sure, this seems like the ticket. As for me, I'll just rely on my eyeballs. Also, I could always send momma up the ladder with the handheld radio to watch

 

[LBR]

With a bit of software innovation, why couldn't a wireless observation/backup camera be mounted on roof just in front of 1st air conditioner? This camera would view forward to straight up allowing us to see an upcoming obsticle. As we slowly pull thru (eg. a gas station canopy) we could see if the camera would miss it and in passing, we could deduce on the monitor gradients the distance when obsticle is directly overhead. If screen goes black, best to stop....lol

 

[BigGuy82]

With a bit of software innovation, why couldn't a wireless observation/backup camera be mounted on roof just in front of 1st air conditioner? This camera would view forward to straight up allowing us to see an upcoming obsticle. As we slowly pull thru (eg. a gas station canopy) we could see if the camera would miss it and in passing, we could deduce on the monitor gradients the distance when obsticle is directly overhead. If screen goes black, best to stop....lol

Good idea, but a Giraffe only costs 200 bucks. If I was worried about it, that's the way I'd go. In fact, that gadget is so simple and apparently effective, I'm surprised the fleet truck companies don't use them ... I'd guess that one wrecked trailer could pay for all the sensors for most fleets.

Regarding gas station canopies, I have a strict policy. If it's not a truck stop, I don't go there. If, per chance, I am stuck in the middle of nowhere and can't find a truckstop (not likely with a 67 gallon tank) and I encounter a gas station with a canopy, I have an empty 5 gal diesel can ... I'd rather ferry several can fulls than risk taking off my roof.

 

[Nabo]

Our camper with all the after market stuff added on top, our LM measures out to be 13'4" tall. We use a Good Sams Road Atlas which shows trucker's routes. You can also get any atlas for truckers at truck stops which also shows truck routes. Digital programs are great but we like hard copies maps.

 

[uncledon]

Also, a "Very Important" point about a GPS.
Do not put 100% of your trust in the route that "any" GPS has selected for you.

I found out the hard way.

Dick

Absolutely! Nothing out there comes with a guarantee. When not on major highways best to err on the side of caution.

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[chiefneon]

Howdy!

We've been fulltiming now for ten years, and I use Co-pilot gps app to keep us safe in our travels and it works. This last years we spent time in the northeast and everyone knows of the low bridge problems in that area. We had no problems with low bridges even with the gos set to avoid toll roads which then routed us on to secondary roads. Over Cyclone is 13'4" and it's not the bridges I worry about it's the trees that will get you as you have found out. In our case we keep a close look out while traveling down the road and especially in parks and campgrounds.

https://copilotgps.com/en-us/rv-navigation/

"Happy Trails"
Chiefneon

 

[pjones1969]

Stay off the back roads of Oklahoma!! These pics are from my trip home picking up our current trailer in Tulsa in 2013 (traded it in on a 2017 CY3800 that I'm picking up today)

I ha the GPS running, stopped at Loves near the TX/OK border to fill up, we had rented a spot on the border to spend the night in the new camper, wife had to work so she was meeting me there, left Loves, noticed that the GPS said I could get to the campground without jumping back n the highway, looked easy enough, well, 15 minutes later I am sitting on the road by a pasture where the GPS said the campground was, kept going.... a few locals were piling up behind me, another 15 minutes later I come to this, had to let the locals by and then back it up the road a ways to an abandoned farm house driveway, we still talk about this. btw, none of the locals even bothered to roll down their window as they passed, but I did get some crazy looks, lol.

 

['Lil Guy']

Every time I'm off the major hwys.

 

[jnbhobe]

Doesn't bother me at all I'll figure it out if I have to

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[cgaskins]

Re: Anyone worried about 13'3" height hitting something

Stay off the back roads of Oklahoma!! These pics are from my trip home picking up our current trailer in Tulsa in 2013 (traded it in on a 2017 CY3800 that I'm picking up today)

I ha the GPS running, stopped at Loves near the TX/OK border to fill up, we had rented a spot on the border to spend the night in the new camper, wife had to work so she was meeting me there, left Loves, noticed that the GPS said I could get to the campground without jumping back n the highway, looked easy enough, well, 15 minutes later I am sitting on the road by a pasture where the GPS said the campground was, kept going.... a few locals were piling up behind me, another 15 minutes later I come to this, had to let the locals by and then back it up the road a ways to an abandoned farm house driveway, we still talk about this. btw, none of the locals even bothered to roll down their window as they passed, but I did get some crazy looks, lol.

Good story! I am quite sure all the locals were thinking "He ain't from around here...."

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When hooked up to my truck, my trailer is also at 13'3". Height concerns are always on my mind when planning a trip and driving. Here are some simple guidelines that I follow:

• When going somewhere new, I diligently plan the route. I purchased the LowClearances library and plug it into Google Maps/Google Earth. I imported the file that flags anything lower than 13'6". If anything pops up, it shows.
• When I am traveling a new backroad, I walk the route using Google Maps in satellite view mode looking for over passes and under passes - especially train tracks. You can use Google Street View to see the low clearance warnings, etc. Extremely helpful. This is time consuming but it provides me the ease of mind that I like.
• Once the route is planned, I try my hardest to stick to it regardless of what the GPS tells me. I trust my planning more than the GPS. Sometimes it takes the GPS a few cycles "recalculating route..." to catch up to where I am going.
• When driving I try to always remain situationally aware. When I go through towns, and there are 4 lane roads, I try to stick to the left lane as the low hang branches are always on the right.
• When I am pulling in to campgrounds, I never hesitate to stop - get out - climb on up the ladder - and look. I don't get in a hurry.
• I try to not arrive at a new campground (especially ones with trees) at night.

This has worked for me so far. Good luck and remember you can never be to cautious.

Regards,
Chris

 

[CoveredWagon]

Re: Anyone worried about 13'3" height hitting something

Good story! I am quite sure all the locals were thinking "He ain't from around here...."

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ya spect 😂

 

[uncledon]

noticed that the GPS said I could get to the campground without jumping back n the highway, looked easy enough, well, 15 minutes later I am sitting on the road by a pasture where the GPS said the campground was, kept going....

This is why you never just trust the GPS. Like Cgaskins, I lay out my route in advance and do a satellite "flyover" to verify roads. Although my current GPS won't allow me to download a file (I haven't figured out how), I can manipulate the route to match any route I have already planned on Google Maps, etc.

 

[Doublegranch]

Last year I received notice from Lowclearance.com that their new Route 1 program was compatible with the Ram U connect, Ford and I think GMC. I just reviewed their website and don't find it shows compatible any longer. Has anyone with a Ram purchased this program and got it to work? I say that as some reviews on the web say they could not get it to work with U connect.

 

[iforget]

Yep.. on our way to a KOA from Goshen the roads from the highway were scary but the low hanging limb took out of expensive TV antenna. We did contact the campground hoping they inform their town for other campers!

 

[Doublegranch]

For any Ram owners that are interested, here is a copy of the email I received from Low Clearance:

Hi Garry,

I'm afraid uConnect no longer supports custom POIs, so we've had to discontinue that format.

Best wishes,

LowClearances.com

 

[CPDDet]

Always double check my route with the latest version of the Rand McNally Motor Carriers' Road Atlas. Its actually made for over the road truckers. Figure if I stick to truck routes I wont have an issue.