Low bridges, propane and weight restrictions

[EricNJ]

So I was about to leave on a trip the other day when a neighbor warned me about weight limits on a road I planned to take. This got me concerned. How do you plan routes that don't run afoul of propane and weight restriction and that won't result in the tip of your rig being decanted by a low bridge? I live Waze but it's no help here. How do you do it?

[Schvarak]

Originally Posted by EricNJ

So I was about to leave on a trip the other day when a neighbor warned me about weight limits on a road I planned to take. This got me concerned. How do you plan routes that don't run afoul of propane and weight restriction and that won't result in the tip of your rig being decanted by a low bridge? I live Waze but it's no help here. How do you do it?

Try Good Sams trip planner.
dont forget tunnels too!

[Oakman]

Garmin RV770 LMT GPS. You can configure it for your RV weight, height, propane, etc.

[doc73]

First off, how does your neighbor know of the restrictions? If it is not posted then there are no restrictions under normal traffic terms.

The only "real" propane restrictions I have ever seen that included rvs is the Baltimore tunnels. They are a no go. Other tunnels might make you turn it off but that is it.

Bridges, get a truck or rv GPS. Also pay attention incase they are not marked correctly. Also get your rvs height, not the brochure height. Mine was 2" taller than the paperwork, could have been bad if I pressed my luck.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Oakman

Garmin RV770 LMT GPS. You can configure it for your RV weight, height, propane, etc.

X2 - We have an onboard nav system in our car, but the Garmin RV GPS moves to the car when we are not using the truck. It is very easy to program and has different profiles you set up and select when you first turn it on.

It has lifetime map upgrades and traffic on the route.

[Jim34RL]

I use a Rand McNally RV GPS, I have been using one since 2008 when towing my 5er's. I may need to update this unit soon since it has been acting up. But not bad for a nearly 10 year old electronic device.

[Archicamper]

The Allstays app list headroom restrictions on a Google map.

[Birdman76]

Use RV Trip Wizard (https://www.rvtripwizard.com/) Cost few bucks, but very good with bridges and tunnels.

[ependydad]

First and foremost- measure your rig while it's hooked up to your truck. Know your exact height!

Second, we just use Google Maps and adjust on the fly if we come up to something that impedes us. In 5 years and hundreds of travel days, we've yet to come across an obstruction. I'm sure it'll happen, but for now- we've been lucky.

We own, but don't use, a Garmin RV GPS.

[spock123]

I do all the driving and all the checking up on the map so I rely on the Garmin RV760. DW does not know how to read a map, well not much, she can find a rest area or read the directions I have written down but that's about it. We take the scenic route every so often but I can back a fifth wheel and turn around

[Frank DeFeo]

Originally Posted by Oakman

Garmin RV770 LMT GPS. You can configure it for your RV weight, height, propane, etc.

Ditto - I use the same gps, has no let me down (yet)

[rcarbaugh524]

You can buy a truckers atlas and in the front couple of pages it will have height restrictions. But that's for mostly big road.

[deartruc]

Originally Posted by Oakman

Garmin RV770 LMT GPS. You can configure it for your RV weight, height, propane, etc.

I have the same. When we went from CT to VA this year it warned that NY and NJ must have your propane shut off. Besides never knowing that, the warning can't be acknowledged so it continually goes off over and over again. So even if you got out and turned the propane off, you get the warning every few minutes. I wrote Garmin but they have yet to answer but other forums said it can't be turnied off. Of course you could modify your profile as to not have propane. But wouldn't that defeat one of the purposes of this Garmin?

[DouglasReid]

I already have a built in GPS in my truck, is there an APP I can get for my phone that will tell me the route information with the height/weight parameters I set up?

[jkoenig24]

At a REAL truck stop, buy a Rand McNally "2018 Motor Carriers' Road Atlas". These are THE word of safe and legal traveling that the truckers use. They are expensive BUT true truck stops sell them at a substantial discount. I buy the heavy duty laminated version each year. The MSRP is ~ $80. At a truck stop, I pay ~ $30. There's also a much less expensive "standard" version.

[camaraderie]

Try the app Co pilot for a cheaper solution...they even have an RV app but you can set height in the regular one too. You download the maps from your phone so you never lose your mapping in poor data areas.

[Delco Bobby]

I have the Good Sam GPS which is really Rand McNally and can be programed for your particulars. It berates me on the Garden State Parkway as it thinks I am overweight. My doctor agrees. Some of its speed limits are wrong which results in constant warnings. BTW, I do update it a few times a year.

I have the Co-Pilot RV version. Sorry I bought it. Weird routes and wrong directions plus Not user friendly.

I use the Good Sam trip planner on their web site. Then print out the directions and can send to their GPS.

They all have led me astray with serious errors. Just this month one of them told me to go east on a north/south road and another told me to go north on an east/west road. One was in Delaware and the other in Maryland.

My wife is a wazer. Waze is far superior but will take you around backups that are not RV friendly. I wish Waze had an RV version.

[Strigflag]

I use the SYGIC truck/caravan standalone gps app on my android. You can enter your full data and it will route around any restrictions.

[EricNJ]

I have never heard of SYGIC before... how long have you been using it? Have you found it to be accurate? I just downloaded and it looks promising. No reviews in AppStore yet tho.

[Strigflag]

I've used it for over 4 years. First on the 30' motorhome and now on the TV with a 32' fiver. I find it to be very accurate both position and eta time. I have it on a tablet so I can use it in any of my vehicles. I like it because it doesn't rely on wifi or the lte network. I believe there is still a 14 day free trial period.