LOW CLEARANCES

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by Buddy

Okay, I value your advise as well, with all your travels what are you using?

I drove big trucks for almost 20 years all over the country (1.3 million miles). I don't think they make anything better than an old fashion truckers map. I sure wish they did! Even with the truckers maps....I've gotten in situations that I shouldn't have been in and a few of those bridges seemed to have sunk since the last printing of the maps (usually new road surfaces).

You usually won't have any problems unless you go to the older parts of the country like in the North East or the older industrial areas or around some of the small farm comunities. The standards for big trucks have been 13.6 for many years.

#1 Keep your eyes open and you'll notice scrape marks on the lower bridges.
#2 watch the trees, if the trees hang low and bushy, then you might be the first tall vehicle down that road. This could become a problem in a relatively short time.
#3 watch for the low train bridges, they sometimes get lower when trains go over them
#4 if you do come across a lower overpass, watch for the grooves in the asphalt where the trucks have been driven. Go where the trucks go

Happy Trails

Edited by: Dave&Ginny

[Buddy]

Originally Posted by Dave&Ginny

I drove big trucks for almost 20 years all over the country (1.3 million miles).Â* I don't think they make anything better than an old fashion truckers map.Â*Â* I sure wish they did! Even with the truckers maps....I've gotten in situations that I shouldn't have been in and a few of those bridges seemed to have sunk since the last printing of the maps (usually new road surfaces).

You usually won't have any problems unless you go to the older parts of the country like in the North East or the older industrial areas or around some of the small farm comunities.Â* The standards for big trucks have been 13.6 for many years.

#1 Keep your eyes open and you'll notice scrape marks on the lower bridges.Â*
#2 watch the trees, if the trees hang low and bushy, then you might be the first tall vehicle down that road.Â* This could become a problem in a relatively short time.
#3 watch for the low train bridges, they sometimes get lower when trains go over them
#4 if you do come across a lower overpass, watch for the grooves in the asphalt where the trucks have been driven.Â* Go where the trucks go

Happy Trails

Thanks Dave, We went to dinner last night with a old employee with the State that drove for KLM for 30 years and he said the same, his rig was a Freightliner with a 13.6 trailer. Thanks again.

[Buddy]

I guess I'm pretty safe because the far as I go Northeast is Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and North Carolina. Been to all the other states.

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by Buddy

I guess I'm pretty safe because the far as I go Northeast is Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and North Carolina. Been to all the other states.

There's a few low bridges in the old county roads of Indiana and Michigan but they're well marked (usually a mile ahead of time) so read the signs. Follow the truck routes when traveling the small towns. I think I saw a low rail road bridge around the Goshen area but by staying on the truck route I was guided away from it.

My rig is 13.4 at the front vent cover. I run 2 sets of air bags so I can easily drop 4-6 inches by deflating my bags. But the old bridges were 12 foot so even that won't help unless I get scraped by a bridge that was 13.6 before the resurfacing of the road.

There is a train bridge just South of Chicago that we used to get stuck under because we'd have to stop at a stop light. If you were under the bridge when the light turned green while a train went over the top of you, you had to wait because the bridge would push down on top of the trailer (if the trailer was empty). A loaded trailer was always a little shorter and didn't have as much of a problem.

[5th_Time]

Anyone seen this trucker's website?

http://www.aitaonline.com/Info/Low%20Clearances.html

It's a State-by-State listing of every low clearance bridge or overpass in the US. Good as a tool to plan destinations ahead of time.

[subdoc4]

Dave, thanks for all the tips. There is nothing like experience to guide you!

[Buddy]

Originally Posted by 5th_Time

Anyone seen this trucker's website?

http://www.aitaonline.com/Info/Low%20Clearances.html

It's a State-by-State listing of every low clearance bridge or overpass in the US. Good as a tool to plan destinations ahead of time.

Sure have on the first page of Low Clearance. lol

[Buddy]

I ended up ordering the brand new Good Sam's version of the Rand McNally RVND 7720, it change to Good Sam's 7725, still 329.99. Plus got the 2013 Rand McNally Motor Carrier Deluxe Atlas yesterday. I should be set.

[hoosierguy]

Originally Posted by Buddy

I ended up ordering the brand new Good Sam's version of the Rand McNally RVND 7720, it change to Good Sam's 7725, still 329.99. Plus got the 2013 Rand McNally Motor Carrier Deluxe Atlas yesterday. I should be set.

From where did you order the Good Sam's 7725?

[Dave&Ginny]

One more thing I'd like to add to on this subject. While going down the interstate, if a sign says all trucks use the left or right lane, there's usually a reason. In construction zones sometimes they route cars under the overpasses that trucks won't fit under. Just like the picture someone had posted with 2 different clearance heights for 2 different lanes.

[0nTheRoad]

Dave,

As always, VERY GOOD advice, Thank You again!!!

Chuck

[Buddy]

Originally Posted by hoosierguy

Â*
From where did you order the Good Sam's 7725?
Â*
Â*

Camping World Online to my door. should be 3-4 days.

[Buddy]

Originally Posted by Buddy

Camping World Online to my door. should be 3-4 days.

Idem #68986

[5th_Time]

Buddy, you're so right! That must have made you smile. Now you can say "duh". Ha Ha.

[Buddy]

Originally Posted by 5th_Time

Buddy, you're so right! That must have made you smile. Now you can say "duh". Ha Ha.

We are Redwood owners, we are always smiling. I did like the site and will use it with all the others ideas I got from you guys. I think the cheapest way the motor carrier book that everyone is talking about, Rand McNally has been around longer than us.

[hoosierguy]

Originally Posted by Buddy

Idem #68986

Thanks.....I had not seen that on the Camping World web site before. I looks like it is just the Rand-McNally RVND7720 with Good Sam as the logo and a slightly adjust model number. The video shown with the Good Sam model is a Rand-McNally video.

[Buddy]

Worse than the bridges is my neighborhood, I got the RW in January and there were no leaves, know it seems like I have to plot a coarse to dodge all the Crape Myrtles. Nice older subdivision with mature trees.

[5th_Time]

Same with my neighborhood. I noticed that some vehicles come with a high-imact plastic sheet material to protect the front againstchips & the sides against slosh from the tires. Wonder if there is something like that to cover the black paint on front of the Redwood to protect against small branches & leaves, etc. Of course, the logo would have to be R&R'd.



Mosttrees you encounter are only "trimmed" by the vehicles passing underneath. I've even had small branches stuck under my A/C units when I arrived at my destination.

[Blenhardt]

I too have to dodge overhanging trees when leaving and returning from our house. Have called the county. They come out and trim some but not near enough. Seems to be a continuing problem.

[hoosierguy]

I ordered a 2013 Rand McNally Motor Carriers Atlas (laminated version) from on Ebay. While on Ebay, I did a search for the Rand McNally RVND-7720 GPS and found one available from an east coast RV dealer for about $50. less than what I would have to pay if I ordered through Camping World. Indiana gets me for a 7% sales tax since there is a Camping World located in the state. I should have both items early next week. I am trying to get ready for our big trip to Colorado in late June and July. These items should definitely help with the route planning.