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GPS showing best roads for RVs


maggie blair

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There are. We don't use one of those types. We started out using a Rand McNally Motor Carrier Road Atlas 9 years ago. It marks red roads that are suitable for trucks, the front shows low clearance etc. It is our bible, backed up by a GPS for general routing. We also use Allstays Truck&Travel app. It shows us road grades, low clearance, truck stops etc. We try never to travel on interstates and in all these years we have only once been faced with a low clearance. Fortunately it was in a town and we avoided it by going around the block.

Ron & Linda

Class of 2007
2000 Monaco Diplomat

2005 Honda Element

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" Theodore Roosevelt

"We can't control the wind, but we can adjust our sail"

"When man gave up his freedom to roam the earth, he gave up his soul for a conditioned ego that is bound by time and the fear of losing its attachments."

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We bought the Good Sam version of the Rand McNally RV GPS on e-bay. Said it was used but it was as brand new in the box.

We've been delighted with it for the past 2 years. It looks pretty simplistic when you start but we went to a class at Escapade last year and found it has all kinds of features we hadn't found! Comes with free map upgrades and can do live weather ad traffic updates if you have it ted into an internet connection.

We use it to track fuel use, find campgrounds, Walmarts', State Parks and a host of other stuff as well as just plain old GPS. It will warn you of steep inclines, curves, gives pictures of the exits and what lane you need to be in. I wish I could turn the excessive speed warning off sometimes!

BnB

2009 Monaco Cayman DP 38'

bnbrv.blogspot.com/

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Rand McNally makes a truck and RV GPS, got ours a Camping World, as does Garman and I think a couple of others. You can enter your vehicle weight, height, and length and it will route appropriately.

There are also iOS and Android apps that will show low clearance, RV parks, overnight stays, low clearance, etc. Allstays Truck and Travel shows low clearance and truck stops. Allstays Camp and RV will also show low clearance as well as nearby RV parks and camping.

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I bought a Garmin Dezl 760. It works GREAT! It has a large screen and I have life time map updates.

2X

Later,

J

PS Life time maps are great. They now contain so much information I needed to get a micro SD chip in order to to install the latest update because it wouldn't fit otherwise.

2012 Landmark, San Antonio

2013 Silverado CC, 3500HD, Duramax, DRW, 4x4

Backup, side and hitch cameras, Tireminder TPMS

 

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There are. We don't use one of those types. We started out using a Rand McNally Motor Carrier Road Atlas 9 years ago. It marks red roads that are suitable for trucks, the front shows low clearance etc. It is our bible, backed up by a GPS for general routing. We also use Allstays Truck&Travel app. It shows us road grades, low clearance, truck stops etc. We try never to travel on interstates and in all these years we have only once been faced with a low clearance. Fortunately it was in a town and we avoided it by going around the block.

Thanks so much. I am purchasing the Road Atlas today.

Maggie Blair

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We bought the Good Sam version of the Rand McNally RV GPS on e-bay. Said it was used but it was as brand new in the box.

We've been delighted with it for the past 2 years. It looks pretty simplistic when you start but we went to a class at Escapade last year and found it has all kinds of features we hadn't found! Comes with free map upgrades and can do live weather ad traffic updates if you have it ted into an internet connection.

We use it to track fuel use, find campgrounds, Walmarts', State Parks and a host of other stuff as well as just plain old GPS. It will warn you of steep inclines, curves, gives pictures of the exits and what lane you need to be in. I wish I could turn the excessive speed warning off sometimes!

BnB

 

Thanks so much!

Maggie Blair

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We bought the Good Sam version of the Rand McNally RV GPS on e-bay. Said it was used but it was as brand new in the box.

We've been delighted with it for the past 2 years. It looks pretty simplistic when you start but we went to a class at Escapade last year and found it has all kinds of features we hadn't found! Comes with free map upgrades and can do live weather ad traffic updates if you have it ted into an internet connection.

We use it to track fuel use, find campgrounds, Walmarts', State Parks and a host of other stuff as well as just plain old GPS. It will warn you of steep inclines, curves, gives pictures of the exits and what lane you need to be in. I wish I could turn the excessive speed warning off sometimes!

BnB

 

Thanks so much!

Maggie Blair

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We use one from Rand McNally which was specifically designed for use in an RV (sorry I can't recall the exact model and our bus is in storage until next week). You can enter the various dimensions of your RV (and toad) and the system will pick a route that avoids roads where you won't fit or be restricted from. You can also switch to "car" mode for using when out and about in your toad.

In five years it's not let us down (yet).

Tim & Eileen

1999 Holiday Rambler Endeavor DP 37CDS

1994 Jeep Wrangler S / YJ

 

Life's too short so what are we waiting for.

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One thing to keep in mind is the size of the RV you have. The Tioga is not a large RV when compared to the big class A's or fifth wheels. While I probably would consider one of the models specifically for RVs if in your position, you need to realize that yours is not a tall RV. It is vital that you know the actual height of your RV to the top of the highest point, usually the air conditioner. But do not be overly concerned about this issue and neither should you totally rely upon any GPS or book. Either of those can supply bad information and none of them will pay to repair your RV if you take bad advice. Make it a habit to look at the posted heights of underpasses as you drive because no GPS will keep you safe. The only place that you are at all likely to find underpasses that are too low for your RV is the most remote of back roads and I would never trust any book or GPS when traveling them.

 

That same thing is true for trusting the route of any GPS. We have all heard some wild stories about people who were lost in a snowstorm or on the desert by following the directions from their GPS. While those stories are wild, they do happen and there is no substitute for good judgment of the driver. I recall two occasions when we would have been in serious trouble, had we driven our class A into the route suggested by the GPS we had at the time. It can happen to you so remember that no GPS is perfect.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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One thing to keep in mind is the size of the RV you have. The Tioga is not a large RV when compared to the big class A's or fifth wheels. While I probably would consider one of the models specifically for RVs if in your position, you need to realize that yours is not a tall RV. It is vital that you know the actual height of your RV to the top of the highest point, usually the air conditioner. But do not be overly concerned about this issue and neither should you totally rely upon any GPS or book. Either of those can supply bad information and none of them will pay to repair your RV if you take bad advice. Make it a habit to look at the posted heights of underpasses as you drive because no GPS will keep you safe. The only place that you are at all likely to find underpasses that are too low for your RV is the most remote of back roads and I would never trust any book or GPS when traveling them.

 

That same thing is true for trusting the route of any GPS. We have all heard some wild stories about people who were lost in a snowstorm or on the desert by following the directions from their GPS. While those stories are wild, they do happen and there is no substitute for good judgment of the driver. I recall two occasions when we would have been in serious trouble, had we driven our class A into the route suggested by the GPS we had at the time. It can happen to you so remember that no GPS is perfect.

 

Great advice, you are entirely correct. We bought the Garmin LMT 760 and so far, it has been perfect. We are in a 5W and total newbies. Only once did it send us around the CG, but we found out afterward that the CG was built 'around' that road. IMO, that is the type of info that you have to watch out for. We did alot of research on this website and glad we did.

2008 Carriage Cameo F31KS3

Mor Ryde

Ford F350 diesel 4x4

traveling with our pretty kitty

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One thing to keep in mind is the size of the RV you have. The Tioga is not a large RV when compared to the big class A's or fifth wheels. While I probably would consider one of the models specifically for RVs if in your position, you need to realize that yours is not a tall RV. It is vital that you know the actual height of your RV to the top of the highest point, usually the air conditioner. But do not be overly concerned about this issue and neither should you totally rely upon any GPS or book. Either of those can supply bad information and none of them will pay to repair your RV if you take bad advice. Make it a habit to look at the posted heights of underpasses as you drive because no GPS will keep you safe. The only place that you are at all likely to find underpasses that are too low for your RV is the most remote of back roads and I would never trust any book or GPS when traveling them.

 

That same thing is true for trusting the route of any GPS. We have all heard some wild stories about people who were lost in a snowstorm or on the desert by following the directions from their GPS. While those stories are wild, they do happen and there is no substitute for good judgment of the driver. I recall two occasions when we would have been in serious trouble, had we driven our class A into the route suggested by the GPS we had at the time. It can happen to you so remember that no GPS is perfect.

Thanks so much Kirk. I have a 2007 Fiesta Fleetwood Class A and it's 27 feet. It's not to long, but it seems very tall. I think the RV place told me 12'6". I am terrified of getting stuck in traffic near a low bridge with a tow car. YIKES! Thanks for the info. Yes, the GPS isn't always accurate. Years ago I ended up in a field near Sacramento while looking for an RV park. Thankfully, I had a husband in those days and he was able to get the RV turned around. Now I am on my own but determined to accomplish this adventure. Thanks again.

Maggie Blair

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We stick to major roads when moving the RV, preferring US Highways rather than interstates, and once parked in our next spot, we use the toad for all of our adventures. We don't stop along the way with the RV to sight-see, that is saved for the toad. And I usually look at the satellite view of the park the night before to make sure that I know where it is in relation to the road that we are using.

 

Often RV Parks will tell you when you call to check on availability to not use the GPS to locate them as the GPS will be on the other side of a freeway or will have you trying to reach them via a road that was never built but is on some set of county/state maps that the GPS manufacturer is using along with addresses that were redone but never updated on the maps.

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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I bought a Garmin 760 w/ "wireless backup camera", thinking that would be very handy because I could put the camera in the back window of the trailer. Then discovered it wasn't actually wireless. It required 3 cables running in different directions? Returned it and got a plain 760.

 

It has been great. A very handy feature is that while it will choose RV friendly routes when you tell it you have a trailer, when you tell it you don't, it changes to optimum regular routes. The display isn't quite as convenient as having it built into the dash, but free lifetime updates and its excellent performance and advice is so much better than the OEM that I prefer it. Particularly at about 1/3 of the cost.

F-250 SCREW 4X4 Gas, 5th NuWa Premier 35FKTG, Full Time, Engineer Ret.

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Garmin 760RV here. Have been using it since it was released and no problems. Love the SmartLink utilities with our phone and the different profiles. Still not sold on the voice command but I continue to try :)

 

Whichever unit you do get, read the manual! After reading the manual - do it again! This will save you hours of frustration.

Berkshire XL 40QL

Camphosting and touring


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It's not to long, but it seems very tall. I think the RV place told me 12'6".

While I realize that it seems that way when compared to vehicles that you have driven in the past, as RVs go it really isn't more than average, if that. My suspicion is that 12' 6" is the designed height, as it was for our gas powered class A also, I strongly suggest that you get an accurate measurement from ground up to the top. What you need to do is to get someone to assist you and place a board on the top of your air conditioner that will extend outward a bit beyond the side of the coach. With that board kept on the air conditioner, which is likely the tallest point, use a step ladder and measure from that board to the level pad or pavement the RV is sitting on. The dealer that we bought our RV from did that operation as part of the prep for delivery, and they then used a tape writer to make a tape strip that was stuck below the speedometer which read "actual RV height, 12' 5 1/4" before he delivered it to us. I suggest that you do the same sort of thing.

 

Just between us, our RV port has a door that is 13' 8" high and it always seemed that we would scrape going in and out, if I looked from the driver's seat. At first, I would have Pam watch from the steps inside of our RV port to assure me that it would not drag. Eventually I go used to that, but it did take some time. :P

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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Be aware that Garmin's LifeTime maps have date requirements. If you don't update often enough you can lose that feature. Then you have to pay for future updates. Read your manuals, people.

 

Linda Sand

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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I bought a Garmin Dezl 760. It works GREAT! It has a large screen and I have life time map updates.

Do you know about the one that has a back up camera built in? I have been researching the Garmin today and for 100.00 more that GPS comes with a camera. I a m wondering how good the vision is in the camera.

Maggie Blair

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Do you know about the one that has a back up camera built in? I have been researching the Garmin today and for 100.00 more that GPS comes with a camera. I a m wondering how good the vision is in the camera.

I did not look into one with a camera. Many people have stated that if the 5ver is aluminum framed it will interfere with the signal. Plus my wife is behind me when I have the 5ver in tow. And we communicate with walkies.

2015 Ram 3500 RC DRW CTD AISIN 410 rear

2016 Mobile Suites 38RSB3

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760RV..= FANTASTIC!

 

Love the hands free feature when blue tooth paired with my phone....And so easy to do, I didn't have to get my 12 year old grandson to help! Also bought the real time weather and traffic subscription which works great.

 

Input your RV size and weight and it will detour you around bridges, tunnels, etc......No issues with this feature so far.

 

I mounted the wireless camera inside my Toy Hauler to keep an eye on the motorcycle tied down within. Nice feature. I already have cameras on the back of the TV and the Toy Hauler.

RoyB

South of Boston

2021 Dodge 2500 - 6.4L

Forest River 19RR Toy Hauler

Roofnest Falcon Rooftop Tent

www.rvbprecision.com

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  • 2 weeks later...

While I realize that it seems that way when compared to vehicles that you have driven in the past, as RVs go it really isn't more than average, if that. My suspicion is that 12' 6" is the designed height, as it was for our gas powered class A also, I strongly suggest that you get an accurate measurement from ground up to the top. What you need to do is to get someone to assist you and place a board on the top of your air conditioner that will extend outward a bit beyond the side of the coach. With that board kept on the air conditioner, which is likely the tallest point, use a step ladder and measure from that board to the level pad or pavement the RV is sitting on. The dealer that we bought our RV from did that operation as part of the prep for delivery, and they then used a tape writer to make a tape strip that was stuck below the speedometer which read "actual RV height, 12' 5 1/4" before he delivered it to us. I suggest that you do the same sort of thing.

 

Just between us, our RV port has a door that is 13' 8" high and it always seemed that we would scrape going in and out, if I looked from the driver's seat. At first, I would have Pam watch from the steps inside of our RV port to assure me that it would not drag. Eventually I go used to that, but it did take some time. :P

Thanks so much!

Maggie Blair

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We bought the Good Sam version of the Rand McNally RV GPS on e-bay. Said it was used but it was as brand new in the box.

We've been delighted with it for the past 2 years. It looks pretty simplistic when you start but we went to a class at Escapade last year and found it has all kinds of features we hadn't found! Comes with free map upgrades and can do live weather ad traffic updates if you have it ted into an internet connection.

We use it to track fuel use, find campgrounds, Walmarts', State Parks and a host of other stuff as well as just plain old GPS. It will warn you of steep inclines, curves, gives pictures of the exits and what lane you need to be in. I wish I could turn the excessive speed warning off sometimes!

BnB

I 2nd that! Speed warning can be turned off, or set high enough it never alarms. Next time you have it connected to RM Dock, read the release notes, I think that's where I read that.

 

2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.  John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961

 

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