Fueling up

[Ken and sam]

We just got a 43 foot fifth wheel toy hauler we pull it with a Ford f450. We are finding it hard to find places with enough space to fuel up. We stop at travel centers and stuff but it seems there still is not much space for us. Anyone know if maybe we can or should use the big trucks island for fueling up.

[Tahoe Shark]

We use the big truck lanes all the time. It sure fills fast?

[Fulltimer51]

Truck type places are the only way to go. Many times they cost more but well worth it, in my opinion. Last week I chose a regular station to avoid the hustle and bustle at the truck stop. Big mistake. First estimate to fix the fight with an island protection device is about $7K. You do the math.

[Pat & Pete]

22 minutes ago, Fulltimer51 said:

Truck type places are the only way to go. Many times they cost more but well worth it, in my opinion. Last week I chose a regular station to avoid the hustle and bustle at the truck stop. Big mistake. First estimate to fix the fight with an island protection device is about $7K. You do the math. 

Hmm , sounds like it had nothing to do with math or a regular station .

Just sayin' . 

[Ken and sam]

Thanks guy for the advice. I'm new to this any advice on using the big truck islands. Do I have to go in to pay or can I use my card at the pump. I have heard some not so good things about using the truck islands.

[Bob Cochran]

Certainly you can and should really. Just keep etiquette in mind remembering the truck does no money unless those tires are rolling. With this in mind try your best to not impede or in anyway slow down the fueling process. Here is what I do to help.

When get to pump wife goes into the fuel desk with credit card while I stand ready at the pump to immediately start fueling. Even better if you have a company fuel credit card and Can start and pay at the pump.

As soon as done pull forward to allow next inline to get to the pump. Typically there us a line paint and if you pull to that line will be room for the next guy. 

If you need to park there and go in and pay. Don't do anything else. If you need do anything else except buy a candy bar at fuel desk. After paying go out find someplace else to park if you want look around, shop and purchase other than fuel.

You Hear horror stories about mad professional truck drivers but I have found opposite to be true. They are helpful and curious about our rigs. Just be be as fast as you can and all will be OK. If you insist on being at the pump an extra 30 minutes or more so you can shop or go to the head. Yea you may come back to a really ticked off driver.

[Big Greg]

We have a 70 gallon auxiliary diesel tank and toolbox combo in the truck bed.  We unhook every 2 or 3 days and go out to eat and fuel at local less expensive stations.  It has a 12v pump and spin on filter under the bed to move diesel to the main tank.  We don't have to travel the expressway to use a truck stop.         Greg

[cwr]

Here's a video that walks you through filling up in the truck lanes:

 

[Second Chance]

4 hours ago, Tahoe Shark said:

We use the big truck lanes all the time. It sure fills fast?

X2. When we use our RV Plus card at Pilot/Flying J in the truck lanes, we aren't charged the extra commercial tax on diesel if the state has one. We also get a few cents off for "loyalty." I particularly like the truck stops that have DEF at the pumps. It's fresh and a lot more convenient than dumping it in out of 2.5 gal. jugs. I had to fill up in an "RV lane" yesterday... man was that pump slow!

Rob

[gjhunter01]

 I also have a 100 gallon aux fuel tank in the bed of my 3500 dually that is plumbed into the truck fuel tank. With a full tank I can run 1400 miles which takes the fuel refill issue out of the trip hassles.  The added benefit is being able to take advantage of low cost fuel when available which offsets the aux tank purchase cost. Truck stops are usually the highest fuel  cost in most areas.

Greg

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Side note here...

When we had our Dodge dually, we didn't have enough payload left to add an extra tank.  Our pin weight runs around 4800lbs, plus hitch, and all the usual junk that rides in the truck bed.  

[gjhunter01]

Hi Jim, you have one heavy pin weight load there (for a pin wt to be 15% of total wt, does your fifth wheel weigh 32000 lbs?). My Cameo pin wt is just under 2000 lbs and total fifth wheel wt is around 16000 lbs. The truck rear axle with loaded trailer and fuel load scales in at 6600 lbs, so with a 11000 lb rear axle rating, I still have 4400 lbs extra pay load left or 500 more gallons of fuel if I had the space. The only time my truck ever squatted was when I once loaded an 8000 coil of steel in the truck bed to make a partial delivery off my son's semi.

Edit - The pin wt is estimated, but I do have a 750 lb weight hanging off the back camper bumper, (swivel trailer/Goldwing) which acts as a counter balance to the loaded pin wt. Factory spec, unloaded shows 14000 lb dry trailer wt./ 2000 lb pin wt., 14% pin wt.

Greg

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Our Carrilite MAX 1 rolls across the scales at 19500.  Pin weight with all tanks, fresh- gray- black, empty is 4850.  Any water added goes to the pin.  Just under 25%.  But it tows really well, never sways.

The published weights for the Carrilite is 14500 and change..... that is with without generator, no batteries, no propane, or tanks, washer/dryer, dishwasher, king bed, or any of the other options..... and we are optioned to the MAX!

Batteries are 2-6v, 40lb lp tanks, etc.

The Dodge pulled it, but didn't like to stop it.  

[GeorgiaHybrid]

16 hours ago, gjhunter01 said:

Hi Jim, you have one heavy pin weight load there (for a pin wt to be 15% of total wt, does your fifth wheel weigh 32000 lbs?). My Cameo pin wt is just under 2000 lbs and total fifth wheel wt is around 16000 lbs. The truck rear axle with loaded trailer and fuel load scales in at 6600 lbs, so with a 11000 lb rear axle rating, I still have 4400 lbs extra pay load left or 500 more gallons of fuel if I had the space. The only time my truck ever squatted was when I once loaded an 8000 coil of steel in the truck bed to make a partial delivery off my son's semi.

Greg

Greg,

Most fifth wheels run between 20 to 25% of the trailer on the pin. I would have thought yours would be in the 3200 to 3500 pound range.

[Fulltimer51]

On 4/21/2017 at 4:00 PM, Pat & Pete said:

Hmm , sounds like it had nothing to do with math or a regular station .

Just sayin' . 

I understand.

Had I chosen the truck station, there would have been no problem because I would have had enough room, which is what the OP was asking about.

[bocomo]

A few thoughts...When traveling in a new area I try to plan my fuel stops ahead, then go to google maps, (earth view), and check the "layout".  Flying J usually has an RV island that is priced the same the as auto diesel and will take regular credit cards.  If you are not familure with a truckstop, park out of the way and ask at the fuel desk if there is a low pressure pump on the truck islands...some QT's have this setup.  You may not be able to use Murphy USA stations but they will give you an idea what the best price in an area will be.

JG

[rdickinson]

Truck stops will number their islands, 1,2,3 etc.  Numbers are generally up high.  Also there will be a Master and slave pump.  The Master has the dollar and volume pumped readout screen, the slave on the other side of the truck doesn't.  It only has the nozzle.  You need to start the master first before the slave will pump.

I generally start the Master on to pump slowly then runnnnn to the other side and start the slave , holding the trigger to pump fairly quickly filling up that side first then go back to the Master side to finish.

The reason is, sometimes the pump fill the tank, foams up and spews diesel all over the place.

Like others have said, once finished pull the rig ahead out of courtesy.

Some locations will have air and water  on every other island.

 

Roger

[Heavymetal]

  Removed. Wrong post. 

[Heavymetal]

On April 22, 2017 at 0:07 AM, gjhunter01 said:

Hi Jim, you have one heavy pin weight load there (for a pin wt to be 15% of total wt, does your fifth wheel weigh 32000 lbs?). My Cameo pin wt is just under 2000 lbs and total fifth wheel wt is around 16000 lbs. The truck rear axle with loaded trailer and fuel load scales in at 6600 lbs, so with a 11000 lb rear axle rating, I still have 4400 lbs extra pay load left or 500 more gallons of fuel if I had the space. The only time my truck ever squatted was when I once loaded an 8000 coil of steel in the truck bed to make a partial delivery off my son's semi.

Edit - The pin wt is estimated, but I do have a 750 lb weight hanging off the back camper bumper, (swivel trailer/Goldwing) which acts as a counter balance to the loaded pin wt. Factory spec, unloaded shows 14000 lb dry trailer wt./ 2000 lb pin wt., 14% pin wt.

Greg

Something not right! 14% pin weight you should be 20-25% . 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

On ‎4‎/‎22‎/‎2017 at 1:07 AM, gjhunter01 said:

Hi Jim, you have one heavy pin weight load there (for a pin wt to be 15% of total wt, does your fifth wheel weigh 32000 lbs?). My Cameo pin wt is just under 2000 lbs and total fifth wheel wt is around 16000 lbs. The truck rear axle with loaded trailer and fuel load scales in at 6600 lbs, so with a 11000 lb rear axle rating, I still have 4400 lbs extra pay load left or 500 more gallons of fuel if I had the space. The only time my truck ever squatted was when I once loaded an 8000 coil of steel in the truck bed to make a partial delivery off my son's semi.

Edit - The pin wt is estimated, but I do have a 750 lb weight hanging off the back camper bumper, (swivel trailer/Goldwing) which acts as a counter balance to the loaded pin wt. Factory spec, unloaded shows 14000 lb dry trailer wt./ 2000 lb pin wt., 14% pin wt.

Greg

Greg,

I must be looking at something differently but from what I can find on Ram's website the maximum GVWR for a 3500 dually is 14,000 pounds with a base option truck weight of 7870 for the lightest diesel model and a payload of 6,130 pounds.

That is the total weight allowed for passengers, fuel, added options from the base model and the pin weight. Are you sure about your numbers? I was curious because I have never seen a rear axle rating that high on a 3500 class of truck.

[Heavymetal]

18 minutes ago, GeorgiaHybrid said:

Greg,

I must be looking at something differently but from what I can find on Ram's website the maximum GVWR for a 3500 dually is 14,000 pounds with a base option truck weight of 7870 for the lightest diesel model and a payload of 6,130 pounds.

That is the total weight allowed for passengers, fuel, added options from the base model and the pin weight. Are you sure about your numbers? I was curious because I have never seen a rear axle rating that high on a 3500 class of truck.

Just because the axle is rated for a specific load does not mean the the suspension is. I have two 10k Dexters under my RV but if I loaded them to the max I would be 5k over my max pin box rating. 

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

My Dodge Ram had an AAM 11.5 rear axle with a gross rating of  10120.  I was well over that on my Dually.  Greg needs to go put his Cameo on a scale and weigh.  HHe might be surprised at what his trailer really weighs.

 

[gjhunter01]

I just checked the door sticker and the GAWR (RR) is rated for 8200 lbs which is from GM. My last weigh of the rig fully loaded with 110 gal of fuel and hitch showed the rear axle loaded at 6600 lbs. Keep in mind, I do have a swivel trailer/Goldwing attached to the fifth wheel bumper which is a direct load to the bumper of est. 750 lbs, which would counter the pin wt. Loaded Gross wt of truck/Cameo/Goldwing was 25340 lbs. This places about 1/4 of the gross wt on the RR axle which is logical.

Greg

[N TX Dave]

Yes by all means use truck islands, but as stated DO NOT leave the unit parked at the pump to go in and pay, pull forward to the painted line.  We use Flying J and have their credit card so I pay at the pump which also saves me 8 cents off the cash price, which makes it comparable to other stations especially if they raise prices for credit cards.  I have always been able to go in and empty myself and look around fast for a snack and drink and managed to get back on way before the truck behind me was done at the pump less than 5 minutes at most.  If we want to eat there or I want to take longer I just park over with the big rigs and go in.

[richfaa]

We are 56 feet long Truck and 5th wheel. We use truck stops primarily  Pilot/FJ. The RV plus card gives good discount on Diesel. We use the big truck lanes when we have to Many Pilot/FJ have RV lanes that are easy in easy out.