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Old 10-15-2006, 03:42 PM   #1
Baqpqck
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Low bridges

I will be getting My Montana soon but I have nightmeres about driving my 12'6" fiver under a 12' bridge. How do you keep this from happening?
 
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Old 10-15-2006, 03:56 PM   #2
LonnieB
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Most bridges I have seen under 14' give you plenty of warning. There are maps you can get from truck stops, and other locations that list low bridges. There are also websites that list them by state and location.

On Edit - I wouldn't just take it for granted that you are 12'-6", I would suggest you measure it yourself while hooked to the TV to be certain. The height thats stated in the specs, is with the trailer sitting level, on the landing gear.
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Old 10-15-2006, 04:23 PM   #3
rickfox
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One day earlier this summer I watched a 5th wheeler AC get almost ripped off as the trailer tried to clear under a "limited access" bar over the roadway.

The sign clearly stated 13' clearance, but since the road was now black-topped, it only measured 12'6". OUCH!
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Old 10-15-2006, 04:27 PM   #4
Illini Trekker
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Bridges are mostly not the nightmares to look for, the unmarked things off the side streets is where most hazards are! Watch for wires, gas stations, lights, and trees. Wires are the easy est to miss, but older unmarked gas station with over head covers are another one on my list. See Ya
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Old 10-15-2006, 04:29 PM   #5
sreigle
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Welcome aboard, Baqpqck! And congrats on the soone to be Montana.

If your Montana is a new one, it's actually 12'9" per the specs. And we measured ours and it's actually 12'10". Our prior Montana was 12' 8". We've towed the two of them something over 50k miles. Low bridges is something I watch for but it's not really been a problem.

There are a couple of things you can do. I have a Motor Carriers Atlas, available at truckstops, Flying J, Travel America, and many larger bookstores. In the front is a state by state, road by road list of low clearance areas, complete with location and height. I used to use that to check our route.

Second, if you use Streets and Trips or Street Atlas, go here and download this pushpin/draw file. I think they have them for Copilot Live and maybe some others, too. In Streets and Trips I load this file and select a red stop sign as the icon so I see at a glance if there's a problem on my route.
http://www.discoveryowners.com/cginfo.htm

Other than that, watch for signs. If there is a low clearance ahead there usually will be a sign well in advance, on major roads. On secondary roads you don't always get much advance notice but that's really not been much of a problem. But they are out there.

If you use streets and trips, email me using the mail icon above this post and I'll send you the file. I've added headers to it so it's an easy install into S&T. In that email give me your email address.

Also, watch those filling station canopies. I've been known a time or two go stop and climb the ladder to see if we'll clear. It's usually not a problem but there have been a few.
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Old 10-15-2006, 05:14 PM   #6
Wrenchtraveller
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I figure I need 13 feet to clear and because Canada has gone metric and most people my age are still more comfortable with feet and inches over metres and millimetres, I tape a small sign on my truck's rear view mirror with my clearance in both metric and Imperial, so my little sign reads 13 ft - 3.96 metres.

I then know my clearance both sides of the border.
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Old 10-15-2006, 06:13 PM   #7
mobilrvn
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Since we had to replace our springs with heavier duty ones, we're now 13 feet tall. Now we won't be able to get into one of our favorite RV parks in Mexico and there isn't another one for a 100 miles! Side streets are the real killers, especially with tree limbs.
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Old 10-16-2006, 01:04 AM   #8
Bill and Ann
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We usually follow the truck route signs when we are in unfamiliar areas. That way you can feel a little safer re the low clearances. At home, in Canada, I usually duck while driving if I go under anything less than 4 metres. For info, 39" = 1 metre.
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Old 10-16-2006, 03:42 AM   #9
Steve and Brenda
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Baqpqck

I will be getting My Montana soon but I have nightmeres about driving my 12'6" fiver under a 12' bridge. How do you keep this from happening?
Hmmmm, never thought about that but now I'm gonna have nightmares!!! I like the data link for Streets and Trips, I'm certainly going to run that patch when planning and thanks!!
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Old 10-16-2006, 07:48 AM   #10
Cat320
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This site lists the low clearances by state: http://www.aitaonline.com/Low%20Clea...w%20Clearances
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Old 10-16-2006, 12:17 PM   #11
mobilrvn
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Seems like some smart person/company shoulc be able to come with a lazer device which would tell the driver the height of obstructions overhead.
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Old 10-16-2006, 04:28 PM   #12
richfaa
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We are 13 feet 3 inches from the top of the max vent cover over the bathroom to ground (3400) and others have measured the same or near the same. As long as there are 18 wheelers on the same road as we are we are OK.
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Old 10-16-2006, 04:42 PM   #13
rickfox
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The Air Force has that device in their fighter jets! Works real good, except that the cost for this radar feature is about $12 million.
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Old 10-16-2006, 04:55 PM   #14
rrheik
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when I was in Coeur D' Alene, Id. this summer, going into the city was a warning about a 14' underpass. They had a laser checking heights and then a few 100 hundred feet later they had a overhead sign telling you if you needed to exit due to height restriction. glad it worked, because my Wilderness was about 13'6". Would be nice to see more of these devices.

bob
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Old 10-17-2006, 12:43 AM   #15
Montana_6147
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CAUTION: If you have a second A/C and you have your hitch adjustment raised you may well be North of 13 ft.
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Old 10-17-2006, 08:21 AM   #16
Lstierw
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There are also a few Walmarts in the Southwest that have big barriers that kind of look like goal posts which were put up to keep out big RV's. Beware of these at night. Might be some type of city ordinance but we have seen fifth wheels traveling with huge dents in the middle of the front cap.
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Old 10-17-2006, 07:11 PM   #17
Imp
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With our kingdome on top we measure 13'8". We are very careful about checking height restrictions.
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Old 10-17-2006, 07:23 PM   #18
Montana Sky
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I come in at 13'3" to the top of my MaxxAir cover over my kitchen vent. I really try to watch overhead objects as I pull into fuel stations and bridges. I also figure if the 18 wheeler can fit, so can I....
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Old 10-19-2006, 03:40 AM   #19
sreigle
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Hmmm, I may have to crawl up on the roof and measure ours again. That's at least two of you with the same configuration as ours and you're measuring more than 13 feet. When I measured mine it was 12' 10". We also have the maxxair covers over all vents plus the FanMate cover over the Fantastic Fan. I measured mine unhitched so maybe that's the difference. The height when hitched is what's important.
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Old 10-23-2006, 03:16 AM   #20
Steve and Brenda
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by rickfox

The Air Force has that device in their fighter jets! Works real good, except that the cost for this radar feature is about $12 million.
Is that so the F-22 can fly under bridges? I've been working with Air Force jets for over 26 years and cannot even guess what system does that function.

Seriously, I measured my RV height this weekend by dropping a line from a pole placed on top of the highest point on mine - the bedroom AC cover - so it cleared the awning and hit the ground. Measured 13 feet exactly hooked up to the TV. I guess the smart thing to do is avoid bridges 13'2" and lower to be safe.

However, based on what I've read here though I should add some fudge factors to the height because the warning on bridges may not be accurate after roadwork has been performed.
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