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Old 02-25-2020, 07:24 PM   #1
meg38
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Fuel stops

So going to the Keys in June. Upgraded to a 5er last fall. This is my first fifth wheel so the height can be a bit intimidating. I did get an RV GPS to help with trips. I also use the Rvparky app which is great for showing lots of info that's RV related. We will be taking I81,77,26, to 95. So this may be a dumb question but its one of the things that makes me nervous for the trip. What do you all do as far as knowing you'll fit in a fuel stop? My truck is a gasser not diesel. So the trucker pumps are out. Camper is 35ft long & 13'4 height. In a perfect world I would pull into a place with lots of room to pull up to the pumps & a tall canopy. So to the experienced owners of a gasser truck & 5er please feel free to give me any advise or tips. I'm sure I'm overthinking it. Just have this fear of pulling in & getting stuck while low on fuel. Grateful for any help!!
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Old 02-25-2020, 07:31 PM   #2
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I've used Google Earth to make sure I can get in and out.
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Old 02-25-2020, 07:57 PM   #3
Route66Rambler
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A lot of Pilot/Flying J stations of RV specific fuel islands that have gas and diesel. Usually they have no canopy overhead and plenty of room to get in and out. Check out the Pilot/Flying J app or use RV Trip Wizard. They show which have the RV islands.
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Old 03-25-2020, 08:27 PM   #4
Charlie 3931fb
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Originally Posted by Route66Rambler View Post
A lot of Pilot/Flying J stations of RV specific fuel islands that have gas and diesel. Usually they have no canopy overhead and plenty of room to get in and out. Check out the Pilot/Flying J app or use RV Trip Wizard. They show which have the RV islands.
Loves has some RV islands with gas. We went to the key in 2015 and had no problem getting into gas stations anywhere in the keys and also anywhere in Florida. Good luck you will be fine

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Old 02-26-2020, 05:20 AM   #5
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You'll have to do what happens to us at times. Look ahead as you come up to an exit to see what the gas station has for you.

As for the keys, there are plenty of gas stations for you--with the trailer.

If that worried just carry an extra 5 gallons of fuel. MAKE SURE when going towards Miami that you are full...suddenly you are in traffic and no gas station that you can go into.
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Old 02-26-2020, 06:30 AM   #6
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Google maps satellite view to see if we can fit, turn around. Carry a gas can. You can always disconnect in a nearby parking lot.
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Old 03-05-2020, 06:22 AM   #7
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Google maps satellite view to see if we can fit, turn around. Carry a gas can. You can always disconnect in a nearby parking lot.
This is best if you are concerned about getting in and out. Takes all the stress out of fueling if your super low. Early on I disconnected on the side of the road once to fuel. Now I have a inbed fuel tank. I can`t drive enough to empty both tanks before I stop for the night then we go out and eat and fuel locally.
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Old 02-26-2020, 08:15 AM   #8
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Most newer stations have covers high enough to be no problem. The problem tends more to be getting into and out of the front pump lanes. I have a diesel but rarely use the truck stops. Just don't like them. So I use the regular station front pumps.

I am very much a planner. I typically plan ahead before leaving, estimate where I will need to fuel up, and use google maps satellite view to locate and view stations in that area, and google maps street view to see them from ground level. With those two tools, I can see how entrances/exits look and how high the covers are. Hasn't failed me yet. Saves me having to start searching while driving along and wondering what I am going to find. With a 35 gallon tank I never have to stop more than once on any given day. I start with a full tank, and fill up before hitting the road again after a stay somewhere.
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Old 02-26-2020, 08:19 AM   #9
Kyle and Lisa
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We always top off our tank the day before we move to another location, although we only travel 2-5 hours at a time.
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Old 03-04-2020, 01:41 PM   #10
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Gas stations are a real problem, especially for gas vehicles, and yes at RV pumps without exit space. I've had to have my wife stop traffic so I can back out onto main highways. It's one of the stressful parts of towing. Out West, it's even more difficult. Having to do Google earth to buy gas indicates that gas stations are not aware of this. After a recent trip I wrote to Pilot/Flying j and they personally called me to say theydidn'trealizethis and would look into the problem. Please write corporate in Tennessee. More voices the better.

Many times, I didn't have reasonable options
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Old 03-04-2020, 01:49 PM   #11
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I agree with a previous post that most newer stations have canopies above 14', so that isn't typically a worry. It's the navigation in/out that can get tricky.

I've used the satellite view on Google Maps at times. We've found that most truck stops have pretty good space at their pumps on the car side too. When fueling at a car island, I try to minimize my navigation needs. That usually ends up being the first pump. But, I've also had to back out of one location after fueling when I discovered I didn't have turning options that I was comfortable with.

We've even done a drive-by before and said, "Nope. Not trying that one."

We typically start looking for fuel options up ahead when we drop below 1/2 a tank. At that point we know we have 80-100 miles to 1/4 tank, which is when DW starts getting nervous. It allows us to be more flexible with our fueling options.

We use to always get diesel on the car islands at smaller stations because I wasn't going to pay the truck stop inflated prices. But we don't worry about that any more since we secured a TSD fuel card for RVers that gets us significant discounts at the major truck stops. Now we join the truckers, so no more issues with clearance or navigation.
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Old 03-04-2020, 01:56 PM   #12
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I would agree. I remember the days when I was using a gas truck. The overwhelming majority of the gas side of truck stops had enough height to get you into. Maneuvering was always the trick. I would just pull in and position myself for the outside pumps. There were some stressful times blocking traffic with our 5ver which is 42 1/2 feet.

Gone diesel now and those days are behind us.
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Old 03-04-2020, 02:10 PM   #13
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I always go and top off before I hook up. I am like others. I never go more than 5 hours. I also have a aux tank in my bed with 10 gal on board. I have had some close calls in TEXAS
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Old 03-04-2020, 02:34 PM   #14
Rdt1012@att.net
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Extra expense. I use a RDS gravity feed auxiliary fuel tank.
Paying (cost of tank) for peace of mind.

Live the Keys.
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Old 03-04-2020, 02:43 PM   #15
DaveK
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Is the tank for diesel or gas?

Every time were travel, I end up gassing up during the trip, even when I leave with a full tank.
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Old 03-04-2020, 03:38 PM   #16
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RDS auxiliary tanks can be used with either gasoline or diesel (with kit)
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Old 03-12-2020, 10:43 AM   #17
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RDS auxiliary tanks can be used with either gasoline or diesel (with kit)
The gravity feed kits that you buy to gravity feed the rds tanks are called diesel
install kits and say not to be used with gasoline.

At least that's what I saw when I deliberated on them for months. I ended up buying an rds tank with a pump in the toolbox because I didn't like the idea of having bottom flow and a valve in the bottom of the bed to be knocked off.

I run diesel btw.
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Old 03-12-2020, 10:55 AM   #18
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The gravity feed kits that you buy to gravity feed the rds tanks are called diesel
install kits and say not to be used with gasoline.

At least that's what I saw when I deliberated on them for months. I ended up buying an rds tank with a pump in the toolbox because I didn't like the idea of having bottom flow and a valve in the bottom of the bed to be knocked off.

I run diesel btw.
You realize that even pumped systems draw from the bottom of the tank... Plus you can put an in line filter on both gravity and pump feed. The valve for gravity feed is on the ends of the tank, they are not in harms way at all.

I had a pump feed on the 2011 F350 I traded for the new Ram 3500 which I installed gravity feed. I chose Gravity this time as the pump feed you have to be careful to make sure you do not accidently pump when your main is full. Frankly I did not see the benefit of pump feed for near triple the cost. That is not to say Pump is bad it is just personal preference.

By the way Gravity feed the outlet is about 1" above the bottom of the tank so if you have more sediment/bacteria/sludge than that you have a much bigger problem.
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Old 03-12-2020, 12:04 PM   #19
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You realize that even pumped systems draw from the bottom of the tank... Plus you can put an in line filter on both gravity and pump feed. The valve for gravity feed is on the ends of the tank, they are not in harms way at all.

I had a pump feed on the 2011 F350 I traded for the new Ram 3500 which I installed gravity feed. I chose Gravity this time as the pump feed you have to be careful to make sure you do not accidently pump when your main is full. Frankly I did not see the benefit of pump feed for near triple the cost. That is not to say Pump is bad it is just personal preference.

By the way Gravity feed the outlet is about 1" above the bottom of the tank so if you have more sediment/bacteria/sludge than that you have a much bigger problem.
I should have explained it better. I have a pump and an actual fuel nozzle like at a station that I pull out of my tool box and then fill up my main tank, the tank isn't plumbed into the truck in any way. I just feel that it's safer in the case someone t bones me.
I don't have to worry about a fitting at the bottom of the tank getting knocked off and spewing fuel everywhere.
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Old 03-21-2020, 12:25 PM   #20
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So with the gravity feed will it run out your fill spout if you leave it on too long?
I have a 3500 Ram too.
Thanks
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