gas islands

I rarely fuel up while attached unless when driving by I see a really good price. I have 88 gal cap so I can fuel up after I have parked the rig. I don't do one night stands so I have the next day or so to hunt out where to buy fuel. I have gasbuddy app on my phone so can fine the cheapest fuel.

There's a book called "The Next Exit" that covers all major interstates and other roads often traveled by RV'ers. It details stops where there are RV friendly gas stations, restaurants, rest stops and more.

It's well worth the expense to have this resource when traveling in unfamiliar places. Saves time and aggravation for sure.

If you drive a dodge you can fill them using the fast flow large nozzles . They are made for it.

jdog wrote:

doxiemom11 wrote:
mileshuff -- maybe a good thing you couldn't figure it out. From reading, it seems that the diesel in the truck lanes is a high volume/ fast fill. Private passenger truck may not be able to handle that, not sure.

I pulled into a place that had diesel only. Not only was it high volume, they also had larger nozzles that don't fit in pick-ups or Class C motorhomes. Everyone of the nozzles were this way.

I removed the "disk" in the filler neck. I love filling at truck stops with the big nozzles, can be totally fueled in about a minute or so...then back on the road.

Cale

The only damage ever on the MH happened at a gas island. Some fool pulled ahead of me then backed up practically against my bumper, went inside and never came back. I sat till my patience ran out then tried to ease around him; of course the left rear corner of the MH barely rubbed the large steel pole on the end just enough to peel the corner trim off about two feet from the bottom. If the guy had come back I don't know what I'd have done but I left and his piece of******car was still there.

Posts so far have been my experience, too.

When I ordered my F-250 gasser, the larger 38 gal (?) tank was one of the reasons that I got the std cab 8 ft bed model.

On long trips, even with the larger tank, I don't like getting much lower than 1/2 tank, especially the first time I'm on a new route.

And I've re-discovered Rest-Areas and for taking breaks while towing, no wasted time. I can park, use the bath-room, stretch my legs, do a 'walk-around' the truck and trailer much better than I can at Flying J, Loves, ect.

I am seriously thinking about carrying extra gas on my next trip and either 'top-off' while taking a Rest Area break or drive further between stops at the pump and still have a 'respectful' reserve. I should add that my new trailer is a boat and I will already have portable gas tanks with me. (Need to update my signature)

Fred

jdog wrote:

doxiemom11 wrote:
mileshuff -- maybe a good thing you couldn't figure it out. From reading, it seems that the diesel in the truck lanes is a high volume/ fast fill. Private passenger truck may not be able to handle that, not sure.

I pulled into a place that had diesel only. Not only was it high volume, they also had larger nozzles that don't fit in pick-ups or Class C motorhomes. Everyone of the nozzles were this way.

It depends on your truck... We've had several Dodge diesels since '99 and have always filled in the truck lanes. Same with my GMC. But a friend who had a Ford diesel could not fit the larger nozzle into his tank. That was back in the late '90's so Ford may have changed their design now....

As for the card readers - just go in and pay.

I know most people don't mean to be thoughtless & uncaring for anyone else but that is the way many are. They have never driven a large vehicle so they have no clue of what the challenges, & how car drivers can make them easier, at gas stations are.

Diesel is often at the end islands, the easiest islands to get to. Gas is also available at these pumps so where do you think the thoughtless car driver goes? The car driver has the option of using any of the gas only islands. The diesel RVer or truck driver does not.

It gets interesting sometimes.

NanciL wrote:
You need to have a sharp eye

before

entering a gas station.
If I see a bunch of cars, I'll just drive right on by.....Jack L

X2!

Once you start RV'ing you need to pick your battles. Definitely not the same as getting gas with your car. Look ahead and decide if you can fit 'before' entering or move on down the road to the next one.

Also, be sure to check out the slope of the driveway in too. Many are too steep for TT's and MH's.

There are a lot of refueling options between QT (and similar convenience stores) and truck stops.

Most convenience store chains are designed to draw customers inside to buy high-margin drinks and snacks, and a high proportion of the traffic doesn't buy fuel. Fueling lanes are pointed toward the store because that's where they want you to go next. These layouts make the places a poor choice to get fuel, even with a fairly small vehicle. I try to pass them up, unless it is a time of day when the place is almost empty.

Many similar size stations with smaller store business either align pumps parallel to the store front, or better separate the pumps from the store parking areas. This is particularly the case in rural areas, where a higher proportion of the refueling traffic is expected to be towing. People don't drop their stock trailers or hay wagons to get gas, so the company wanting to sell fuel designs stations to handle the traffic.

I find it adequate to size up stations before pulling in, with the expectation that I might go on down the road if nothing fits at this stop. Part of the strategy for doing this means not getting desperate for fuel, not running tanks to empty.

Usually the "travel center" chains that handle a mix of truck and car traffic are roomier out front around the car pumps: Love's, T/A, sometimes Pilot (although Pilot owns a lot of small stations too). Flying J, and Pilot travel centers that were formerly Flying J, usually have RV pumps, configured like the pull through truck pumps.

Truck refueling centers in urban areas that are not full service truck stops are often a bad choice, even if you can use diesel. The pricing and taxing may be commercial, and I've found some that are "pull-in, back-out" to more efficiently use limited high-price urban real estate. This is OK for truckers, who know how to back up, but not for many RVers, who may not be prepared for the challenge of backing out of tight places.

For routes I frequently travel, I make it a point to remember my preferred refueling stops, just as I do with my overnight locations. Venturing into strange territory, it is more a matter of check it out on approach, drive past if it doesn't fit well.