gas stations

We use the Gas Buddy app and then look from above with Google maps to find stations with reasonably priced fuel and ease of access. We start planning the next fuel stop as soon as we have fueled and are back on the road.

Plan on how to exit before you ever enter.

BrianAmaral wrote:
Hi ,I have never had to pull into a gas station while hooked up to my camper, and I will have to next month going on a long journey. it may sound stupid but is there a special way to pick a spot or a pump\with out taking out the place .lol

Most gas stations will be able to fit your RV with no problem. Remember that they all have to have room for the tractor trailer that brings their gas.

To me the important thing I look for is exit angles. I have a Dodge 4x4 crew cab 2500 with a 30 foot trailer. My fuel filler is on the drivers side. I look at the distance between the pumps and the parking in front of the C-store. But I have been in some very tight ones and still have gotten out easily.

The only gas stations I avoid are ones that are packed. (You might get trapped for a few minutes)

I avoid the truck stops like the plague for their long lines of people cashing checks, getting showers, prepaying, weighing their trucks, buying food etc. To me they just are too much hassle.

This is one of those things that seem like a big deal at first but become second nature quickly. Don't sweat it.

It depends on the RV you have. For us, we go to truck stops. Otherwise, we need to worry about the height of the roof over the pumps, the ramps going in and out, and do we have room to pull in and pull out. There are some pumps that you can get into, but there is a building right in front of the pumps that make it hard to get out especially when there are a bunch of people parked out front.

When I had the trailer I liked to fuel first thing in the morning when the station was less crowded. Newer suburban stations tend to be more friendly than urban core stations built decades ago. Budget stations with high volume and lots of activity can be a hassle-especially with older facilities. If you do disconnect for any reason, fuel then. Scope your path through station before entering. Make a note of good stations to use in the future.

Moved from Forum Technical Support

I agree with RoyB. As a back up, carry a portable tank so you can park and walk to the pump if you can't pull up to it.

Also, if you have a diesel you can look at getting a replacement fuel tank with larger capacity so you can drive farther without having to fill up. I replaced my 28 gallon tank with a 50 gallon tank from Transfer Flow. Now, I can drive 450-500 miles with the fifth wheel in tow before I have to fill up. This allows me to put in 350-400 miles between campsites, drop the trailer and go fill up without having anything in tow.

FIRST of all and IMHO more importantly is look at the "entrance driveway" BEFORE you pull in to see how steep it is.

I was shocked to find out how many have too steep an incline to even get in without dragging the hitch or bottom of a Class A or C.

First glance is if there are already a lot grooves in the pavement pass and find another station.

I know only get gas where there is also a truck stop. I know I can always enter there on a flat driveway and drive around to the gas pumps.

The pumps? Well you will acquire a new way of getting gas and that's always looking 'ahead' of just the pumps to make sure you have an exit way from the pumps to get out towing.

If your running diesel look for a truck stop. Many rural stations around here have one or two deisel pumps behind the station as well. If running gas try to get an outside pump closest to the road for easy exit. If you have to take up several pumps, you just have to fuel up and get out of the way. At one small station the back of my fifth wheel was still is the road when I filled up, no choice, only place to get diesel.

I use findfuelstops.com We fill up about every 150 miles so before the trip I go on-line. Put in Point A to Point B.

It pulls up the gas stations along our route, the exit #'s, and it shows the aerial view so you can figure out how to get in and out of there the best way. I write it down it a spiral notebook for DH.