height warning device

Here's a cheap, easy and reliable electronic aide, buy an object detector like we have on the bumper of the DWs Explorer. They are about $15 on eBay and have 4 little sensors and the control unit and a visual/audio display for the dash.

Because you won't be going 88 feet per second while entering a campsite, if you place one near the rear of the highest object and one slightly in front, you will be warned in plenty of time to stop. The sensors will start beeping at approximately one yard and the beeping increases in frequency until you are about a foot away from the object and goes to a continuous tone.

I would guess that most of us pull into a site at about the same speed as we parallel park our toweds, this should give you plenty of time to stop and look before pulling in the site.

My AC shroud is curved enough that I could attach one at about 45 degrees from vertical. My towed doesn't have a system so I bought one and when it comes back from the body shop I will install it.

If your in need on the open road, I think Dennis(Executive) is correct.

From their website:

The driver pulls the towing vehicle under an overhead hazard. The mirror mounted GiraffeG4 (optional mounting kit – sold separately) sends a signal at the speed of sound, 3bps. A driver programmable read-out in the cab displays the hazards height. The sensor continues to measure the height of the hazard as the RV passes under the hazard.


Once you're UNDER the hazard, that's too late. I'd save my money.

Here's a cheap, easy and reliable electronic aide, buy an object detector like we have on the bumper of the DWs Explorer. They are about $15 on eBay and have 4 little sensors and the control unit and a visual/audio display for the dash.

Because you won't be going 88 feet per second while entering a campsite, if you place one near the rear of the highest object and one slightly in front, you will be warned in plenty of time to stop. The sensors will start beeping at approximately one yard and the beeping increases in frequency until you are about a foot away from the object and goes to a continuous tone.

I would guess that most of us pull into a site at about the same speed as we parallel park our toweds, this should give you plenty of time to stop and look before pulling in the site.

My AC shroud is curved enough that I could attach one at about 45 degrees from vertical.

Executive wrote:
At 60MPH your rig is moving at 88 feet per SECOND ! Average reaction time is 3/4 second...that's the length of time it takes for your brain to react. Then it's another 3/4 to one second to react to what your brain notices...this means moving your foot off the throttle and putting it on the brake pedal. Now you have to apply the brakes...by the time you've STOPPED your rig from hitting that branch/bridge/whatever, your coach will have traveled more that 300 feet LONGER than a FOOTBALL FIELD.....!!!..:E...save your money, use your eyes.....just sayin....Dennis

If I am on a road going 60MPH I am sure bridges a high enough to not worry about. The OP said it was a branch that caused him grief. We also boondock in out of the way places with similar issues. If you never park in such places, I would not expect you to understand the need. We do, hence the need.

NEnative,

I understand why you may want such a thing, but please read the website before you give them any money. It might not have stopped you from getting the A/C cover beat up.

You have to get the sensor under the obstruction to read the clearance and it is ultrasonic like the new back-up alarms. It might not eve see a serious tree limb.

Now, if they had one that could measure 50' ahead....

Matt

NEnative wrote:
I would like to know if anyone has used a height warning device and are you satisfied with the device? I am thinking of maybe purchasing a Giraffe G4 unit after wracking our ac shroud with a low hanging branch.

With all due respect. I think what you really need to do is learn to judge the distance accurately with your eyes. If necessary get a long stick like the kind they stick underground fuel tanks with, mark a point where your TT and all it;s roof stuff will clear with about 3" to spare. tie a red ribbon around at that point and learn to judge where that is in relation to your seated position in the cab of your truck.

The ever increasing reliance on dubious aftermarket stuff like the Giraffe eventually robs you of the attention and alertness you really need to drive safely. Once you get to rely on it and used to it, is when it will fail and leave you with a topped trailer.

I've heard of folks putting a video camera up on the roof for those slow motion limb encounters.

At 60MPH your rig is moving at 88 feet per SECOND ! Average reaction time is 3/4 second...that's the length of time it takes for your brain to react. Then it's another 3/4 to one second to react to what your brain notices...this means moving your foot off the throttle and putting it on the brake pedal. Now you have to apply the brakes...by the time you've STOPPED your rig from hitting that branch/bridge/whatever, your coach will have traveled more that 300 feet LONGER than a FOOTBALL FIELD.....!!!..:E...save your money, use your eyes.....just sayin....Dennis

Bob Vaughn wrote:
Bridge height signs always scare me because you do not know how many times the road has been repaved without changing the signs.

It was actually an unmarked overpass on a small back road that caused me to come up with my height marker. It will alert me to obstructions within 1' or less away from the top of the highest item on our roof.

Bridge height signs always scare me because you do not know how many times the road has been repaved without changing the signs.