height of rig

[scrapperlila]

My hubby just measured our Big Country's height. 13' 6". Thats pretty high in my book. What do you guys use to help navigate and stay away from low bridges? We certainly don't want to rip the air conditioner off.

[C-Bears]

SSN609 wrote:

scrapperlila wrote:
My hubby just measured our Big Country's height. 13' 6". Thats pretty high in my book. What do you guys use to help navigate and stay away from low bridges? We certainly don't want to rip the air conditioner off.

I have the Big Country 3070RE which has the same height as yours of 13'3" according to the manufacturer spec. I make it under three 13'5" bridges around my house with the Curt hitch set at the highest setting.. Of course, there are several factors which can push your trailer higher (hitch, truck, tires, pin box, etc.). I'm assuming your trailer is sitting pretty level. If not, maybe you can do something to lower the front end a little (like hitch height). Since I can get under bridges marked 13'5" I think I'm ok, but now I'm curious and want to get out and measure it. Lots of good ideas here though. Good luck!

The spec sheets on fivers that give you the height is useless information. Mine is suppose to be 12'11". It is really 13' and a strong 4.5". So I set my Rand GPS height warning at 13'6". I slow down and use caution when I have to go under a 13'6" or 13'7" structure. What if they are an inch or so off on their measurement, or what if you run under that structure at 70 mph and there is a slight dip in the road that causes your fiver to bounce up a couple of inches? Goodbye front air conditioner!

I used a 6' level I picked up at Harbor Freight really cheap. Climbed up on my 10' step ladder next to the front air (with truck hooked up), stretched level across to top of front air. Measured down from there. The whole process took maybe 10 minutes.

[C-Bears]

Allworth wrote:
C-Bear

Don't know what you are looking at, but my current working copy of Florida Statutes Ch 316 et sec list those dimensions as dead on in accordance with the 2014 publication date.

Also, the Federal Highway Administration Compiled Regulations for highway design list 13'-6" (13.5') as minimum overhead low point clearance for Federal Aid Primary and Secondary roadways and recommended for all numbered State and County Routes. (Overhead clearance less than 16'-0" must be clearly marked according to the UMCTD.)

Are you dealing with some other government?

You are 100% correct. I was looking at 13.5' and seeing it as 13'-5" I guess. Plus the following quote may have threw me off originally:

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:

In some states, Florida and the northeast mainly - 13'6" is over the legal limit. You won't get a ticket for an inch, but don't try to complain if you hit a bridge or traffic light.

Thank you for pointing out my mistake. So now we can all be clear, you can be 13 FEET and 6 INCHES tall and still be legal all over the U.S., or at least of designated roadways.

[Jframpey]

Look closely... 13.5' = 13'6"

[ol_Bombero-JC]

.

[Allworth]

C-Bear

Don't know what you are looking at, but my current working copy of Florida Statutes Ch 316 et sec list those dimensions as dead on in accordance with the 2014 publication date.

Also, the Federal Highway Administration Compiled Regulations for highway design list 13'-6" (13.5') as minimum overhead low point clearance for Federal Aid Primary and Secondary roadways and recommended for all numbered State and County Routes. (Overhead clearance less than 16'-0" must be clearly marked according to the UMCTD.)

Are you dealing with some other government?

[SSN609]

scrapperlila wrote:
My hubby just measured our Big Country's height. 13' 6". Thats pretty high in my book. What do you guys use to help navigate and stay away from low bridges? We certainly don't want to rip the air conditioner off.

I have the Big Country 3070RE which has the same height as yours of 13'3" according to the manufacturer spec. I make it under three 13'5" bridges around my house with the Curt hitch set at the highest setting.. Of course, there are several factors which can push your trailer higher (hitch, truck, tires, pin box, etc.). I'm assuming your trailer is sitting pretty level. If not, maybe you can do something to lower the front end a little (like hitch height). Since I can get under bridges marked 13'5" I think I'm ok, but now I'm curious and want to get out and measure it. Lots of good ideas here though. Good luck!

[Halmfamily]

My old fiver was 13'2" and never had an issue with a bridge, however I did take down a phone line with my front A/C and had to trim some low branches at a state park. Will measure the hieght of new unit when we take it out on the 22nd.

Always be mindful of tree branches, utility lines and fuel station canopies. Look up

[C-Bears]

The site PawPaw_n_Gram pasted that info from was from 2007. Woodhall has additional sites stating the same bogus information, the most recent being 2011.

I know for a fact that the Illinois height information is wrong. Since none of the other information matches current nationwide publications for designated highways I would assume that all of the height information is wrong.

As stated before, if you don't want to hit an overpass, or get in a situation where you have to try to back up because you didn't see the sign in time, then there are two things you can do:

(1) get a Rand RV GPS which will warn you in advance of a height restriction.
(2) pre-plan your next days route by consulting a Trucker's Atlas.

What you don't want to do is count on seeing the sign in time for all the overpasses. As already has been pointed out, due to re-paving and other issues sometimes the exact height is incorrectly reported on signs, or maybe some juvenile misfit stole the sign, whatever the case it is pretty reckless driving down a secondary roadway with no idea what height restrictions lay ahead.

But, just like all the other posts on the subject, this is just my opinion.

[SailingOn]

Stay alert on country roads.
Trees happen.
Bicycling along a farm road in Texas hill country we noticed a bit of white plastic suspiciously like an air conditioner shroud. Sure enough, another few yards down the road was a roof AC. Looking back - yep, low tree branch.

[sniperduce]

The Woodall info here may be wrong. I know 13 feet 6 inches is right for Oklahoma.

http://drivinglaws.aaa.com/laws/trailer-dimensions/

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

http wrote:
FLORIDA: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length 40 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum combined length for two vehicles 65 ft.

DELAWARE: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length 40 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum combined length for two-vehicle combination 65

CONNECTICUT: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length not specified; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum combined length for two vehicles 60 ft.

COLORADO: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motor- home length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length not specified; maximum RV height 13 ft.; maximum length of two- or three-vehicle combination 70 ft.

ARIZONA: Maximum RV width 102 in.(some exceptions); maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length 40 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum combined length for two vehicles 65 ft.

ALABAMA: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length 40 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum combined length of two vehicles 65 ft. Triple towing is not allowed.

GEORGIA: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length not specified; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum length for two-vehicle combination 60 ft.

ILLINOIS: Maximum RV width 102 in. (some roads 96 in.); maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length 53 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum combined length of two- or three-vehicle combination (with fifth-wheel trailer only) 60 ft.

IOWA: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length not specified; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum combined length for two-vehicle combinations 65 ft.; or three-vehicle combinations 70 ft.

KENTUCKY: Maximum RV width 96 in. (102 in. on certain federal roads); maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length not specified; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum length of two- or three-vehicle combination 65 ft.;

MAINE: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length 48 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum combined length for two vehicles 65 ft.; triple-towing not allowed.

MARYLAND: Maximum RV width 96 in. (102 in. on certain federal roads); maximum motorhome length 40 ft; maximum trailer length 40 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum combined length for two vehicles 55 ft.; triple-towing not allowed.

MASSACHUSETTS: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length 40 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum two-vehicle combined length 60 ft.

MICHIGAN: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum combined length for two-vehicle combination 65 ft.; pickup with fifth-wheel trailer 65 ft.

MINNESOTA: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft; maximum trailer length 45 ft; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum lengths for two/three combination 75/70 ft.

MISSISSIPPI: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft; maximum trailer length 40 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft. Triple-towing is allowed.

NEW JERSEY: Maximum RV width 96 in. (102 in. on certain federal roads); maximum motorhome length 40 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum combined length 62 ft.

NEW YORK: Maximum RV width 96 in. (102 in. on qualifying or access highways); maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length 48 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum combined length for two-vehicle combination 65 ft.

NORTH CAROLINA: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length 35 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum length for two-vehicle combination 60 ft.

OKLAHOMA: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length 40 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum length of two- or three-vehicle combination 65 ft.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length 48 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft. Triple-towing not allowed.

TENNESSEE: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length 40 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum combined length for two- or three-vehicle combination 65 ft.

VIRGINIA: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft.; maximum trailer length 45 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum combined length for two-vehicle combination 65 ft.

WEST VIRGINIA: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 45 ft; maximum trailer length 40 ft.; maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum combined length for two vehicles 65 ft. (major roads)/55 ft. (other routes). Triple-towing is not allowed.

WISCONSIN: Maximum RV width 102 in.; maximum motorhome length 40 ft. (legislation pending to extend); maximum trailer length 48 ft.;maximum RV height 13.5 ft.; maximum combined length for two vehicles 60 ft.; maximum combined length for three vehicles 60 ft (with permit only).

Height of each rig needs to be measured individually when hooked to the tow vehicle. Don't trust the manufacturer's specs.

This is really important with any 5er which rides nose high due to larger wheels/ higher bed on the tow vehicle/ truck.

I saw six 5ers hit a 14'2" overhang while park hosting recently. DRV, Redwood, Cardinal were among the brands. All were towed nose high.

[jnharley]

Trucker's atlas. You can find them at any truck stop.

[cbconway]

Truckers' Atlas

or

Laminated Truckers' Atlas

[Grey_Sailor]

scrapperlila wrote:
My hubby just measured our Big Country's height. 13' 6". Thats pretty high in my book. What do you guys use to help navigate and stay away from low bridges? We certainly don't want to rip the air conditioner off.

Been there...done that! I ran into the same issue when I took delivery of our 2014 Cedar Creek. It came in around 13' 7" from what I recall, due in part to height of the front "Low Profile" A/C being taller than previous Dometic low profile models, and the height of tow vehicle bed (F350 4X4). I got my rig height down to 13' 4" by adjusting my TrailAir pinbox higher, and my B&W Companion hitch to it's lowest position. You still need to maintain at least an inch clearance between the pin box and the bottom of the RV front cap, and also at least 5" between the front cap and the truck's bed rails. Don't know what setup you have, so your mileage may vary... This got me below the sacred 13'6" legal load height in my normal travel states (TX and LA).

Like others have stated, preflight planning always includes checking the state's official Low Clearance List for the intended route and looking at the clearance signs for the overpasses on Google Maps street view. However, being the ex-nuclear anal retentive that I am, when traveling an unfamiliar route, I call the state DOT office and get a courtesy oversize routing check for the intended route. The TX and LA DOT folks have always been very accommodating, as they don't want you hitting an overpass either! Keep in mind, this won't help you on backroads under County jurisdiction...

Good planning = happy traveler!