Stopping For Gas

[Fourjs]

We bought our TT in January and have taken 3 trips. All great. Being newbies, we have learned lessons every time.

So far, our trips have been short. We haven't had to stop and fill our TV with the trailer attached. Eventually, I'll be faced with that situation. Not something I'm looking forward to doing, but I know it'll happen eventually. My worst nightmare would be getting hemmed in at close quarters with no way out.

FYI, our TT is 35 ft. TV is 176" truck.

Looking for what you do and how you handle filling up. Any suggestions and wisdom is greatly appreciated. Thanks, in advance, for your replies.

Jimmy

[fulltimedaniel]

Often when people start driving a much bigger vehicle than they are used to they get this picture in their head of how huge it is...this is easy to do. We have all walked up from far away on our vehicles and marveled at how long and big it is.

But the reality is...it's really not that big by comparison to most commercial vehicles. And larger commercial vehicles are found in these gas stations all the time, for delivery, to get a snack or coffee and often times to get fuel. Some of them are far less maneuverable than your rig.

Also many of us tend to carry that idea of "bigness" in their head when driving. Your Pickup truck with a 40 foot trailer can and will fit in many more places than you may think.

The key are the pivot points and the distance between them. The pivot point of the trailer connection to the truck and the pivot point at the trailer or Coach axles. You might be surprised at how closely those trailer axles follow the track of your rear truck wheels. This is called Off Tracking.

Really experienced drivers know how to "set up" for any given turn or entrance to pumps. Almost anyone can learn to do it but you have to try it a few times.

My guess is that most RVer's are filling up in regular stations (as opposed to Truck Stops) which should be telling those that feel they cant do it that it can and is being done daily by thousands and thousands all over the country.

I find the smaller stations including those smaller Murphy ones to be easier and quicker and much much less hassle overall than a Flying J/Pilot or most other Truck stops.

[Hannibal]

Start with some larger stations with plenty of room to maneuver around. You'll be surprised how well you can snake around places you didn't think were possible. Just be careful and don't let anyone make you feel rushed. If the gas pump next to the diesel pump is the easiest to reach and no one is using it, that's the one I'm going to use. Someone's always crying about something. Might as well be that. Lol!

[Atlee]

When approaching a gas station, I look first for one that has pumps that run parallel to the front of the store. These are harder to find in today's world.

If I have to use pumps that run perpendicular to the store, I try to always use the outside pumps. Much easier to pull away from them with less problems.

If I have to use an inside pump, I look for those that have a decent distance between the pumps and the store.

If I can't find any of the above, I go to another store.

[austinjenna]

Never underestimate the utility of a FUEL CAN.

Very true. I had to use mine once or twice and glad I had it with me.

[DiskDoctr]

Never underestimate the utility of a FUEL CAN. So many reasons 😉

In a pinch, 5 gals or 10 gals of fuel ferried into a tank will get you...at least 100 miles.

[falconbrother]

I have done it with the TT and with the gasser motorhome pulling the CRV. It can be a pain in the butt. I once pulled into a truck stop thinking that the gas pumps would be roomy. Not only were they tight but the parking lot was bloody steep. Couldn't see it from the interstate till it was stuck with it. I made it work but, Lord knows how. I have gotten pretty good at eye-balling a gas station real quick. When I get below a 1/2 tank I start looking so the pressure is off for a while. Convenience stores are often the worst unless they cater to a lot of interstate traffic. But, you can back up with a travel trailer. I was very limited when backing up the motorhome with the CRV hooked up. Once I got the brake system I could only go forward without activating the toad brakes. But, it's really not that bad as long as you don't wait till you're in a crisis to look for gas.

[Searching_Ut]

Once you get used to it you will find it natural to asses fuel stations as you drive by. As has been mentioned, plan your route out prior to pulling in. Keep in mind that the longer the trailer, the more likely it is to have a lot of ass end swing if you try and turn sharply while leaving the pumps. While I've never tried it, I'm thinking hitting a fuel pump is a bad idea. Sounds tough, but I rarely use truck stops and seem to find places to gas up even in small towns. Have had to back out of the pump a couple times though.

[Lantley]

Diesels has a huge advantage when it comes to fueling. They generally have a longer range and require less fuel stops. They also can use the easily accessible diesel islands at truck stops and larger convenience stores.

[acritzer]

djgarcia wrote:

Fourjs wrote:
We bought our TT in January and have taken 3 trips. All great. Being newbies, we have learned lessons every time.

So far, our trips have been short. We haven't had to stop and fill our TV with the trailer attached. Eventually, I'll be faced with that situation. Not something I'm looking forward to doing, but I know it'll happen eventually. My worst nightmare would be getting hemmed in at close quarters with no way out.

FYI, our TT is 35 ft. TV is 176" truck.

Looking for what you do and how you handle filling up. Any suggestions and wisdom is greatly appreciated. Thanks, in advance, for your replies.

Jimmy

Do you have to have a Flying J card to get gas at a Flying J? Do they accept Visa/MC, etc?
1. Apply for a Flying J rv Plus charge card so you can go to any Flying J or Pilot truck stop and then you don't have to worry about getting hemmed in ever again. Or, You can use any truck stop and just pay cash or use your own credit cards.
2. Have an Auxiliary fuel tank installed to replace your original fuel tank. Transfer Flow makes great tanks. I have a 60 gal. tank on my Dodge 3500.

[RPreeb]

For those of us who mostly travel the two lane blacktop, truck stops are few and far between. Never had a problem fueling up, regardless, but I've never hauled a long trailer either. My 24 foot Jay Feather is the biggest I've owned.

[Community Alumni]

My trailer is 35'7" and I've never found a gas station that I couldn't fuel up and get out of. I've fueled up in some pretty small stations. I've even fueled up at a station with a 9 ft canopy. All you need is for the truck to get to the pump. I use those little Murphy USA's at Walmarts all of the time. Most stations out there have plenty of room to get in and out of.

Truck stops can give you more room, but sometimes you'll run into truck stops that have plenty of space for the diesel islands, but the gas station side is no bigger than a normal station. Sometime the closest truck stop can be outside of your empty range or there are none in the area where you're camping. A time will come where you're forced to use a normal station.

One thing you can do to make things easier is have your co pilot pull up the satellite image of the station before you enter it. Sometimes there's easier ways to get in, out, and around that you may not see from the roadway. As you move throughout the station, take you sweet time constantly checking your mirrors. Think about how you're going to get out of a spot before you get into it. If you know you're going to pull forward to leave and there's an empty pump in front of you, just occupy both pumps. It's a little bit inconsiderate, but it's better than getting stuck behind someone who uses the pumps as parking spots. If there's no good way to get out by going forward then just back out the same way you came in. I can't see myself wasting time unhooking just to get fuel.

[drsteve]

Use truck stops whenever possible. Easy pump access and acres of concrete for turning around or parking while you go inside. Most gas stations near freeway exits have ample room too. Google Earth is also your friend.

[DeanRIowa]

On long trips I have been know to get a bit anal about gas stops, here is an example, of using Google maps, street view and satellite view on a trip out to Black Hills:


I also carry extra gas and it came in handy one time, 20 miles from any station, lesson learned though.

Dean

[fulltimedaniel]

Passin Thru wrote:
I started driving Tractor Trailer in 1966 and have never been where I couldn't get out unless a JB Hunt truck was blocking the pumps at J while he took a shower and 2 trucks were behind me. Plan ahead, that's what truck drivers and Pilots do. Come to think of it, I never left anyone up there because I didn't have a place to land.Whaich service station has a dump under the canopy on a fuel island. Never seen one.

I think you misread me...I didnt say the dumps were under the canopy. I wrote that the tanker may have to pull thru the pump aisles to get set up at the dumps...a much different thing.

And Ironically this would generally only happen at smaller stations. where the tanks are in close proximity to the pumps.