Planning your route-how to avoid low clearance

[Kay4477]

New to this airstream world and trying to plan my next outing. Is there a trusted app or website or tips to avoid low clearance? It's my biggest worry.

[Protagonist]

Allstays has an app to identify low clearances.

Handy hint— measure the height of your Airstream at its highest point (typically the A/C shroud), add the minimum amount of air space you want above that point between your trailer and any obstruction and then make an adhesive label for the tow vehicle dashboard as a reminder of how much clearance you need.

I'd be generous with the air gap above the shroud, a minimum of 6 inches, or even 12 inches. While you measure the height while the trailer is level and parked on level ground, the actual clearance you need may be higher while you're in transit on roads with bumps, dips, rises, and banked curves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USu8vT_tfdw

BTW, you may notice in the video, no one is hitting the bridge; they're actually hitting a massive steel beam in front of the bridge, placed there to prevent the bridge itself from being damaged.

[FCStreamer]

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/570074

[GMFL]

2nd for AllStays App

[wildhorses]

Originally Posted by FCStreamer

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/570074

I bought the "Trucker" version of this and use it, the biggest issue I didn't like is even when you tell it you are driving your car it still sticks to trucker friendly routes. So we use WAZE app now for the car and this GPS for when we are towing.

[PatLee]

I just looked at Allstays website and I didn't see the low clearance alert feature - where do they advertise it? This is the app that is 9.99, right?

[uncle_bob]

Hi

General rules of thumb:

If you are on an interstate highway, you have clearance.

If a truck can make it down this or that road, you have clearance.

Quaint, scenic, and colonial, are not good terms when you want to have clearance or room to maneuver.

There are a few famous exceptions to the rule, but clearance is more often an issue in .... errr .... the northeast ... (sorry about that)

Clearance numbers that will impact an AS often are (as shown in the video above) an issue with railroads crossing over the road you are on. They are more likely to show up "in town" (maybe a very small town ...) than out in the middle of nowhere.

Assuming that you are a truck is generally a good idea. If the sign says trucks do this or that route wise, go with the signs. Clearance is one thing. Tight turns or weird narrow lanes are another ....

Lots of fun !!!

Bob

[horseylady]

While almost everything we do is electronic in some form, we keep the trucker version of Rand McNally (?) Atlas in our tow vehicle. Using a truck route on a gps takes you way around a lot of things you don't need to go around. Truckers Atlas shows routes in different colors that will work for trucks and if they can drive it you can do it. In most cases, you can see the entire State. Any truck stop should have Atlas in hard copy.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by PatLee

I just looked at Allstays website and I didn't see the low clearance alert feature - where do they advertise it? This is the app that is 9.99, right?

My mistake.

There used to be an AllStays app called "Low Clearances." I just discovered that it has since been discontinued. It's still on my phone because I loaded it when it was still available— and so I can still use it— but who knows how long it has been since it was last updated.

Apologies for the confusion.

[delrossa]

The Allstays app shows the clearance of underpasses.
Airstream will tell you the height of your trailer, just give yourself some leeway.

[Wanderer2604]

"It tows so well that you forget it's back there" is not a good thing!

[DeltaRon]

Stay away from the merrick parkway in ct!

[vito98103]

Camping World did (and still may) sell a Rand McNally GPS unit that you could program with the kind/size of RV you have and it would show the roads that were unavailable/unusable.

[Mleyland]

Originally Posted by DeltaRon

Stay away from the merrick parkway in ct!

The Merritt park way was intended to be a limited access road for cars only. Or was that when I lived there in the early 90s.

[Projet2907]

Originally Posted by PatLee

I just looked at Allstays website and I didn't see the low clearance alert feature - where do they advertise it? This is the app that is 9.99, right?

I have the All Stays Camp & R app, yes 9,99$, thap on filter at the upper right corner ( from iPhone) and choose to show from 7 to 15 ft low clearance.

[PurdueMom]

Originally Posted by PatLee

I just looked at Allstays website and I didn't see the low clearance alert feature - where do they advertise it? This is the app that is 9.99, right?

I don’t recall the price of the Allstate Camp & RV app. The low clearance info will be found upon clicking on “Filter” where all filters are listed alphabetically. There are nine low clearance filters. Allow ample room for clearance of your rig. Remember to round UP!

[alantbird]

too bad there's nothing for trees LOL

[NY24]

http://lowclearances.com/

Still available. Their database can be added to most GPS units.

[PatLee]

Thanks, got it!

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Mleyland

The Merritt park way was intended to be a limited access road for cars only. Or was that when I lived there in the early 90s.

Hi

It's also why it is very clearly posted "no trucks / no trailers". Watch the signs and obey the law. Even your pickup truck is illegal on the Merritt unless it has "dual use" plates on it. Those are available if you register in CT, but not in any other state I know of. Indeed I have seen people pulled over for violating that "suggestion" .... errr ... law. I used to drive that road a *lot*.

The Garden State Parkway in the northern part of New Jersey has the same sort of laws. Drive on it with the wrong vehicle and you get busted (possibly in more than one way ).

Heading into various random small towns in Western New York State, you can run into the same sort of stuff. The signs are often unclear about the "does this apply to a trailer?". Just assume it applies to you and follow the truck route. You might waste 3 minutes, life's not *that* short

The same wonderful "super GPS" that takes you to your campsite by the "now navigate off road for 3.6 miles" route through dense woods .... not so great for knowing every low underpass. There *are* add on packages that will increase the database on some of them. I still would not trust them 100%. I do still have one and pay attention to it's warnings.

Bob