First trip soon......about refueling and food...

[KamiwillRV]

Wife and I have the first couple trips planned within about 2 hours of home. It’s highly doubtful that we will need to fill up before reaching our destinations, but I started thinking about longer trips and had some questions.

I notice that most gas stations in town are tall enough, but would be nearly impossible to get in or out. When on highways, do you generally find that you can get into gas stations even if they are not a large one like Bucees?

Is there a resource that RVers use for fillup stations on route?

When stopping for food, what do you typically do? Park in an adjacent lot? Just curious about those fast food situations.

And dreading a moment when we HAVE to pull in somewhere and can’t get out. Lol. Of course, I suppose in a pinch I could unhook in a parking lot and grab fuel.

Am I messing with my own head about this?

Thanks for any and all input!

[archer75]

Originally Posted by KamiwillRV

Wife and I have the first couple trips planned within about 2 hours of home. It’s highly doubtful that we will need to fill up before reaching our destinations, but I started thinking about longer trips and had some questions.

I notice that most gas stations in town are tall enough, but would be nearly impossible to get in or out. When on highways, do you generally find that you can get into gas stations even if they are not a large one like Bucees?

Is there a resource that RVers use for fillup stations on route?

When stopping for food, what do you typically do? Park in an adjacent lot? Just curious about those fast food situations.

And dreading a moment when we HAVE to pull in somewhere and can’t get out. Lol. Of course, I suppose in a pinch I could unhook in a parking lot and grab fuel.

Am I messing with my own head about this?

Thanks for any and all input!

I know what you mean. I will use google street view and look at a point on my route where we may want to get fuel so I know what i'm dealing with.

Most of the time I fill up after I unhitched in the campground. Other times I fill up long before i'm empty when I find a station that looks like it will work. Tall, easy in and out.

No problems so far.

As far as stopping for food goes, I don't. We will make a lunch and eat it on the road or stop at a rest stop.

There's a variety of apps you can use such as allstays to help you find things relevant to rv'ers. It may show suitable gas stations based on height. I haven't checked.

Looking at your truck and trailer in your sig i'm hoping it's not a typo on the GMC 2500. Otherwise you will be severely overloaded with that trailer.

[uncledon]

You shouldn't have an issue with your rig. You just need to think ahead and look for fuel stops that are easier to access. Some are laid out better than others. If your tow vehicle is diesel then truck stops are an option also. We followed the 2-2-2 rule this winter and I have yet to fill with the coach attached. I have a 42 foot Bighorn.

Food stops we look for areas with shopping malls that afford large parking lots with food nearby. Just my 2 cents.

[60sumtin]

The underground fuel tanks at gas stations need to be refilled and it comes in by a tanker truck. If a semi can make so can you and I. Don't over think it.

[KamiwillRV]

Originally Posted by 60sumtin

The underground fuel tanks at gas stations need to be refilled and it comes in by a tanker truck. If a semi can make so can you and I. Don't over think it.

lol, you had to be logical about it?? Hahaha

Originally Posted by archer75

Looking at your truck and trailer in your sig i'm hoping it's not a typo on the GMC 2500. Otherwise you will be severely overloaded with that trailer.

No typo. You are the first to say this...I’m curious why? What did I miss?

[archer75]

Originally Posted by KamiwillRV

No typo. You are the first to say this...I’m curious why? What did I miss?

Well check your door sticker for your payload rating. But if you're similar to what Ford and Ram are it's about 2100lbs.

Dry pin weight on that trailer is 2132lbs. Loaded pin weight could be 2600lbs. And you have to deduct the weights of people and gear in the truck from payload as well. You could easily be 1000lbs over your payload rating. But check your door sticker to see.

[Bob_C]

Have yet in 4 cross country trips had a problem with stations being to small....a couple were small, but manageable....

[KamiwillRV]

Originally Posted by archer75

Well check your door sticker for your payload rating. But if you're similar to what Ford and Ram are it's about 2100lbs.

Dry pin weight on that trailer is 2132lbs. Loaded pin weight could be 2600lbs. And you have to deduct the weights of people and gear in the truck from payload as well. You could easily be 1000lbs over your payload rating. But check your door sticker to see.

I’ll have to check my truck when it gets back...but should be 3,500 lbs

[archer75]

Originally Posted by KamiwillRV

I’ll have to check my truck when it gets back...but should be 3,500 lbs

I know the website shows 3500lbs but that's a generic 4x2, regular cab with no options and a gas engine. As you start changing configurations that number reduces.
I tried to find a towing chart for GMC but no luck so far. Ram and Ford have them that break this down better. And depending on configuration it varies wildly.

Max tow rating is 13,500lbs with a short bed and 12,400lbs with a long bed. Not sure which you have. Here's the chart, 2017, doesn't show payload though. Haven't found the 2018 chart yet. Any difference from 2017 to 2018 that would affect this?
http://www.gmc.com/content/dam/gmc/n...ring-guide.pdf

[KamiwillRV]

Originally Posted by archer75

I know the website shows 3500lbs but that's a generic 4x2, regular cab with no options and a gas engine. As you start changing configurations that number reduces.
I tried to find a towing chart for GMC but no luck so far. Ram and Ford have them that break this down better. And depending on configuration it varies wildly.

Yeah, you are right. When I configure mine, it says 2,500.
Can’t check the door for the actual weight right now.

What kind of after-market beefing up options do you know about?

[archer75]

Originally Posted by KamiwillRV

Yeah, you are right. When I configure mine, it says 2,500.
Can’t check the door for the actual weight right now.

What kind of after-market beefing up options do you know about?

Nothing. There is no legal way to increase that rating.
And it depends on what differences there are between a 2500 to a 3500. In some cases the only difference is the rear springs. Swap them out and you'd have the same capacity as the 3500 but it still doesn't change the legal rating. But for other years the differences are much greater than just springs so that would require more research.
Some people would use airbags but there's no way to know how much, if any, capacity that gives you.
You can get rams with air bags but it doesn't change the payload rating at all.

Looks like your dry weight on that trailer is about 11000lbs or so? A couple thousand pounds of gear and your at your tow weight limit as well. Assuming the 2017 numbers I found are the same as 2018.

[60sumtin]

There are no aftermarket add-ons that will increase your truck's capacity. The information on the door sticker shows the truck's legal limits and cannot be changed or improved upon. Air bags are just separators between the frame and axle thus add no capacity. All they do is provide less sag.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by archer75

Well check your door sticker for your payload rating. But if you're similar to what Ford and Ram are it's about 2100lbs.

Dry pin weight on that trailer is 2132lbs. Loaded pin weight could be 2600lbs. And you have to deduct the weights of people and gear in the truck from payload as well. You could easily be 1000lbs over your payload rating. But check your door sticker to see.

That is the 'specs' for the Compass Model

The Columbus 298RL Model shows
Dry weight --- 11,859#
Dry pin ------- 2309#
CCC ---------- 3000#
GVWR -------- 14,859#

Wet pin....trailer loaded up camp ready....closer to 2900# PLUS



2018 GMC 2500 maybe close/over payload but Rear Axle/Rear tires should be under RAWR/Max Tire Load Ratings.
Those are the real concern numbers----DOT 'Legal' ratings
GVWR/Payload are NOT

[Cumminsfan]

Finding gas or food easily will come with more seat time. It took my wife a while to figure out that while I can get in some fuel stations I can't get out. She's my spotter of sorts. We use gas buddy to locate diesel as some stations don't carry it. Never really had a hard time finding diesel. There's 1000's of stations all over and there's always one that you'll fit in.
As for food. There's two ways we go about it. Fast food is tougher as many fast food spots are in tight locations since they're usually drive thru. We found that it's best to look for larger mall type areas where there's large parking lots adjacent to the restaurants.
The other alternative is to have some food for travel in the 5th wheel. That way you can pull off in a rest area, large trucker type fuel station or even a large parking lot or turnout. We don't need the slide out to access anything in our 5th wheel so that makes it easy to grab a quick bit.
As for your weights you can use the trucks RAWR as your measuring stick. 3/4 tons are only rated at 10,000 lbs for registration purposes. In fact you can actually order an F350 with a 10,000 GVWR. Crazy.
Your 2500 is as good as a 3500. If it pulls, stops and handles fine then you shouldn't need to add anything. If it's sagging too much add bags.
The biggest issue that may arise is if the fresh tank is in front of the axle and you fill it to full. You want some water in the tank (10-20 gal) for traveling to be able to use the sinks and toilet if you stop to pee and or eat. We always travel with some water in the fresh tank for those reasons. Our luckily is located right over the axles so it affects nothing.