Community Forums

MojaveJoe · 03-28-2005, 07:58 AM

Someone...Please refresh my aged memory.

What is the legal maximum height for my fiver, or any RV, on the roads across the USA? I want to put a satellite dome on my high flat roof, but it will take me up to 13'1".

Will I be legal?
Would you worry about driving the roads of our great nation at that height?

Thanks for your advice and experiences.

Regards,
Joe

MojaveJoe · 03-28-2005, 07:58 AM

Someone...Please refresh my aged memory.

What is the legal maximum height for my fiver, or any RV, on the roads across the USA? I want to put a satellite dome on my high flat roof, but it will take me up to 13'1".

Will I be legal?
Would you worry about driving the roads of our great nation at that height?

Thanks for your advice and experiences.

Regards,
Joe

TXiceman · 03-28-2005, 08:07 AM

I think anything under 13'6" has to be marked, so 13'1" is getting on up there. We have seen a few places with clearances under 13'6". Check with your Dept of Highways.

Ken

MnTom · 03-28-2005, 01:47 PM

Across the nation, the law is standard at 13'6" maximum height. You will be legal, but you will NEED to get into the habit of looking up a long ways ahead.
Tom

MojaveJoe · 03-28-2005, 04:12 PM

Look Up a long way ahead? Doesn't everyone do that? Maybe I could mount a remote camera on the roof for pulling into gas stations with low canopies.
13'6" is what I recalled. Pretty sure that's right.
Thanks Guys
Joe

Gary RVRoamer · 03-29-2005, 04:42 PM

I don't think there are any actual legal maximums for height, at least not nationally. However, some state's road systems may require permits for vehicles over a certain height. And each state plus the national highway systems has standards for marking overhead clearances, i.e. they will post a sign if the clearance is less than some amount. 13'6" used to be a common design point below which "low clearance" signs were mandatory, but in many places now it is as much as 15 feet.

The real concern is that you are always responsible for anything you hit overhead, no matter what your height. Might be a traffic light, an underpass, a power line, a gas station canopy or whatever, but you are responsible. If the thing struck was low enough and no warning sign was present, you might be able to successfully counter-sue that it was a hazard to the "normal flow of traffic" and a jury would get to decide if it was reasonable or not.

MnTom · 03-31-2005, 04:17 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by MojaveJoe:
Look Up a long way ahead? Doesn't everyone do that?

Maybe I could mount a remote camera on the roof for pulling into gas stations with low canopies.

13'6" is what I recalled. Pretty sure that's right.
Thanks Guys
Joe </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I only said that about looking up and far ahead so you wouldn't go somewhere you went before and not think about the extra hight. I guess since you figure I was being a smarta$$ you felt it was necessary to be quite sarcastic. Well, I really don't appreciate that. I was trying to be somewhat helpful. If you don't want any help then just ignore EVERYTHING I have typed. IF that is the case, then maybe I should not even bother to try to help.

FatDog · 03-31-2005, 04:50 PM

hey MnTom,
no big deal, but I didn't read him being a smart-guy at all, he just made a joke about his 'aged memory' right off the bat and then put in a rolling-eyes thing once someone mentioned keepin an eye 'way up there'. all was kinda good natured all the way around, and after your guys discussion I even started looking at underpass elevations around here and YES most are 13'6 or higher but I have one near my house that is 13'2. Its on a road rarely traveled except for the people who live up that dirt road but it got me thinking I should keep my eye on those little signs.
Us bike riders have a saying: 'Keep the rubber side down' well maybe Mojave with his new satellite dome has to 'keep his eye balls pointin' up' .

gentlemen,
rubber side down Mike

MojaveJoe · 03-31-2005, 05:14 PM

MnTom..Apologies if my feeble attempt at humor was misunderstood, and caused you any distress. Looking back I can see how those smileys seem kinda sarcastic. However, that was not my intention.

I truly appreciate everyone's input on this and the other forums that I frequent. No matter how common knowledge one might think their's or another's advice might be, there is usually someone who will read their post and gain some important knowledge to use in the future.

Since that post of mine, I have considered putting a small wire or fake antenna on the driver's side front sidwewall of my fiver so I can look up when pulling under a station canopy and know for sure if Im low enough to pull through or if I should fuel up then back away from the pump/canopy.

FatDog....I measured a nearby old and badly damaged overhead train trestle near me that I would have to drive under several times a year. I didn't believe it was actually 13-11 like the old clearance sign said, especially with all those old bent girders and cracked concrete edges over the road. Well, turned out one corner was 3" lower than advertised, but still 8" over my new height. The other 3 corners were over 13-11. So I can now relax every time I drive under that trestle with the new dome dish up there, even if I raise my trailer 2" to level it with my truck.

Lesson Learned - If it's close, don't trust an old clearnace sign. New road surfacing could have reduced the clearance easily 2-3 inches or more.

Regards,
Joe

Ray,IN · 03-31-2005, 06:04 PM

UPDATE: 4/1/05, This website has a complete listing. I can't vouch for accuracy. http://www.wecamp2.com/size.html

The majority of upscale 5er's list 13'2" to the top of the AC unit. This is about the same as a semi box trailer. I have a magnetic mount CB antenna on the roof of my Dodge truck that is 3" higher than my 5er's highest point. If I'm unsure of clearance, I ease up to the overhead object and if the antenna hits(the scraping noise is transmitted into the truck roof metal) I stop and investigate closely.

TXiceman · 03-31-2005, 06:33 PM

I don't think anyone was being intentionaly rude or after anyone here. Sometimes a little humor is thrown in to lighten up the subject, not an attempt to make fun of anyone. Just try to think of how others will view a post and post accordingly.

Remember we are here to help folks enjoy RVing as much as we do.

Ken