Motorhome height

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DonTom

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Apr 21, 2005
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13,084
Location
Auburn, CA or Reno, NV
The specs on my new motorhome external height is 12' 5". I assume that does not include the stuff on the roof (or does it?). A/C units and whatever.

So without climbing up there to take a measurement, what will my safe clearance be?

-Don- Reno, NV
 
Well, the height of mine is 11.5 ft, and the manual shows that as including the A/C cowl. I assume that would be pretty standard.
The user manual should state something to that effect.
 
Well, the height of mine is 11.5 ft, and the manual shows that as including the A/C cowl. I assume that would be pretty standard.
The user manual should state something to that effect.
I will give that a try, to look in the manual, but I am not so sure that will work with mine as it covers too many units. For one example, just about everything I look up starts with the words "if so equipped".

But it's nice to know that normally includes everything. But I will still get nervous under 14 feet tunnel clearance.

-Don- Reno, NV
 
If you can find a tall roll up door, park under it, then lower it down to where it just touches the air conditioner shroud, then measure the height of the door at the track.

For my coach the brochures says it is 11'3" actual measured height is 11'6" to top of air conditioner shroud
 
On mine 12'6" included the A/C and everything save one radio antenna I added. and it had a spring base so if I went under a 12'6" bridge (did that) it simply flexed.
 
Tallest thing on my roof is the am/fm antenna, which is on a spring. Next tallest thing is the satellite dome. I climbed on the roof, measured from the ground to the roof, then added the height of the dome. I'm also right at 12'6".
 
We're at a verified 11'6" to the top of the A/C's (measured at both) as factory printed on a dash label. Since we travel in Canada in normal times, I added a label with the metric 3.5 meter measurement as well.
 
Since we travel in Canada in normal times, I added a label with the metric 3.5 meter measurement as well.
I recall the time I was in Canada with a questionable underpass ahead with a sign that said the tunnel height was "3.3 meters". I knew my Y2k RV was just over ten feet by a couple of inches. Didn't have the time to convert in my head. But I decided to chance it and all was fine.

But now I know to have my height remembered in meters as well as in feet.

-Don- Reno, NV
 
I will give that a try, to look in the manual, but I am not so sure that will work with mine as it covers too many units. For one example, just about everything I look up starts with the words "if so equipped".

But it's nice to know that normally includes everything. But I will still get nervous under 14 feet tunnel clearance.

-Don- Reno, NV
I try to avoid any overhead of less than 13 ft. I like the foot and a half margin.
That is the one thing I like about the Garmin RV GPS.
The downside is that it routes me around places I know I have the room for, and it gets pretty whiney when I ignore its advice.
 
I recall the time I was in Canada with a questionable underpass ahead with a sign that said the tunnel height was "3.3 meters". I knew my Y2k RV was just over ten feet by a couple of inches. Didn't have the time to convert in my head. But I decided to chance it and all was fine.

But now I know to have my height remembered in meters as well as in feet.

-Don- Reno, NV
I'm 78... I make labels instead of trusting my memory. ;)
 
You can find a garage or roof that you know the clearance is taller than your RV. Drive under it, get up on the roof and measure from it to the high point on your rig with measuring tape.

Most modern gas station canopies should be tall enough.
 
You can find a garage or roof that you know the clearance is taller than your RV. Drive under it, get up on the roof and measure from it to the high point on your rig with measuring tape.

Most modern gas station canopies should be tall enough.
Post #1... "So without climbing up there to take a measurement, what will my safe clearance be?"
 
The specs on my new motorhome external height is 12' 5". I assume that does not include the stuff on the roof (or does it?). A/C units and whatever.
Typically it will include that height of standard rooftop stuff, e.g. the a/c units. It used to be anybody's guess what was included, but the RV industry has gradually eliminated some of their more egregious misinformation practices.

Since there is about 10"-12" difference to the a/c unit top, it's simple to do a sanity check. Just park on more-or-less level ground and drop a tape measure from the roof edge. If it's in the 11'5" ballpark, then you can feel comfortable that the 12'5" includes the a/c. If the roof edge is closer to 12'5", you will know the height in the spec is phony and will need to perform a more accurate measure to the a/c top.
 
You could make friends with a surveyor. They have nifty tools for determining the height of things without actually climbing up there.
 
The old saw that The US has established 13'.6" as a minimum height is wrong,, that only pertains to the intrastate Highway system..>>>Dan
 
Hot to determine height
You need a level one with a laser is nice but not necessary
A ladder (The roof ladder) and a tape measure at least 15 foot long.

Lay the level on the top most part of RV. Sight to somethign beside it (Tree, Wall) have someone extend the tape till you see the get there With a laser sited level (Some have a laser so you can level somethign 20 feet across) do it in the evening you can aim the laser and hold the tape to tell. But i don't like being that close to the edge of the roof.

It's how I measured mine.
 
Can somebody here mention a few of the places where my new RV will not fit under (12 and a half feet tall)?

I assume there will be no problem on major freeways.

Anybody here get stuck at such a place where no easy way to turn around?

Or worse yet, anybody here smash into one?

-Don- Reno, NV
 

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