GPS For RV's

pawags45 · 06-06-2019, 12:53 PM

Has anyone had luck or found a good GPS that you can add in Vehicle Height and avoids low bridges, and works well ? If so can you let me know what brand and model it is ?

georam1 · 06-06-2019, 01:37 PM

Garmin RV770. Just purchased one before our trip to D.C. Loved it!!! Kept me from making any critical errors.

ttavasc · 06-06-2019, 01:43 PM

A +1 for the Garmins. They have several RV models that support this, the latest being the RV780. I've had the RV660LMT the last 4 seasons and like it very much. The main difference on the 660 is the size - it's a little smaller screen which I preferred for the dash/window mounting.

pawags45 · 06-06-2019, 03:07 PM

Thanks Ordered the 770

wags999 · 06-06-2019, 03:15 PM

Only problem I have had with my 770 is some campgrounds (more remote ones) it gives you totally bogus routings...down one way dirt roads etc.. I would double check in situations like that with the campground itself. Otherwise it's been pretty good, sometimes I wonder why it does what it does, but hasn't gotten me into any bad situations, just not always the fastest/best route.

Sun N Fun · 06-06-2019, 11:05 PM

I recently purchased the RV770 for my truck and 5th wheel camper. Heigth and weight inputs were easy but i'm not sure what to enter for my length. I used the length of the fifth wheel and am guessing it knows I'm pulling with a 20+ foot truck. Any thoughts are appreciated.

**norty1** · 06-07-2019, 05:31 AM

First, I have never seen a perfect GPS, maybe they are out there but way out of my price range.
I have stuck with Garmin over the years and they have always been stable and accurate for my use. They keep upgrading the features but I bought the RV760 several years ago.

They update the map programs very frequently and IMO the best feature they ever came out with was lifetime free map updates.

RAurand · 06-07-2019, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wags999

Only problem I have had with my 770 is some campgrounds (more remote ones) it gives you totally bogus routings...down one way dirt roads etc.. I would double check in situations like that with the campground itself. Otherwise it's been pretty good, sometimes I wonder why it does what it does, but hasn't gotten me into any bad situations, just not always the fastest/best route.

I have had the Garmin RV 760 and love it.
I have found the same issues that wags999 has with sometimes if the campground is well off the beaten path, the GPS will run you down dirt country roads. But, that being said has never steered me to a low overpass or bridge under my weight limits I set.

ETCrockett · 06-09-2019, 07:14 AM

I have always had Garmin for my cars. I still have not pulled the trigger on an RV version. Since the Garmin 780 came out, the price of the 770 is dropping.
Does anyone have experience with the Rand McNally RV unit with dash cam?

2nOZ · 06-09-2019, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sun N Fun

I recently purchased the RV770 for my truck and 5th wheel camper. Heigth and weight inputs were easy but i'm not sure what to enter for my length. I used the length of the fifth wheel and am guessing it knows I'm pulling with a 20+ foot truck. Any thoughts are appreciated.

My Garmin 760LMT wanted the combined length of the TV and FW plus the total combined weight for small bridge avoidance.

Marine71-76 · 06-09-2019, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sun N Fun

I recently purchased the RV770 for my truck and 5th wheel camper. Heigth and weight inputs were easy but i'm not sure what to enter for my length. I used the length of the fifth wheel and am guessing it knows I'm pulling with a 20+ foot truck. Any thoughts are appreciated.

We had to enter the measurements for both, using the information from Jayco's brochure for the trailer & looking up the information on the truck. I know the door gives some information but I don't recall seeing the total length of the truck. Hope that helps.

Murff · 06-09-2019, 10:18 AM

Bought a used 760 three years ago. Still works great!

We have owned Tom Tom and Magellan and both were junk compared to the Garmin unit.

Murff

Joan617 · 06-11-2019, 05:59 AM

Having just read the Post "Shakedown Cruise" by KillerIsMe and JFlightRisk about the steep roads in Pennsylvania, can you tell me if this Garmin RV unit can take these grades into account when routing?

-Angus

RAurand · 06-11-2019, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marine71-76

We had to enter the measurements for both, using the information from Jayco's brochure for the trailer & looking up the information on the truck. I know the door gives some information but I don't recall seeing the total length of the truck. Hope that helps.

It's called …...TAPE MEASURE...…
I did not go by what the book said. I put in actual measurements. Height is measured to the top of my radio antennae (which is higher than the A/C cover.

dpkimmel2001 · 06-11-2019, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joan617

Having just read the Post "Shakedown Cruise" by KillerIsMe and JFlightRisk about the steep roads in Pennsylvania, can you tell me if this Garmin RV unit can take these grades into account when routing?

-Angus

I'm not sure that there's an option on the unit to route you around grades over a certain percentage but there is an option to display the upcoming elevation changes. Step elevation changes are highlighted in red. The distance to and the distance of the step elevation change is displayed in red on a chart.

More on this can be read here ==> https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?fa...2j07lGO7iOhTQ8

Camper_bob · 06-11-2019, 02:51 PM

Ours came with a Garmin (Greyhawk) and while it's a little quirky, the GPS functionality is decent. I think it's the 660 series?

Anyway, it tends to "not know" if a particular route or area is appropriate for RV travel. Sometimes it makes sense; I live out in the sticks. But sometimes it's pretty obviously okay. One example is a well traveled highway down by the coast on our way to the beach. Driving down the 4-lane divided highway and I get an alert saying it doesn't know if it's okay for me to travel this way. I know it is more than fine for my rig, I've worn my own ruts in that road. I've looked around several times, and I can't think of why it would say that. Other than perhaps because according to the altimeter, that area is actually below sea level? I dunno...

I wonder if that's why you will often get "wacky" routes; perhaps the GPS doesn't know, so it routes a known path...

ETA: My unit will warn of impending steep grades, but I don't know that you can route based on those grades. It warns for sharp curves as well and changes in the speed limit. Those features are pretty helpful sometimes.

Sun N Fun · 06-11-2019, 09:04 PM

Went to settings last night and set total length of truck and fifth wheel trailer, about 46 foot. Just used GCWR (about 20,000). Thanks for all the GREAT input. Happy Camping!

cfegender · 06-15-2019, 12:21 PM

I have had the Rand for 4 years and used it across the upper US.

The only problem I have with it is the screen is polarized and if I wear polarized sunglasses, I cannot see the screen with the unit horizontal.

anchorman · 06-15-2019, 12:49 PM

I've been using a GARMIN 7200 for years. Settings include length, width, height and it works pretty darn good. Don't know if they are still available.

Irie · 06-15-2019, 01:05 PM

Having just returned from a trip to VA and the Blue Ridge mountains using a regular GPS, we are now shopping for a RV GPS! Luckily the area actually had signs posted that said “GPS Navigation Not Recommended”. We later drove these roads in our toad. Sharp curves, steep grades (15%) and tight, low overpasses. The first two are doable (yeah, we ignored one sign) but the old Overpasses were a no go.

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