2007 Montana Sitting since new

[1790]

I am in the process of purchasing a 2007 Montana that was delivered to site and never hauled after that. It was placed on blocks with the wheels/tires off the ground, wheels spin freely and no checking on the tires. It was only used during the summer months and then closed up. The RV sits a distance from the highway and there are no signs of rust. Slide outs have been moved in and out annually and work fine. What should one be concerned about with an RV sitting for this period of time?

Thanks for any information!

Ray

[Festus2]

Even though there may not be any visible signs of tire wear or deterioration, they are at least 7 years old - perhaps 8 depending on their date of manufacture. After 5 years, tires should be closely examined and; if it were me, I'd replace them regardless of how good they look.

It appears as though the battery works well enough to operate the slides but it too may need replacing.

The roof should also be given a thorough inspection. After that length of time, the caulking around vents, etc., may be cracked and would need to be cleaned and recaulked. Same with the caulking around the windows.

The rubber around the slides should be given a cleaning and wiped down with Aerospace303 or some other brand to bring back their flexibility. They may have become a bit stiff and brittle from lack of use.

Take some time to go over the interior - checking for any signs of leakage, mice, etc.

And welcome to the forum too!

[hankpage]

While the wheels are still off the ground I would replace all 5 tires. Even if they look good the valve stems will need replacement. Have the wheels balanced and inspect, clean and repack the bearings. The hardest part is jacking up the trailer and this is already done for you. If it has a Dometic fridge find out if the recall "Fix" was done on it and check that the drain tube to the outside cover is not crumbling. I think Festus2 covered everything else including the welcome. Enjoy and travel safely, Hank

[KanTC]

Hank & Festus offered very good suggestions/advice.

In addition to the Dometic Refrig Recall, there are 2-3 more which *may* also apply [concerning valve stems & wheels/hubs, and tail lights].
You can find the recall info here: http://www.keystonerv.com/customer-service/recalls-notifications

Terri, the Chevy co-pilot :)

[grayghost03]

Replace wheel bearings and races, nothing worse for a bearing/race to sit in a constant position for years. Also all rubber should be checked, seals and gaskets. Tires 7+ years old-REPLACE, despite the fact they LOOK good. Most likely a water pump replacement, would be a good idea. Gaskets and mineral build up over the years can cause problems. Inspect wiring, all the way thru, for rodent damage and loose connections.

[dwyleecoyote]

I wouldn't worry about replacing the bearings. They were sitting without the weight on them. They will be fine after a repack and new inner seal.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[grayghost03]

Bearings never sit without weight, the weight of the wheel itself will settle the bearing, pitting it, even with grease, there will be metal to metal contact for seven years. Replace the bearings. We have many and I mean many trailers that sit unused for 2 to 5 years and the bearing will pit.

[1790]

Thanks for all the information! Should know today if our offer has been accepted. The current owner has maintained the RV, spinning the wheels, packing the wheel bearings. I am going to remove the wheel hubs to insure the brakes have not seized from setting and I will double check the wheel bearings. I would have never thought to check the recall notices, the RV has the aluminum wheel option and the VIN did not show up on the Keystone list. I will check with the current owner to see if the refrigerator was serviced under recall. The RV was used as a summer home for three to four months a year and parked behind a home they gave to their daughter. The interior, under carriage and roof look like new. There are no signs of rodents or water leaks. The exterior was washed and waxed yearly and then covered. The only signs of age is the front Montana logo and the awning is a little faded.

Thanks for all the advice!
Ray

[Ken / Claudia]

The RV was placed there to never to towed and the R/O tells you he has packed the wheel bearings every year. I hope he is telling the truth. That statement just sounds to good to be true.

[1790]

The owner did not state he packed the bearings every year, he spun the wheels every year. Had packed the wheel bearings only once.

[bsmith0404]

You have pretty much gotten all of the info you need. The only thing I would add to the conversation is that a good inspection all around on a 7 year old RV is needed regardless of how it was used. Some items deteriorate with or without use and some don't. Some things are better off used and others are not. Yes the rubber in tires deteriorate and even tires that are not used can go bad. One good thing is that they didn't have weight on them which helps. With weight on them, the sidewalls break down and cannot support the weight of the trailer. I agree with everyone else, replace the tires. As for items like the bearings, seals, wiring...clean, inspect, lubricate, etc and replace what needs to be. Better off spending a few days going over everything with a fine tooth comb and fixing/replacing what you can find now than finding something new on every trip and getting irritated. Another item to check closely is the hydraulic lines/hoses. You don't want a leaking hose causing issues with getting slides in and out or jacks up and down in addition to making a mess in the underbelly

[Yosemitebob]

All in all sounds like a great deal - did it happen?