questions about a Montana

[old timer]

Hi everyone. I have been here for about 2 weeks and it looks like my 2003 Montana is about to arrive. Its in beautiful shape. Only been used about 10 times and the inside shows it.
1 where do you get a cover or do you cover yours?
2 deep cycle batteries do you use them or not?
3 do you stick with the stock amp output or get the one with the most amps possible?
4 Does anyone belong to KOA or any other group?
5 air ride hitch. Are they worth the money and do they help.
Its been gone through by a shop to make sure that everything is working.
We are planing a cross country trip after a couple of short trips to make sure that i can operate everything. From what I have read so far there is a lot to camping. LOL
All I have to do now is decide on a truck.

[Festus2]

Hi everyone. I have been here for about 2 weeks and it looks like my 2003 Montana is about to arrive. Its in beautiful shape. Only been used about 10 times and the inside shows it.
1 where do you get a cover or do you cover yours?
Covers can be obtained through almost any RV parts supplier - including Camping World. You will get a variety of opinions about covering an RV. Some will say "yes" because it protects the RV against UV rays and the elements -- keeps it cleaner. Others are not in favor since the cover rips, tears and causes chaffing and abrasion of the roof and sides.

2 deep cycle batteries do you use them or not? Yes, I use 2 6volt golf cart type batteries. If you dry camp, they are the only way to go.


3 do you stick with the stock amp output or get the one with the most amps possible? Our Cougar is wired for 30A and that is what I am "stuck with".
4 Does anyone belong to KOA or any other group? I'm not a big fan of KOA but there are lots of other membership campgrounds out there. I think if you use them a lot, they are worth looking into - otherwise, not so much.

5 air ride hitch. Are they worth the money and do they help. I have one and they do help reduce chucking.

Its been gone through by a shop to make sure that everything is working.
We are planing a cross country trip after a couple of short trips to make sure that i can operate everything. From what I have read so far there is a lot to camping. LOL
All I have to do now is decide on a truck.

Hope all this helps.

[bsmith0404]

Pretty much what Festus2 said. I do have a cover I can give you a good price on if you decide you want one. Brand new still in the box. I covered previous RVs, bought the cover with the intention to cover this one, then decided to spring for indoor storage. It's a good size box, so shipping may be a bit. PM me if you're interested and I can give you details.

[old timer]

Thanks guys.
I will think about the cover also may have to spring for the covered parking. We will see if it fit on my side yard today wish me luck. it's going to be close.

[jsmith948]

As far as covers go, yes they keep the unit cleaner. We live in the central valley and dust is ALWAYS an issue, BUT......the ADCO cover we had sun rotted in about 18 months. You have to put pool noodles or cut tennis balls for anything that protrudes or you'll have a hole. The wind will make the cover flap like a partially reefed sail scrubbing the finish on the trailer. Dirt/dust/sand gets between the cover and the trailer roof and could abrade the roof edges. Also, there are those who believe that the accumulation of heat under the cover adds to the possibility of delamination.
But, having said all that, the main reason we don't cover our 5er anymore is just the hassle of hauling that heavy, awkward thing up on the roof and manhandling into place. I don't consider myself "old" but I'm no kid anymore either. Not worth fthe chance of falling off the trailer. JMHO:)

[old timer]

I was on the roof the other day and not all that fun. I can just see myself lug that thing up the ladder on the back. The ladder wasn't that solid or I'm to fat or both LOL
I live in Livermore and we get wind and dust here to. May be better just to keep it uncovered and save $300. Thanks

[mazboy123]

i recommend no cover.
join KOA and whatever other club you want(KOA campgrounds tend to be more expensive than some). Passport America is fine if you travel around a lot and want cheap stays.
just regular batteries are fine.

just start out with what you have and go from there.

make sure the tires and brakes are working fine.

[old timer]

New tires and the brakes have been replaced as well. Now to go truck shopping. LOL

[takpak]

You didn't say what model you are getting, or else I missed it! Here are my thoughts...........

#1: I personally don't use a cover, and if you do, make sure it is on that can "breathe." If you don't, the trailer will rot from the inside out. Very seldom do I see covers used.

#2: The trailer should already have at least one, if not two deep cycle batteries in it. I would stick with deep cycle. The issue is, are you going to "dry camp" often, or stay on "shore power" most of the time?

#3: Not quite sure what you mean by "stock amp output?" Depending on the trailer, it either came with a 30 amp shore power input, or a 50 amp shore power input. They are NOT meant to be changed. You could wind up with big problems if you do.

#4: I personally do NOT belong to any camping club. I do belong to Good Sam, and there are private campgrounds all over the country that are Good Sam members, where you can get a discount by being a member.

#5: I personally don't have an air ride hitch. If I already had one I would keep it, but I don't feel the extra money is worth it. Personal opinion, of course. Definitely get a good fifth wheel hitch.

As you go out and look for a truck, I would highly recommend getting a one ton rated one. They do NOT cost much more, and someday, if you want to get a larger fifth wheel, you will be glad you did. Also I would recommend a diesel, for the obvious reasons. An older one will work, but the new ones have more capacity, are FAR more comfortable, and have lots more features, especially if you are going on a cross country trip. Just my two cents.

One big thing to check are the tires. Are they new, and if not, what is their date of manufacture? If they are over five years old, get new ones. Tires are probably one of the most hotly debated and discussed items on the forums.

Good luck. Feel free to ask more questions. It's better to know beforehand, than to find out the hard way later on.

[PND]

I am building our new house in Yakima, and there is an RV garage built into the house to keep our Montana inside out of the weather and sun when not in use. We can open the slides and have water and sewer so we operate all our systems and do any maintance or repair out of the weather. I can understand this may be a little extreme for some, but it beats doing a lot of upkeep from weather related damage. Covers can damage the roof and the sides of your trailer, more so if there is a lot of wind. If you have the room, and can built just a cover with open sides to store the trailer under, this would help keep sun and snow off. Happy camping.

PND
Ex Naval Air Reserve 1968-1974,197-1980
Almost retired:)

[On_THE_ROAD_AGAIN]

Hi everyone. I have been here for about 2 weeks and it looks like my 2003 Montana is about to arrive. Its in beautiful shape. Only been used about 10 times and the inside shows it.
1 where do you get a cover or do you cover yours?
2 deep cycle batteries do you use them or not?
3 do you stick with the stock amp output or get the one with the most amps possible?
4 Does anyone belong to KOA or any other group?
5 air ride hitch. Are they worth the money and do they help.
Its been gone through by a shop to make sure that everything is working.
We are planing a cross country trip after a couple of short trips to make sure that i can operate everything. From what I have read so far there is a lot to camping. LOL
All I have to do now is decide on a truck.

We live in Alberta and do not cover our trailer. We make sure to wash it and keep it clean though
I agree two deep cycle batteries is the way to go.
Your amperage depends on where you are camping. I have installed a solar panel on my roof so I can have some power (not enough to run a/c).
since your amps depends on the power outlet you hook up too. make sure you have adapters or pigtails that can change your trailer to the amperage of campground hookup.
We belong to KOA members and love their campgrounds. as for a air ride..That is something I am debating as I would like to get rid of the choppiness. Hope this helps and welcome to rving

[WaltBennett]

First thing you need to do is join the Montana Owner's Club and go through the Forum. You'll find more information about your specific model than you ever could imagine: Here - http://montanaowners.com/ and here - http://montanaadministrator.forumco.com/

[old timer]

Thanks for the advice Terry K.
By battery amps I was referring to the amperage output of the battery not the land service. I will get a deep cycle soon. I was just wondering if I should get the biggest battery I could find.
Also the model is a 2003 3280ri. It looks new inside needs a bath though LOL.
I am looking at a F350 for a TV. You cant have to much truck but you sure can have to little truck. There is only a $500 price difference between a F250 and a F350. Going diesel just because I am planning a cross country trip and there are lots of mountains between hear and the other coast.
The previous owner had it checked out and had all the tires replaced including the spare.
The reason I was going to join KOA or Passport America is because I can call ahead and get a space. They have publications with phone numbers and descriptions. This trip will last about 90 to 120 days. There will be a oil change on our trip LOL.

[old timer]

Thanks Walt
I will check out the Keystone site as my sticker on the front corner has been destroyed by the sun.

[On_THE_ROAD_AGAIN]

If you are a Ford person, look at the f350 diesel. crew cab. When I pull our trailer down the road doing 65mph I am getting 13-15 mpg. When I am not pulling I average 19-21 mpg. I do get way better mileage going down hill "bouncey: Good luck on your truck hunting and 5er hitch.

[Barbell]

If you have internet service or a smart phone, you can go to RV Park Reviews and get all the info needed about places to stay. We have made several coast to coast trips the last two years and would not be without it. We do belong to Good Sam and PA but don't use their directory because this one is better. We also have an app on our phones called Allstays that has the same info. We rarely make reservations more than 24 hours ahead and have never had to stay in a Walmart lot.

[bsmith0404]

I personally don't like staying at KOAs. Growing up in rural WI and going fishing every year in Canada just made me partial to campgrounds where I can't see/hear the highway. With that said, I do stay at them for overnight stops when traveling. You can't beat the convenience of being right off the highway when you just need a place to relax for the night and the kids can unwind in the pool. Can even use them when not traveling with the camper, just get a cabin for the night. If their prices get much higher though, it'll almost be better and cheaper to just get a hotel room.

[kiwi2000]

I would recommend Good Sam club for discounts on camping and @ Camping World.

We were members of KOA and if you are considering a big trip I think it is well worth the investment and KOA's are nice. If we ever traverse the USA again we will rejoin KOA.

I have kept our trailer in indoor storage over winters since we purchased it new instead of using a cover.

My two cents on the tow vehicle is to get the biggest you can afford. Truck specs are only one small issue in the whole towing thing. Check out pin weight not just how much it will pull and then consider not all roads you will be driving on are flat. There is also wind which when bad enough can send you to an early stopover.

But have fun!