New Montana Owner

[highlander2590]

Just checking in as a first time RV owner. Purchased a Keystone Montana Mountaineer. Very excited to get out on the road with it. Anyway, just wanted to say hello to everyone on here. If you have any tips for a novice RV owner, please give them to me. Thanks!(tx)

[rudythegreat]

Complacency will be your worst enemy. The fifth wheel pulls so smoothly, unless there is a hard wind you can forget it is even there. My little lady rides Shot Gun and her main job is looking out for “A Sea of Reds”, those are everyone’s brake lights ahead of you. There are several thousand pounds behind you and your co-pilot can save you a heart stopping brake dump. :eek:

[antiqfreq]

Welcome to the forum
&
Congrats on your new fifth wheel.

I hope you have a wonderful camping season.

Jo
:wlcm:

[schwalbach]

first advice, is check and double check that the pin is secure in the fifth wheel. It is possible on some fifth wheels to have a "high Pin" situation, that is where you had the pin so high it went over top of the jaws and still cycled the lock handle. 2 things to look for, is the hitch plate sitting tight on top of the fifth wheel?, Is the jaws closed around the pin, with the pin tip below the jaws? on some there is a bar that slides across, but the pin should still be below that. When you hook up and the handle has cycled, put it in drive and do a "Pull test", or in other words give it a tug forward to be sure it is connected, not hard enough to pull off the ramps or bend the dolly legs but enough you can feel it is connected, then do the inspection.

I have seen more than one person make it a couple hundred miles with a high pin situation and when they are pulling into the campsite going over uneven ground the trailer drops on the truck, and they look at and say "how the heck did that happen", I walk over and the jaws are still closed, a good sign it was not around the jaws!

I work in the heavy truck industry and they use the same pin setup and rookie drivers make this mistake often, only they usually only go a few feet before it drops due to design.

Last advice, works for every type trailer, walk around after hooking up and make sure everything is secureed and put away before leaving, and then after you think you have everything, do one more walk around, just to be sure!

[jsmith948]

first advice, is check and double check that the pin is secure in the fifth wheel. It is possible on some fifth wheels to have a "high Pin" situation, that is where you had the pin so high it went over top of the jaws and still cycled the lock handle. 2 things to look for, is the hitch plate sitting tight on top of the fifth wheel?, Is the jaws closed around the pin, with the pin tip below the jaws? on some there is a bar that slides across, but the pin should still be below that. When you hook up and the handle has cycled, put it in drive and do a "Pull test", or in other words give it a tug forward to be sure it is connected, not hard enough to pull off the ramps or bend the dolly legs but enough you can feel it is connected, then do the inspection.

I have seen more than one person make it a couple hundred miles with a high pin situation and when they are pulling into the campsite going over uneven ground the trailer drops on the truck, and they look at and say "how the heck did that happen", I walk over and the jaws are still closed, a good sign it was not around the jaws!

I work in the heavy truck industry and they use the same pin setup and rookie drivers make this mistake often, only they usually only go a few feet before it drops due to design.

Last advice, works for every type trailer, walk around after hooking up and make sure everything is secureed and put away before leaving, and then after you think you have everything, do one more walk around, just to be sure!

X2 from another commercial driver (former) - great advice:)

[highlander2590]

I appreciate the advice. Especially the walk around to ensure everything is secure. I was thinking about making a walk around checklist of some sort with a checkoff to each item. I come from an aviation background in the Marine Corps and they always worked off of a checklist either on the ground or while flying. I tend to get in a hurry sometime, so it would keep me focused to do something like that.

I got a few responses from 5th wheelers. My trailer is not a 5th wheel trailer. Just a very long hitch trailer. Mine is a 2005 Keystone 335 RLBS Mountaineer. I'm studying the owners manual now to educate myself on all the systems.

Just to give everyone reading this a little bit of background on me, I am currently employed with the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. If anyone follows what is happening in Illinois, our Governor is shuttering several prisons, one of which is where I work at down in Murphysboro Illinois. It is a Youth Center. I have elected to take a similar position up North in Kewanne Illinois for the remaining 2+ years I have until my retirement. The place is near the Quad Cities. I will be living out of my camper at a friends farm who has been gracious enough to give me a solid spot to set up the trailer. I got the Montana because it is known to be a solidly built and insulated trailer. But, I also know that sometimes mother nature throws us a curve ball and my concerns are for the winter months.

If anyone has any advice on methods of ensuring I don't turn into a popsickle in December-February, please advise what suggestions you make. I plan to get a structure for the trailer, along with underpinning while set up there. Thanks in advance for any advice you give.

[Festus2]

highlander2590 -
If you have specific questions regarding winterizing your RV or other matters, you will get a better response if you were to post them in a more appropriate category. This section is primarily intended for new members to check themselves in for "old" members to welcome them.
Thanks

[volvosweetie]

:wlcm: to the forum. Hope your new job and location change goes well for you.
"bouncey: