Montana 3741FK Pin Box failure

rpbraden · 09-13-2021, 07:41 PM

Has anyone had experience with getting Keystone to make repairs under warranty. While on our way home from Montana over the Labor Day weekend, we noticed excess movement of our fifth wheel when encountering uneven pavement. When we unhooked, we noticed that the main body of the trailer moved approximately 4 inches before the kingpin moved. Also noticed wall separation and other issues in the kitchen area of our Front kitchen model Montana. Have now waited 1 week since sending photos to Keystone without any communication from Keystone. This unit has nice big stickers on the exterior advertising a "3 Year" structural warranty.
Time will tell.

Right now, trailer is home and I am very hesitant to move it anywhere.

**sourdough** · 09-13-2021, 08:13 PM

You omit a lot of required information; what year is the trailer etc. etc. Warranties only last so long.

**JRTJH** · 09-13-2021, 09:45 PM

If your truck front end was messed up and the steering wheel shimmied when you drive it, would you send pictures to GM or Ford and wait for them to call you????

Your owner's manual is specific in saying "To obtain warranty service, contact your dealership". It goes on to say, "If the dealer is unable to repair your trailer or you are out of the area and can not locate a dealer, contact Keystone for a list of dealers in your area".

The first step in getting your trailer repaired is for a DEALER (not you) to report the objective findings to the Keystone warranty section. What you're doing is "sidestepping the company system" and expecting it to work as designed....

If you haven't done so, call your dealer when they open in the morning.....

wiredgeorge · 09-14-2021, 06:05 AM

To allow questions to be answered with context, go to the UserCP and click and add a signature with year, make and model of your camper and the same for your tow vehicle. Last, I imagine you will never receive an answer by directly contacting Keystone. Go through your dealer as has been mentioned and carefully monitor what pictures/text that the DEALER sends to Keystone.

rpbraden · 09-14-2021, 01:41 PM

For those of you who responded with more questions, here we go.

I bought my 2020 Montana 3741FK on July 2, 2019. There is a 3 year structural warranty on this unit. I contacted the dealership and was referred to the manufacturer. I have been making a lot of phone calls, but nobody wants to fix my coach.My tow vehicle is a 2016 F350 DRW crew cab with at 20K Pull Rite fifth wheel. I have also misreresented my exact failure. The pinbox is intact. The frame that supports the pin box has broken allowing the pin box to push up into the body of the trailer and create damage to the kitchen.

jasin1 · 09-14-2021, 01:51 PM

Member ChuckS (if you search his posts) described in the past a frame failure and fix for the front of fifth wheels at the slide mech…not sure if it’s related to that service bulletin

wiredgeorge · 09-14-2021, 01:55 PM

The dealership is passing the buck as it is their responsibility to document and work with you on any warranty claim. Lippert warranty:
https://www.granddesignrv.com/sites/...20Warranty.pdf

Your dealership should be contacting Lippert for resolution of your cracked frame and then Keystone should pick up the warranty claim (via your dealer) for the damage to your trailer caused by the cracked frame. The dealer should be reaching out to LIPPERT and soon as I think there is a 2 year warranty on Lippert Frames (could be wrong on this).

See this thread from another forum... it is old but enlightening:
https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/f...print/true.cfm

jasin1 · 09-14-2021, 01:59 PM

Edit : wrong Montana lol

**sourdough** · 09-14-2021, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpbraden

For those of you who responded with more questions, here we go.

I bought my 2020 Montana 3741FK on July 2, 2019. There is a 3 year structural warranty on this unit. I contacted the dealership and was referred to the manufacturer. I have been making a lot of phone calls, but nobody wants to fix my coach.My tow vehicle is a 2016 F350 DRW crew cab with at 20K Pull Rite fifth wheel. I have also misreresented my exact failure. The pinbox is intact. The frame that supports the pin box has broken allowing the pin box to push up into the body of the trailer and create damage to the kitchen.

What exactly is broken? Pics would help. In your first post you said there is a "wall separation" then the floor (body of the trailer)?

Realize that Lippert makes the frame only, walls and everything (qualified) else attached to that flat frame comes from Keystone so depending on what is broken it could land in either one's ballpark. BUT the first thing you will have to do is have a dealer ascertain the exact damage and what caused it - Keystone isn't going to be doing that from afar.

wiredgeorge · 09-14-2021, 02:18 PM

That model would appear to have opposing slides in the front kitchen area and it is possible the frame cracked much like the bedroom slide models.

dutchmensport · 09-14-2021, 02:36 PM

If your dealership was Camping World ... well .... good luck! You are going to need it!

notanlines · 09-14-2021, 03:39 PM

I've had just the opposite service with Camping World, both in Fort Myers and in Ocala. Very professional and efficient. In Olive Branch, Mississippi also now that I think about it.

rpbraden · 09-14-2021, 03:59 PM

Not sure exactly what is broken. The fiberglass skin around the pin box is covering whatever is broken. Just observation of how the coach body sags onto the pin box when I load the trailer on the fifth wheel. Also the wall separation is on the inside front corners where the side walls meet the front wall.

**sourdough** · 09-14-2021, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notanlines

I've had just the opposite service with Camping World, both in Fort Myers and in Ocala. Very professional and efficient. In Olive Branch, Mississippi also now that I think about it.

I've had excellent, professional service from the CWs I've worked with as well. I have no doubt there are places that aren't so stellar but that will be the management at that particular dealership, not CW in general.

**sourdough** · 09-14-2021, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpbraden

Not sure exactly what is broken. The fiberglass skin around the pin box is covering whatever is broken. Just observation of how the coach body sags onto the pin box when I load the trailer on the fifth wheel. Also the wall separation is on the inside front corners where the side walls meet the front wall.

You need to get it to a dealer to dig into the cause so you will know the direction you need to go.

rpbraden · 09-14-2021, 05:08 PM

Not going anywhere. Don't want to be towing when the pin box lets go completely. 4 to 6 inches of travel between the pin box and coach body does not give me a warm and fuzzy.

jasin1 · 09-14-2021, 05:08 PM

Was there any incidents on the road or crazy angles when trying to get into a camping spot? Wonder if your regular rv insurance would cover it if it was from a incident that occurred while towing.

**sourdough** · 09-14-2021, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpbraden

Not going anywhere. Don't want to be towing when the pin box lets go completely. 4 to 6 inches of travel between the pin box and coach body does not give me a warm and fuzzy.

You will need to get someone to come look at it then; maybe a mobile tech, but doubt they have the ability to pull the walls on site to see what went wrong.

Mmeyer · 09-14-2021, 05:44 PM

I had a crack in my sidewall last year it was covered under the three-year structure warranty here’s my contact.
ALISHA HOWTON
OWNER RELATIONS ASSISTANT MANAGER

2642 Hackberry Drive | P.O. Box 2000 | Goshen, IN | 46527-2000
O: 1-866-425-4369 | E: [email protected]

jamtracy · 09-19-2021, 06:31 AM

Any updates?

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