381TH height - Montana Owners Club

Cyride · 12-05-2018, 05:52 PM

My wife and I are considering ordering a 2019 Montana High Country 381TH. I would like to know how accurate the Manufacture's height specification is. They indicate it is 13 feet 4 inches high. I have a 2018 Ford F350 4x4 diesel dually I will be pulling it with. Does anyone out there have the same or similar truck they are pulling the 381TH with? Is the 13 feet 4 inches max or have some exceeded that height?

Thanks!

beeje · 12-05-2018, 06:14 PM

I have not a clue what your exact height will be. I can tell you that if you look up the height of my unit you will get all kinds of different #s. One thing is for sure, its NOT what keystone says it is. The only way to know for sure is to get the unit level on a level surface, then rest a 2x4 or some other straight object on the highest point and hang it over the edge with it being level, then measure to the ground surface. Adding anything to the unit such as vent covers will increase the height. I seriously drought that anyone but me has done this. LOL

CarWin · 12-05-2018, 06:28 PM

If I'm not mistaken, 13`6" is MAX height allowed buy law. I know my combination ready to camp is exactly 13`5" high. I HAVE measured it from top of my front A/C cover, tallest point on our coach.

**AZ Traveler** · 12-05-2018, 06:38 PM

Cyride,

Welcome to the forum! This is a great place to learn and share.

Unless you do something like add gear to the top or really lift your truck you should be fine. States vary with many using 13' 6" as max tow height without a special permit - several western states use 14'. Would be good to measure your actual height hooked to your truck once you get it. There will be plenty of things to run into if you do not pay attention to clearances.

MidMOTraveler · 12-06-2018, 02:20 PM

Like beeje said the only way is hook up and measure.
Kinda like weight you gotta load it and then weight it!
That said ours is 13’ 4” to the top of the front AC .
Our F 450 4 x 4 is the same height as a F 350
Get a good RV / Truckers gps and load your dimensions in it. Even then I compare with a Truckers atlas.
Have fun and enjoy your new adventures.

waynemoore · 12-06-2018, 03:34 PM

Yep, mine is 13'5". Measured hooked up on level ground.
Welcome to the forum. Have fun and be safe.

BuilderBob · 12-06-2018, 08:42 PM

Cyride welcome to the MOC. from Washington St! we at 13.5 hooked up you should be just fine. Safe travels

LindaV · 12-21-2018, 06:42 AM

A lot of the places that have CAT scales also have a way to measure it as well.

mazboy · 12-21-2018, 07:16 AM

I am not sure why you are so concerned with the height? It will be like the rest of ours. but legally the max height is 13' 6".

Creeker · 12-21-2018, 08:26 AM

The height of our 310RE is my single biggest complaint and worry.
Its the main factor of our slight buyers remorse.
It hit limbs and even telephone lines on our home road that I had been
pulling our other 5ers under for 15 years.

The height is absolutely something to be concerned with. No GPS or Truckers Atlas is going to help with tree limbs and low hanging telephone/cable/power lines. You better keep your eyes open and way ahead on secondary roads and even inside many campgrounds.

Theunz · 12-21-2018, 09:22 AM

As one who has pulled 13'6" semi trailers (mostly within cities) since the late 70's, I can tell you that main hi way bridges are the least of your worries! It's the arterial street bridges that will get you. There is no list that I am aware of that will show low clearances once you're off the hi way. You get in trouble when you pull off the hi way in an unfamiliar town and you are trying to figure out where you need go and not concentrating on looking up. As Creeker said its the tree limbs and low hanginging telephone/cable/power lines that will get you. Over the years I have taken out over a dozen such lines, and have spent countless hours creeping under suspect lines. Even though all lines are suspose to be above13'6" many of the cable and telephone lines in the neighborhoods are not, due, I suspect to the installers not expecting semi's to be traveling through neighborhoods. By the way if you take one down it's not your fault and you are not responsible for the cost to fix it. Private property, however is a whole different can of worms. You must be very diligent when pulling into parking lots and such, as they may have wires and banners at any height. Be careful, and keep your eyes looking up!

RoadRunnerTR21 · 12-21-2018, 09:43 AM

Our height is 13' 4" hooked to the truck using the method beeje described. When I am in unfamiliar territory, I spend a lot of time looking up even if I'm not pulling the 5th wheel. It's kind of a habit now.

LindaV · 12-21-2018, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mazboy

I am not sure why you are so concerned with the height? It will be like the rest of ours. but legally the max height is 13' 6".

Why? Because it is something you always have to be constious of! ..Because campers don't drive on the interstate the entire time...eventually you have to get off of the highway and onto secondary roads in order to get to a campground. While the interstates have clearances that can accomidate that max. height that we are at or are pushing, there are some tunnels on interstates that do not, and there are plenty of overpasses and tunnels on state and secondary roads that do not accomidate that height. I am sure there are plenty of other states where that is a problem, but I know for sure that Virginia (where I live) and New York it is an issue.

RoadRunnerTR21 · 12-21-2018, 11:11 AM

Amen to NY LindaV. Though I have never pulled a 5th wheel there, I have been there many times on business. Some the clearances I've seen are nuts!

Renegade1LI · 12-21-2018, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LindaV

Why? Because it is something you always have to be constious of! ..Because campers don't drive on the interstate the entire time...eventually you have to get off of the highway and onto secondary roads in order to get to a campground. While the interstates have clearances that can accomidate that max. height that we are at or are pushing, there are some tunnels on interstates that do not, and there are plenty of overpasses and tunnels on state and secondary roads that do not accomidate that height. I am sure there are plenty of other states where that is a problem, but I know for sure that Virginia (where I live) and New York it is an issue.

we have a 381 & live on long island, so we deal with congestion & height restrictions all the time. I keep an extendable pole saw in the camper, great for tree limbs & low voltage wires. it pays to check the directions from the campground, most times they give you the best route in. Plus with google I like to look over the route before we drive it & it has saved us a few times. Most of the mapping is so clear you can read most signs & warnings.

Renegade1LI · 12-21-2018, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyride

My wife and I are considering ordering a 2019 Montana High Country 381TH. I would like to know how accurate the Manufacture's height specification is. They indicate it is 13 feet 4 inches high.

I have a 2018 Ford F350 4x4 diesel dually I will be pulling it with. Does anyone out there have the same or similar truck they are pulling the 381TH with? Is the 13 feet 4 inches max or have some exceeded that height?
We have a 2016 F-350 DRW & a 2018 381th but I have not measured it yet. What we do most trips is map out the route & look it over on google maps, its nice to see your destination before you get there. Between google maps & a fiberglass pole saw it has worked out pretty good.

Thanks!

We have a 2016 F-350 DRW & a 2018 381th but I have not measured it yet. What we do most trips is map out the route & look it over on google maps, its nice to see your destination before you get there. Between google maps & a fiberglass pole saw it has worked out pretty good.

beeje · 12-21-2018, 03:42 PM

I few years ago we went to the Watkins Glen Nascar race. Upon leaving we were in line at the dump station. We pulled up to dump as a newer Montana was just leaving (going the opposite direction). We then heard a load BOOM sound and everyone around me was telling me to stay in the truck. DONT GET OUT!!!. Well apparently when the other Montana was pulling away, its A/C unit snagged an overhead wire which in turn snapped off a telephone pole which fell to the ground (the noise we heard). The wires fell on the roof of our unit. Unbeknownst to the on lookers, they were just cable wires and not power. Moral of the story is you never know what can happen.

mtlakejim · 12-21-2018, 05:56 PM

We have a 2018 381TH and a Ram 1 ton dually. We are at 13'4". As others have said, even knowing your ok on the interstate there are a LOT of other places where the super tall and super long rigs will have issues. It always seems like the parks leave that one big limb sticking out too far.....

If your like us and have a lot of toys, your going to LOVE that 381TH. There isn't another floor plan out there that compares! We don't just go camping, we go kayaking, jet ski and motorcycle riding! You simply can't do that with any other floor plan!

Wise choice on the dually too. You won't regret that with the big rig in tow!

Be advised there is also a facebook page dedicated exclusively to the 380/381TH models.

TennTom · 12-23-2018, 11:44 AM

13'4" also with mine. The aft AC unit is higher than the fore. If your TV is higher than normal then you will "tilt" the aft down and the fore up, and same goes with being lower but the amount is going to be more pronounced up front than the rear. With that being said if I go under a 13'6" that looks like it was recently paved, I will take my time. Many times after a repave the height is not remeasured and posted. Many of hits have been due to this.

Cyride · 12-31-2018, 06:14 PM

I have been out of the country for a little while so have not been able to check on my post. My primary concern was my garage door height. The current door height is set at 13' 6" and I was not sure how high up it could go. After talking with the person that installed the door he indicated it could be set to go up to 14'. So what it sounds like is with the door set at 13' 6" it will probably clear all right and if not I can raise the door height a few more inches. I'm sure I will need to be very well aware of where I am traveling and thank all of you for your input. It looks like there is a lot of helpful information out there such as the Truckers Road Atlas as well as other on line information to determine safe routes. We are getting close to ordering the new 381TH, just have a few more questions from the dealer.

Thanks again!

You may also like: