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10-21-2017, 06:58 AM
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#1
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New Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Falls Church
Posts: 8
M.O.C. #20712
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Need much help with a Montana 3750FL
Does anyone have the time and patience to help? My ex-wife died of cancer two years ago and her three daughters inherited her Montana 3750FL RV. One is in the Army stationed at Ft Leavenworth; another has been sick for two years and is awaiting surgery; and the third is perusing a master’s degree while working full time and raising a family. They’ve asked me to do something with the RV so it can be sold.
I’m in northern Virginia and the RV is stored 2 hours away around Lake Anna, VA. My goal is to be able to start the RV enough to take pictures, clean it out and move it up to northern VA for sale. I find the Keystone Owner’s Manual too generic to be much help and many videos are focused on the features rather than operation. For openers, I don’t even know how to start it. It’s in a grass lot with no power or water and has been winterized but not moved for two years. Reading various things, it sounds like there are different switches which could be turned off or on. I haven’t found the battery and don’t know what to do with the generator. Anyone willing to assist?
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10-21-2017, 08:13 AM
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#2
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Eureka Springs
Posts: 432
M.O.C. #17829
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Welcome. I am sorry for your loss. You've connected with a forum of helpful Montan owners.
Living two hrs from your trailer, sounds like your first objective is getting the fiver mover closer to you in northern Virginia?
Sounds like it may need a new battery and tires. Do you have access to the truck that pulled it?
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10-21-2017, 08:29 AM
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#3
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Taylor Ridge
Posts: 224
M.O.C. #18049
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The battery should be in the front compartment on the driver side. However after sitting for 2 years I am sure it would be dead. First either charge the battery or replace it. Then you would be able to start chasing the switches.
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10-21-2017, 08:33 AM
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#4
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New Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Falls Church
Posts: 8
M.O.C. #20712
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Yes, there's a Ford F350 super duty extended pickup that's housed here in Northern VA (DC suburb). The problem is that there's little place to put the RV up here, nothing is licensed or registered and everything is still in the name of the estate. None of that is yours or anyone else's problem, obviously, but I'm trying to get everything in order and getting the RV to work is one part of the picture.
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10-21-2017, 08:41 AM
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#5
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New Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Falls Church
Posts: 8
M.O.C. #20712
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"The battery should be in the front compartment on the driver side."
Is that accessed from the outside underneath the front cowl, next to the generator door? In which case I think it's been taken out, I've opened those doors, which would explain why I couldn't find it. Once I get a new battery, how do I start the generator?
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10-21-2017, 08:44 AM
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#6
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Wilsey
Posts: 18,799
M.O.C. #11455
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Does it have a generator. Most don't. It would be located in the same compartment as the battery only on the opposite side.
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10-21-2017, 08:54 AM
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#7
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New Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Falls Church
Posts: 8
M.O.C. #20712
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The tires look a little low on air but are inflated. After sitting for two years without being moved, do I have to assume they need replacement? If not, how do I tell if they're usable once I've moved it a few feet?
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10-21-2017, 09:29 AM
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#8
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New Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Falls Church
Posts: 8
M.O.C. #20712
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Did I mention I'm fairly unknowledgeable on all this? Yes, I think I found a generator under the front cowl, black and green rectangle but with no controls or connections that I could see. I expected the owner's manual to explain how to operate it but it doesn't. I also didn't know if the green part lifted off somehow, I tried but didn't want to force it. Maybe it's not a generator.
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10-21-2017, 05:17 PM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Pensacola (mail forward service)
Posts: 3,198
M.O.C. #13740
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No need to worry about the genie in order to move the montana. Sitting in one place for two years...I would recommend changing out the tires. I would also recommend finding a person or business to move the unit to a consignment rv dealer since none of the daughters are in a position to tackle this project. Since you are not an rv person and not knowledgeable about it or towing, it isn't wise to jump into this situation where more damage to the rig and others on the road could occur.
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10-22-2017, 12:23 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lake Gaston
Posts: 8,773
M.O.C. #12156
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I haul my fifth Wheel up to Spotsylvania County to visit my grandkids 2-3 times a year. Believe exit 118 by Lake Anna off I95 has two RV dealerships. One advertises RV Mobile Maintenance Services. If you call the Fredericksburg KOA, they also are just down the road from that exit, and there is a Mobile RV Service listed on the campground site map/rules they hand out, and I bet they could refer you to local mobile techs. Very helpful staff there. Agree with Jcurtis934's comments completely.
__________________
Mike and Lorraine
2002 3655 FL, 2005 3650RK
2010 3665RE, 2015 3910FB
F350 crew cab dually 6.7
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10-22-2017, 01:28 PM
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#11
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New Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Falls Church
Posts: 8
M.O.C. #20712
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Thanks. I stopped at Camping World of Frederick to see if they were interested in purchasing the RV but they've got 350 RVs on their lot already and more on the way. The salesperson said they were awash with Montanas. I've been researching tires since several people have indicated they'll need to be changed. The KOA sounds like a great resource, I'll look into it.
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10-25-2017, 04:09 PM
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#12
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New Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: South Fork
Posts: 3
M.O.C. #19960
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Phlypp,
Take a battery or some jumper cables with you and simply connect the battery you take, or your trucks battery to the battery on the Montana. As said, it's in the compartment under the front of the trailer. If the battery is indeed missing, the red and black cables will be there, just hanging.
Once you use cables to connect a good battery to it, go inside, and right inside the entry door you will find a series of buttons. You will find the Slide-out buttons and simply hold them to the "out" or "extend" position as they go out. Be sure to check around the slide-outs so they don't open into an open cabinet and break a door off or anything.
Once the slides are out, take plenty of pictures and make sure you also take a pic of the generator as that is worth some money, but after sitting for 2 years will most likely require a little bit of work ($200 or so) to get it running in good shape. The Green top on the Generator does come off, but you don't need it off for any reason. It will be something like a "Cummins Onan 5500" or "Cummins Onan 4500." That will help you identify that it is indeed a generator.
Check with local RV dealers in your area for a buy bid as well, not just camping world. It's not quite the right time of year, but if you need to offload it quickly, they can give a buy bid.
When ready to move, just back your truck up, hook it up, and on the drivers side of the trailer towards the front there is a small (approximately 6x6) door that you can open which will grant you access to the jack system to raise or lower the camper to get it under your truck. You may want to take someone with you with experience to ensure you get it hooked up correctly and get all the jacks up and what not so it's good for transport.
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10-25-2017, 08:00 PM
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#13
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New Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Falls Church
Posts: 8
M.O.C. #20712
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Thanks for your help and advice, you've filled in several gaps I was unclear about.
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10-25-2017, 08:13 PM
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#14
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: holland patent
Posts: 174
M.O.C. #8973
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If the wires to bat are white and other wire is black the black wire is +.
You can do a lot of damage if bat is hooked up wrong!
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10-26-2017, 02:44 AM
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#15
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New Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Falls Church
Posts: 8
M.O.C. #20712
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Well, that's certainly good to know since I would have done the exact opposite.
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10-26-2017, 08:06 AM
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#16
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Northwest Tennessee
Posts: 450
M.O.C. #10884
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Youtube has many videos on all types of campers and I use that on many occasions to learn about my camper. You may want to post pictures of the camper inside and out on this forum for more info on what you are attempting. Or, someone with the same model may join in on this thread. The first thing I would check is was it winterized!!! A mobile RV repair person maybe money well spent to have a look at the camper. Good luck!
__________________
2017 Montana 3611
2012 Chevy 2500
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10-26-2017, 08:45 AM
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#17
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Hanover
Posts: 1,471
M.O.C. #13325
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I wouldn't take anything to Camping World. If it's at Lake Anna, try talking to McGeorge's Rolling Hills - they're north of Richmond a bit and take consignments. We bought our Monty there six years back. We live north of Haymarket and I may have some time to give you a hand, depending on when. PM me and we'll try to hook up.
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