Slip Sliding Away - Montana Owners Club

**Rondo** · 03-10-2010, 06:46 PM

Well it finally happened! I went down to the area I store the Monte at in the winter and pulled it out. Reason being, it was on the Platte River bottom land and there's a possibility of it flooding and I didn't want to try and catch our Monte as it floated by down the Platte! I took it to high ground and to my nephew's open lot he parks his semi and trailers on. The ground was snowcovered and still froze. I put wood under each of the tires and chocks to hold it in place. The front landing gear had large 2X12 bases under the blocks holding it up besides other boards! Got a call from my brother on Sunday and he said the Monte looked like it was leaning. We went out there yesterday and checked it out. For some reason, the Monte had slid to the drivers side in the rear and off the wood under all four tires thus taking it about 6-8"and off the boards.

There was a small slope there but not that much! Doing this, it also shifted the front landing gear and dropped the drivers side off the blocks also.

The passenger side remained on the blocks it was set on! Had to figure out how to raise the front gear enough to put it back on blocks. Finally took some crushed rock to make a base in the mud and behind the landing gear and put some 2X12's down to put a jack in place and under the frame. Had my floor jack and several pieces short 2X6 and jacked the Monte up enough on the frame to bring the landing gear out of the mud(only about an inch or so in the mud plus several inches higher) and put more crushed rock under it,shortened up the landing gear on that side and put down a 2X12 on the rock and several 6X6s, 2X8s and a 1X6 block on top of the 2X12 and got it relatively level again. This side I built up in a cribbing style for more stability. The tires of the Monte are still in the mud and I may have to dig infront of them to get them out IF it ever dries up enough to pull the rig out of that open lot and into a better location. The temps have been in the 40-50 degree range this week so all of the snow has melted and to top it off we've had rain for that past three days and will have it for another couple before it is suppose to break and clear off. Then I just have to wait for the ground to dry some and get a little more solid before hooking on and pulling the Monte out!! I think we should have headed South this winter and none of this would have happened.

jimcol · 03-11-2010, 12:30 AM

Rondo, Australia!! I don't know how much further south you could have went. Your problem was you just didn't stay long enough. Jim

PapaBeav · 03-11-2010, 02:31 AM

Hey Ron, it sounds like you have quite a mess there. Our son across the river in CB just moved in to a new house a couple of weeks ago and he said they had all kinds of problems because of the snow and mud. Hang in there, Spring is on the way.

Rich

**Rondo** · 03-11-2010, 03:05 AM

Well let's throw another wrench into the problem now! Woke up this morning and it is snowing, and I mean snowing!

It's been snowing for less than an hour and we have at least an inch or more on the ground already not counting what has melted already because the ground was warm and wet! I'm afraid to turn on the teli to see what the forecast is and how long it will be lasting.
Update-- Just checked the weather channel and it's suppose to last until about 5 PM today then rain for the next three days. Also, glad I pulled the Monte off the Platte River bottom land because they just issued a flood warning for the Platte from near Omaha to north and west of where the Monte was parked and that's 45-50 miles away from Omaha. Seems there are several ice jams on the Platte and the water is backing up pretty good. Whew, at least the Monte is seeing mud instead of ice chunks and water!

I think you are right Jim, Downunder is looking real good right now! Of course they have had flooding down near Melbourne and up north near Darwin also. Sure glad Gore knew what he was talking about with all this "Global Warming"!

Rich you can come on out and help your son and I sandbag if you like!

Seriously, I don't think he'll have a problem and if I get water here in Omaha the whole Midwest will be under water since I'm o the highest point in Nebraska except for possibly the top of Chimney Rock!!

I'll keep everyone abreast of the situation and updates!

sreigle · 03-12-2010, 05:07 AM

When it rains, it pours??? Wow, what a nasty situation, Ron. I sure hope you can get it out of there soon.

As to why it shifted on those boards, is it possible the snow and ice on one side melted faster than on the other side? If the boards on that side dropped at a faster rate than the other side, wouldn't the Montana then lean and possibly slide right off the boards? Just a thought.

**Rondo** · 03-12-2010, 05:44 AM

I think that is exactly what happened Steve! I also found out I parked over a hole my nephew had dig and burned some trash wood he had on the lot, then filled it in. I have a feeling that hole sunk some and took the Monte with it! Can't get in there at the present because of all the rain equalling MUD we've had(and snow which we had yesterday and last night) and more rain again today. If I tried to pull in there now I'd need a BIG towtruck to winch just the truck out itself. It's really soft in the lot right now! Hopefully, it will stop raining and give us some warmer/windy days to dry the lot out and I can get in and hookup to the Monte and get it out of there! I'll keep you informed!!

jpkelpe · 03-15-2010, 01:07 PM

Ron, I think we would have a similar problem out at our son's. can't you see the Monty sliding down the hill into the creek. I am glad we told Leach we would get ours in May.

richfaa · 03-15-2010, 03:10 PM

Guys.... Those kind of problems do not happen in Sunny South Central Florida.....Come on down...

Cyrus · 03-15-2010, 03:23 PM

I have family in Omaha so I just tried to call, no answer so left message. We have been having rain in VA for about a week now so thinking I might have a problem with camper also. Front jacks are on concrete driveway but back tires are out in yard and water is standing in our yard. Got until next week before I plan to hookup, so maybe it will dry out before then.

**Rondo** · 03-15-2010, 05:11 PM

Cyrus, We aren't having that much problem here in Omaha- of course I live on the highest hill in Omaha so if we get flooding, the whole of Omaha especially the business district will be under about 100 ft of water

and I'll have my Monte equipt with pontoons! We are wet in the yards and I know if I pulled it home and tried to park it on our property, I'd sink up to and hubcaps for sure! It is soft and we're also hoping for some sun and windy weather to dry things out a little so we can pull the Monte out and get some yardwork done also. I'll keep everyone informed on my Sinking Monty.
Rich-- You need to come up here and enjoy some of our soggy weather. It could be worse, we could still have 2 ft of snow on the ground yet and we're keeping out fingers crossed that we don't get the end of March/early April snowstorm we've experienced several times.
Jan and Paul- We would have to call in one of the BIG wreckers and have them park on the hill and winch yours out if it started sliding! OR you could always mount it in one of the trees down in the creek and call it a "Tree Monte"!

Trailer Trash 2 · 03-15-2010, 07:32 PM

Why cant you have your nephew get his bigrig under the pin bos and hook it up and drag the monty out Firetrucker uses a big rig to pull his monty, at least you could get it on solid ground and then put your truck on it, just a idea.

**Rondo** · 03-16-2010, 04:43 AM

Good idea Don! If it doesn't dry up soon, I may have to do that! He did mention he could probably have pulled it out from the Platte winter storage area. If it keeps raining, I may have him do that!

simonsrf · 03-17-2010, 07:27 AM

Ron,

If nothing else, you have a secure argument with the DW to go south in the Winter...you are welcome to follow us around, anytime.

**Rondo** · 03-17-2010, 04:10 PM

Thanks Robbie! Now to talk the DW into the South bound idea especially with an 18 month old grandson on the ground and running and a new granddaughter in the hanger and ready to be on the ramp on the 29th of this month unless she decides to take off earlier!

It really sounds good and guess what?????-- we are expecting snow again on Saturday! Watch in the Rally area for a possible new announcement as soon as I get ahold of the Administrators and get permission and permisson to post! If you have any suggestions please email or PM me! Thanks for any help and maybe we can talk Mary into the Southern route this next winter!

sreigle · 03-21-2010, 03:56 PM

Congratulations on the soon-to-be-here granddaughter!

And I saw where the airport in Kansas city has 6.7 inches of snow by 7pm on Saturday and it was still snowing! I am not missing that at all!

mopar1 · 03-21-2010, 04:37 PM

I just got my Monty out of my muddy back yard Friday the 19th. I used 14 sheets of 1/2 OSB plywood and "leap frogged" them forward till I was out. It was not fun but got the job done.

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