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05-02-2011, 08:09 PM
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#1
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Established Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Colbert
Posts: 15
M.O.C. #11380
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Up on jacks during off-season?
Is it advisable to jack up the Monty when not in use for 6 months or longer - in order to minimize damage to wheel bearings and tires?
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05-02-2011, 08:51 PM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Bakersfield
Posts: 5,316
M.O.C. #15
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Snitz100,
At least one of our members has put his rig up but it was for an extended time frame. Perhaps he'll be along to give you some details. Travel safely, Dennis
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05-04-2011, 12:44 PM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 908
M.O.C. #7915
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I guess a lot would have to do with what you mean my "jack up," since the Montanas of your year have no "jacks."
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05-04-2011, 07:34 PM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Murrieta
Posts: 5,816
M.O.C. #9257
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I suppose if you can jack up and use properly rated jackstands on the frame you should be good.
My rig weighs 13,500 (14040 GVWR). I have 6000 lb axles, the weights at my wheels at no more than 2800 lbs each. The pin weighs about 2500 lbs so I only use 3 ton jacks at each wheel - maybe I should have used 3.5 ton. With 7,000 lb axles and a 15,000 GVWR Monty I would used 4 ton jacks. Some margin is needed.
I don't jack up my rig while it sits on my driveway, but I only have enough jacks and jackstands to raise one side at a time.
A Bigfoot system or similar would sure make it easy.
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05-05-2011, 07:46 AM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: silver creek
Posts: 1,507
M.O.C. #7770
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I don't see any advantage to it. The suspension is made to handle the weight that sits on it. The tires made today can handle an extended period of sitting, They will over time dry rot and crack even if they have never been on the road,just from uv exposure. The wheel bearings will be fine as long as they are greased properly and would only fail if they are wet and start to rust over time. They only fail from poor maintenance. Look around at all the trailers sitting on RV lots for a year or more,you do not see the dealers doing anything special when parked. If you are talking about several years of being stored, I would then block it up remove the tires and store them inside and covered
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05-05-2011, 08:07 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New Bern
Posts: 4,294
M.O.C. #311
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For two years while over seas I stored ours for 11 month each years. I did put mine up on jack stands. It was also stored in a farmers pole barn and covered to keep bird poop of it. I believe these units are built to sell so they are built as close to maximum tolerance allowable, keeping costs down. By taking the weight off the tires, springs and axles it does remove any possible extra stress. I jacked each side up and placed two three ton jack stands centered on the "I" beam one in front of the tires and one behind. Once all tires were off the ground I put down the front landing legs and removed the truck. When I raised it off the truck it did pivot on the highest point (one set of jack stands. I then lowered the front down until weight was on all four jack stands. I would probably do it again because of the minimum standards. Is it critical, probably not.
Good luck. More critical is to ensure you protect it from varmints.
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05-06-2011, 04:12 PM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
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It's very, very rarely that I see a fifthwheel up on jackstands. If there was really an advantage I'd think there would be more people doing it. When we used to put ours away for the winter it just sat on the ground like normal. We had no problems with it.
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