Slides - Montana Owners Club

Cat320 · 05-08-2006, 09:59 AM

Another question from a prospective Montana owner. How do the slides operate on the Montanas? Is there an in/out switch for each slide, or one master switch that controls all three slides? Thanks.

Broome101 · 05-08-2006, 10:02 AM

Well each can be different. I have 4 slides on mine, the two in the upstairs living area are electric and each has it's own switch. The dinette and bedroom are hydraulic and both are on same switch. We do have values at the pump that can make one or the other come out by shutting off one value.

ols1932 · 05-08-2006, 10:19 AM

All three of my slides operate on hydraulics from one switch. The slides operate somewhat in sequence: bedroom slide out first and in first, entertainment slide in and out second, and livingroom slide in and out last. But our rig is a 2000, built not too long after Keystone started manufacturing RVs. If I had to buy another rig, I would want it so I could control the slides individually. I do like the hydraulic rather than electric motors.

Orv

indy roadrunner · 05-08-2006, 11:35 AM

On the 3400 we have 4 slides with one switch. Sequence is Bedroom,Kitchen,entertainment, then dinette and couch. You have a manifold box in the front bay that lets you turn a valve if you do not want a particular slide to come out.

Cat320 · 05-08-2006, 11:46 AM

Thanks for the replies.

Guess I should have been a bit more specific. In an earlier post, I explained some concerns over being able to get to the kitchen (for packing or lunch on the road) in the 2980RL model with the slides in...looks like the slides meet in the middle. Several posters suggested partially moving a slide out. The other 5er brands we are considering all have individual switches for each slide. The idea of having only one switch for all three and having to go out to the front bay and turn a valve off/on to control them is not very appealing. Can't understand why a quality rig like the Montana would not be like the competition with a switch for each...maybe in the 2007 model?

patodonn · 05-08-2006, 03:13 PM

As noted above, slide function may differ, model to model. We have a '03 FL. In order to access the toilet while on the road, we have to extend the passenger side (dining room) slide about 8 inches. It is hydraulic, and works in sequence with the bedroom slide. No big deal..it moves out first, and in last, by hydraulic sequencing, so 5 sec out, use the facilities, 5 sec back in...all done.

Hydraulic pressure is much smoother and capable of moving larger slides more easily. We have one smaller electric motor powered slide and two larger ones that operate in sequence, hyd powered.

I like it the way it is....more switches means more things that can (and will) go wrong. When you start getting "fancy" with hydraulic sequencing, you can expect problems. Really a matter of customer choice. In 3 years of full timing, I have never had a reason to use the "manual" valve sequencing on the hyd motor assembly.

JH Sechelt · 05-08-2006, 04:02 PM

Hi Cat320

We have a 2006 2980RL The Kitchen slide is only 2' deep and the Couch/dinette slide is 3'.
The trailer is 8' wide and the slides only add up to 5'. There is 3' between the slides, when in.
The countertop takes up 2' of that so you have about 1' to get to the back with slide in and
the table is turned 90 degrees.
J & D

richfaa · 05-08-2006, 04:19 PM

The simple answer to your question is yes you can operate each slide individually by using the slide selector switches.The selector switch is a option. We have the 3400 and if we want only the main slide to extend we turn off the other 3 at the selector switch and only that slide will open..You can do the same with any slide or combanation thereof... In the 3400 we can get to the fridge and bathroom with the slides in.If we are in a rest area and would like to get to the kitchen table or the rest of the camper we need only open the main slide anywhere from a few inches to all the way by using the selector switch.

kwbosch · 05-08-2006, 04:39 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Cat320

Thanks for the replies.

Guess I should have been a bit more specific. In an earlier post, I explained some concerns over being able to get to the kitchen (for packing or lunch on the road) in the 2980RL model with the slides in...looks like the slides meet in the middle. Several posters suggested partially moving a slide out. The other 5er brands we are considering all have individual switches for each slide. The idea of having only one switch for all three and having to go out to the front bay and turn a valve off/on to control them is not very appealing. Can't understand why a quality rig like the Montana would not be like the competition with a switch for each...maybe in the 2007 model?

Cat320,

I asked the same question last year. Dale (MIMF2) Said it was possible. I think it all depends on how deep your pockets are.
I researched building my own manifold with seprate solenoid valves.
I decided the existing thumb screws were much more cost effective.

Ken

bobgay · 05-09-2006, 02:58 AM

This is one of my few dislikes about our 3000RK. We don't have the selector valves. To get to the fridge, we need to move the living room slide about a foot, but before that slide moves at all the bedroom slide must be fully extended. Several people I have talked to have gotten around this by by turning the dining room table sideways and removing two chairs.
I suppose I could install a valve to manually cut off the flow to the bedroom slide. Has anyone done this?

Montana Sky · 05-09-2006, 05:02 AM

It does not bother me that much that there is only 1 switch for all 4 slides. I like that Keystone has spent the additional cost of having 4 swtiches on other options and quality you wont find in other brands of 5th wheels. With my coach I can get to the fridge, water closet and bed without opening any slides. I usually just plan lunch and throw it in the fridge before I pull on the road each day. Find a nice rest area or view point to pull off in and enjoy lunch in a lawn chair or pinic table enjoying the view.

Wifeofdano · 05-09-2006, 05:47 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by bobgay

This is one of my few dislikes about our 3000RK. We don't have the selector valves. To get to the fridge, we need to move the living room slide about a foot, but before that slide moves at all the bedroom slide must be fully extended.

On our 3000RK we DO have a selector valve to turn off the bedroom slide so just the big slide comes out. Maybe this is an option. Not sure. I have crawled over the table to get to the fridge once, once,... it was interesting. The fridge does open with the slide in!

SKOOBDO · 05-09-2006, 07:09 AM

As a couple of the posters indicated, the Montanas come with the optional hydralic valve selector switches to control how many slides you wish to open/close. I can access my entire unit by just walking through since they just started making the 3500RL model with sliding rear den doors. Even though I purchased the optional selector valves, I doubt I would ever use them. I figure all my slides will either be out or all in...I can't think of a reason to just pull one slide out since I can get to everything when they are all in, unless you guys know something I don't please chime in

Allison

Cat320 · 05-09-2006, 10:40 AM

Last question...where are the selector valves, are they near the switch and easy to access or buried in a storage area somewhere? Thanks.

richfaa · 05-09-2006, 11:30 AM

Buried in the front storage compartment..upper right had side..nowhere near the inside slide switch

MIMF2 · 05-10-2006, 12:11 PM

Rich,

I have been looking at these pictures now for several days and I must say. That is one good looking unit!

OH! I'm not talking about you! It's the lady beside you!!

sreigle · 05-10-2006, 05:04 PM

Allison, about the only time I use the selectors on ours is when I need to work on just one slide. Or when we stop in a rest area and for some reason we need to get to something otherwise not accessible, like in the bedroom dresser drawers (such as would be the case if a deer ran smack out in front of us

).

The selectors used to be an extra cost option so not all Montanas have the selectors. I'm not sure if they're still an option or are standard now.

RKassl · 05-11-2006, 12:10 AM

One of the many reasons we bought our 2955rl is that with the two slides in we can access the entire unit, refrig, potty, bed. Some of the other units we looked at with multiple slides looked like they closed right up together with no access to the interior.

sreigle · 05-21-2006, 12:46 PM

RKassl, even those that appear to slide together don't come fully together. There is room to walk down the remaining "aisle." At least on all models I've seen. Our kitchen slide comes up against our rear-center kitchen peninsula but it's not a big deal. We can get to anything we need on the road without opening slides. One exception, our silverware drawer is not accessible with slides in so we keep some plastic utensils in an accessible drawer. Really not a problem.

We can get to the fridge and pantry with all slides in. Also bathroom and bed (but not the dresser drawers). We cannot get to the stove and the drawers on the peninsula. But we can get to everything we need. We also figure we spend most of our time in the rig with the slides extended so not having access to those things is very minor to us.

Parrothead · 05-21-2006, 04:42 PM

Bob and Nancy
Looks can be deceiving. On the 3400 we can access the bathroom, the bed, and the frig and front closet. We keep picnic supplies plus bread and chip in the front closet so we can have lunch while traveling. If there is something really needed in the LR area, Ed crawls across the island. The large LR slide and the desk/Entertainment slide do not meet. There is quite a bit of room left. As has been said before on here, you spend the most time in your unit parked somewhere so that should be the consideration, not what it looks like closed up.
Happy trails...........................

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