How do you store your Monty?

[kramperD]

We're signing papers this Sat. for our first Monty.....an 08 3400!! Anyway, looking ahead, how do you store it? Is it covered with a colored tarp? Is it just roof covered? Stored inside? Or is it okay just out in the weather? What's your take if you're not out basking in the sun with it Thanks, D

[Art]

Hi D,
Congratulations on your Montana! I have a 2003 3670RL and I just park it! No cover so far...but after the last two winters here in New Jersey with 70 inches and 50 inches of snow...I am seriously thinking about covering it next year. There seems to be no damage up to this point but I think I am pushing it! In hindsight, I think I would cover it from the start...get a trailer cover...not tarp. I read that a tarp can scratch the fiberglass with the winter wind. Good luck!

[camper4]

Stored in the open with some shade, all food is taken out, tires are on boards, it is plugged into 120VAC for batteries, leveled, winterized if cold, all slides are in, one roof vent open with a vent cover, all other windows/vents closed, All drawers(where possible) and cabinet doors are open, fridge is open, fabric softener sheets on all slide corners, electronic pest repellers on.
That's most of it... I think.
Oh yea, fog the Onan, but the factory says to also start and run it every 30 days.
Enjoy your rig!

[Bill-N-Donna]

We store ours outside with the slides in and plugged into an outlet. I will occasionally check the battery to make sure it hasn’t gone dry.

[H. John Kohl]

The first two years I had a cover over it beside the house, winter in MD. The next two years I had a cover over it when stored in a pole barn (keep bird poop off) in NY. Now I just leave it out side in PA. The wind moves the cover around to much and I feel it would rub and cause chaffing problems.

[jsnip42]

We back ours under a metal cover on concrete. All I do is drain the fresh tank, take out the perishable foods and plug it into a 50 amp plug. It usually does not sit more than a couple of weeks at a time.

[CORattler]

I winterize it, remove anything that could freeze or attract critters, take out the batteries and store/charge them in my home garage, put the tires on boards and put tire covers on. I don't cover it. I can't afford inside storage. I already pay $40 a month for a spot in a secure storage lot.

[Glass Guy]

I remove any thing that will freeze or not last the winter months and leave it plugged in to a outlet in the garage to keep the battery from going dead and freezing, No cover or tarp as I have heard of cover wearing threw the rubber roof and besides the snow helps keep the rof clean.

[jimcol]

I think I am pretty fortunate here in K.C. Store it in a climate controlled, dehumidified, concrete floored, secured, retired limestone mine. $65 per month. No need to winterize, pull the battery, cover the 5'er, or cover the tires. Just pull out the perishables and drive to the cave. Sure makes storing easy but understand everyone doesn't have such a facility at an affordable price. Jim

[hookman]

Congratulations on your new Montana. We park ours in the driveway and plug it in. Also we put a Ceramic heater in to keep the moisture down. This year we winterized as the predicted lots of snow and cold. Usually we camp at lest once a month during the winter but not this year.

[ExPatNW]

We were asked recently why we put a cover on our Mountaineer. To be honest, its not an easy task, especially as when I did it, it was a windy day! So, the reason I do it is to keep the sun off the rubber roof. We have many clear winter days where the roof would be exposed to a lot of direct UV and I think it will probably help it to last longer being covered. Of course come spring, I will take off the cover and the roof will be exposed, but at least I can minimize exposure during winter.

[BB_TX]

Keep it at an RV storage facility, covered but not enclosed. More concern here about the hot Texas sun than winter. Temps of 105 are not unusual here. However the last two years we have had much more than normal ice/snow and temps in low teens and even some single digits.
Planning to have a metal building erected this year to park it in along with my truck. Can't get the truck into my garage.

[7.3Ford]

We covered when we first got the Monty, but still got broke into when it was two months old. A lot of work as others said, and didn't really keep it any cleaner.

Now I don't cover it. It is not plugged into anything, but the solar panels keep the battery charged. Check the water level on the batteries once every month or so, but so far haven't had to add any water.

We started draining the water heater and blowing out the water lines before taking it back to storage since last August. It takes me 5-8 minutes more to unload, but the water seems to be fresher and better tasking, since we started doing it. Last time we put antifreeze in the drains and potty too.

[washley1]

Here in Florida the sun is the King and the Curse! We parked ours in an open storage yard for the first year we owned it. I finally got wise that with all the money I put into it, it needed to be out of the sun. We now store it in a covered facility, on concrete, with both the roof and back side protected. 30 Amp service is provided, and is very nice to have, but we do not leave it plugged in all the time, just a couple of days before each trip.

[NCFischers]

I built a barn next to the house and store the Monty in there next to the truck. I don't winterize but I do blow out the lines and drain the water heater. I keep a heater set on low in the trailer to help keep the dampness under control when it's cold outside.

[mainer]

quote:Originally posted by camper4

Stored in the open with some shade, all food is taken out, tires are on boards, it is plugged into 120VAC for batteries, leveled, winterized if cold, all slides are in, one roof vent open with a vent cover, all other windows/vents closed, All drawers(where possible) and cabinet doors are open, fridge is open, fabric softener sheets on all slide corners, electronic pest repellers on.
That's most of it... I think.
Oh yea, fog the Onan, but the factory says to also start and run it every 30 days.
Enjoy your rig!

We have been doing the same as Camper4 for five years, and have not had a problem. This winter has been pretty extreme here in Maine with all of the snow that we had.
First year that Jim took some of the snow off the Monty. He didn't go too deep, didn't want to damage the roof.
Enjoy your new Montana, safe and happy travels,

[TAKPAK]

The next year after we got our 3400, I built a cover for it. Basically a pole barn, but with siding coming part way down. Left enough room to be able to walk under it. Keeps the sun off (what little we have here is western Oregon) and the birds, etc, off of it as well. Ran a 30 amp service to the building and leave the unit plugged in. I figured with the $$$$ invested in a unit like this, it's a small investment (insurance policy) to protect it. Keeps it cleaner, too.

[kdeiss]

We store in our's in the drive way Pull the battery, slides in no cover 8 Winters in Pittsburgh no problem

[bncinwv]

Mini-storage, uncovered, unplugged, slides in, tires on gravel, probably everything that I have been advised not to do, but last time I checked, I thought it was a camper and that they were made for the outdoors. I can see the merits of indoor storage, but don't have enough property for that luxury.
Bingo

[CamillaMichael]

quote:Originally posted by washley1

Here in Florida the sun is the King and the Curse! We parked ours in an open storage yard for the first year we owned it. I finally got wise that with all the money I put into it, it needed to be out of the sun. We now store it in a covered facility, on concrete, with both the roof and back side protected. 30 Amp service is provided, and is very nice to have, but we do not leave it plugged in all the time, just a couple of days before each trip.

Congratulations on your new Montana! We keep ours in the same storage facility as Walt, only ours is in the uncovered part of the facility, accross the yard from Walt. We do winterize for the Jan/Feb freeze that usually hits a few days here and we pull the battery and keep it on a charger in the garage. We spend the summer in Maine with our Montana, so the Florida summer furnace is not an issue for us.