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Old 02-09-2014, 12:48 AM   #1
leemedic
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How difficult is it to. . .

How much work is it to access the black and gray tanks in the Montana's? I know the belly is covered with that panel, but just wondering how much work it is in removing it to access the tanks.

 
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Old 02-09-2014, 02:31 AM   #2
Phil P
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Hi

On ours the belly in that area is very easy to get down. I don’t remove it so you would take it out from under the trailer I just remove the fasteners keeping track of which ones came out of the steel cross members and fold the under belly forward being careful not to kink it and you have access like you see in my pictures of the waste tanks. The only hard part is getting it out from under the propane piping without damaging it. If you do rip it then when you put it back up clean the rip with some lacquer thinner and apply gorilla tape. It helps to raise the front on the trailer as much as you can with the landing gear.



,

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Old 02-09-2014, 03:56 AM   #3
Alwims
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quote:Originally posted by Phil P

Hi

On ours the belly in that area is very easy to get down. I don’t remove it so you would take it out from under the trailer I just remove the fasteners keeping track of which ones came out of the steel cross members and fold the under belly forward being careful not to kink it and you have access like you see in my pictures of the waste tanks. The only hard part is getting it out from under the propane piping without damaging it. If you do rip it then when you put it back up clean the rip with some lacquer thinner and apply gorilla tape. It helps to raise the front on the trailer as much as you can with the landing gear.
Phil P
Kink it and tear it?? Are you 2 talking about the same thing?? Our belly cover is made out of a hard plastic that would take some major doing to kink or tear it as it's about an 1/8" thick. Are the newer models really made that flimsy? Phil, I'm not saying anything bad about your rig, but your statement startled me. That said, it's not really that bad at all to pull it down to get to the tanks. Just take the screws out and let it down. It is flexible enough to fold it back out of the way.
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Old 02-09-2014, 06:27 AM   #4
1retired06
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Mine is splt in two sections, front and back, both easy to drop (front the easiest). Simple matter to remove cross members and screws.
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Old 02-09-2014, 06:55 AM   #5
Neil.M
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When I had my grey tank leak, I found it a breeze to drop but a real killer putting it back up.
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Old 02-09-2014, 07:29 AM   #6
Phil P
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quote:Originally posted by Alwims

Phil, I'm not saying anything bad about your rig, but your statement startled me.
Hi

I have now had it down 3 times. I haven’t ever taken it all the way out.

Like you said it is thick and you can kink it and there is a silver blanket on top of it and that has to be handled as well.

Our trailer is built so there are three pieces of belly covering. The one under the black and gray tank in front of the axels is the one I am talking about.

The one that runs from the steps rearward was a single solid piece. It had to be cut to work on the galley gray tank and when the frame failed at the rear spring hanger.

It would require removal of the spare tire hanger the rear stabilizers and that receiver that is all the way in the back. So CW cut the underbelly by the rear most axel to get to the galley gray tanks probes. Then we cut it all the way across so we could get it out of the way for the welding to repair the frame at the rear spring hanger.

You don’t have to worry about insulting my trailer I have the sorriest trailer ever delivered by Keystone.

We were looking at class “A” units with the idea of pulling a large enclosed car hauler to carry the wife’s model trains in and a little Mazda pickup we had. When she saw the large basement and how much more room there is in the Montana we decided to purchase one. Then on top of that I have always preferred the Semi Tractor Trailer to the Greyhound bus and I have driven both.

We like the trailer floor plan and will stick to the fifth wheel type until too old to handle one any longer. We will defiantly not ever purchase anything built by Thro again.

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Old 02-11-2014, 03:35 AM   #7
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Alwims, You have the better stuff on your rig. I think it is in smaller panels also. Our 2001 was a whole lot easier to drop than the one we have now. It's one piece from the rear to the front drop frame. It's also a corrugated material.
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Old 02-11-2014, 04:29 AM   #8
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quote:Originally posted by jsmitfl

Alwims, You have the better stuff on your rig. I think it is in smaller panels also. Our 2001 was a whole lot easier to drop than the one we have now. It's one piece from the rear to the front drop frame. It's also a corrugated material.
Oh wow, I guess it's the old saying, "they just don't build 'em like they used to" Ours is in 3 sections and would take a bull to "tear it. As a mater of fact, when I pulled the back section down to install the trailer hitch, I had to cut out a few places for the brackets and my super duper pocket knife wouldn't cut it. I had to get out the saws all.
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Old 02-11-2014, 08:18 AM   #9
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Alan, a Dremel power tool with a blade on it works really well. Have used it many a time on the Monte and also around the sticks and bricks too! We have a 2004 unit also and it is nice to have the 3 piece belly pan on it but I have replaced the screws that hold the sections up and replaced them with a heavier screw and a pan washer to hold the pan cover up better.
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Old 02-11-2014, 01:49 PM   #10
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quote:Originally posted by Alwims
Oh wow, I guess it's the old saying, "they just don't build 'em like they used to" Ours is in 3 sections and would take a bull to "tear it. As a mater of fact, when I pulled the back section down to install the trailer hitch, I had to cut out a few places for the brackets and my super duper pocket knife wouldn't cut it. I had to get out the saws all.
Hi

I cut ours from one side to the other with a paper knife with no problem accept I didn’t get it straight. LOL

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Old 02-11-2014, 02:36 PM   #11
Alwims
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quote:Originally posted by Rondo

Alan, a Dremel power tool with a blade on it works really well. Have used it many a time on the Monte and also around the sticks and bricks too! We have a 2004 unit also and it is nice to have the 3 piece belly pan on it but I have replaced the screws that hold the sections up and replaced them with a heavier screw and a pan washer to hold the pan cover up better.
I tried my Dremel tool and it heated up and ate blades too fast so I used the saws all. That cover on ours is a very tough piece of plastic.
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Old 02-12-2014, 12:04 PM   #12
jcurtis934
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The stuff is cora-plast or corrigated plastic and it is constructed just like heavy cardboard is made. Cuts easier in one direction than the other...but it is tough stuff. Have yet to drop mine, but will do it soon to put external tank sensors on all my tanks. John
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Old 02-13-2014, 12:37 AM   #13
Phil P
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quote:Originally posted by jcurtis934

The stuff is cora-plast or corrigated plastic and it is constructed just like heavy cardboard is made. Cuts easier in one direction than the other...but it is tough stuff. Have yet to drop mine, but will do it soon to put external tank sensors on all my tanks. John
Hi

Installing new tank level indicators will probably be the next time I drop mine when these quit working so far so good it has been 3 years since I corrected the factory installation.

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Old 02-15-2014, 11:00 AM   #14
richfaa
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Our 2013 Big sky is one piece and I do not know how it can be removed without cutting it but we will soon see as we have two leaking tanks.
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