3255RL Frame Flex!!!

[odfwcliff]

I just joined, as I am looking for help contacting Montana! I have tried E-mail, and telephone, and NO RESPONSE! What we have is a 1999 3255RL and we noticed that when hooked to the truck the outside moulding on the nose is about an inch out of place, as is the bathroom vanity cabinet! When we unhook, and the weight is supported by the landing gear, everything mysteriously comes right back into place. After discussing the probelm with our technician, he tells us that it is frame flex, or broken frame! I am currently contacting a Montana Dealer to see wht they can do for me. If anyone has more info on this type of problem, please E-mail me at odfwcliff@hotmail.com! WE have seen this problem on other 3255's, a 2001 and a 2002.

[MIMF]

odfwcliff,

Call us at 574-537-8900. Ask for George, Randy, or Brian. There is a fix. and they will be able to coordinate how to get that done. Probably right there in Oregon.

[odfwcliff]

I will give them a call tomorrow, as it is after 5pm here in Oregon. Where are they located?

[sreigle]

Odfwcliff, MIMF is in Goshen, IN. We were just there and their timezone is the same as central daylight. I think they're actually eastern standard (don't observe daylight savings time). Indiana has pockets that do and some that don't. Kinda screwy.

[snowbunny]

If it's a 1999 you probably have an 8" frame and the newer ones have a 10" frame. That was the case with ours (a 1999 3350RS). You are eligible for a frame upgrade where Keystone pays to have your frame reinforced at all major stress points. We had it done on ours at no cost. I am sure you can get it done too at any Keystone dealer. I can't remember what the 'recall' number was but maybe lightening jack can give it to you.

Good luck.

Jim

[lightningjack11]

It is Service Advisory 00-8

It is a frame upgrade in the axle area.

The problem you are describing is another type problem unrelated to 0-8. Keystone/lippert has been fixing these on a case by case basis for free according to forum members that have posted and some that I have talked to.

If you have not had the 00-8 on your frame, ask for it when you get your flexing problem corrected.

[odfwcliff]

Now I find another problem! The GVWR of My 3255RL is 14,220, and if you subtract the hitch weight of 2,245, you get 11,975 to sit on the axles! Divide that by 2, and you get 5,987.5, just a bit TOO MUCH for the 5,200# axles! And Keystone is refusing to right the problem! I will be talking to Lippert about this problem either today or tomorrow! Hopefully I won;t have to take it further to get it corrected, but I will if I have to!

[lightningjack11]

odfwcliff,

Better check your specs again. Go to the web site or check your sticker on the side of the trailer.

The GVWR of the newer 3255rl is 9690(UVW) + 2930(cc) = 12620

The 2000 model 3255RL is 9260(UVW) +3360(CC) = 12620


In short I have never know the GVWR of the 3255RL to be as high as you stated.

Remember the GVWR is a rating not a weight. If you exceed 12600 your are overweight. You can extimate your full pin wt by 12620 x .225 for approx 2835. These are fully loaded values.

The 12620 - 2835 = 9765 Now divide by 2 =4882.5 just below the axle rating.

So when you take it further this is what they will tell you.

Still I agree that the axle ratings of Montanas are low. They don't allow for any safety margin so when these things start bouncing on the road they bend axles.

So Montana will probably fix your frame problems but they won' try to increase your GVWR.

[snowbunny]

Our 1999 3350RS had some strange figures on the 'official' certificate on the kitchen cabinet door. I don't have the figures here but the carrying capacity was (I think) 4991 lbs which gave us a GVWR of something over 15000 lbs. On the 2000 brochure they had reduced the carrying capacity to 3391 so I am not sure how they arrived at the higher CC in the first place. By the way, in their brochure of 10/99 they show your GVWR as 12620 which is a big step down from 14220. Oddly, the difference in both cases (your and mine) is 1600lbs.

Hope this helps.

Jim

[Sunshine]

We have a 2000 3255RL and have not noticed any problems with frame flexing. We got it used and don't know its history, but so far have not noticed any major problems like that.

[sreigle]

Below are the specs for the 1999 Montanas. As I read this,
9272 UVW
3373 Carrying Capacity
----
12645 GVWR
2245 pinweight
-----
10400 on the axles (which is exactly what two 5200 lb axles equal). Hmmm.

Pinweight and UVW are likely higher than those numbers. Thus, CC is likely lower. It's also unlikely you will be loaded to full GVWR. With higher pinweight than advertised and unlikely being loaded to GVWR, you probably actually have some safety margin on the axles. The only way to know for sure is to take it to a certified scale and weigh the trailer so you get the total weight, pinweight, and weight on the axles. If you can, try to get the weight on each axle separately (wish I'd done that). Then you'll know for sure if you have a potential problem.

Good luck. Let us know what you find.

[lightningjack11]

So by Steve's chart 12645(GVWR)-2245(dry pin wt)= 10400(axle wt)

Keystone manual states actual pin wt is 20-25% of trailer wt. (2529-3161 pin fully loaded) This is quite a bit highr than dry pin wt. I always use 22.5% when making estimates. Best way is to measure.

What I do is
1. Weigh the truck ready for traveling.
2. Weigh the truck and trailer connected and loaded.
3. Get readout for the trailer axles and truck axles.
4. Subract unloaded Truck axle wt in (1) for Loaded Truck axle wt in (2) which is actualPin wt.
5. Total trailer wt(GVW) is sum of trailer axle wt plus measured pin wt.
6. Ensure your total measured trailer wt(5) is less that the trailer GVWR
7. Ensure your trailer axle wt in (3) does not exceed the axle ratings of the trailer.
8. Ensure your loaded truck axle wt in (3)does not exceed the GVWR of the Truck.

[odfwcliff]

I am taking these numbers directly from the Manufacturers Certification Sticker located on the left front of the unit! This is what the manufacturer states is the figures AND equipment for the unit in question on the date of manufacture! The GVWR is 14,220 pounds! And it states that there are 6,000 pound axles under this unit! Furthermore the sticker inside the Kitchen cabinet MATCH the 14,220 figure! Anyone can change their webpage when they have found that they have problems in order to cover them up, which I feel is EXACTLY what has happened here! All I am asking is for Keystone to supply me with what they advertised this unit was built with! I suppose I could contact the CONSUMER FRAUD people and see what they might have to say!

[lightningjack11]

Got your e-mail. Didn't know that. Wow, an obvious error on the sticker. Good luck.

[sreigle]

That is quite an error! I would be surprised if they changed the webpage numbers. I'd bet on an erroneous sticker.
The reason I suspect the sticker and not a change in the webpage is that the GVWR on all 3255RL's since the very first year show almost the same GVWR. They'd have to have changed all of the years and that just doesn't make sense. I have the specs for every year since 1999 except I do not have the 2000 specs (will have to go find those). Here's the GVWR for each year for this model, per the webpage specs:
1999 - 12645
2001 - 12645
2002 - 12645
2003 - 12620
2004 - 12620
2005 - discontinued

I have the hardcopy brochures for 2003, 2004, 2005, and they match those numbers. So I suspect the sticker. Maybe someone out there has the 1999 brochure? Or the 2000 or 2001 or 2002? If those match, then the webpage was not changed.

If you can get it to a scale you can get a feel for how accurate the stickers are. If the stickers are accurate, then there is a legitimate beef. Does the VIN match on both stickers? You might call Keystone, give them the vin and ask them what model and year that is for and see what their computer says. Maybe somebody else got your stickers?

I know the stickers can be in error. Our new truck came with 17 inch wheels. The window sticker said 17 inch wheels. But the sticker on the door jamb said 18 inch wheels. When I called Ford they verified it was ordered with 17 inch wheels and sent me new stickers.

You may have a legitimate beef but I think I'd first try to make sure the sticker is correct. From all the numbers I'm seeing the sticker appears to be in error. Just my opinion, for what little that's worth. Please let us know how this turns out.

[Searchers]

Odfwcliff,

My Alko axles are tagged as 4400# units, as is the tag on the front corner of the Montana. But, Alko doesn't show a 4400# unit in their parts information. My axles actually match Alko's specifications for the 5200# units. My springs match their 4400# specifications. On their site the 5200# & 6000# axles show the same specs. with 7000# units having the same tube diameter and differing only in wall thickness. It appears as though the axles may be tagged according to the lightest rating of the other connecting suspension components.

Of course this doesn't explain why your Montana shows a higher GVWR on the sticker than advertised.

I posted links to Alko & Dexter information on June 11th under Montana Problems and Technical Help if you'd like to check them out. I'm interested to know what you learn from Keystone on this matter.

Don

[lightningjack11]

Searchers,
Did the same thing. Mine are 4400 and the only thing I can find that match are the 5200's.

[Sunshine]

sreigle - The stickers for our 2000 3255RL state GVWR is 12,620 and GAWR is 5200 for each axle. UVW is 9260 - kitchen cabinet sticker matches that information. Manufacture date is 6/99.

[odfwcliff]

WELL!!!! After unloading everything from the forward end of our Montana and dragging it 100 miles IN 100 DEGREE HEAT, we got what was supposed to be a FRAME REPAIR!! Let me first tell you that the people at Ingram RV in Eugene Oregon are some of the greatest people I have run into so far! BUT those that were sent out to repair the chassis were NOT! First, they couldn't hardly speak any English!! Second, they had NO IDEA what they were to fix OR how to go about getting the job done! They brought welders and iron parts, and when they couldn't figure out where the parts went, they put in about half of them back on their truck and took them back home! All of this after being almost 2 HOURS LATE, which turned the whole thing into a RUSH JOB!! On the brighter side, they DID determine that I have the WRONG AXLES under my unit and we are no in the process of getting that corrected! My advice to ANYONE having frame work done is, WATCH WHAT GOES ON, AND GET INVOLVED ENOUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT THE JOB IS DONE CORRECTLY!!! I talked to Rollie at Keystone and he is now working with us to get the in the process of finding out what the problem is!

[toolmanroy]

We have a far different opinion of the people at Ingram RV than you do. They were hot to make the deal with us, told us they would take our other 5th wheel on "consignment - we always sell these quickly" and 13 months later they have not sold it because they failed to tell us they add thousands of dollars to the price making it too much money. They told us they were not in it to make any money on the consignment, just to sell it for us as a service. We should have known that would not be true. We are going up there to get it this month or next. We should have no problem selling it here at the price we want for it. There are also some promises they made to us that we had to write and call several times to get them to finally come through for us. I would never do business with them again. No one in Medford sells Montanas, so if we decide on another one down the line we will have to go further north or south or buy an Everest, as they do sell them locally.