Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum > GENERAL DISCUSSIONS > Tow Vehicles & Towing
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 10-21-2019, 05:56 AM   #1
kjmcdowell77
Established Member
 
kjmcdowell77's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Omaha
Posts: 47
M.O.C. #22739
Next Time I Buy a Tow Vehicle....

We have a 2018 Montana 321MK and have been enjoying it a great deal. However, it is a crew cab std bed and I think you probably know what's coming. We were backing into our slot and I got just a little too close to the cab with the nose of my coach.

The next thing I heard was the sound of breaking glass as the front of the 5er came though the back window. I should have been paying more attention and will certainly do so the next time. I think my next truck will be a double cab 8' bed to eliminate the problem. For the time being, this "college" course on backing up cost me about $1000.00 tuition.

Lesson learned.
__________________
Kelly McDowell
Omaha NE
2018 High Country 321MK
2017 Silverado 2500HD Duramax Diesel
kjmcdowell77 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 06:36 AM   #2
1retired06
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lake Gaston
Posts: 8,773
M.O.C. #12156
Has happened with a lot of folks. Our truck is a crewcab longbed, and we are happy with it. Will not fit in a standard garage, but no inconvenience otherwise. We use a cover on it.
__________________
Mike and Lorraine
2002 3655 FL, 2005 3650RK
2010 3665RE, 2015 3910FB
F350 crew cab dually 6.7
1retired06 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 07:18 AM   #3
Daryles
Montana Master
 
Daryles's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Alton
Posts: 2,654
M.O.C. #24086
What about those sliding hitches?
Are they any good?
__________________
Daryl and Marianne,
2019 3130re 20th Anniversary Edition
2016 F350 Lariat
Daryles is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 07:41 AM   #4
Slow Hand
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Livermore
Posts: 492
M.O.C. #17391
OP You never said what kind of hitch you have. I have the B&W and I was close to my cab so I just moved the hitch back a hole and no problem. i do however watch when not on level ground even still. I have a short bed with super cab
Slow Hand is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 09:33 AM   #5
waynemoore
Montana Master
 
waynemoore's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Lake Havasu City AZ.
Posts: 1,811
M.O.C. #10552
Long beds can be a pain in parking lots. But that’s not what I bought the truck for. I got it to pull my rig. Long bed crew cab never going to get into the rig or damage the rear window. I have had times when I have had to jackknife into a spot.
__________________
Wayne and Ann Moore
2015 Ford F-350 King Ranch
Firestone air bags, bed saver.
Add 40 GAL tank in bed.
waynemoore is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 11:54 AM   #6
Last2Die
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Menifee
Posts: 1,109
M.O.C. #22986
Long beds are a pain lol I park in the cripple spots so the rear of my truck sticks out, I do at time try to go in a little crooked, to get the front tires past the concrete stop and get in further, but it is what it is. I use the Anderson hitch on mine fyi short side facing the rear of the cab.
Tony
__________________
2018 3920fb 2020 GMC Denali 3500 4x4 Duramax, 10 speed Allison. LB SRW, Firestone air bags with Airlift wireless onboard compressor. Anderson Ultimate Hitch. MX4 folding cover. 50gal titan in bed transfer tank. Onan 6500 lp genset installed by me ! Had: 2 HF 3500 Inverters with Parallel Kit
Last2Die is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 12:23 PM   #7
jsb5717
Montana Master
 
jsb5717's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Milwaukie, OR
Posts: 1,455
M.O.C. #23668
This is one of those "can of worm" discussions and full of diverse opinions...usually driven by personal experience.

I've never had problems with a short bed truck either. I don't turn 90 degrees and keep an eye on things in tight turns. It's theoretically not good for the 5er axles to turn that tightly but there are stories here of those who have needed to.

I find that with my Andersen hitch that I can turn quite tightly without making contact. The hitch does make a big difference up to and including expensive, heavy automatic sliding hitches. Many here have them and love them.

My advice is to get what you need to be both comfortable and safe.
__________________
Jeff & Sandi (and Teddy - 7lb Schnorkie)
2018 Montana HC 305RL / HW Progressive EMS
2015 RAM 3500 Laramie Longhorn Crew Cab 4x4 DRW / Demco Recon Hitch on RAM Puck Ball
jsb5717 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 01:24 PM   #8
Speck56
Seasoned Camper
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Peoria
Posts: 80
M.O.C. #25158
Ordered a 2020 GMC Sierra 3500HD crew cab, 8ft bed dually to pull a 3761fl. Strike cost me couple months but I will let you all know how it works out
Speck56 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 02:46 PM   #9
powerhaulic
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: piseco
Posts: 258
M.O.C. #20884
You certainly will have plenty of truck!


here is ours, 3500 standard box (now 6'9") tows like a dream.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Resized_20191008_130924.jpg
Views:	87
Size:	360.3 KB
ID:	4892   Click image for larger version

Name:	20190919_145416 (2).jpg
Views:	66
Size:	485.5 KB
ID:	4893  
__________________
2020 AT4 3500 SRW Duramax SB
2018 Denali Duramax crew (traded)
2018.5 Montana 3811MS Legacy
Lippert AirRide pinbox / PullRite SuperLight hitch
powerhaulic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 08:37 PM   #10
Sparatacus
Montana Fan
 
Sparatacus's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Lakewood
Posts: 386
M.O.C. #24110
Quote:
Originally Posted by powerhaulic View Post
You certainly will have plenty of truck!


here is ours, 3500 standard box (now 6'9") tows like a dream.

So what kind of hitch do you have, that look good and it seem like you are back far enough?
__________________
2023 Jayco North Point 310RLTS
2022 GMC Denali Ultimate DRW
Retired Army MSG
Sparatacus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2019, 02:39 PM   #11
Irv
Established Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: LIVINGSTON
Posts: 42
M.O.C. #19411
Overall Height

Quote:
Originally Posted by powerhaulic View Post
You certainly will have plenty of truck!


here is ours, 3500 standard box (now 6'9") tows like a dream.
Great looking rig! We have the same truck, hitch, RV. Curious if the RV over height increased in your situation?
Irv is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2019, 08:32 PM   #12
powerhaulic
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: piseco
Posts: 258
M.O.C. #20884
Quote:
Originally Posted by Irv View Post
Great looking rig! We have the same truck, hitch, RV. Curious if the RV over height increased in your situation?
Trailer is actually nice and level, was slightly nose high behind '18.


Lets see some pics of your rig.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	20191008_130924.jpg
Views:	49
Size:	417.3 KB
ID:	5009  
__________________
2020 AT4 3500 SRW Duramax SB
2018 Denali Duramax crew (traded)
2018.5 Montana 3811MS Legacy
Lippert AirRide pinbox / PullRite SuperLight hitch
powerhaulic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-27-2019, 06:33 PM   #13
CaptnJohn
Montana Master
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: South East NC
Posts: 1,768
M.O.C. #19865
Quote:
Originally Posted by Speck56 View Post
Ordered a 2020 GMC Sierra 3500HD crew cab, 8ft bed dually to pull a 3761fl. Strike cost me couple months but I will let you all know how it works out
HHMMmm ~~~ Just a year ahead of you. Wifey wanted the 3761FL, A 2019, so I ordered a 2019 F350 dually. Very happy with both. We use our 5er about 6 months of the year and the dually is my DD.

On the 3/4 ton subject~~~ My neighbor pulls his Montana with a 2017 F250XLT. Scaled he is only 3100# over Weight. Not worth bothering looking at payload.
__________________
John & Patty
2022 3855 BR
2019 Lariat F350 4X4 Dually
CaptnJohn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 04:33 PM   #14
richfaa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
Same here with the F-350, diesel,CC,LB Dually. The truck was purchased to pull a heavy Montana everything else was secondary. It is not a daily driver. We have a Honda for the daily stuff.
richfaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 04:51 PM   #15
Baldicon
Montana Master
 
Baldicon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Chattanooga
Posts: 660
M.O.C. #20906
I tried to get the best of both worlds. Liked the shorter wheelbase of the CCSB, but wanted the extra space a long bed gives. So ordered a SCLB. Normally just me and the wife, so we didn't need the big back seat. And in 2017 the lengthened the back seat on the SC. My wheelbase is only 4" longer than the CCSB. Just pointing out that there is a 3rd option.
__________________
2019 Montana 3121RL
2017 XLT 350 SCLB DRW 4X4
Baldicon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 04:58 PM   #16
Loneoak
Montana Master
 
Loneoak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Winchester
Posts: 900
M.O.C. #19514
We have a long bed and crew cab. The length is only a problem in parking garages, which we avoid as much as possible. Like waynemoore, we bought it to pull the rig, not to park.

Our daughter had a short bed and a PullRite sliding hitch. She still managed to get a little dent in the cab. She traded it for a 6.5’ box, because that’s the biggest truck that will fit in her garage.

Knowing you cannot hit the cab of the truck with the trailer: priceless.
__________________

2017 High Country 305RL
2015 Ford F-250 Super Duty
Loneoak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 05:08 PM   #17
mazboy
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Grand Rapids
Posts: 1,896
M.O.C. #9561
Always have wife look as you move.

And yes I do a window when not listening to her

Oh well, that's life
mazboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 06:38 PM   #18
beeje
Montana Master
 
beeje's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: westminster md
Posts: 2,318
M.O.C. #17894
Why anyone would want 3/4 of a truck bed in beyond me. Does 20-24" really make that much difference.?
__________________
2018 Chevy 3500 LTZ Dually Diesel 4x4 CCLB
2011 Montana 3455 SA. 6 point level up. Disc brakes. Curt Q24 Hitch. 5 step glow steps
Progressive EMS. Valterra tank valves. Sailun G637 tires. ARP fridge control. All led lighting. Mor Ryde IS
beeje is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2019, 08:08 PM   #19
Slow Hand
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Livermore
Posts: 492
M.O.C. #17391
Quote:
Originally Posted by beeje View Post
Why anyone would want 3/4 of a truck bed in beyond me. Does 20-24" really make that much difference.?
20 or 24" makes no difference that's why I got the short bed.

I don't daily drive my truck ether but I do use it. Diesel is now cheaper than gas so I get to drive my truck more. I have however towed my Montana coast to coast twice. I have towed it to Iowa 3 times so we have been places. For those of you who only use your truck to tow and it just sits I am sad for you
Slow Hand is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-27-2019, 04:56 PM   #20
Mark N.
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Ogden
Posts: 638
M.O.C. #13862
Quote:
Originally Posted by beeje View Post
Why anyone would want 3/4 of a truck bed in beyond me. Does 20-24" really make that much difference.?
I feel that way about a long bed. Yes, in my mind, it (the extra length) makes ALL the difference. For 6 years now, I've proved it makes no difference, EXCEPT for the difference in looks. I pulled a full size Montana and and arrived every single place I set out to arrive, in one piece, with my back window and cab intact and backed in right next to the 8'ft bed pickups. Big difference though, I can park the SB Ram inside the garage all year! I a long bed would have to live outside in the sun and snow.
Mark N. is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana RV, Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:47 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.