Air Ride Pin Box - Montana Owners Club

cs413 · 05-25-2005, 02:10 PM

I have read a lot of posts pertaining to the air ride pin boxes. I couldn't find any on-line info on the Isolator, but I have done a little research on Trailair. This is suppose to be one of the best on the market and my dealership carries them. Does anyone have a Trailair and if so does it live up to its reputation. I"m taking my 3650 in Wednesday to have the second bedroom a/c unit installed and I will have them install a Trailair on it if there is positive feedback.
The 3650 is a rear kitchen and it sounds like the 5er gets bounced around pretty good. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.
Curt

CountryGuy · 05-25-2005, 02:42 PM

cs413

I answered a post you had on the MOC site the other evening, but here is more on the Isolator, from my original post a while back:

http://montanaadministrator.forumco....IC_ID~8080.asp

See if that helps you out.

Carol

Countryfolks · 05-25-2005, 03:54 PM

We have one. Like it so far.

Skip

richfaa · 05-25-2005, 04:10 PM

I also have been doing some homework on the trailair suspension system www.trailair.com
My local keystone dealer (Challenger) is a trailair dealer. I have NOT yet asked him what the cost would be to buy and install..We have got to have that system...I can tell you this. I have a fax from Rv direct, and I called them to make sure it was correct, the the dealer invoice price on the trail air pin box and suspension system option on a Rv of another brand that offers it as a option is 1295.00. the trailair pin box alone is listed at 595.00 and the trail air suspension alone is listed at 950.00. It is a starting point.

Montana_31 · 05-26-2005, 03:21 AM

We had a Trailair Pinbox on our Montana and highly recommend it. If you mention someone referred you, you will get $50 off the price and they will get a $50 check. The plant is in Paris, Indiana and they will install it as you wait if you are in the area.

hodag · 05-26-2005, 04:25 AM

met a fella that had one last week while in arkanas. he claimed it was worth every penny he paid for it. i have the morryde pinbox and would not make that statement.

MIMF · 05-26-2005, 04:09 PM

Hey,gang. I know where there is about four (4) of those brand new Isolators. I think they will even fit on any of your Montanas. Infact, one might find its way onto the front of a Challenger.

BigBlue · 05-26-2005, 06:48 PM

I had the Trailair on my 3670RL and I've got it on my new Landmark Monticello. I love it because it takes the shock out of the connection between trailer and truck. We don't have the clothes coming off the hangers.
Jim

cs413 · 05-26-2005, 09:39 PM

Well I did some more research on the Trailair. When Richfaa said the dealer price was 595.00 and my dealer said 930.00 I called Trailair and talked directly to them. I don't mind the dealership making a few dollars on parts, but almost 400.00?! That put me over the edge! Trailair was very very nice to talk to. Here's what they told me. They have redesigned their pin box. The old pin box is obsolete. Someone in Texas bought all the old style boxes and is selling them around 500.00 and up. The reason they redesigned the box is the pin was too high on the hitch and causing a lot of fore and aft movement that was unnecessary, so they redesigned the pin to sit lower and there is a lot less movement now. The price of the hitch from them is the same as the dealers - $930.00. They do not undersell their dealers which I can respect. They told me a very interesting story. I asked if he was familiar with the Isolator since I was looking at different products. He said he was very familiar with it because one of the engineers that worked at Trailair for a long time crossed over to Laser-Dyne who made the Isolator before they were bought out be Fabex. He now works for Fabex. They tried to duplicate the Trailair product but had to work around Trailair's patents which is not easy to do and is not as smooth a ride as Trailair. There is a conflict between the pin and the hitch which I didn't follow all the technical points. The thing that impressed me was he never bad mouthed any of the products on the market or try to tell me theirs is the best or push to sell me a Trailair. He was very friendly and answered all my questions.
As soon as I hung up from him I called the dealership and ordered a Trailair pin box. I made sure he was ordering it from Trailair and he said that's the only place he could order it. So if you want the newest product, order from the dealer or directly from Trailair. Watch out for those "sweet deals and bargains." The pin box is $930.00 and I believe he said the Center Suspension was $1095.00.
Can't afford both right now since they are putting the second a/c unit on at the same time, but I"ll be back as soon as I can afford it. He said you don't have to have both the box and suspension but that they do compliment each other for a better ride. He said call any time you have any questions.
Curt

richfaa · 05-27-2005, 04:14 AM

After reading cs413 above post I am on the phone with trailair and Rv direct.. The information I got from RV direct for the suspension package factory IF ordered on a Cardinal 35RLT for 1295.00. I called and they confirmed that option price..I smell a rat..will update.

Update..We now find out that the Option list from RV direct was "not up to date" So the prices I was quoted "May not be accurate" Which of course means that ALL of the prices on the option list"may not be accurate" If any one has any notion of doing business with RV direct, and I am sure they are a reputable company, double and triple check information received. Any Rv dealer CAN install the trailair systems.Just order from Trailair and have your dealer install or if you are nearby to the trailair service center ( we are,it would be a two day camping trip for us) and have them Install. Note that Trailair are OEM partners with several RV makers, Keystone is NOT one of them but it makes no differecnce.There would be little if any savings. A Montana is back in our future..

By the way cs413 were those prices from your dealer.the installed prices or the price + installation.

cs413 · 05-27-2005, 04:46 PM

Richfaa - the $930.00 is just the pin box. Add 1 hour labor (75.00) and tax for the total. I also will get the 10% off the pin box since buying it from the Monty dealer. Looks like about $966.00 and change installed. The center suspension was also just for the part. I didn't price those installed as I wasn't going to get them at this time. I'm spending a lot of money on this Monty and I haven't even had it out of the driveway since I pulled it home in March. I could install the pin box - it's only 12 bolts, but they're set up for it and there wouldn't be any installation issues if a warranty claim was necessary. Spending money on the second a/c unit is a comfort thing, but I think down the road I will be happy I did it. I'm still undecided if the second unit is the right thing to do. I'm going to try setting a fan in the living room and blow cooler air up into the bedroom and see if that helps. I'd like to hear from others who have had a second unit installed. Are you glad you did, do you use it as much as the other? My biggest concern in we love the state paeks, but unfortunately most are not wired for 50 amp service - just 30. So you can't run both units at the same time anyway. I'd just like to hear some opinions. As far as buyiny the pin box, I see that as a safety issue and will be money well spent. I have a 1999 Chevy C3500 7.4L gas TV and I think the 3650 is pushing the capabilities of this truck, so I am trying to get as many advantages as I can. I installed a K & N Filter kit tonight to pull a little more power out of the engine. It does respond better.

The beauty of this forum - there is so much experience and great ideas out there. You have the opportunity to see others ideas and opinions and decide what is best for yourself. I have learned a lot in the short time I registered.

richfaa · 05-28-2005, 03:51 AM

Cs143. Thanks for the info.We have a keystone dealer within one mile of us who will do the job for us. We were misled by RV direct but we had no intention of buying from them anyhow.Points out the value of double checking. We will be buying the 3295 or 3400 baring no further changes in floor plans . We will go back to the plant for another tour in late June.While in the area we will shoot over to the Trailair facility and talk to those folks. we will do the pin box first. We think it is worth the $ and will slow the wear and tear issues with moderate or heavy use not to mention a smoother ride. If you have not already done so go to www.trailerlife.com and check out the tow spec's for your truck, they do go back to 1999. Our 1996 Trusty Sllverado pulled a TT that was at or over the "stated limits" for many years with no problems or damage to the. truck. we added airbags. K&N filter.Used two anti sway bars bigger tires and proper hookup.

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