First time out with my Montana. Tons of mistakes, many questions.

[scottkeen]

I'm a complete RV newbie first-timer, and I feel like this is going to be another trial-by-fire process...

Just took my 2011 Montana Mountaineer 347THT out for the first time. Made tons of mistakes, have many questions. I'll just start with this:

Q: Where is the Galley tank T-handle dump valve?
The Gray tank and Black tank T-handles are side-by-side in the hook-up compartment. I looked everywhere under the trailer for the Galley tank T-handle. Is it combined with the Gray tank T-handle? Is there actually a separate Galley tank?



FWIW, I had a great time camping for the weekend. I'm enjoying the learning process. I just hope that the mistakes I made and will make along the way don't cost me too much money. The 3 things I did right on setting up were: Getting level, Electricity hook-up (no brainer), Sewer hook-up (also no brainer).

I didn't get much rest-and-relaxation done on this weekend trip -- spent the entire Saturday helping re-attach the super slide-out of a camper in the site next to mine. His slide-out cable chain popped off the drive motor gear and his slide-out was stuck half-way out. Learned how these cable-drive slide-outs work now. My RV appears to be rack-and-pinion.

So, I learned a couple of things on this short trip:

• Don't totally rely on the advice of "experienced" campers parked next to you who have good-intentions, it's nice and I'm grateful when they offer help but make it run through your own sanity-check filter. It's my rig, and my water tank I have to drink from.
• Inviting friends to go camping with you who have no skills (like, don't even know the business end of a screwdriver) and have nothing to offer and are expecting you to wait on them hand and foot, is a burden and annoyance and not worth having the company. I'm not somebody's butler and nurse. Friends are nice, solo is better.
• Ultimately, I'm in this alone and have to be self-sufficient and self-reliant. Wits, logic, trouble-shooting, experience, and DIY handiness will serve me well (I know a little more than the business end of a screwdriver -- I can build a cabinet, lay flooring, hang drywall, plug a flat tire, rebuild a lawnmower carburetor, wire a 3-way light switch, and setup a network firewall all in the same day). So tinkering with my RV is fine and it fits me well.

[The Bone]

If you don't have the level up system than you need these.
https://www.amazon.com/Andersen-Hitc.../dp/B001GC2LVM
I love mine.
Also no matter what you need to use wheel chalks to hook and unhook if you dont need to level it up. I put one chalk behind the wheel than put the truck in reverse than put the one in front tire. Then just put the truck in neutral and take foot off brake. This will lock the trailer so it won't move. When it's time to go just put truck in backup and it will move enough to pull the front chalk out easy pezy. I bent a landing gear because i forgot to chalk the wheels on a level spot.
sewer hose. You need this for sure https://www.campingworld.com/dominat...sewer-hose-kit.
My hose didn't fit in the tube that was under my trailer so I had to find one at a RV dealer. https://www.thefitrv.com/rv-tips/bes...he-super-tube/ Mine is a little different but I had to mount mine under the front of my rig.
Galley tank handle is along the frame. May be between the wheels. Hard to see It's not marked on the same side as the other tank handles.

[scottkeen]

I have the Andersen levelers and they worked great. I also chock the wheels with regular chocks on the opposite side that was leveled. The Andersen levelers are great because they're a combination leveler and chock.

I also put X-Chocks between the wheels on both sides. Not really doing it for chocking, but mainly for stability. It completely takes out any fore-aft movement, makes the rig very stable.

I have a RhinoFlex sewer hose with the transparent clear fittings (so I can watch the sewage), and it worked well. It fit inside my square bumper.

I still can't find the Galley tank dump valve T-handle. I crawled under the RV and looked everywhere.

Maybe there's no Galley tank. Or maybe the T-handle broke off?

Maybe someone also with a 347THT can point out where it is?

[scottkeen]

BTW, here's my current equipment list, which I'm sure will change some over time:

Hook-ups
15' RhinoFlex sewer hose with clear connections + 10' extension
RhinoFlex 45-degree clear elbow
Sidewinder 20' sewer hose support
50' fresh water hose
50' garden hose
In-line water filter
Brass 1-to-2 Y-splitter water spigot attachment
Brass water pressure regular
Progressive Industries 50-amp EMS-PT50X surge protector, voltage protector
25' 50-amp power cord + 15' extension

Levelers and Chocks
Andersen levelers (2) with chock wedge
Camco Super Chocks (2)
Bal X-Chocks (2)
Several pieces of wood

Other
Replaced CH751 locks with custom-keyed tubular barrel locks

Things I'd Change or Add Later
Upgrade from 1/2" to 5/8" fresh water hose
25' fresh water hose for shorter distances
Adjustable water pressure regulator
MORryde StepAbove 4-steps
The RhinoFlex sewer kit is fine for now, but I'll probably change to the LCI Lippert Waste Master always-connected system
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Rear view camera for rear of trailer
Replace all (4) tires with Sailun S637T tires (the spare is already a Sailun)
Roof vent covers

...and the list goes on

[DQDick]

The galley tank dump on both of our Monty has been on the same side as the sewer connection. One was in the frame and the new one is a plastic handle and rod that protrudes from the bottom. I did see a Monty at a dealer where it was hidden in a seperate compartment on that side. I don't remember what else was in that compartment, but I do remember thinking it would be hard to find the first time.

[scottkeen]

Guess I'm going to have to go back to the RV storage lot and look again... I looked everywhere for that Galley tank T-handle.

The kitchen is on the _opposite_ side from the hook-ups and sewer hose side. I looked on both sides, between the wheels, everywhere. If it's really there, I'll have to go back and look some more.

Is it possible that...
There is no Galley tank?
Or the Gray tank T-handle dumps both the Gray tank and the Galley tank together?
Or the Galley tank T-handle fell off?

I had the Gray tank open all weekend. I did a de-winterize process and washed dishes in the kitchen sink for 5 meals. The Galley tank indicator light showed Empty all weekend.

I guess one way to test if the Galley tank is tied to the Gray tank valve, is to close the Gray tank valve, run water into the kitchen sink drain until the Galley tank indicator light shows at least 1/3 full, then pull the Gray tank T-handle and dump. Then see if the Galley indicator light goes to Empty. I guess that would be a way to figure this out for sure.

[scottkeen]

UPDATE: Just got a private message from a fellow 347THT (previous) owner. He said he spent 2 days looking for the Galley tank dump valve T-handle. He took a bunch of photos of the frame, studied the photos, and finally found it, "it's on the frame, just back of the rear wheel. Right where the slide comes out."

The RV is in a storage lot with no dump facilities.

I'll probably go camping again in 2-3 weeks. Hope that's going to be OK to wait before I dump the Galley tank. I dumped a scoop of "Happy Campers" tank treatment into the kitchen drain and ran water down with it over this past weekend when I went camping.

[Vic B]

The handle is located on the frame of my Montana. It is just in front of the rear wheels .
The first time I used it the handle broke off
leaving a black coloured rod that blended into the black frame making it hard to see. Could this be the problem.

[scottkeen]

Originally Posted by Vic B

The handle is located on the frame of my Montana. It is just in front of the rear wheels .
The first time I used it the handle broke off
leaving a black coloured rod that blended into the black frame making it hard to see. Could this be the problem.

Wow. What did you have to do with just the end of the rod but no handle?

Can you thread a new handle onto the end of the rod?

Maybe this also happened to mine. I'll have to check when I go down to the RV storage lot this weekend.

[twindman]

Look for a hole in the frame or the belly about the size of a pencil. If you find this, the rod has fallen off. Some have had this happen. On my old Monty, it had a sleeve on the end of the rod that was threaded. It screwed on the other rod inside - but of course since you can't see inside the belly cover, it is pretty much impossible to screw a new rod on. I think I dropped the cover a couple of inches to peek inside and was able to install a new rod. This was on a 2006 trailer and I think they have changed things a bit. Good luck

[scottkeen]

Originally Posted by twindman

Look for a hole in the frame or the belly about the size of a pencil. If you find this, the rod has fallen off. Some have had this happen. On my old Monty, it had a sleeve on the end of the rod that was threaded. It screwed on the other rod inside - but of course since you can't see inside the belly cover, it is pretty much impossible to screw a new rod on. I think I dropped the cover a couple of inches to peek inside and was able to install a new rod. This was on a 2006 trailer and I think they have changed things a bit. Good luck

OK, wow, that's good to know. I'll look for the T-handle, the end of a rod, or a hole where the rod should be, this weekend when I go to the RV storage.