ZERO TESTS GREAT JOB MONTANA!! - Montana Owners Club

Bob & Lee · 01-15-2007, 04:26 AM

Well we bought a 3400 on 28 Dec 06 and arrived home in Fountain Colorado on 1 Jan 07 and as all should know I should have gone Way South,but I stayed here and to our Suprise the Zero tests have been tested, here it has been Snow, Ice, Wind and Highs of 10-13 Deg. and nights at -5,-13 wind chill below that. We are so far totaly happy the way it has held up. All the water has run and the Dual Pane windows have not Iced or Fogged and no Wet windows inside. We have stayed warm the heater has run a lot but performend well so far. The only thing I have noticed is the main entry door may be out of allign and has a air leak at the bottom and Ices up, need to put some spray insulation in the door jam to seal it up. So good performance.100% better than our 04 3685. GREAT JOB MONTANA!!!

richfaa · 01-15-2007, 05:31 AM

That is a very encouraging report. Were you hooked up to shore water and if so how did you keep that from freezing. In Missouri we were in a C.G that had the C.G water pedestal covered with a couple of 100 w light bulbs inside the covering and that worked for the pedestal but the hose to the camper still froze..and it was not as cold as you report.They have had a freeze warning here the last couple of nights and we disconnected from the shore water and went to the internal tank with good results. The camper next door reported his hose froze .

bsmeaton · 01-15-2007, 05:39 AM

That is super Bob & Lee! And we all know these last few days have been a great test - brrrrrrr

Cat320 · 01-15-2007, 09:49 AM

Our door leaks air too...seems to be worse at the bottom and around the handle. Maybe these Texas winds/sleet/ice have something to do with it.

richfaa · 01-15-2007, 11:37 AM

Our door does the same thing.I reported that anything left in that down step would be cold.I was advised that my door must be out of alignment..can't see where, also see no alignment for the draft around the door handle..high winds here also..will add that to my Service center list.

Bob & Lee · 01-15-2007, 01:12 PM

I only use heat tape and pipe insulation on the main incoming water line there is a heat block on the main line to us from the landlord no other tapes or insulation used as of yet, and I hope it stays that way. I was out today draining my Black tank and draging the cold frozen hose and thought....Why cant I use the shower hookup? has anyone else used this or is it a problem?, I dont think I will ever shower out there. I dont se anything in the door that is out of alignment and no way to align it I looked at the door makers web site and there was nothing there to show how to align, I thought is was due to the trailer not level the last time I set up in Kansas but ??

Bob

Delaine and Lindy · 01-15-2007, 01:31 PM

We are in Casa Grande Arizona and yesterday it got down to 24 and our water hose froze. So last night I filled the fresh water tank and disconnected the water to the 5er and it got down to 19 degrees. So I will diconnect the water again tonight. I think that is the easy way to take care of that problem... Good Luck and stay warm...GBY...

CmdrDewey · 01-17-2007, 09:35 AM

Welcome to the forum guys. I just noticed you joined. It isn't warm here but warmer than 19.

Take care and be well

sreigle · 01-17-2007, 11:26 AM

We also appreciate the new zero degree feature. We didn't quite reach down to zero this year but had a week where the lows were 8, 9, 9, 11, and the rest in the teens with highs in the upper teens to low thirties.

On those cold nights we were able to set the furnace on 60, one electric heater on high in the living room and another on low (if cold enough outside). The furnace would run occasionally and we never had a freezeup.

This Nov/Dec was not as cold as the prior three winters in the KC area but, nevertheless, the difference in propane usage was dramatic. The first two winters we used almost three 100 lb propane tanks in the two months of Nov/Dec. Last winter we used 4 of those tanks. This winter we went on the first tank on Oct 7th and the same tank was not quite empty when we left the area on 12/27.

We also have a draft around the door. I haven't checked very closely but wonder if it just needs better weatherstripping? Or maybe it is an alignment problem or warped door. Or a latch adjustment?

AZCampinfool · 01-17-2007, 03:38 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

We also have a draft around the door. I haven't checked very closely but wonder if it just needs better weatherstripping? Or maybe it is an alignment problem or warped door. Or a latch adjustment?

Steve, I think you hit the nail on the head!! We too had the same drafts this past weekend. I adjusted the door frame striker plate...moved it in a little. We have to push or pull harder on the door to get it to latch, but it solved the draft coming in around the handle. I also noticed the weather stripping at the bottom of the door had two gaps in it...one near each corner of the door. I had to open the door and look at the bottom of the door while standing on the ground to see them. It appeared that the gaps were there for a reason??? but I could never figure out the logic. Anyway, some additional weather stripping in these gaps and now no more air leaks at the bottom of the door either.

dsprik · 01-17-2007, 05:20 PM

Make sure everyone who has a new(er) Montana that the bottom "shipping shim" is removed off the bottom of your door. You will see a telltale scrape mark about an inch wide on the bottom door sill.

Apparently many dealers are missing these before they go off their lot. Could cause an alignment problem and drafts, not to mention being hard to open and close.

Parrothead · 01-17-2007, 05:32 PM

Dave
Tell us again what the shipping shim looks like and where it is. You have to be patient with all of us who have CRS.
Happy trails.......................

Bob & Lee · 01-18-2007, 03:28 AM

Thank You Dave, we have that shim in the door at the bottom..and it is hard to shut and has some air leaks, I will remove it today and see if it cures the problem.

Bob

Mudchief · 01-18-2007, 07:07 AM

Bob, I don't know about the air leak. However when I removed mine it sure made the door easy to open and close.

bsmeaton · 01-18-2007, 07:36 AM

I will check mine when it gets here - thanks. Seems wierd to have a shipping shim for transport. They get shipped the same way we tow them.

AZCampinfool · 01-18-2007, 08:36 AM

Dave, thanks for the reminder on the shim. I forgot about that. My dealer forgot to remove it and I discovered it last summer while in Yellowstone. Makes a big difference.

sreigle · 01-18-2007, 09:10 AM

I removed the shim when we had this discussion a few months ago and then put it back on. I didn't like the way the door acted without it. I think it's there to keep the door from stessing the hinges when bouncing down the road and thus helps keep it from sagging and getting out of kilter. I am probably outnumbered on this one but ours seems to work fine with the shim in place.

dsprik · 01-18-2007, 10:33 AM

Mine was awful with it on. Once it was off it was really smooth.

Steve, that's really odd that yours works better with the shim left on. Mine was making a really ugly drag mark on my bottom sill. Is it possible that you have a hinge problem?

dsprik · 01-18-2007, 10:37 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Parrothead

Dave
Tell us again what the shipping shim looks like and where it is. You have to be patient with all of us who have CRS.
Happy trails.......................

Sue, if you open your door and get down and look up at the bottom, about straight down from the door handle, you may see a small (1 inch long) piece of black plastic screwed into the bottom of the door with a single Phillips head screw. Comes out easily. Should be able to see the scrape mark on your sill, also.

Bob & Lee · 01-19-2007, 06:41 AM

I removed mine last night and the door works like a dream and I don't see any light comming in thru the seals now. But, I will keep it on hand after what Steve said it may go back on.

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