3400RL Consumer RV rating

[GrayGuru]

The Montana 3400RL has the ideal floor plan for our needs.

I'm wondering if anyone knows why the Montana 3400RL carries such a low Highway Control rating by the RV Consumer Group. It gives it an unacceptable rating for safety (under a 70) and only gives the trailer a 2 1/2 star rating.

We'd sure like to know from others how this unit handles on the road and if anyone has regularly weighed their loaded units to know how the weight distributes to the axles and pin.

[Okie Guy]

Who is the RV Consumer Group? Is this a government watchdog group or is it actually a survey of RV owners?

[paulrem]

I disagree with the ratings. I have pulled our 3400 across country for three years and it handles as good as any 5W that we have had. Pulled it in good weather, bad weather and all in between. I like the way it handles on long and short trips, I get the same milage with it that I did with the shorter 5ws that we owned. I will keep it for a long time!

[Montana Sky]

I agree with Paul and Sue. I have towed my 3400RL throughout the west coast and the midwest without any problems. Being a single person; all the towing, set up, tear down, and cleaning, have been done by myself with ease. The Montana's tow great, and livability in my 3400RL is amazing.

[indy roadrunner]

GrayGuru, welcome to the MOC forum. It is only my opinion and not intended to offend anyone but I'm not sure the RV Consumer Group has talked to very many Montana Owners. I too have pulled mine from Midwest to Florida, to Arkansas and in all kinds of weather and I have no complaints what so-ever. It pulls and behaves like a great trailer. Loading, the only difference being I have travel with full water tank and with a empty water tank and didn't notice a lot of difference. Course I have the TrailAir Pin Box. I don't think RV Consumer Group will get a lot of agreement from the Montana owners on this forum.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

This is not the first time this subject has been brought up on the MOC. We weren't sure before and we still aren't sure now who runs the so called RV Consumer Group but you can almost bet they are dependent on one manufacturer. I would take a closer look at the top rated RV's for a better look at just who is pulling the strings.
Montana didn't get to be number one in sales for the past 6 years and the 3400RL didn't get to be the number one selling Montana since it's inception by being unsafe and only a 2 1/2 star rating. Considering Montana is just coming up on it's 10th birthday. Being number ONE for the past 6 is really saying something for a company just 10 years old. Some of these so called 5 star rated rigs have been around many many more years than Montana and don't come near the Montana's sales numbers.

[dscott]

The group that give the 3400 that rating, aparently has never pulled one.They pull like a dream, most of the time you don't know there back there unless you look out your rear view mirror.

[jrgwdenner]

I've also heard criticism about the self imposed authority that this group has given itself. When we first bought our Montana, I thought this group was to be respected and held in awe. I have since decided that they don't know as much as the average rv'er.

[richfaa]

Might want to take the time to go here http://www.rv.org/ and find out who these folks are before we pass judgement. That the Montana DIVISION has been the number one best seller partly by combining Mountaineer and Montana sales, means little. That we drive them all over the country with no problems means little and is not true as many of us drive them all over the country with many problems. Perhaps they are the best seller because Montana division will discount more than other manufactures..which is the primary reason we have a Montana instead of a Jayco designer 34RLQS. The RV consumer group does a fine job of rating RV's and should be required reading BEFORE purchase..WE did, still got the Montana but we were fully aware of what we were purchasing. One of the indicators is the low CC of many Montana's and the probability that we will overload them therefor creating a safety hazzard. Now tell me no one ever runs over weight.

[steves]

My 3400 was professionally weighed under extreme conditions....with full water, full holding tanks, TV with 38 gallons of diesel and we had on-board food and clothing for a 3 month stay in Florida. I had 1 wheel that was 50# over it's load rating. All other weight measurements were within specs. I would like to know how the ratings are calculated....?

[5ER]

I don't buy everything that is rated high in Consumers Report either. Most of us own Montana's because it was and is a good product for the money. If I was wealthy I would own a million dollar Motorhome. I am sure they are not rating RV'S by price so it is not fair to rate a Montana against ones that are twice the cost.

[ARJ]

Hey guys & gals. Lets look at the facts! RV.Org is a BUSINESS. The ratings are a result of their own evaluations and consumer rating forms. Nowhere is there information regarding their staff qualifications and how they developed their so called computer evaluations.

SOOoooo, IMO I consider their service a way to make money-period.

[Delaine and Lindy]

Again the topic is, how many of these people in the RV Consumer group own or have ever lived in a Montana. I don't agree for a second their rating of the Montana. If their ratings were true why haven't you seen a ton of accidents involving the Montana. We have traveled thousands of miles and have never witnessed a Montana in a accident. I have seen damage done by tire failure. A very high percentage of all 5th wheels are made in or around Goshen Ind. Most all are using Lippert frames. We have been in many high end MH using the same Micro waves and Fridge's etc that we are using. Many of the problems we encounter are caused by the person who are pulling 5th wheels. A lot of issues we find has a lot of to due with the construction and so forth. If we listen to all the info we see posted we probably wouldn't own a RV of any type. Also try pulling you stick house down the road at 65 + mph. The 5th wheel is having mini earthquakes while traveling thru out the Country.. GBY...

[Steve and Brenda]

Well, don't help those weasels by buying their ratings CD. They're based in Washington State, any RVs built there?

[sreigle]

RVCG has long been a respected rating group but I don't think they do any testing on their own. From what I've seen in the past, most of what they rate is based on numbers. If you use Montana's numbers for the 3400, the pinweight is pretty light and that affects control to some degree. But, in reality, the published pinweight numbers are lower than reality, as those of us with the 3400RL already understand. For example, the brochure says pinweight on our 3400 is 2,000 pounds. The scales say the pinweight on our heavily loaded 3400RL is 2,860. If you used brochure weights, pinweight is just 16.9% of unladed shipping weight. That's on the low end of acceptable. Our loaded pinweight is 19.6%.

This is our fifth fifthwheel. We are fulltimers who tow this thing all over the country. It is a beautiful and comfortable tow in all kinds of weather. Very stable. I have talked a few times with haulers and they to a man have said the Montanas are among the best towing fifthwheels they have towed. I've never asked about the 3400 specifically but their comments never singled out a model, either.

I would listen more closely to those who actually tow the 3400 than I would to a group who bases conclusions on a calculator.

[Tom Gina 06]

One thing I noticed when I picked up our 3400 at the dealer was towing it home with nothing it in and a half a tank of fresh water on the back was how light the front was. Actually had a few bumps where sounded like it was lifting off the hitch. Even with that condition towing it towed straight as an arrow even with a heavy cross wind. Now running at max capacity 21700 as a fulltimer I find it doesn't have that light on the front feel and even better handling and stopping ability.

About the ratings now how many times have you been told in your lifetime that something was terrible and then you found out that is wasn't as bad as it was said to be. Everyone has a different outlook on the way things should be, and acceptance levels differ in all situations. I believe the old saying "never judge a book by its cover" is still the best way to look at anything in life! Not to mention that the Montana has to be on the hit list based on popularity.

As for what Steve mentioned I wonder how many brands out there have to heavy a hitch weight after they are loaded. At least with the 3400 I do not have to worry about the extras I carry in the basement.

[richfaa]

If you note on the Consumer groups web site ONE of the sources of information they use to rate IS consumer feed back. I would there fore assume that Montana owners HAVE responded and that informatiom was included in any ratings. If the web site is examined you will learn exactly how they get their information and from what sources. It is a source of information to be considered..what the individual does with the information is..their choice.When we purchased a truck to pull the 3400 we depended on specifications determined by the manufacturers not from folks who had...'pulled it all over the country with no problems" The information from that consumer group , other comsumer groups and many other sources was factored into our decision to purchase a Montana.To suggest the a source of information is incorrect just because we do not agree with it..is..wellll......

[GrayGuru]

Thanks for the welcome to the forum and your opinions on this subject.

There are many Montanas with high ratings but I know enough to know that there are design parameters that determine how a given vehicle combination will behave under adverse and emergency situations. While we all hope we'll never face those, I'd like to know what it is about the 3400RL that doesn't safety rate it up with the 3075RL, 3295RL, 3475RL, 3485SA and 3585SA. I suspect it is either tongue weight when loaded to the manufacturers GVWR or the fact that the axles are set too far forward. But those are just guesses on my part.

I'm also surprised to see so many 3400RL owners towing with 3/4 ton pickups.......my reserarch has shown that only one or two of the 2008 1 ton SRW pickups can handle the weight of fuel, passengers, hitch, tool box and probable tongue weight of a 3400RL weighing 90% of the GVWR rating. But I guess that's a subject for another area.

I'm glad to hear you are all pleased with the livability and towing characteristics of your units. We may have to reconsider our decision.

GrayGuru with DW plus Missy and KuJo the Bichons who ride in their lookout car seats in the back of our CC

[richfaa]

Oh boy.....

[Bill Frisbee]

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

Oh boy.....

Rich, Hemingway could not have said it better!