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Old 06-20-2012, 04:31 PM   #1
Artemus Gordon
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Report: First Major Issue with New Montana

First Major issue:

Arrived at beautiful Lake Tahoe last Thursday afternoon. *Set up going smoothly after tight back in maneuver. *Kind of proud of myself, not a single tree damaged! *It was a perfect fit*all clearing both sides...then it happened! *With remote in hand, I began the rear slide sequence. *All going well, more than enough clearance between trees. *It was then I heard an awful noise. *Metal bending, sound of wood and screws binding. *A loud pop! *My bedroom closet slide (curb side), appeared to have stuck at the top of the slide, *and nearly fully opened at the bottom! *Bending metal, literally pulling the sheet metal screws cutting through the sheet metal as it moved. * After several minutes of awkward pushing, two of us got top to pop out (sorta). *When DW arrived we placed our "Handy slide locks" we bought for our Komfort TT to keep top of slide from moving during travel. * Little history on this issue: * We noticed slide sticking on our first trip. *Took it to two dealers, all said it will be fine or "The slide toppers are a little tight."or *"No problem with slide, it will always work fine, that's normal". *Famous last words! Lol

I called "Montana Customer Service" the next morning and a wonderful person "Robyne" handled my problem. *I will report that in less than an hour, *she had arranged a "mobile service guy" from Reno to come Monday, get slide back in place before we departed. ( since it was already fully extended, we could use bedroom over weekend) . *My concern was being able to secure slide for travel and tow it 250 miles to Redding RV Center. *Keystone "Montana" assured me all would be at their expense. *Mobile guy arrived on time Monday and got slide back inside and used our "slide locks" to secure it in place. *No problems getting home, and Redding RV was alerted we were coming. *We will be out of commission for at least three weeks (perhaps more) but we could not be more pleased with Keystone. *Robyne has touched base with on us everyday. *That's great service, and I am confident my fifth wheel is in good hands. *No anger, no real frustration, from my perspective a minor bump in the road! *

In all fairness, because I have reported, no significant issues with my new Montana, I wanted to let the forum know about this first problem, and the great response from Keystone.
 
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Old 06-20-2012, 04:50 PM   #2
steelpony5555
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Not sure I understand did the slide just bind up and not open or did it not open because of the slide locks were still in place?? I know the remote is cool but might be a good idea to have an eyeball on the slide as it goes out and in. I don't have a remote and only got 2 slides but I can watch both from the button on the wall, just don't trust em to go out smoothly, but seems they always do lol....
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Old 06-20-2012, 05:07 PM   #3
Artemus Gordon
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We used slide locks after the problem. We do not use them on Montana, we did use them to "hold" slide in place when we left Tahoe! The slide bound up, all on its own!

We have 3 slides to watch at a time. All three slides work together at same time. Impossible to see all three at once. But, if your point is, "I should have watched that slide", and had I ignored the other two, your right! I might have seen it happen for sure. If I elect not to use the remote, I can see only one, maybe two move from inside switch location. FYI: Nice thing about this situation, Montana placed no blame. Did not even ask how it happened, just told us it would be fixed.
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Old 06-20-2012, 05:31 PM   #4
steelpony5555
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Dang, it would be nice if these things have an override on them to stop them from not only that but trees or light poles etc. Didn't know they all went out at once so that does creat a problem. Mine go out one at a time in sequence. Not much you can do then but hope it don't happen again. Me I just don't trust them, lol lol, don't know why, but I seem to expect them to not work.
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Old 06-20-2012, 05:34 PM   #5
Artemus Gordon
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Totally agree with you!
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Old 06-21-2012, 12:46 AM   #6
Bill-N-Donna
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Sorry to hear of the problem you had; I know first impressions can be a lasting one. Glad to hear that yours was a positive one.
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Old 06-21-2012, 01:22 AM   #7
CamillaMichael
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Bill-N-Donna


Sorry to hear of the problem you had; I know first impressions can be a lasting one. Glad to hear that yours was a positive one.
Agree....
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Old 06-21-2012, 02:15 AM   #8
1retired06
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Keystone really didnt have much of a choice with a new unit. Good to hear they are taking care of you. Re watching the slides, we have four slides, I watch one side, the wife watches the other side both in and out.
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Old 06-21-2012, 02:18 AM   #9
richfaa
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Not sure we understand... Why did the top of the slide not open??What was holding it????? Is this a construction problem???failure of equipment??? Hole to small??Our slides open on at a time and Helen always goes inside to check..Was this a manufacturing defect or human error?????
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Old 06-21-2012, 02:30 AM   #10
pappy65
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Just curious, was the trailer unhooked from tow vehicle and leveled?
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Old 06-21-2012, 02:39 AM   #11
mhs4771
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You might want to see if DQDick shows up. He had a problem with his with a slide sticking and went to the Factory after the Rally and it was determined that the hole was too small for his slide. So they totally removed the slide, enlarged the opening and I believe all has been fine since.
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Old 06-21-2012, 02:42 AM   #12
bncinwv
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I likewise am confused but on another matter. I use the remote to extend the three rear slides (the front slides on a 3750 are electric and are not controlled by the remote), and ours do not move at the same time. Our sequence is bedroom closet slide first, dining slide and then the bedroom bed slide. I do watch from outside since the bedroom slides are not viewable from inside. The slides are on the same hydraulic system and the lightest slide usually extends first, this was also the way the previous rig worked. Even then, with the nature of hte bedroom slides, I don't know if anything could have been done other than stopping and starting slowly to hopefully free up the top. We cannot get into the bedroom until the closet slide is extended.
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Old 06-21-2012, 03:05 AM   #13
richfaa
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The order in the 06 3400 and the 13 3402 is bedroom slide, opposing slide, kitchen slide, main slide.The units being a little off level can cause the slides to attempt to come out at the same time. It has always been Helen's procedure to open the main slide first just enough for her to look around to see if anything has blocked the slides. She will then hit the slide out switch and I follow the slides around to see that they are opening properly.

Would like to know the exact cause of the above problem.. Keystone error, human error???
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Old 06-21-2012, 04:41 AM   #14
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by mhs4771

You might want to see if DQDick shows up. He had a problem with his with a slide sticking and went to the Factory after the Rally and it was determined that the hole was too small for his slide. So they totally removed the slide, enlarged the opening and I believe all has been fine since.
Michelle is correct. It was our main slide and the hole was cut too small. Before they fixed it, it acted a lot like what you are experiencing except it never completely stuck.
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Old 06-21-2012, 05:45 AM   #15
Captain Joe
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I guess they are all different. Our dining slide goes first, followed by the closet slide, and then the bed slide. Sorry to hear about the slide sticking. Good luck on the repairs.
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Old 06-21-2012, 05:50 AM   #16
bncinwv
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It depends on weight, I believe. Our closet is not loaded until we arrive, dining room slide is packed on both sides of table and chairs, and the bed is used for storage of a couple of chairs, added mattress topper, and other weighty items. So the closet slide is by far the lightest followed by the others in order.
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Old 06-21-2012, 07:02 AM   #17
Artemus Gordon
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Yes, the trailer was level when slides deployed. To answer question about what it hung up on, we don't know yet? Our sequence is based on path of least resistance. I agree that closet being "less heavy" should be first to deploy, but that has not been the case. As far as first impression about "Montana"? I understand the nature of the beast, "trailer construction". I don't let things upset me anymore. Stuff happens, and how a manufacturer stands by their product, and treats you when a problem happens, is how I judge the company. Campers around me (a group formed to see the train wreck) were telling me how up-set I should be about the problem. I simply said everyone relax, its not that big a deal, it will get fixed, a minor bump in the road of being retired! Lol. People apparently (IMHO) want to be upset, they appear to thrive on and expect failure, I do not! Look, we only got so many years in this life. I refuse to live even one day angry! "There is a solution to every problem"! Believe me I have been tried by fire in my life, this is nothing!
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Old 06-21-2012, 07:33 AM   #18
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Good for you! As a person who spent their whole life in the restaurant business I can tell you there are plenty of folks out there who spend their life having screaming fits over something they know will be fixed. I blame it on blood pressure pills. In the old days if grandma forgot to tell us to leave the pickles off grandpa's sandwich and he started to have a screaming fit the family would try to calm him down so he didn't have a heart attach or stroke. Now days you can take one pill in the morning and be an XXXXXXX all day long. Keystone came thru for me and I would expect them to do the same for you. Here's hoping it gets fixed correctly and fast!
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Old 06-22-2012, 04:13 AM   #19
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Artemus Gordon

I refuse to live even one day angry! "There is a solution to every problem"! Believe me I have been tried by fire in my life, this is nothing!
Michael,

You are on the path to greatness. Glad they are taking care of getting you back on the road.

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Old 06-22-2012, 05:28 AM   #20
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Kudos on your outlook on life. Retirement has a way of allowing you to think differently about what is important. I too find myself much calmer when things happen then I was when I owned a business. Hopefully we'll live longer - to get our money's worth out of our Montana!
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