2007 Monty's 0 Degree Tested - Montana Owners Club

Gpa_Dick · 07-03-2006, 02:51 PM

OK. Is this a sales pitch or does it really mean 0 degree weather living?

Driftwoodgal just got her 2007 3400RL and Dave & Cheryl are soon getting their's. More R rating all around or what did Keystone folks do different from the 2006's?

CountryGuy · 07-03-2006, 02:59 PM

Lots of stuff, suggestion, try finding the brochures, floor plans and all that, for 2007 and prior years via the Keystone web site. Not sure, but they might tell you all the different stuff for each year. One thing they did was move where the water lines travel, now between floors, 'nother is that they moved the low point drains UP!!!

ON EDIT:::: they don't list the old standards, shoot!! thought they did. oh, well, it was a good idea!

These changes have been morfing for a couple of years, so, take a look at all the brochures and data avaiable on line.

Some of the others will come along and have more details about these improvments.

It is always a good thing to remember that Keystone makes running changes in their units, they don't wait for the year to change to make the changes, they make them NOW!! and tomorrow and yesterday!

Didn't someone say (just in the last week) that they took one of these 0 degree units to upper Michigan or somewhere and tested it for a month?? Try the ole search button!

richfaa · 07-03-2006, 03:02 PM

They told us that on our factory tour July of 05. Oh yea right, I said then..oh yea right ..I say now.Perhaps the first person that spends say 2 weeks in a stock from the factory Montana in 0 degree weather will give us a report..????

Garin1 · 07-03-2006, 06:18 PM

I spent a winter in Maine with sub zero temps for about two weeks in my old Cougar(Keystone) and after some heat tape for the water supply and skirting for the snow it was fine.

richfaa · 07-03-2006, 06:41 PM

You can make it work with modifications..but they don't come from the factory that way.They are suggesting that you can drive it off the dealer lot into 0 degree temps and be fine...Maybe so..I would have to have documented proof that someone actually did that..I won't..they told us that they rolled a montana into a deep freeze and took some measuements..I recall they were all excited about the temp difference inside vs outside...but they never said what the conditions of the test were or if anything froze up..Another question for the fall rally factory tour...

Driftwoodgal · 07-04-2006, 03:23 AM

We just got our 3400 last month but it isn’t a 2007 model. Dave and Cheryl will be getting one of the first 2007 models off the line if they get theirs when they are supposed to.

I think Carol has pretty much covered what we were told by our salesman. You would need to be running the propane heat all of the time of have an electric heater in the cargo area. We won't be testing the 0 factor as I hate the cold and will be camping away from it.

Garin1 · 07-04-2006, 04:01 AM

Richfaa, Our 3650rk was one of the ones tested and it is built better than the old Cougar. My personal experience in the Cougar put me in sub zero temps for two to three weeks with minor mods. Even a stick home needs special equipment to survive full time cold. I don't know what other proof you need. Maybe you need to try it before doubting it. After all, these are trailers??

dsprik · 07-04-2006, 06:52 AM

I will personally ask what the structural/construction differences are between this 2007 tested and what they USED to put out of the plant. In other words... If it is "Zero rated" now, what was it BEFORE (or what do they think it was), and what do they SPECIFICALLY attribute that change to?

I may be testing this myself - Cheryl doesn't read these posts unless I print them off for her (this one's not getting printed). I would be willing to bet that we will be in N. Mich at some time in the future with our 2007 3400RL, when the temps hit that temp. We'll see.

I'd do it on purpose, just to check it out. May have to leave Cheryl in FL or NC temporarily, though, as it would be an adventure she would not be particularly excited about - at all...

*On Edit~ Dick, to answere your "R" value question - I have specifically looked for any changes from year to year on these Montanas on the floor/roff/wall R ratings. I have not seen any changes at all. Mainly re-arranging the plumbing, I think... Maybe better basement/storage insulation?

dsprik · 07-04-2006, 07:12 AM

Was going to "2nd Edit", but...

Also, I would like to see Montana test - as Rich has stated - in "Real environmental conditions" at this temp. There's this little thing called "WIND CHILL".

As we speak our next door neighbors are up to their summer cottage next to me right now. The gal is "borrowing" my wireless signal (she asked) for her laptop, while out in their yard next door. She is a "Test Site Coordinator" for GM. She is given a set of parameters by the head of the GM engineering team, and she then flies all over N. America to find, set up and coordinate the testing of GM's 2008 prototype vehicles. She doesn't drive them, she coordinates the whole project. Her boss at GM tells her he wants a certain temp (heat/cold)/climate/elevation parameter check and it's her job to make sure she finds a location/road(s) that fit what they want, and then she is in charge of the whole operation. Sounds like a GREAT job.

So... who's Montana/Keystone's "Environmental Testing Facilitator"??? Maybe I could sign up??? I know... where are you Glenn??? Or Steve R???

dsprik · 07-04-2006, 07:45 AM

One more post - for now - maybe...

Also would like to see some attention given to HEAT/HUMIDITY extremes. The Southern US can get very inhospitable in the mid summer months. Not ALL RVers head north to the 45th parallel. Some have to "tough it out" where the heat/humidity kill people every year. I'm not sure if I would accept a, "It goes without saying..." comment related to the "Zero degree" test and Montana trying to relate those results to say that means that "obviously" it would also mean better resistance to heat/humidity concerns. I don't think so.

At zero degrees there is virtually NO humidity (10% or so). I would like to see Montana address high humidity concerns, also.

indy roadrunner · 07-04-2006, 10:47 AM

My unit has the "Artic Package" installed - but too tell you the truth - I could care less. I bought mine stock from dealers lot but if it is that cold and I have stay in Monty for what ever reason - I am heading south. I must be what some would call a "fair weather camper".

CountryGuy · 07-04-2006, 11:20 AM

in our 2004, the Artic package seems to work better in hot weather vs cold weather. I think it is misnamed.

Cat320 · 07-04-2006, 12:13 PM

2006 brochure says the insulation values are: Ceiling 14, side walls 9, and floor 21. That is with the Arctic Insulation Package. What does the 2007 brochure say? Unless they have changed a great deal (or you run propane and 15 electic heaters constantly), no way it's long term liveable at 0 degrees.

dsprik · 07-04-2006, 12:22 PM

Cat320, I have seen no change in those numbers from last year - they are the same.

labouttejr · 07-04-2006, 08:40 PM

Our 2006 3400Rl say nothing about 0 degrees, it say it is a four season. Back in March we were in it for 6 days were the high got to 19 degrees (I know 19 is not 0 but close enough). The 5vr did very well, the heater did not run consistantly (we payed very close attention to how much it ran), we did not have any elec heaters running, things were fine, it did not burn a full tank of propane for those days. We did put heat tape on the fresh water hose. We had the temp set between 65-68.

There was a Dutch travel trailer there for four days and he burn 2 tanks of propane (he keeps his at 70) + he had an elec heater running.

Gpa_Dick · 07-05-2006, 02:45 PM

I didn't notice it in the brochures, but is there an option to have the fresh, grey and black water tanks res on electic pads? My Prowler does and that keeps us from having to run the furnace all of the time.

dsprik · 07-05-2006, 03:01 PM

Dick, is that part of the Arctic Package, though?

Carol, I'm glad to here that the Arctic pak is great for hot weather too.

Gpa_Dick · 07-05-2006, 05:20 PM

Dave, it might be part of the Arctic Package but I just hadn't seen anything about the electric pads. My Prowler is an Extreme Edititon which has a switch for the grey and black tank and another switch for the fresh water tank.

Is yours coming with the Arctic Package?

dsprik · 07-05-2006, 05:37 PM

Yes it is, Dick. I hope it has these pads. Wonder how much extra amperage they pull, and I wonder if they have a "manual" cutoff switch for summer time weather...

Montana Sky · 07-05-2006, 08:33 PM

I can only account for temps down in the high 20's and low 30's during the overnight hours in April. So far no problems other than burning alot of propane during those temps until I got smart enough to go buy space heaters. =) I do not have a switch for electric pads on my coach, just has the furnace outlet below to keep the tanks warm.

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