Front Jack Problem - Montana Owners Club

Montana_6152 · 08-13-2006, 12:29 PM

We have a 2004 Mountaineer 328RLS and have had no problems until today. When preparing to unhook the trailer from our truck, the front jacks will not work. They won't retract or extend. Any suggestions?

Glenn and Lorraine · 08-13-2006, 01:09 PM

Look for an inline fuse. It will be less than a foot from the battery. It should be a 30AMP glass tube type. I have replaced mine with a 30AMP self resetting circuit breaker.

Montana_6152 · 08-13-2006, 01:33 PM

Can't find the fuse, need further help what line is it in?

Fordzilla · 08-13-2006, 02:50 PM

For the time being you may have to open up the propane tank and use the hand crank to lift it off the truck. There should be a fuse like Glenn mentioned up underneath the hitch area near the battery. I have never had this problem with the Monty but did have something similar on our last trailer. Once I turned it a couple turns with the hand crank the motor kicked in and started working again.

Ron & Melinda Rosewall
Marcus, Iowa
'06 F350 DRW King Ranch 4x4, diesel pulling machine.
'04 3685FL, Fireplace, Cent Vac, Fantastic Fan, Safety Glass, 2nd A/C, Slide out awnings.

http://www.picturetrail.com/fordzilla

sreigle · 08-13-2006, 03:21 PM

I had this once, too. In my case the fuse was fine but I had no battery power. connecting the umbilical to the truck and starting the engine let the jacks operate. It turned out the battery ground is to the floor of the front locker using just a sheet metal screw. Mine corroded around the screw and was loose enough to have intermittent contact. Something else to check should the fuse be ok.

See another Montana or Mountaineer on the road? Flash lights twice, it might be one of us!
Steve Reigle (pronounced Regal)
Fulltiming since 3/21/03
'03 3295RK
'05 Ford F250 SD Lariat CC SB 6.0L PSD/TS FX4 4x4

Our RV Travels (now Firefox-compatible)

thook · 08-14-2006, 03:46 AM

I had the same problem but the fix was simple. One of the wire nuts connecting the motor to the switch wasn't screwed on properly and the wires weren't making contact.

Tom & Sherry Hook
Sassy (Pomeranian) & KiKi (?Cat)
1999 F250 PS
2005 3400RL
http://www.tomandsherry.blogspot.com/
[IMG=left]http://tinypic.com/htifqt.jpg[/IMG=left]

Montana_6152 · 08-14-2006, 12:46 PM

Well, go figure. We hand cranked the unit and towed it to our trusty dealer. The reason we couldn't find the fuse is we didn't have one, the service manager was stunned. Not only don't we have the 30amp fuse, we don't have any type of breaker. Will find out what the problem is tomorrow hopefully as we are leaving Thursday MIS bound for our semi annual NASCAR at Michigan weekend. Thanks for all the input. Charly

richfaa · 08-14-2006, 03:26 PM

We have looked high and we have looked low and we have looked everywhere in between and we can not find a fuse in our brand new 3400rl?????

Rich& Helen N.Ridgeville,Ohio.

F-350SD, Lariat, V-10,4:30 Diff, tow command Long bed, Crew Cab Dually, 06 3400RL
Mor-Ryde Pin Box

Dean A Van Peursem · 08-14-2006, 06:06 PM

richfaa:

We had the front jacks fail on our second trip with a late 2006 3400RL. Thanks to the help received on this site I started looking for the in-line fuse which I wasn't aware of. After much hunting I eventually found the in-line 30 AMP fuse on a white wire between the jack motor and the battery hidden on the right lower side of the batteries. It was really hard to find. Replaced the fuse and it hasn't failed since. I still do not know why it blew to begin with but the new fuse seems to be doing the job. I did find a loose connection on the fuse blocks mounted on the rear wall of the front garage while searching for the in-line fuse. Fixed that immediately before I found the bad fuse. Maybe that had something to do with it.

RKassl · 08-15-2006, 12:34 AM

Would this fuse be in the same general location on my 2955RL? Between the crank motor and the battery? I wouuld like to know where it is in advance of any trouble.

Thanks

Bob and Nancy Kassl a.k.a. Buck and Muffin
2005.5 2955RL Montana Spruce Interior
2004.5 Chevy LT 2500HD D/A CC SB Dark Metallic Green
Bilstein Shocks/Timbrens SES /Westin Platnium Pipes
Reflex Bed Liner/Access Cover
Major MSC USAR Retired

Glenn and Lorraine · 08-15-2006, 01:25 AM

It was in that same area on my 2955. It was not your typical inline fuse holder

But actually appeared to be more of an elongated bulge in the line.

Dean A Van Peursem · 08-15-2006, 01:34 PM

Our in-line fuse in the late 2006 3400RL was a moulded rubbery plastic that needed to be pried apart to get to the fuse. The fuse type (30Amp) was identical to the type used in the DC fuse panel in the bathroom. I don't know the technical name for this type of fuse but it isn't the normal glass tube type fuse that we may be more familiar with. This had two legs in a "U" shape with clear plastic for viewing whether the fuse had blown or not. Fortunately, we had purchased some spare fuses at PDI time and happened to have an extra 30 AMP fuse of the right type.

I am on a mission with Keystone Montana due to this and other wiring problems. I am going to keep pestering the Montana factory until I get a wiring diagram. For Montana not to supply a wiring diagram is not acceptable to me as I suspect it is not accpetable to other owners as well. If I am successful I will share the info. We did not pay $0.50 for this RV. They will provide the proper documentation.

Cat320 · 08-15-2006, 02:16 PM

Wouldn't it be nice to have a problem like this, haul out our trusty owner's manual, and look up either the wiring diagram or a description of how to solve what should be a simple problem??

Mudchief · 08-15-2006, 02:51 PM

On my unit it goes to a breaker but I also found a inline fuse. The fuse is inside the split loom that covers the wires. So if you have a problem and the breaker is ok look for the fuse.

Dennis & Linda
05 GMC 2500HD Duramax CC
Pullrite Superglide
05 Mountaineer 329RLS
[IMGhttp://i3.tinypic.com/znkncy.jpg[/IMG]

richfaa · 08-15-2006, 03:03 PM

Is there any kind of a standard for wiring these things...I think not....Perhaps that is why there are no wiring diagrams,It is almost like whoever is doing the wiring that day on that unit makes it up themselves...I will again look for this phantom fuse in the AM.

Rich& Helen N.Ridgeville,Ohio.

F-350SD, Lariat, V-10,4:30 Diff, tow command Long bed, Crew Cab Dually, 06 3400RL
Mor-Ryde Pin Box

sreigle · 08-15-2006, 05:16 PM

Dean, I wish you luck. I don't want to discourage you. I'd like to reap the benefits of your quest. But I know of not RV manufacturer who provides a wiring diagram. Or who even could provide one if they wanted to. Maybe some do but I've not seen it. I sure wish I had a wiring diagram, though. Good luck.

See another Montana or Mountaineer on the road? Flash lights twice, it might be one of us!
Steve Reigle (pronounced Regal)
Fulltiming since 3/21/03
'03 3295RK
'05 Ford F250 SD Lariat CC SB 6.0L PSD/TS FX4 4x4

Our RV Travels (now Firefox-compatible)

richfaa · 08-16-2006, 02:26 AM

I am really starting to get P.O'ed about this wiring issue..I have no white wire from the front jack motor to the battery. I have red wires and black wires..but i did find the fuse it is a PINK wire..that's right a PINK wire and it is a automotive type fuse encased in a rubber holder (3400 built April 06) It would be nice to know at least were these things are and what type and size they are...would that be asking to much////

Rich& Helen N.Ridgeville,Ohio.

F-350SD, Lariat, V-10,4:30 Diff, tow command Long bed, Crew Cab Dually, 06 3400RL
Mor-Ryde Pin Box

Mudchief · 08-16-2006, 08:47 AM

Rich, I guess if you work in the factory you would know it is a black wire that runs from the battery to the circuit breaker, then it is pink from the breaker to the switch, then it is red from the switch to the jack motor,then the ground wire from the jack moter to the switch is black and from the switch to the ground point is white. That is the way mine is wired.

Dennis & Linda
05 GMC 2500HD Duramax CC
Pullrite Superglide
05 Mountaineer 329RLS
[IMGhttp://i3.tinypic.com/znkncy.jpg[/IMG]

Dean A Van Peursem · 08-16-2006, 09:15 AM

Just to show how inconsistent the wiring is, my 30 AMP fuse on a late 2006 3400RL was in the white wire. Very hard to find and not mentioned anywhere in the documentation. Inconsistent wiring and no documentation on it are not acceptable Keystone assembly or quality procedures. Quality is built in when done right, consistently and documented, not inspected in.

richfaa · 08-16-2006, 10:33 AM

Note..There is not a white wire anywhere in the jack wiring in my late 2006 3400.Guess the skilled craftsman ran out of white..but ,,he was skilled enough to use ..pink...

Rich& Helen N.Ridgeville,Ohio.

F-350SD, Lariat, V-10,4:30 Diff, tow command Long bed, Crew Cab Dually, 06 3400RL
Mor-Ryde Pin Box

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