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Bert, good point that some have towed only Montanas so cannot really compare...
Our fifthwheels...
1985 Wilderness 245something (used)
1999 Jayco Eagle 255BH (new)
2001 Montana 2880RL (new)
2003 Montana 3295RK (new)
2007 Montana 3400RL (new)
I've not towed a lot of different brands, just those above. But, the Montanas feel far better back there than those others we towed. Maybe we were just lucky, but I doubt it. We have not had any (that I recall) handling problems reported in the four years I've been on this forum. Not that I recall, anyhow.
Wrenchtraveler, sometimes the extra bad chucking seems to be worse on certain wheelbases, between truck rear wheels and trailer wheels. That may be why the difference in the two tows you mentioned. I've had dealers tell me that and suggest the only way to know for sure how your combination will work is to tow test it on concrete interstates. I always said I am going to do that but never did.
Team Daybreak, we've had discussions here about carrying capacity. I emailed Keystone and got a reply from one of their engineers and posted that reply in this forum somewhere. They use the RVIA method of caculating GVWR. That is axle capacity (rating) plus estimated pinweight. Montana uses their estimated unloaded pinweight in that calculation. That pinweight number is notoriously low. Add that low pinweight to the axle rating to get the gvwr, then deduct the unloaded weight, estimated propane and water weight, and you get carrying capacity. For example, estimated pinweight on mine is 2000 lbs. Actual scaled weight is 2860. We run heavier than most, though. Our gvwr is 13,975 and our actual weight is 14,620. Keystone told me not to worry about it when I asked. I see the newest Montanas have considerably higher carrying capacity. I'm not sure whether they upgraded the axles or adjusted the pinweight or how they came up with higher numbers.
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