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09-22-2012, 03:51 AM
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#1
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New Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Wellington
Posts: 4
M.O.C. #12743
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3402rl questions
My husband and I plan to fulltime for a number of years. We found the 3100rl and were very happy with the floor plan and could easily pull it. That is we were happy UNTIL we happened upon the 3402rl. Instant love for both of us except I don't want a dually. But I keep running the numbers and believe we would be pushing it with a ford f350 short bed diesel without upgrading to a dually. My questions are: 1) have any of you with a dually had problems finding parking spots in national parks while sightseeing? I know that many popular sites like Yellowstone seem to have very limited parking for the popular areas like the falls and trail heads, etc. Has having a dually limited your ability to sightsee? 2). We've never had a camper nearly this long and are concerned about how easy it is to find appropriate sites for the length as well as the number of slides. Comments? Any insights and experiences are welcome.
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09-22-2012, 04:37 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Troy
Posts: 1,980
M.O.C. #808
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Having just returned from a western trip starting thru the southern states and coming back thru the northern states to Ohio, I loved pulling with the new dually. We always found parking spots even though sometimes we did take up two spots. We did park out from an attraction but we need the walk anyhow.
As for the length and width of the 3402rl, always call ahead and tell them you have a 40 footer and there are 4 slides. If they say "we can probably get you in" try another park as they will more than likely try to get you into a site that might be a little smaller than you need. Most nat'l parks are not big enough for that rig, but they are trying more and more to accomodate these bigger rigs.
Best plan is to plan ahead!
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09-22-2012, 04:46 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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Agree with Steve above. We have ben pulling with a Dually since 2006. First with a 3400 and now with a 2013 3402 big sky. We always look for a "dually parking spot" that is away from the crowded parking lots and we can take up two spots.This 3402 is a bit longer than the 3400 but no problems as Steve says call ahead and tell them whay you have. Some nation parks can be a problen with larger 5th wheels but we have always managed.
ewe have been long timing for nearly 7 years with a long Montana and have always found as spot in the area we were in.
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09-22-2012, 07:22 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Washington Coast
Posts: 2,688
M.O.C. #10696
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X3, what Rich and Emmel said
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09-22-2012, 09:35 AM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Sebring
Posts: 3,669
M.O.C. #9969
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X4 what everyone else has said. A Dually and the length just take a little getting used to, but once you get the hang of it you'll love it. We did trade our Montana for an SOB, but our SOB is very similar in layout to the 3402RL, enjoy
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Michelle & Ann
2018 Chevy 3500HD High Country DRW 4X4 Crew Cab w/Duramax/Allison, Formally 2010 Montana 2955RL, Now Loaded 2016 SOB, Mor/ryde IS, Disc Brakes & Pin Box, Comfort Ride Hitch, Sailun 17.5 Tires.
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09-22-2012, 01:49 PM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Topsham
Posts: 904
M.O.C. #10761
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We too have a dually and never have had problems parking in National Parks while sightseeing.
As others have said most National Parks you won't be able to park in. Majority of times when we are sightseeing around towns, finding a parking spot is not an issue. When you are towing something that size and weight we wouldn't use anything else.
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09-22-2012, 10:03 PM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: South
Posts: 2,499
M.O.C. #5140
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We've even pulled our 42' 340 RLQ into national and state parks with our dually. Once even pulled it through a Taco Bell drive thru - no joke! Just gets taking used to.
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09-23-2012, 04:07 AM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Copperas Cove
Posts: 1,426
M.O.C. #12096
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My dually is my daily driver, but here in Texas that's a normal thing, lots of duallys in the Walmart parking lots here. I just wish they made a car wash for duallys, that's the only place I can't take mine. Can't quote on the longer rigs since mine is only 35 foot, but even at that length there are places I could not get into. But you just look elsewhere.
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09-23-2012, 06:28 AM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by steelpony5555
My dually is my daily driver, but here in Texas that's a normal thing, lots of duallys in the Walmart parking lots here. I just wish they made a car wash for duallys, that's the only place I can't take mine. Can't quote on the longer rigs since mine is only 35 foot, but even at that length there are places I could not get into. But you just look elsewhere.
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Have you ever put a actual tape measure to that 35 foot Montana.Our 06 3400 was listed at 37.1 inch but measured out at over 40 feet. This 13 3402 is listed at 39 feet 1 inch but measures out at 42 feet and that is what we have to park.
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09-23-2012, 07:56 AM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Washington Coast
Posts: 2,688
M.O.C. #10696
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Holy COW Michael and Kat you guys must of REALLY been Jones'in for a taco man! that takes some Big Ones!!!
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09-23-2012, 01:06 PM
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#11
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New Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Wellington
Posts: 4
M.O.C. #12743
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I'm not really worried about parking a dually to see big attractions, Walmart, etc. because like all of you mentioned we can park out in the "north forty" and walk to the store or activity. I'm more concerned about national parks -- not the campgrounds, although that is an important separate issue, but how well you can get around on the smaller roads or find a parking space in crowded, limited parking areas like Yellowstone trail heads. Do you find it cumbersome to use a dually as your only sightseeing vehicle?
We've only had a 18 foot tt so this ia a BIG step up for us. I've never thought about camper size too much because at 18 feet we always fit but once we started looking at 5ers we keep looking at longer and longerones. Pretty soon we'll be looking at a train ! ! But since we will be living in it full time I want to make sure we're comfortable and have plenty of room. Hard to balance size to pull with plenty of living space. Comments?
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09-23-2012, 02:49 PM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Washington Coast
Posts: 2,688
M.O.C. #10696
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We live fulltime in ours and use our dually 90% of the time for sightseeing etc... No problem, We also have an old 150cc Vespa we put behind the cab in the bed for little trips to the store or just dinkin around the towns
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09-23-2012, 04:00 PM
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#13
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Rock Island
Posts: 1,074
M.O.C. #10457
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Last year we moved from an F250 short bed that was within the specs for towing our Monty to an F350 DRW long bed with no problems in national & state parks including 11 days in Yellowstone. Like others we do park futher out and walk abit more(a good thing). The tightest spot yet was at Miami Internation Airport parking garage as the spots are now undersized, but by backing & forthing a few times got the job done and even though we stuck out there was no issues. Also, at number 2 on our difficult list is the parking garage at Hoover Dam. It was very tight in the turns from one level to the next, but we made it by being very careful while going very slow. If the dual rear wheels is an issue I recommend considering single rear wheels with accurate calculation of the pin-weight and Gross Veh Wt Cap. There are several folks here on the MOC that can help you do the math. I bet with accurate weight figures the one-ton SRW will do the job. We like our dually and its tracking/stability, but many Monty owners perfer the SRW and I'll have accurately done the math, and know they are within specs.
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09-23-2012, 04:52 PM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Copperas Cove
Posts: 1,426
M.O.C. #12096
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If you have to it will fit in a regular parking spot. You may stick out a hair cause they are long. But I drive and park mine downtown Austin, San Antonio and Dallas-Fort Worth many times. *******Now you got me thinking and gonna have to get out my measurin stick and just see exactly how long my trailer is....
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