2013 3402 Big sky report

[richfaa]

That is the way to be Doug. My intent on the ":eport" is to make folks aware and perhaps look a bit harder at a unit. There is nothing on the new Big S ky that we can not handle but we have those ''what were they thinking of monemts. On the deals and full body paint.They did not lie just did not tell the whole truth. The question to be asked was NOT "Is that full body paint"..but.. Are there any decals on the unit"

[Montana Sky]

Rich,

Mine is coming with the "Boom" and I will probably remove it if I don't like it. I also am having the shop install additional hose carriers in front of the rear hitch at the back. Better to have more than not enough... The paint job on the Big Sky is sure pretty!

[richfaa]

There was a "red" parked next to us (former Montana owner) at a C.G last week. The boom was removed. Hose carriers are gong on this one.

[grayghost03]

Rich, it's not just other manufactures that use glass bowl sinks, the Montana High Country 343rl has the glass bowl sink, we love it. No drips on counter or floor.

[bigskyjimmy]

At first we thought the sewer Boom was a cool Idea but now....not so much, first thing I did was take off the big flexable hose from the boom to the end of the pipe just so I can see if the connection is secure and so far we have made it work o.k. for now ,maybee down the road I will rip the whole thing off we'll see I put the extra hose in a small rubbermaid container in storage

[garyka]

These are assembled by piece workers,quantity not quality

[richfaa]

I have got a feeling that the "sink" in the Montana's will change as enough complaints come in but we will be stuck with something that does not work.

[bighornram]

quote:Originally posted by Montana Sky

Rich,

Mine is coming with the "Boom" and I will probably remove it if I don't like it. I also am having the shop install additional hose carriers in front of the rear hitch at the back. Better to have more than not enough... The paint job on the Big Sky is sure pretty!

My 3400RL has the boom. I like it except for the clearance. I have almost "removed" it a few times, spared only by an inch or two. I do like having to only swing it out and open the door to get to the hose. I put a 15' telescoping hose in it and it compresses tightly enough into the boom to close. In a CG I only have about 2 feet of hose out to get to the connection. Easy break down also. Remove from sewer connection, cap, and push it back into the boom. Put the cover on and clip on in place.

[Clemson1881]

The sewer boom works very well for me too. I did put an extra gate valve on to eliminate any leakage at the connection point. I also put a clamp on the hose connector to the plumbing on the rig to ensure it did not slip loose. I can compress 18 feet of heavy duty hose in the boom. So far it has reached every sewer connection everywhere we have been. I trimmed a little of the large black flexible hose joint off too to allow easy full range motion of the boom to swivel front to back. It would have been nice if all this would have been tested and tweaked prior to the sale, but as I said it works great for us (with some modifications). I really like never having to remove the hose and store it.

[Carl n Susan]

X2 what Clemson1881 elegantly wrote.

[richfaa]

Understand that it works but modifications were made for it to work.It was less that useful out of the factory. Like I said...you got to make it work. I can make it work. I was thinking it should work as installed??//
?
Edit.. We have not given up on the "boom" Had to think like a RV manufacturers to "make it work" and went to "cost effective.IE. cheaper" materials. The clear dump valve attachment with the back fill attachment would not fit in the rubber sleeve. Had to go to the smaller stright clear attachment. The sturdy twist on attachments (yellow) on the sturdy hose we have been using would not fit into the boom. Had some cheaper stuff laying around and it fits OK.
We have 12 feet of hose stuffed into the boom and a end cap on the hose so it will not dump left over stuff on your when you open the boom. We will give it another chance.

[Clemson1881]

Agreed Rich, but with the right setup the boom is better than storing the hoses in my opinion. I also believe all RVs should come with a gatevalve at the hose connection point for additional safety from leaks. I have put one on both RVs I have owned.

[richfaa]

We do not like to store the sewer hose or the attachments in the Rv compartments or the back of the truck. No matter how well we flush them out water remains in the hoses and due to what went through then,,they stink. IMO the compartment at the rear of the 5th wheel was a good place to store that stuff out of the way and the water could drain out of the compartment. That compartment required a clean out every once in a while as it.. well smelled.


With a few tweaks we have the boom working in the driveway and we will see how well it will flush out. We still have 12 feet of sewer hose in the boom and we know what goes through it. Since we paid for it we would like it to work.

[richfaa]

More stupid litte poor wormanship issues in the TOP OF THE LINE, BEST YOU CAN BUY MONTANA PRODUCT.

They did install braces in the fender wells to prevent that fender flap that the earlier models had. the brace connects at the top and bottom with screws. I noted a screw missing on the door side fender. It was the screw that held the bottom of the brace secure. The screw did not go through the brace nor did the one in the rear fender.The 'workman"had missed the braces completly and never checked his/her work.

So we checked ALL the screws in all the fenders... yep half of them were loose. This is the kind of stuff that bugS you on this TOP OF THE LINE BEST YOU CAN BUY..MONTANA MODEL.

[bncinwv]

On ours, we had already lost two screws from the fenders as well. Put replacements in and will monitor, seems like there may have to be a supplemental fastener installed on the back side of the screw to prevent it from shaking loose or whatever is going on. These screws strip very easily as well.
Bingo

[richfaa]

On our 06 we replaced all of them with a screw, nut, washer.

[Parts Ed]

Don't feel to bad Rich, our not the top of the line Mountaineer has the gas line running back to the stove and refrigerator and right over the top of one of the screws that holds the underbelly liner up. And on top of that to remove that screw and replace it with a plastic push pin I had to lower the spare tire winch mechanism and all of the gas line clamps that held it tight to the undercarriage.

[richfaa]

Since keystone provided zero information on the care and maint of the paint on this 13 big Sky we called.
Herr Custom paint/maplew City Collision2456 E.Kercher Rd, Goshen, Ind

This very near the Montana plant.
The paint numbers on this Big Sky were H1255, H1505,H 1520, H7138 are their paint codes and would mean nothing to a paint shop/ They are very nice folks and will send me the real paint codes. The paint is a clear coat. They can not do as good a job as a auto/truck as that paint is baked on and the high temps would melt a RV hence the paint tend to chip more easy.


The small amount of graphics are NOT done by the paint shop but sent back to keystone for application. I was hoping the graphics application would be done by professionals but that is not the case.

More info. It is 95 degrees here so I am doing this inside. Called Keystone customer service about paint codes and they have no clue. Why am I not surprised.
.
They did know that the paint is mixed by Rollie williams paint spot in Elkhart, Ind. www.wrps.com

Rollie willimas did noy have the 2013 codes in their computer system but herr custom paint did.. So we will get the paint codes.
You would think Keystone would know what color their Rv's are????

[Montana Sky]

Careful Rich, with all these problems you are going to start wishing you did not bought "the top of the line best you can buy....montana".

[awaywego]

Is there any difference in a Montana and a Big Sky other than tires , level up and exterior paint? The older Big Skys had different furniture, trim inside and appliances. Things were on the Big Sky then trickeled down to the Montana but It looks as if the new BS is a Montana with paint. Am I wrong?