Rear Kitchen Model Experiences???? - Montana Owners Club

GreatWhite · 03-31-2013, 02:33 AM

I should have found you all and asked this question before we have gotten so deeply into this new 295RKD model. I don't know if technology has changed much/at all with trailer suspension.. but the salesman told us......... yep.. So, I'm asking now. It May or May Not be an issue.

For years, we have been of the opinion from casual chats with other RV'ers that rear kitchen models bounced and broke plates.. doors bounced open and things were found on the floor.. things in the refrig were found broken after the door opened and bounced things out.

So, we signed papers but haven't taken possession of this model. It's lovely.. but those feers have crept back and slap me up beside the head

for taking a salesman's word for anything. He just wants to make a sale.

What have been our experiences with an RK? I doubt there have been many, if any, changes between models from 2000 on in how the end of the fulcrum behaves.

If the problem is real.. and it's still there.. how do you handle it? How does the refrig hold up?? All the gory details..

Thanks, Bill

Wayne and Carolyn Mathews · 04-01-2013, 05:07 AM

I posted a rather detailed reply to your question yesterday, and now it's gone! Sorry about that.

I'll recap: We have the rear kitchen model 3585SA and love it. If you have a corner Lazy Susan, you might do what I did: I bought an assortment of small white plastic baskets ($.97 each at Walmart in plastics area), fastened them to the Lazy Susan shelves with double-stick tape, and filled them with my spices and other small objects. Now things ride without jumping around. Photo:

We traveled with Corian (ceramic) dinnerware for 5 years and never had a broken piece of it. I used non-slip stuff (also from Walmart, on a roll you can cut to the sizes you need) between the plates. I stuffed my clean dish towels around the cups and any glasses I had. I've now switched to Melmac dinnerware simply because the Corian was too hard to handle on the picnic tables we encountered while camping. Corian does chip and/or shatter, and I was tired of babying it on concrete tables.

I don't leave my coffee pot, Cuisinart, or anything else on the kitchen counters while we travel. It's easy enough to put those big things on the floor on pieces of that non-skid stuff, and it won't skid around that way. We bungee the kitchen cabinets closed (and all other cabinets, usually). That's it!

We love our rear kitchen and all the extra living space it gives us. I think you'll enjoy your new floorplan, too.

Carolyn

DarMar · 04-01-2013, 05:13 AM

Something really strange happening here. There were several responses to this thread posted yeaterday and yet today it shows up new without a single response showing for March 31. April fools or what?????

lasater · 04-01-2013, 05:15 AM

One of the things we do is to place rubberized shelf liner between anything that will break or scratch (like Teflon pans). We always secure all our doors with little short knobby bungees. That includes the washer/dryer cabinet, lavatory, cabinet over the toilet, over the sink, etc, etc.

Yes, the rear will bounce and things will move. Understanding that...simply take steps to minimize movement. Breakage??? The only thing that we have ever broken was a coffee carafe that we just forget to put away.

Bottom line...you can spend a little (time and money) ensuring your coach is ready to roll. Or you can spend a lot (upgrading your suspension).

steelpony5555 · 04-01-2013, 05:47 AM

Hmmmmmm oh well we have had 2 rear kitchens. Our last was an Alpenlite and traveled around the country and nothing moved. We use glass dishes and cups and never broke a single one. Yes some stuff would move around in the cabinets but nothing major. And we use the spring rods to keep stuff in place and also use felt plate spacers between the dishes. We found them at a dollar store. Now we buy the Montana and the 150 mile trip from Dallas to home we broke a bunch of dishes, everything bounced off the lazy susan and even the frig contents were all discombobulated. I could see in the mirror the Montana bouncing around like a basketball??? Sooooo I put LT tires on it and bought EZ Flex suspension for it. Our last trip was another 300 miles round trip and no broken dishes, stuff stayed on the lazy susan??? and nothing moved around in the frig. I think the EZ Flex or something comparable is the answer to calming the basketball effect. I can see in the mirror the trailer no longer bounces like it was. That is also a 65-70 mph trailer. It is also advisable to travel heavy. I would say a full tank of fresh water but now I am afraid of that cause the tanks like to split. I usually have at least a half a tank of water on. I hate to say it but the suspension on these trailers is minimal at best. We love the rear kitchen layouts so installing the EZ Flex was not very expensive and you're gonna want LT tires anyways.

Flymutt · 04-01-2013, 06:02 AM

I'm not sure that I understand how the "fulcrum" thing would be worse than a kitchen centered over the wheels. When the nose of the Monty goes down, the rear goes up (duh!) but when that happens it's usually a soft bounce sort of action (I'm getting pretty technical here now

).
So in our mid-kitchen Monty the refrigerator is actually front of the wheels but we still need to block everything in so the sodas (or other beverages) don't explode when opened. We also get quite a bit of movement of dishes, etc. even with a mid-kitchen unit centered over the wheels. I think it's just one of those RVing things. Heck, I can't even figure out which toilet paper to use

mtheo · 04-01-2013, 06:57 AM

We have had two RK, DW loves the lay out of them. As for broken dishes, we have had a few. We moved the glass dishware to one if the side cabnits and just live with the rest. Wife still won't give up the trailer.

GreatWhite · 04-01-2013, 09:05 AM

Flymutt.. it's really a matter of multiplying what happens over the axle by that distance to the rear end. When you are on HORRIBLE Calif highways.. things get jostled quite a bit. Hit a bump and the front end stays pretty in place, tied by the hitch.. but the back end can bounce up quite a bit. I've seen it on bad roads.. watching others RV's.. which was the purpose of my post.. Didn't know if suspensions have changed in the years since I left towable and now.

Thanks for your comments.

GreatWhite · 04-01-2013, 09:17 AM

Flymutt.. it's really a matter of multiplying what happens over the axle by that distance to the rear end. When you are on HORRIBLE Calif highways.. things get jostled quite a bit. Hit a bump and the front end stays pretty in place, tied by the hitch.. but the back end can bounce up quite a bit. I've seen it on bad roads.. watching others RV's.. which was the purpose of my post.. Didn't know if suspensions have changed in the years since I left towable and now.

Thanks for your comments.

TLightning · 04-01-2013, 12:17 PM

All I can say is the back of any RV will give you the roughest ride.

The Weekenders · 04-01-2013, 12:29 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by DarMar

Something really strange happening here. There were several responses to this thread posted yeaterday and yet today it shows up new without a single response showing for March 31. April fools or what?????

Mine is gone as well.

Carole · 04-01-2013, 01:23 PM

We've had both rear and middle kitchens and like everyone above you have to pack for bouncing. I have found that it usually is the road that determines how much everything is bounced around. Just be especially careful when you open cabinet doors. I really don't want to scratch my counter tops. I also use the rubber "stuff" and expansion rods. Just pack well and enjoy.

southern thunder · 04-02-2013, 03:40 AM

We have not had any problems with our 3000 RK. But as said elsewhere we make sure all loose irems are secured before we travel.

TYR · 04-02-2013, 03:49 AM

We have a 2010 3585SA and really like the open feeling to the floor plan and especially the kitchen area, which provides great working space and does not feel cramped or claustrophobic.

In our 2+ years of full-timing, we have never had anything break, come loose, fall out of a cabinet, etc. We have a few Corelle dishes for everyday use and then a set of china (not the frilly kind but a Southwestern pattern, which is used frequently. Nary a one has broken when traveling. I attribute this to the fact that these are stored in the drawer under the oven/stove. Makes sense to have heavier items lower, they don't shift around and when the oven is on it acts as a nice plate warmer for meals!

We don't eat out much at all - maybe once every couple of months - so a truly usable kitchen area was a must. I can actually stand in front of the oven to see inside! I also did not want people to enter my rig and be immediately in my kitchen. This floor plan gives us the feeling of different "rooms" to the rig - kitchen, living, bath and bedroom - and, again, gives a very open feeling to the living area.

rgn · 04-03-2013, 05:58 PM

We have a 2005 3295 RK and love it. Mo problem. GO FOR IT

rphoward · 04-04-2013, 05:25 AM

We have a 2005 2950RK. We have traveled some rough roads in CA and elsewhere and have had no problems. As with any model RV, you have to be smart about how you pack the cupboards and make sure they are securely latched.

HOOK · 04-04-2013, 06:22 AM

We have had all types in our many years. Never had more than small problems. As a Montana sales person, I always tell folks that it is good to be handy and have some tools with you. Also, everytime you tow, the trlr goes through a small earthquake. Make sure your cabinet and drawer latches are aligned properly, they should latch easily and hold well. Tech should adjust to your satisfaction diring delivery. Place things with a little fore thought and all will be well. We have stimware, wine glasses, never had one break.

racerjoe · 04-04-2013, 06:58 AM

we have a 2950rk and have had no problems with it. The only thing we looked for was that the refrigerator was not in the rear. I think it has too much bounce in the rear for it to function long term. So we preferred it near the axles,which it is. I don't know why,nothing scientific, just think it is better for location.

Nono Geno · 04-06-2013, 07:04 PM

We also love our 3000RK. You learn quickly how to pack kitchen items so they don't break. I put the pots and pans in the drawer under the refer and the whole thing came apart. Now, with everything screwed, not stapled, everything is good again.
Now all I need is to get those pealing graphics off of my Trailer!!!!

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