Shakedown Trip Report

[Playhouse]

This isn't our first trip, but it feels like the first legitimate shakedown. (Previous trips include Tyler, TX to SoCal when we bought it and a short beach trip.)

We're in Williams, AZ for what was supposed to just be a three day weekend (Fri-Sun). Things have a way of not working out sometimes. On Sunday I got in the truck to take our adult kids into town and had something crazy happen: My shift level broke clear off the steering column and was just dangling by the wiring. Yesterday I had to call for a flatbed to tow it into Flagstaff for repairs. We've been adding additional nights and it's not a bad place to be stuck.

I'm retiring in January and work wasn't #1 on my mind when we packed for the trip, but I'm superstitious enough to always bring my work laptop. This turned out to be a godsend and this Montana has been a fantastic mobile office.

Our kids (+grandkid) left yesterday and my wife and I finally get some quiet time to play with some of the systems and figure things out.

Dining Table

Thanks to the tips from another post, we figured out how to extend the dining table to seat four. We hadn't used the two extra folding chairs yet, so that was a good test. The only complaint was that the two extra chairs were 50/50 on and off the floor of the slide, so they had to sit with a tilt. Not bad though.

Heated Tanks & HVAC

The nights have been in the 20s here, but we've been very toasty inside. The tank headers and furnace have kept everything from freezing.

I've never had a heat pump before. It blows out cool air at first, but the electric heat sure keeps it warm in here. I've been using the LP furnace at night to keep the basement warm enough for the plumbing. It's a little loud, but it beats freezing.

Sometimes it seems to have a mind of its own and even though it's set to electric heat, it runs the LP furnace sometimes too. I haven't figured this out yet.

It's still amusing to me that the thermostat is right next to the coffee pot and shuts off the heat while the coffee maker is warming that space. (First world problem)

Tanks

We had four adults (and four dogs) here for the first three nights plus one night with just the two of us. I'll finally dump the tanks later today. I'm pleasantly surprised how long the tank capacity lasted, especially since our kids took long enough showers to run out of hot water. (That's a first for me in 20+ years of RVing.)

Gateway Router

I took advantage of the prewired connection for the Winegard gateway and I'm glad I did. Although I'm not crazy about the slowish speeds of the LTE connection, it's been reliable enough for us to be able to stream content in the living room and bedroom. I installed Google Play devices on both TVs and they've worked great on our wifi. Yesterday I even worked online remotely all day while my wife watched movies.

TV & Entertainment Center

Montana spared a lot of expense when they equipped the coach with these Jensen TVs and components. I still haven't been able to figure out the entertainment center & speakers, but the TV works OK.

The remotes have more buttons than an accordion and the app that the documentation recommends won't connect to the entertainment center.

It's a low priority for me, but I'll probably replace these TVs before too long.

Rear View Cam

I see that it's prewired for a rear view cam. Has anyone here installed one? I'm curious to know how easy or hard this is to install and how well it works. What does the video display on in your truck?

Tires and Pressure

Our maiden trip from TX to CA was physically rough and a lot of things in the coach were damaged. The RV itself wasn't damaged, but the stuff in it was. I was surprised how sensitive it seemed to be, at least compared to our 45' toy hauler.

And then when I was checking the tires before the trip I realized that the recommended pressure is 110 PSI, which seemed really high to me. I'm thinking the rock hard 110 tires might have made the ride too rough. My compressor at home won't even do 110, so I only filled them to 95 before this trip. The contents seemed to be happier this time, so maybe that's the ticket. I hate to under-inflate them though.

General

This is our third RV and we're over the moon with this one. I don't think I could be more delighted.

We'll never be full-timers, but we'll probably spend 5-8 months on the road in 2025 after I retire in January.

What a great way to see our beautiful nation and an incredible way to spend time together with my wife & dogs and visiting friends & family.

Thanks again for all the patient & helpful replies from so many of you. I'm not new to RVing, but I'm still getting my legs under me with this wonderful new (to us) fifth-wheel.

Happy Trails,
Dave & Pam

[Mikendebbie]

Wow…good write-up Dave.

We replaced our extra chairs with some metal fold up chairs you probably saw your parents use for a bridge party or 42 party. Got them at an estate sale. The OEM chairs broke.

My unit came with an old low res Furrion camera and screen. It was terrible.
There is a small “RCA” jack inside to simply plug in your new camera. The mount to the back wall will come with your camera. Read the reviews and find a system that will broadcast a strong signal up and over your RV and connect to the monitor on your dash…about 55’. I bought a Visionworks and until they sent me a new stronger antenna with a more robust “coax” cable - it failed to stay connected. The new cable was 50’ long and I mounted the new antenna near the front cap. It works great now.

The general consensus as I read it here is that you are playing with fire to under-inflate the tires. Get a new compressor. The Viair is on my list for someday. I have a craftsman pancake compressor that I keep in the basement storage.

For TV sound - we use a Bose Solo sound bar. The OEM speakers work with the radio…we don’t use them for TV.

[Foldbak]

Originally Posted by Playhouse

This isn't our first trip, but it feels like the first legitimate shakedown. (Previous trips include Tyler, TX to SoCal when we bought it and a short beach trip.)

We're in Williams, AZ for what was supposed to just be a three day weekend (Fri-Sun). Things have a way of not working out sometimes. On Sunday I got in the truck to take our adult kids into town and had something crazy happen: My shift level broke clear off the steering column and was just dangling by the wiring. Yesterday I had to call for a flatbed to tow it into Flagstaff for repairs. We've been adding additional nights and it's not a bad place to be stuck.

I'm retiring in January and work wasn't #1 on my mind when we packed for the trip, but I'm superstitious enough to always bring my work laptop. This turned out to be a godsend and this Montana has been a fantastic mobile office.

Our kids (+grandkid) left yesterday and my wife and I finally get some quiet time to play with some of the systems and figure things out.

Dining Table

Thanks to the tips from another post, we figured out how to extend the dining table to seat four. We hadn't used the two extra folding chairs yet, so that was a good test. The only complaint was that the two extra chairs were 50/50 on and off the floor of the slide, so they had to sit with a tilt. Not bad though.

Heated Tanks & HVAC

The nights have been in the 20s here, but we've been very toasty inside. The tank headers and furnace have kept everything from freezing.

I've never had a heat pump before. It blows out cool air at first, but the electric heat sure keeps it warm in here. I've been using the LP furnace at night to keep the basement warm enough for the plumbing. It's a little loud, but it beats freezing.

Sometimes it seems to have a mind of its own and even though it's set to electric heat, it runs the LP furnace sometimes too. I haven't figured this out yet.

It's still amusing to me that the thermostat is right next to the coffee pot and shuts off the heat while the coffee maker is warming that space. (First world problem)

Tanks

We had four adults (and four dogs) here for the first three nights plus one night with just the two of us. I'll finally dump the tanks later today. I'm pleasantly surprised how long the tank capacity lasted, especially since our kids took long enough showers to run out of hot water. (That's a first for me in 20+ years of RVing.)

Gateway Router

I took advantage of the prewired connection for the Winegard gateway and I'm glad I did. Although I'm not crazy about the slowish speeds of the LTE connection, it's been reliable enough for us to be able to stream content in the living room and bedroom. I installed Google Play devices on both TVs and they've worked great on our wifi. Yesterday I even worked online remotely all day while my wife watched movies.

TV & Entertainment Center

Montana spared a lot of expense when they equipped the coach with these Jensen TVs and components. I still haven't been able to figure out the entertainment center & speakers, but the TV works OK.

The remotes have more buttons than an accordion and the app that the documentation recommends won't connect to the entertainment center.

It's a low priority for me, but I'll probably replace these TVs before too long.

Rear View Cam

I see that it's prewired for a rear view cam. Has anyone here installed one? I'm curious to know how easy or hard this is to install and how well it works. What does the video display on in your truck?

Tires and Pressure

Our maiden trip from TX to CA was physically rough and a lot of things in the coach were damaged. The RV itself wasn't damaged, but the stuff in it was. I was surprised how sensitive it seemed to be, at least compared to our 45' toy hauler.

And then when I was checking the tires before the trip I realized that the recommended pressure is 110 PSI, which seemed really high to me. I'm thinking the rock hard 110 tires might have made the ride too rough. My compressor at home won't even do 110, so I only filled them to 95 before this trip. The contents seemed to be happier this time, so maybe that's the ticket. I hate to under-inflate them though.

General

This is our third RV and we're over the moon with this one. I don't think I could be more delighted.

We'll never be full-timers, but we'll probably spend 5-8 months on the road in 2025 after I retire in January.

What a great way to see our beautiful nation and an incredible way to spend time together with my wife & dogs and visiting friends & family.

Thanks again for all the patient & helpful replies from so many of you. I'm not new to RVing, but I'm still getting my legs under me with this wonderful new (to us) fifth-wheel.

Happy Trails,
Dave & Pam

Glad you've had a good experience.

• I'm surprised your heat pump works below 40 degrees outside. Most are useless below 40 degrees. Your gas heat will come on even when set to electric when it's that cold outside. The heat pump just won't be enough. I keep my fireplace on all night which reduces the gas heat usage.
• I ditched the Winegard router and switched to starlink last week after having two winegard 1000's fail.
• I replaced the TV's with smart TV's and added a soundbar. I'm using the ARC output from the TV to the stereo and plugged the sound bar into the sub output. Sounds great. Plus I can still use the DVD player.
• Tries pressure should be at max cold rating of 110 psi. I bought a Maktia portable compressor. It uses the same batteries as all my other Maktia products. Don't under inflate your tires, you'll be replacing then early.

[Carl n Susan]

Sometimes it seems to have a mind of its own and even though it's set to electric heat, it runs the LP furnace sometimes too. I haven't figured this out yet.

I don't have a heat pump but I have read a lot of Posts from members who do. I think the heat pump will call for the furnace when it gets too cold for the heat pump to function effectively *AND/OR*when the inside temp is too far off from the desired temp set on the thermometer. The heat pump knows its limits and will ask for help.

....our kids took long enough showers to run out of hot water. (That's a first for me in 20+ years of RVing.)...

Yikes! 12 gal. of hot water allows for 4-5 showers before the tank is full. You definitely do not want to let any tank fill completely. A 2021 might have the new roto-moulded tanks and don't have the problem of popping the lid. But full tanks will try to find a way out and stress components.

Rear View Cam-

As Mikendebbie wrote, connecting a wireless camera is pretty easy. There will a power cable supplied. The big problem is finding a wireless system that will broadcast a *STRONG* signal the dash board receiver. I have tried three now, the last two had extended antennas that reached the front of the cap, and I still get drop out moving down the road. It does work if I am going slow as when backing into a spot. But otherwise is is just frustrating to see when you are passing someone and want to be sure you are clear. I have bought any expensive ones. Mine are cheap to mid-range.

If you are up to the effort, a hard wired install is the hot ticket. Rock solid signal with no delay. But it is a minor pain to run the cables. I did it on a couple of friends Montana but now my knees are shot and it is too much to get down and crawl under the RV.

Tires and Pressure

I don't remember the GVWR of a 3120 but I suspect it is close to 16,500. 91P.S.I. is too low IMO. I would use 105-110 temporarily until you weigh the each wheel and see what the actual load is. You can then adjust the P.S.I. according the tire vendors weight charts. But for many of use, 110 P.S.I. is what we use. A little rougher ride is less of a problem than a tire failure.

Great report on your first adventure.

[DutchmenSport]

I installed the Furrion 7 inch observation camera on my Montana myself. It was very easy to do and pairing with the monitor was not big deal either. Later, I added the 2 side cameras.

I am 50/50 on the Furrion. The thing I don't like about the Furrion is the fact that all 3 cameras do not display at the same time ... all the time. If you hit the screen for all 3 cameras, all 3 will display for about 20 seconds and then it flips back to your primary camera (which ever one you set as primary).

The other thing I don't like about the Furrion is the fact the camera itself has a fog on it, making the image fuzzy. There is a very, very easy fix for this, I just have not had the time or the "effort" to get it done.

But, on the good side, I've not had any issues with my Furrion system. My Fifth Wheel if 41.5 feet long and I've never lost the signal in the cab of the truck, never. My camera / monitor has a range of over 300 feet (and I've tested this, so it REALLY does have a 300 foot range).

I suppose there is one more little issue I do not like about the Furrion rear 7 inch observation camera and that is the fact, it's angled too low. I wish it was angled a little farther up, so I can see what's behind. After a distance of about 65-70 feet, the angle of the camera shows only the road right below. I wish it was angled so I could see the horizon from behind.

But, functionally, it works well and I've never had a problem.

[MandK]

Nice write up, sounds like your getting things figured out.
It sounds like your furnace is working as designed. My LP kicks on when the heat pump falls 5 degrees behind the set temperature on the thermostat when the t-stat is set on Heat-Elect.

As for the tires, below is a RVSEF weigh report on our ‘21 3121.
It contains the manufacturers tire load/pressure table for the OEM Sailun 235/80 R16 tires that were on our trailers out of the factory if you still have those, you may find it useful. The pencil scratchings on the report were made by the weigh specialist when he was explaining the results and his recommendations. Do your own research, but run 100-110 psi if you don’t know your actual tire loadings. The 3120/3121 is the smallest Montana of that era, probably almost impossible to load it to the GVWR of 16350. The tires have it easy imo as compared to the bigger models.

[RMcNeal]

I put in the 7" Furrion camera system for rear and sides. Honestly, the sides are mostly useless, but I have switched to them when backing into a tight spot or confirming a lane change on a curved road. The rear camera is a "nice to have". I can keep an eye out behind me and I've used it to back into sites when I can't see very well.
Tires should definitely be 110 psi cold. Low pressure will cause them to heat up more than normal and could lead to a blowout.
As for the heat pump, I'm currently in 13 degree weather in West Virginia. I'm running the heat pump, fireplace and 2 space heaters. I have remote thermometers in the underbelly at the rear and in the basement. Temps there remain above 42 degrees. I haven't even turned on the gas tanks. The heat pump will definitely work below 40 degrees and even below 20 degrees if you supplement it with electric heat the prevent it freezing up. Been doing it this way every hunting season for the past 7 years.
I've been in single digit temps and was able to keep the the underbelly above freezing and inside the rig above 60 degrees. Not totally comfortable, but when you're dressed to spend the day outside, 60 degrees is quite warm. We were on our 3rd year of ownership before I had to refill our 30 lb. cylinders.

[Daryles]

Heat pump. They only work down to about 40⁰F outside air temp. Newer model house heat pumps can heat down into the 20⁰F.

Put a sheet of Reflectex between the coffee pot and thermostat to reflect the coffee pot heat away.

We have a WeBoost to boost cell signal. Works great. We use it at the house too because we live way out in the boonies.

Rear view camera. Ive been looking for a Bluetooth camera. Not impressed with what is out there so far.

Water heater. For faster recovery you can turn on both gas and electric. An Oxygenics shower hear helps reduce water consumption.

Tire pressure. We have a Dewalt because i have Dewalt tools and they all use the same battery. This one goes to 120psi.
DEWALT 20V MAX Tire Inflator, Compact and Portable, Automatic Shut Off, LED Light, Bare Tool Only (DCC020IB) https://a.co/d/b56sEEg

Monte wrote an excellent article on TPMS.
We have an EZTire and it works when you get a blow out. Yes we had that experience. Our TPMS went off instantly.
EEZTire Tire Pressure Monitoring System E518 + 12 Anti Theft Sensor https://a.co/d/169sequ

Montes article
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...ad.php?t=89929

Use Gorilla tape to close up all openings in your frame. Stopping drafts will help keep you warm.

[Bourbon County]

That's a very thorough and well written synopsis. I can offer a couple of lessons I've learned.

TV:

If you're going to be camping in some remote places, or just to do a bit of futureproofing, I would recommend looking for a TV that has the ASTC 3.0 or "Nextgen" tuner. Samsung, Sony, and Hisense currently make some; ironically, LG who helped develop the format doesn't make a model with that tuner as of now. It's something to do with patent rights. This is an OTA broadcast format that will allow for 4K and eventually 8K OTA broadcasts. You can research this, but there aren't very many stations broadcasting in this format yet, and the ones that do seem to be mostly east of the MS river, and larger markets in the west. I recently bought an ASTC 3.0 tuner box that is external to the TV, and was amazed with it's performance. It does a good job of cleaning up fringe channels too. I believe this is the evolutionary next step for the "cord cutting" generation, and can be great for RVers too.

If your camper came equipped with an omnidirectional antenna, you might want to consider a directional model. You will have to take time to aim the directional, but the range is nearly doubled. There are a number of websites that allow you to type in your location and it will show you what channels are available, distance to transmitter, and compass direction for pointing. King and Winegard both make a low profile directional model. I'm looking hard at a Televes DiNova Boss antenna. It's a small directional model not really marketed for RVs, but is compact and light enough for an RV with a 60 mile range. I'm sure I'll have one on my rig next spring and will post my results then.

I liked your comment about sparing every expense on the OEM TVs. The same could be said about OEM mattresses.

HVAC:

Thermostats should be installed on an interior wall away from natural drafts and heating appliances which is sometimes impossible in an RV. I'm guessing that most everyone uses the short countertop directly inside the door for a coffee bar, which makes it doubly wrong, but where else would they mount it?

You apparently have the Coleman A/Cs/heat pump? I really like their algorithm that will default to heat pump but turn the furnace on if there's a big temperature differential. Heat pumps work best maintaining temperature with natural temperature drops between 1 and 2 degrees, not making up a large differential like when you first set up camp. I believe you'll come to like this feature once you get used to it. It would be great if they would make controls that would not only turn the furnace on but also turn the fireplace heater on too. This would require interfacing equipment from 2 different manufacturers and will likely never happen.

[Bourbon County]

I forgot to comment on the back-up camera. If you can splice 18ga wires, use a screwdriver, and a caulking gun you have the complete skill set for installation.

My Monty came with the Furrion camera and a monitor about the size of a phone screen which I found pretty useless. I recently bought and installed the Brandmotion system with a 7" monitor. The Brandmotion had the highest resolution screen of anything I looked at. There is a bit of signal lag, but much less than others. I went ahead and installed the side view cameras which are really good for lane changing and baking into a tight space. I really liked the versatility of their software; you can easily toggle to full screen for camera of your choice or several split screen options. I personally like the option that will allow me to have the rear camera in the top half of the screen and split the side views on the lower half. The rear camera has a built-in microphone that will allow a backing assistant to communicate with the driver. I have never had an issue with signal strength like some have reported with other makes. My rear camera ends up being about 50' from the monitor when hooked up. Like most systems; the side views, like most systems, are sold separately and can be added at any time if you deem necessary. You will have to stick with whatever brand you start with.

Wouldn't it be great if someone made a true Bluetooth camera that would allow you to use an iPad or tablet for a monitor? Another great improvement would be the ability to remotely change the angle of the rear camera. A longer angle is nice for highway, and a closer angle is better for backing.

[firestation12]

Try to protect the faux leather on the couches. If you are lucky you might get 5 years use before the top layers starts peeling off.

[Playhouse]

Originally Posted by firestation12

Try to protect the faux leather on the couches. If you are lucky you might get 5 years use before the top layers starts peeling off.

Yeah. Isn't that a shame. We've got two dogs and our track record has been about three years in our other RV (the toy hauler). It doesn't seem to matter whether it's a slow camping year or a busy one, but the sofas just self destruct after three years.

I hope you're right about getting five years out of these. They seem to be better quality.

[RMcNeal]

Here's hoping you have better luck than us. We made it about 5 months before the "pleather" started to disintegrate. Only sat on them about 4 very short times. Really sad!