1st 5er, Montana 3941FO

[4mcqueens]

Greetings all!

After a few years of playing around with TT's, we're picking up our 1st 5er this Saturday (barring any issues that weren't fixed properly when we did a preliminary walk-through a bit ago). This has been about a year's journey shopping around and walking lots of floor plans and brands. Finally settled on the Montana 3941FO (name pending). The "Front Office" will work nicely when we make the move to full-timing in about 2 years and I'll be working from the road.

And since it's a popular follow-up question, the TV is a 2022 F350 Lariat DRW 6.7 Diesel (5th wheel prep, airbags, Curt A20 hitch) we've dubbed "Rocinante". Can't wait to continue the adventure.

A HUGE thank you to so many of the community who have provided some excellent input and advice on our research and shopping process. I'm sure there will be plenty more questions once we start turning wheels, hopefully I can share some knowledge back as well.

[MandK]

Welcome, and enjoy that new 5er !

[Foldbak]

Welcome to the MOC

[mlh]

Welcome to MOC. Enjoy your new fiver and full time in a couple of years.
Lynwood

[ScottnSue]

Congratulations on the new camper. That thing is huge. I like the front office. That would be nice for someone who will work remotely.
I looked up the specifications and was surprised the payload capacity is only 1,525 lbs. Might want to keep on eye on what all you load up.

[1retired06]

Welcome to the MOC and congrats on the new rig.

[4mcqueens]

Originally Posted by ScottnSue

Congratulations on the new camper. That thing is huge. I like the front office. That would be nice for someone who will work remotely.
I looked up the specifications and was surprised the payload capacity is only 1,525 lbs. Might want to keep on eye on what all you load up.

Yea, that's one of the watch points we have. I'd have liked another 1000#, but it's what we have to work with. I'm hoping I can keep some of the heavier stuff (tools and such) on the truck to help with that.

[Sparatacus]

Welcome to MOC, very nice setup you have and congrats we would love to see your setup.

[DutchmenSport]

Welcome to the forums. Congrats on getting your new Montana. This is the first time I hearing about the "Front Office" model, so of course I had to look it up. Well, my favorite YouTube guy has a video on it. To my surprise, it's a 36 minute long video. He covers a LOT of stuff in that video That's a very impressive model. Enjoy and happy camping!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36lpLbVSM28

[Sparatacus]

I had to pull it up also I like that floor plan and I know my wife would love it also.

[Djgrimaldi]

Congratulations

[4mcqueens]

Well, we picked up "Destiny" on Saturday and have been playing with some of the goodies over the weekend. First stop was a CAT scale to check weight on the empty rig and figure out what our starting point is for loading.

A couple of observations:

• She tows nicely and seems to be well behaved. (Dry and sunny with barely a breeze, but it's a good start)
• I'm glad I went with the dually (I think DW will be as well when she takes a try behind the wheel)
• The 6.7 Diesel took the extra 15K like a champ. Bring on the hills

[Foldbak]

Congrats! She's a beautiful beast!

[Sparatacus]

Originally Posted by 4mcqueens

Well, we picked up "Destiny" on Saturday and have been playing with some of the goodies over the weekend. First stop was a CAT scale to check weight on the empty rig and figure out what our starting point is for loading.

A couple of observations:

• She tows nicely and seems to be well behaved. (Dry and sunny with barely a breeze, but it's a good start)
• I'm glad I went with the dually (I think DW will be as well when she takes a try behind the wheel)
• The 6.7 Diesel took the extra 15K like a champ. Bring on the hills

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Wow, what a setup it's too bad that summer is pretty much gone for now but when I come back I know that you will be out there unless you can find some good weather between now and when it snows or get below. We are hoping to go out one more time, since the weather here in the PNW is not too bad.

I wanted to ask what kind of air bags did you go with?

[4mcqueens]

Sorry for the delay. I have the Ride-Rite kit

[Sparatacus]

Originally Posted by 4mcqueens

Sorry for the delay. I have the Ride-Rite kit

Okay thank you sir, I was thinking about putting airbag on my dually, my pin weight is only 3200 lbs so for now that is nothing for my dually but now we are planning on going bigger later to a 40'+ long then I might rethink airbag.

The DW saw yours and she loves it and soon will go and look at one, but our focus now is to pay our home off. So what do you think that your pin weight on that?

[4mcqueens]

I ended up working out a spreadsheet that can figure that all out. Empty my rig weights 15100#. Pin weight is just under 3k. (About 23.5%). I expect that percentage to possibly go down as most of our build storage is rearward of the trailer axels.
From what I understand the bags don’t alter the GVWR at all but I use the bags to help ensure my truck sits more or less level once it drop the 3000# on the rear and helps keep the nose from pitching up.

[Sparatacus]

Originally Posted by 4mcqueens

I ended up working out a spreadsheet that can figure that all out. Empty my rig weights 15100#. Pin weight is just under 3k. (About 23.5%). I expect that percentage to possibly go down as most of our build storage is rearward of the trailer axels.
From what I understand the bags don’t alter the GVWR at all but I use the bags to help ensure my truck sits more or less level once it drop the 3000# on the rear and helps keep the nose from pitching up.

Thank you sir for that, you most definitely have the right truck for that beast.

[4mcqueens]

Thanks. I was a bit worried about how it would feel having never pulled a 5th wheel before. We did a lot of research and asking around and so far I’m very happy with my pick.

[Sparatacus]

Originally Posted by 4mcqueens

Thanks. I was a bit worried about how it would feel having never pulled a 5th wheel before. We did a lot of research and asking around and so far I’m very happy with my pick.

Great, and unlike many here and around before we got the right match for our setup we went through many trucks and 5th wheel, some people start out buying a 3/4 ton truck hoping it would pull their 16,000lbs+ rig and though it can pull it, it's not a good match for that setup. We will get one some day but we are going to enjoy what we have and look at it again later, be safe.