3100RL

[pokypa]

Looking at a 2014 Montana 3100RL. Those of you that have this model how to you store the moveable island for travel. Looks like it could be difficult to keep it in place for travel. Are there any problems with the 3100RL that I should know. The dealer is going to install G rated tires which I requested. Thanks for any info on this unit.

 

[cjohnson2909]

We have owned one since Feb 2011, love the floor plan and layout. The only problem we have encountered is there is no access when traveling to the kitchen and living/dining areas, without opening slide or crawling across counter. We have learned to live with it! 2011 did not come with moveable Island. We just added a shelf on hinges for more counter space. We added 2nd AC (13.5K) in bedroom, does make a difference. However in hindsight,I would have made it the penguin model.
Shorter in height. (we are 13' 5") with normal AC and G614 tires. We also replaced the small bath fan with a fantastic fan as part of our purchase.
Good luck and enjoy!!

 

[Bill&Lizanne]

Hi neighbor, we move the island between the reclining chairs with the seats facing each other and put a pillow by the back window. We traveled all the to Florida and it didn't move at all, including a very hard panic stop in Jacksonville.

 

[bullroc3]

We ride the island between the two recliners the same as Bill but we we face the seats of the recliners outward and the island rests between the backs. We use the covers supplied by Keystone on the leather recliners to prevent any marks. We also replaced the small table with one that is about 12 inches square and two tiers high. It takes up less room between the recliners when we are parked.

 

[Jlb27537]

We considered the 3100 floor plan. We wanted a walk thru bath, a kitchen that was usable with all the slides in and did not like the shallow slide the couch is in. It sticks out and is in the way of the recliner on the left side. We felt the dinette area blocked the view of the TV from the recliners.

So we bought a 3150RL and like the "divider" the kitchen counter provides. The couch slide is deep enough the couch does not stick out, the TV is not blocked by anything, and we just like the open walk thru bath. The 3150RL is actually 7" shorter but to us feels larger.

So far we are enjoying our 2014 3150RL floorplan.

What ever you buy, get the 2nd air, the 6 point jacks.

Jim

 

[jswharton]

We decided to just remove the island, makes it very open. We don't miss the counter or storage space. Really enjoy the floor plan! Enjoy and have fun.

 

[chieflawdawg]

We bought a 2013 3100rl and have the same question about the island. We have travelled with it between the recliners, between the dinette and the sofa and recently we moved the two dinette chairs and put it in the slide between the table and the wall. None of them make my DW feel comfortable while travelling, but have had no trouble in any of the places. One of the salesmen told us to put on the kitchen floor between the fridge and the fireplace and lock the wheels, that it would not move. Haven't gotten that brave yet. Afraid that it might fall into the fireplace. Wish that they would have made the island a few inches less wide so it would have been even with the kitchen counter to make it look like a full L-shape. I agree with Jim, the sofa slide should have been about 6" deeper and the sofa and recliner wouldn't touch. As Hook told me before we bought it, "It is a little Cozy". But we love the double fridge, 2nd a/c, king bed and of course the six point level-up. We replaced the heat registers with some nice oil rubbed bronze ones from Lowe's to make it look more elegant. We had the split bath in our last Monte, but we love the all-in-one that the 3100 has. We have looked at all of the models and haven't found the perfect one yet. All have something that we would change about them. It is a great little 5er though. We are fixing to change out the lights to LEDs. The size (35'9") and weight is a strong point also. My DW was worried about lack of storage, but after we loaded everything up, we still had empty cabinets. The looks can be deceptive. We have been pleased so far. Good luck with which ever you choose.

 

[PackerFan-MOC]

We did not get the rolling cabinet with our 2012. Didn't even know it was available until I read about it here at MOC. We are glad we don't have it, one more thing to store while traveling. We love the floor plan and are full timing in it now for the last 8 months and have been very comfortable! The open floor plan is what sold us along with the full bathroom (a lot more private than the split design we feel).

Only changes/additions we would make would be adding the hydraulic level-up system and adding 2nd A/C.

 

[BusyC]

We have the 2013 3100RL and we travel with rolling cabinet, that we affectionately call the 'battering ram' right beside the kitchen counter between the refrigerator and the fireplace. I have a mark on the vent on the floor so I know exactly where to place it and then I lock the wheels. I have a pool noodle cut in half and sliced length wise on the edge that is towards the front of the 5th wheel. We have traveled on severely poor winter roads from Billings Montana to Quartzsite Arizona and it didn't budge and inch. Some of the potholes we hit were significant so I trust that it is not going to move. One key note, it MUST be closer to the fridge than the dining room slide because the dining room slide comes in further and the carpet will curl up underneath it. If you want pictures let me know. I don't put it between the recliners because I do not want to roll it onto the carpet as it is heavy and I don't want dents in my carpet.

Hope that helps! As for the unit itself we LOVE it!!! We love that the bathroom is all in one, the only absolute requirement that we had. We love the fact that the bathroom is fully accessible while on the road and we have slept in it with none of the pop outs out when we knew we were going to get on the road early the next day. As for not being able to access things that is a very minor inconvenient. We seriously considered the 3150RL but did not like that the sink was in our bedroom, and that the toilet and shower were separate. Other than that we liked that floorplan too. Too each his own! Have fun choosing the rig that suits your needs best!

 

[Carl n Susan]

Here is a link to an earlier discussion on the 3100RL and the rolling counter storage issue.
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50570&SearchTerms=3100

 

[bullroc3]

"One of the salesmen told us to put on the kitchen floor between the fridge and the fireplace and lock the wheels, that it would not move. Haven't gotten that brave yet."

Please don't try this. We rode our island here from the dealer's lot to home, about 100 miles. When we arrived home, we found the glass in the fireplace was smashed out. Only culprit was the island. The dealer is replacing the glass.

 

[chieflawdawg]

I agree...There is just too much rocking going on to trust it sitting there. DW wants to know if it is too heavy to ride in the slide out, if it will cause damage or not. We move two chairs out, put it between the table and window, put the insulated vent covers between it and the wall, and cover it with a thick comfortor. It has not been a problem so far.

 

[chieflawdawg]

Here is the link to my photobucket album slide show on how we store and travel with the island. Hope you can see it. http://s1238.photobucket.com/user/chieflawdawg/slideshow/Montana 3100

 

[farmall130]

We just got a new 3100. I asked before on here about storing it, and did not like putting it between the recliners. So, I remove the two dining chairs on the TV side and put it against the table with pieces of carpet on the corners between it and the table. I bought two wide luggage straps and we cinch it to the table with these. Then I turn the recliners around with their backs facing outward and turn the two dining chairs upside down in the recliner seats. I strap across them both with the recliner straps. we have two couch pillows and I put them down between the chairs for good measure. Seems to work fine. I put the coffee table in the closet. One thing I don't like is that the recliners are very close to the slide for the couch, so you have to be sure you have them back far enough so the slide fascia won't hit them. We are on our first trip, I love the floor plan and with the slide selector switches you can only open the dining slide a little and get to the refrigerator just fine. I got the 2nd A/C, auto level, 2nd TV and slide toppers. We had terrible luck with a Forest River, awful build quality, and we are really happy with this unit.

 

[cargary2]

Hi,
We have the (2013) 3100rl and for the most part, we have not found many negatives to date. I do agree that the sofa slide should be at least 4 inches deeper, to allow clearance between chair and the corner of the couch. This is not a big deal, but the extra space would have been preferable.
The only other issue that I don't care for is the placement of the breaker box. Mine is located in back of the chairs below the rear window. I would prefer it to be located near the entrance door somewhere, as I don't like wrestling with the chairs or crawling on the floor to get to check a fuse, etc.
As for the moveable island - in transit, we remove the 2 dinette chairs and place them on the sofa and then place the island between the tv cabinet and the dinette table with a movers blanket/quilt over it to prevent any potential damage to it or to the adjacent items and then lock all 4 wheels. So far, it has not been a problem and has stayed in place for us.
That's about it as for the negatives. Other than that, we like our unit and if we had it to do again, we would choose the same unit.
Hope this helps and good luck on your selection.
Cargary

 

[chieflawdawg]

Our breaker box is just as you come in the door on the cabinet under the sink. It is a 2013 model also.

 

[cargary2]

I wonder why the difference in location for the same model and same year of production. We bought ours in April of this year...what month did you buy yours? Unless they (KEYSTONE)found out something negative about one of the locations, it really doesn't make much since changing the location in the same production year....or am I missing something.
Cargary

 

[Carole-MOC]

Steve and Carla, we have the same little end table that you have and did previously travel with it where you have yours. Recently, we were letting out the slides and the drawer on the end table came out while traveling and caught behind the slide and pryed the wooden trim around the slide partially off but luckily didnt break it. We couldn't see the table before letting the slides out. I don't feel comfortable with it back there now. Possibly could turn it around or even up side down and it would be ok. Just thought I would mention it.

 

[jswharton]

Ours was built in May 2012 and is in the kitchen cabinet by the door. Could be a problem with a kitchen sink leak or the cost of wire?

 

[chieflawdawg]

Ours was May of 2012 also. Thanks for the advice Carole. Carla puts a blanket over the table so the drawer won't open. Just didn't have it covered for the pic. Sorry.