Trip report big sky

[hunts800]

Having just returned from a 6000 mile trip across the US and back -I am amazed I don't see parts of the trailer flying onto the roadway and don't find the couch upstairs in the bedroom given the miserable condition of our highways and especially the interstates.

On these roads I think we should replace all screws and staples with 3 inch lag screws!

 

[DQDick]

I agree, the I've driven on better gravel roads than some of the interstates we've been on lately. We use a 90degree adapter on our power cord and have avoided having wire problems so far.

 

[richfaa]

The small minor problems should be posted as to what they were and how they were corrected. This will help others to avoid the problem. You could call the staples pulling out of the wall minor. the Ardmore shelves collapsing as a result minor. However that knowledge might be of help to others in perhaps replacing the staples with screws. The reporting of these minor issues helped me a lot in preventing problems by applying the fix suggested.

 

[richfaa]

BTW The standard 50 amp replacement cord is 172.99 at C.W/the ones that irlguy and bingo refer to are several hundred $$ and if this one was not repairable I was going to spring for one..

 

[FL-Joe]

I don't have a new unit, but even our used 3400 has had a couple pieces of interior trim start to work loose. I am convinced it is the result of Keystone using trim staples to attach their interior trim. There is some expansion/contraction in these units plus the banging down the road issues, staples are not going to hold in most applications. When I see a piece of trim starting to pull out inside my unit I use a clear silicone (OSI brand) to reattach it. If you get the correct silicone product it acts like a glue but you can still pull the pieces apart later without damaging them if you need to. I just didn't want to start using screws on my interior trim because of what it would look like. The smallest screws you could use would be some type of "trim screw" but even they would still show IMHO.

 

[richfaa]

Screws will not show in the closet holding the Ardmore shelves together and the panel to the wall. I do agree about using them where they will show.

 

[bigred715]

I also bought a 90 degree adapter on E-Bay for $35 and had to rotate the receptacle on back of trailer to get it to hang properly. Too much pressure on 50 amp lead just hanging straight out.

 

[richfaa]

Same here bigred. It was a easy thing to do. Chances are your OEM 50 amp cord will sooner or later depending on use pull apart.

 

[Overlord]

Doesn't anybody make a 50 amp female 90* locking repair plug to fix a cord that has had the standard female end damaged from the stress of sticking straight out of the Montana? I have not been able to find anything like that.

It doesn't do much good to use the Camco 55572 50A locking female/50A male dog-bone adapter (pictured below) to reduce stress on it if the Anaconda is already starting to pull out of the original female plug end.

 

[richfaa]

You are correct. We purchased one about a month ago but our wires were already pulling out of the plug. The plug is now repaired and the dog bone will prevent another failure. We had to redo the plug on our 06 3400 twice.

 

[oldelmer1]

Overlord,

You should be able to open up your Anaconda female end and put all the wires back together. Mine pulled out and when I opened it up, the ground(green) was not connected at all.

Its very easy to put the wires back where the belong.

 

[bobbecky]

We too have a bulged panel on the wall next to the stove, where the propane detector is. Will fix that when we get by our storage unit to retrieve the oscillating saw, will trim the top of panel and nail back with finish nails. The panel in the wardrobe closet is also detached, cheap staples, and will fix that with glue and finish nails. Also have already replaced the toilet pedal that blew off one night when DW went to flush it. But, even with all these little inconveniences, the rig is holding up quite well during our first 13 months fulltiming. I'm sure there will be other things as time goes on, but this is a much better way to live and travel our beautiful country than having to stay in hotels. I did find a right angle adapter that will soon be a part of our unit, http://www.makariosrv.com/50-amp-90-degree-right-angle-adapter-1rpc50rv/

 

[richfaa]

Well Bob we had the very same problems, exactly.. What a coincidence. Isolated incidents I am sure. It has not stopped. Helen was scrubbing the kitchen floor and noted that the left side of the kitchen slide was gouging the floor That would be right where the bulged and popped wall panel next to the
stove is.

Here is a bit of good news ... a non keystone Montana problem. Our Splendide 2100 after 7 years of perfect service puked tonite. It has been in two Montana's used hard and operated perfectly. Lucky it does not hold much water but most of what it held was all over the kitchen floor. The pantry door is off and on the floor and the Splendide is out of the pantry and in the middle of the kitchen. Will call Splendide service in the AM. Like I said..It just gets better and better.

Will all who have these build quality problems please advise Keystone service center. If we do not tell them they will never know and keep doing the same thing over and over. They do respond to our concerns in fact they want to hear them.

 

[ray fischer]

Rich, I remember your meltdown in 2007 or so. I was frustrated with the quality of my 2005 Mountaineer which was falling apart driving I10 on way to Texas. My problems were minor compared to yours, but I was loosing confidence. After screwing everything back together with Deck Mate screws and adding some mods, It has held up so well, I'm afraid to let it go. Of course, I don't live in it like you do, so long term creature comforts are not as important to me. You are such an asset to the MOC, you deserve better. I hope Keystone wakes up. Good luck & God Bless, Ray

 

[richfaa]

We were considering keeping the 06 3400 as we had all the poor quality build items corrected and the IS system installed. We figured we needed new graphics. We were dazzled by the upgrades in the new 2013 models and thought that maybe the quality had improved.. We should have kept the 06. This Big Sky is pretty but thus far a big disappointment to us. We are reevaluating our lifestyle. Purchasing a single wide here in Florida is looking better and better.

 

[ray fischer]

Yea, but staying in a motel on the way down & wondering who was in that bed before you, no way. LOL

 

[richfaa]

the Splendide problem is corrected.

Update.maybe .maybe not. We spoke to Splendide and the tech said this year and model are bullet proof so if it leaks we must have a hose leak somewhere and we should hook it up and see where it leaks. We did and it did not leak anywhere, worked perfect. Hummmmm. We called the service center and asked them if the W/D drain was straight through or did it drain into a holding tank?? Service center tech said it drained into the grey tank. However there is a red tag in the W/D closet that says the W/D DOES NOT drain into a holding tank.
So what the??? We will now determine where the W/D drains???? and we still do not now why it leaked..

 

[Deets]

Hey Rich - just be glad you've left beautiful OH! My son and his wife live on the east side of Cleveland and they had a nice amount of snow this morning!! Sleeting right now here in Mansfield as I type!

 

[richfaa]

Number three son sent us pictures of the snow...Glad we left in time.. BTW..The W/D drains straight through at least on this particular 3402 built on this particular date.

 

[richfaa]

Three fender screws missing two of the right side one on the left side. One on the leading edge of the fender blew the hole out will need bigger screw head. My fault as on the 06 we replaced all the fender screws with machine screws and nuts so they would not fall out. Another isolated incident.