How does your slide work?

clev wrote:

2-MTnesters wrote:

clev wrote:
This sounds to me like a company that doesn't want to spend the bucks to install a large amperage converter. It's incredulous that owners of upper level RV's would tolerate the inconvenience of weak or dead batteries when plugged into shore power.

Not sure why the attitude against The Montana line of campers but whatever....All of us owners don't have to tolerate weak or dead batteries. Some of us maintain our equipment as it should be. Batteries DO have a shelf life and DO need to be properly maintained. Even a maintenance free battery is not truly maintenance free. Did the RV sit with battery connected and not plugged into shore power thus allowing the battery to drain due to parasitic draw? The life of a battery is drastically decreased if allowed to decline to a completely dead state. My current 5th wheel is going on 5yrs old and still has the original battery, my previous 5th wheel was 5yrs old when traded and it too had the original battery. Never a problem with battery on either unit. Also earlier you mentioned the camper suffers from delamination. Has your BIL ever checked the caulking or re-caulked the camper? This too is part of the normal maintenance on these units. If the caulking is bad then that's an invitation for water to penetrate the walls and result in delamination which can happen to any brand. Proper maintenance and knowledge of systems goes a long way....Tim

Tim, I don't have an attitude and don't need lessons in RV maintenance. My Holiday is a '94 and is one of the first to have a slide. It stays garaged when not in use, has been upgraded many times inside and out, to include replacing the 5000 pound axles with 15 inch wheels to 7000 pound axles with 16's, and mor-ryde; It has a 10 inch tall frame that can carry the weight. My trailer looks new, inside and out. OBTW, my two batteries are Optima Yellow tops which I installed in Feb., 2007, and most of my camping is dry. My last camping trip in December got full service out the batteries, no problems. My only point is that $h!t happens, batteries do have a life, get weak and die. But when? Who knows? That can happen at any time. When it does, I like having the opportunity of being able to plug in, or crank up the generator, and operate the slides. For me, personally, if I were in the market for a new RV, I'd have to look around for one that has the capability of using batteries or converter for the slides.

clev, My comments were not directed to your rig or the way you maintain it, it is my understanding that the original post was concerning your BIL's Montana was it not? The post was pertaining to his batteries, his hydraulic slides, the delamination of his camper walls and the lack of insulation in the floor. My comments were questioning HIS maintenance and upkeep of HIS camper. Has HIS batteries run completely dead? Has HE maintained his camper as it should be? These are the things that will determine the reliability and longevity of HIS Montana not your Holiday. No disrespect was intended, not everyone has the knowledge and experience on how to maintain their RV. Some people have the misconception that you buy it, camp in it and park it when not in use without performing the necessary preventative maintenance and expect it give years of reliable service and that's unfortunate because when this is the case and things go wrong then inevitably failures are blamed on shoddy workmanship or cheap parts or poor construction methods. One would think that when we spend the money that we do on these campers they would be maintained as they should be but that's often not the case. Also, not sure why your BIL's Montana has no batted insulation in the floor but my 2010 Montana has the heat reflective astro-foil and the R21 batted fiberglass insulation and by looking at archived brochure of his model year it should as well. Tim