2010 Montana 5th wheel frame problems

[truckerpops]

I purchased a 2010 Montana 3400RL new. I have towed it less than 3000 miles. I have experianced many major problems with it since I purchased it. Now I found that the frame has a major problem. The wall on the side of the front closet has been broken by the movement of the frame. I would like to know how many others have had this problem.

[MrVan]

iTravel wrote:

MrVan wrote:
We had frame welds break on our 2006 Montana 3400RL. First fix failed at one Camping World and the second fix has held at a second Camping World facility after getting Marcus Lemonis involved. The whole front cap has to come off and the whole front framing has to be reinforced and re-welded.

Which facility did you use? What was the cost? I am having the same issues with my Montana 3500RL

Camping World Mesa AZ fixed the problem at no cost to us. However, Marcus Lemonis, Camping World President/CEO, was heavily involved. We were to told that it cost $2400 which Camping World paid for but they intended to bill Keystone/Montana. I suspect that Keystone/Montana refused since the Camping World facility in Burlington, WA had already billed them to do the same fix which they didn't do. I would not trust the Camping World in Burlington, WA to affix a stamp to a letter. Totally unethical people and operation.

[larry_barnhart]

arkie_camper wrote:
We have a 2010 SOB and had the same problem. We took it back to the factory last spring and the front cap was removed, bedroom slide removed, etc. and "more metal" was installed by Lippert. Since then, we haven't had a problem. Contact Keystone and hopefully they'll step up and help make things right.

Mark

keystone did not step in when it was made, kinda makes ya think why not but money talks.

chevman

[iTravel]

So what was the outcome? I am having the same issues with the Montana Frame.

Old-Biscuit wrote:
This or similar is probably what you will find when you drop the overhang cover )one around pin box).........look at the screws that hold trim on, probably broken or pulled loose











Just do a goggle search RV Pin Box Failure and then click on Images.
LOTS and Lots of pix

[iTravel]

MrVan wrote:
We had frame welds break on our 2006 Montana 3400RL. First fix failed at one Camping World and the second fix has held at a second Camping World facility after getting Marcus Lemonis involved. The whole front cap has to come off and the whole front framing has to be reinforced and re-welded.

Which facility did you use? What was the cost? I am having the same issues with my Montana 3500RL

[kennethwooster]

I've had Lippert, where they needed to make a repair and only did half the job. When it failed again they would not fix it. As long as Keystone and Lippert get by with a relative small % of failures they will not fix the problem as long as we purchase them. I have quit buying anything with Lippert. Not say I won't have problems, but tired of Lippert and there part way of doing things.

[MrVan]

We had frame welds break on our 2006 Montana 3400RL. First fix failed at one Camping World and the second fix has held at a second Camping World facility after getting Marcus Lemonis involved. The whole front cap has to come off and the whole front framing has to be reinforced and re-welded.

[Mile_High]

Zero problems with my Montana, or even the one before that. Hmm, must have been a different Montana spec writer in the frame department that day :h

Or maybe the more realistic scenario - both welders showed up to work at Lippert that day 😉

[NC_Hauler]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:

Carl n Susan wrote:

truckerpops wrote:
I purchased a 2010 Montana 3400RL new. I have towed it less than 3000 miles. I have experianced many major problems with it since I purchased it. Now I found that the frame has a major problem. The wall on the side of the front closet has been broken by the movement of the frame. I would like to know how many others have had this problem.

It probably is not a frame failure despite all the Lippert bashers. Montana decided to use a very thin piece of vertical paneling for the closet wall. They then installed it tight to the floor. There is always some flexing of the frame and this flimsy setup cannot handle it. A common problem in Montanas. The Montana Owners Club forum (www.montanaowners.com) for more than you ever wanted to know about Montanas.

If it's a "common problem" with Montana's, which I find a little hard to believe that it's "common"...I'll steer clear of purchasing a Montana 5er......

NC after having your Presidential you would not be happy with a Montana. They really LOOK nice but it's skin deep. Of course JMHO!

Agree, after owning this 5er for 7 yrs, purchased new...it's rock solid, zero issues...it was definitely a quality made 5er....

[Cummins12V98]

NC Hauler wrote:

Carl n Susan wrote:

truckerpops wrote:
I purchased a 2010 Montana 3400RL new. I have towed it less than 3000 miles. I have experianced many major problems with it since I purchased it. Now I found that the frame has a major problem. The wall on the side of the front closet has been broken by the movement of the frame. I would like to know how many others have had this problem.

It probably is not a frame failure despite all the Lippert bashers. Montana decided to use a very thin piece of vertical paneling for the closet wall. They then installed it tight to the floor. There is always some flexing of the frame and this flimsy setup cannot handle it. A common problem in Montanas. The Montana Owners Club forum (www.montanaowners.com) for more than you ever wanted to know about Montanas.

If it's a "common problem" with Montana's, which I find a little hard to believe that it's "common"...I'll steer clear of purchasing a Montana 5er......

NC after having your Presidential you would not be happy with a Montana. They really LOOK nice but it's skin deep. Of course JMHO!

[The_Mad_Norsky]

ChopperBill wrote:

Water-Bug wrote:

The Mad Norsky wrote:
Travelnutz: good info to hear about. It's the very first Mobile Suites frame problem I have ever heard about.


Guess that really disproves the Mobile Suites/Lippert theory.

One incident doesn't prove or disprove any theory. It is an insignificant sample size, unless only three were built.

Beat me to it. How could even a theory about MS frames be made at all with one instance.

Guess some just don't read much here then.

In numerous, I repeat numerous discussions regarding Lippert frames over the last few years it was commonly mentioned by several different posters that Mobile Suites had a Lippert frame.

And that because of manufacturer standards the Lippert frames on Mobile Suites were not considered problematic. That is the theory I referred to. Not the one frame issue mentioned here alone.

[RedF-350]

NC Hauler wrote:

Carl n Susan wrote:

truckerpops wrote:
I purchased a 2010 Montana 3400RL new. I have towed it less than 3000 miles. I have experianced many major problems with it since I purchased it. Now I found that the frame has a major problem. The wall on the side of the front closet has been broken by the movement of the frame. I would like to know how many others have had this problem.

It probably is not a frame failure despite all the Lippert bashers. Montana decided to use a very thin piece of vertical paneling for the closet wall. They then installed it tight to the floor. There is always some flexing of the frame and this flimsy setup cannot handle it. A common problem in Montanas. The Montana Owners Club forum (www.montanaowners.com) for more than you ever wanted to know about Montanas.

If it's a "common problem" with Montana's, which I find a little hard to believe that it's "common"...I'll steer clear of purchasing a Montana 5er......

I can almost guarantee it's a common problem. The side panel is not rigid enough to hold itself up let alone any shelving. On top of that it is installed with staples. Very poor engineering IMO.

[NC_Hauler]

Carl n Susan wrote:

truckerpops wrote:
I purchased a 2010 Montana 3400RL new. I have towed it less than 3000 miles. I have experianced many major problems with it since I purchased it. Now I found that the frame has a major problem. The wall on the side of the front closet has been broken by the movement of the frame. I would like to know how many others have had this problem.

It probably is not a frame failure despite all the Lippert bashers. Montana decided to use a very thin piece of vertical paneling for the closet wall. They then installed it tight to the floor. There is always some flexing of the frame and this flimsy setup cannot handle it. A common problem in Montanas. The Montana Owners Club forum (www.montanaowners.com) for more than you ever wanted to know about Montanas.

If it's a "common problem" with Montana's, which I find a little hard to believe that it's "common"...I'll steer clear of purchasing a Montana 5er......

[Carl_n_Susan]

truckerpops wrote:
I purchased a 2010 Montana 3400RL new. I have towed it less than 3000 miles. I have experianced many major problems with it since I purchased it. Now I found that the frame has a major problem. The wall on the side of the front closet has been broken by the movement of the frame. I would like to know how many others have had this problem.

It probably is not a frame failure despite all the Lippert bashers. Montana decided to use a very thin piece of vertical paneling for the closet wall. They then installed it tight to the floor. There is always some flexing of the frame and this flimsy setup cannot handle it. A common problem in Montanas. The Montana Owners Club forum (www.montanaowners.com) for more than you ever wanted to know about Montanas.

[Cummins12V98]

This is what you get when people want to own a 38' RV and want to pull it with a 250/2500. There is only so much strength in these light weight huge rv's frames.