2016 Montana High country 370BR

JAbraham03 · 02-03-2016, 09:03 AM

Wondering if anyone has noticed their fenders on the units? I have called Keystone and waiting on a response to whether the fenders are supposed to stick out or not where two slides come together. Tech support at Keystone seemed like they didn't think they are supposed to. Didn't think much about it when picking it up at the dealer until several screws came loose and fell out on the way home. Don't want them to rip off.

If they are supposed to be that way I may silicone them to secure them better.

Lkha · 02-03-2016, 10:01 AM

Our fuzion started to do the same thing going to have them check slide adjustment

JAbraham03 · 02-03-2016, 10:53 AM

Unfortunately slides are all the way in. If this is the way it is supposed to be then I may make the center part that isnt on a slide stand off so they all go flush upon shutting the slide.

cw3jason · 02-03-2016, 12:35 PM

the fender on the slide will not be flush with the one on the skirt. The slide sticks out slightly and so will the fender. this is normal

as for the screws. use these

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Crown-Bol...3138/100338662

**sourdough** · 02-03-2016, 01:55 PM

That's the way they are supposed to be, unfortunately. My 2014 Cougar High Country look almost identical, and, they do cause a lot of problems due to vibration if you don't do something. I had to have mine replaced 3 times under warranty because they just kept coming loose or disappearing on the road.

The fix is really simple. The part of the fender that sticks out also acts like a big funnel for wind when driving down the road. If yours is like mine, and it appears to be, the inlet is unsupported (except for a screw) and the wind will vibrate the plastic so hard that the factory screws will never stay. I fabricated a piece of aluminum to fit inside the "mouth" of the fender that attached to the fender and to the side of the slide to prevent any vibration from beginning at the front of the fender. I pulled all the factory screws, installed finishing washers under them to spread out the pressure on the factory fender then screwed them into 8x32 speed nuts. No more problems, even on a round trip to FL from TX. This is a design flaw in my opinion but they have used it on lots of trailers and lots of folks have had to get creative to remedy the problem. Good luck.

gearhead · 02-03-2016, 04:03 PM

It was designed that way on purpose. After many hours in the wind tunnel Thor designed the fender skirt to direct air under the trailer to lessen the negative air pressure effect under and behind the trailer. I talked to the engineer that did the study and he said you will increase your mileage by 0.001%. ahem
Yes, it's pretty ugly.
I need to do what Sourdough suggests.
Hey Sourdough what are you calling "speednuts" , are you talking about nylon locking nuts?

JAbraham03 · 02-03-2016, 05:32 PM

I didn't think of those, was thinking locktite or silicone or even a regular nut but those may work too. Thanks for the idea!

I was thinking I would need to close the front of them. I figured that was the way they are supposed to be was just hoping their design team would have taken looks into consideration when the slides are closed. Other than that I am happy with it so far, other than the mass amount of loose/missing screws on the outside so far. One actually wasn't even into the trailer frame on the bottom, just a nick where the drill bit went through the skirt and skipped off the frame. I will be re-drilling that and correcting it.

Excited to get it out and put it through the paces.

**sourdough** · 02-03-2016, 05:46 PM

Check the skirting. Both front skirt panels on mine ended up flopping in the wind. Upon inspection I found that the metal strip and screws used to attach the skirting just below the fiberglass had missed most of the top of the skirt. I had to pull it down, readjust it, drill new holes, attach with new screws and fabricate new skirting supports to make them stronger.

I've tried Loctite and silicone both on the screws - not a good solution for me. Regular nuts aren't meant for the self tapping threads on the Roberts screws used all over the trailer. The speed nuts are perfect. When attached properly the tension from the nut holds the screw just fine.

**chuckster57** · 04-21-2016, 05:15 AM

The 120VAC is for the heating element. Can't say I've ever seen a factory installed fan that wasn't 12VDC.

gearhead · 04-21-2016, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

The 120VAC is for the heating element. Can't say I've ever seen a factory installed fan that wasn't 12VDC.

I just pulled the vent covers off. I didn't see a 120 volt outlet. Must have been thinking of the ex Cougar. My logic was: I believe the most help is needed when on 120v, and why not use the CG power. But 12v it will be.

**JRTJH** · 04-21-2016, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gearhead

I just pulled the vent covers off. I didn't see a 120 volt outlet. Must have been thinking of the ex Cougar. My logic was: I believe the most help is needed when on 120v, and why not use the CG power. But 12v it will be.

Gearhead,

In reality, when you're plugged into CG power, your converter is providing the 12 VDC to operate the fan, so you're using CG power to run the 12 VDC fan.
I know that's a "does it really matter" response to your comment, but essentially "everything electrical" runs off the converter/breaker panel when plugged into CG or home power. (propane appliances excluded, of course)...

gearhead · 04-21-2016, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Gearhead,

In reality, when you're plugged into CG power, your converter is providing the 12 VDC to operate the fan, so you're using CG power to run the 12 VDC fan.
I know that's a "does it really matter" response to your comment, but essentially "everything electrical" runs off the converter/breaker panel when plugged into CG or home power. (propane appliances excluded, of course)...

Yeah, but what is it doing when I'm boondocking? I realize it is just .25 amp DC, but it's another draw on the battery when the fridge is running on propane and doesn't seem to need the fan. With 120v it would run all the time I was plugged in, and need it the most, and I wouldn't care.
I bought a 12vDC fan and a switch from Amazon today. I'm not going to tear the 5th apart to find the 120v supply. Next: to find a "hot when on" 12vDC source to power the fan. Or, am I mistaken that there is no 120vAC to the fridge? Maybe I'm just "thinking" I saw a 120vAC outlet behind the Cougar fridge.
That's a future mod, bigger fish to fry right now.... this slide jerking issue is about to have me pulling my hair out.

gearhead · 04-21-2016, 03:17 PM

After I worked on the jerking slide I got myself a refreshing adult beverage and decided..it's still daylight, it's not raining, and I don't want to go in the house. So I took the lower vent cover off the fridge and looked around. Spotted the 120v outlet...way back there. No way I could even touch it much less plug a fan in it. Actually there was so much other stuff between me and the outlet that I couldn't tell if there was an open plug there.
Oh well.

**chuckster57** · 04-22-2016, 06:36 AM

12VDC is available at the bottom of the refer where the control board is.

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