All Activity

Appreciate the advice. I built the two airplanes in my profile picture, so I am hopeful I have the skills and tools to do this job. 😉Would prefer to have a service manual but it sounds like those are top secret need to know only and reserved for the few Truma service centers. I think the warranty is long expired. My plan B is to have Truma replace this one with a remanufactured unit. They stated they won’t replace the burner only even at my expense. Not the most customer friendly company I have dealt with.

Yes, I upgraded mine about 6 years ago. The 2017’s came with 5/16 curly cables that were difficult to connect and connected to the tongue with 3/8 bolts and thin fender washers. This setup would have never held in a disconnected trailer situation. I used 3/8 grade 7 chains and equivalent hooks. The chain is attached to the trailer tongue with 1/2 inch grade 8 bolts. I don’t think this arrangement will fail. Years ago I did some research into trailer safety chains for a monthly newsletter that I was doing for an antique farm equipment collectors club. Basically, you are legally responsible for your trailer including if it becomes disconnected from your tow vehicle and causes property damage and/or injury or death. Some folks say that if there is an accident that they would rather have the trailer break free and not be close to their tow vehicle. This is completely wrong.

Doing ones own maintenance is an individual decision. I certainly did my own work for years and rarely went to the dealer. Growing older and more senior at work there just wasn’t time anymore with the long hours, frequent travel and weekend work. Today’s vehicles are also more technical and complicated. Now being retired, I just don’t feel like taking the time to get greasy. Need to spend that time with grandkids, kids and mom next door. Not to mention traveling and camping. I’ve got a good Ram dealer and Audi dealer very close by that I’ve been doing business with for years. To each his own. Mike

I understand, but it’s too much money. What I’ve done to our Oliver in less than 2 years would be near $20K in labor! And that doesn’t include the total restoration of our tow vehicle. I rarely buy new vehicles, last time was in 2001, don’t like warranty claims or insurance, so we go with minimums. Close to 50 years wrenching for me. Turning 70 in April and I still prefer to do my own work. Hope I can when I’m 80, although very few parts of my body don’t hurt these days! 🤣

After doing some more research I have learned that it is not the working load that matters for the safety chains but the breaking strength which I believe is usually 1/3 of the working load. I found a chart for RVIA that lists safety chain requirements by state. Generally, it appears that when a state has a strength requirement it must be at least the GVWR of the trailer. The only data I could find from the Federal Government related to commercial applications. For commercial applications the rules state the combined breaking strength of the safety chains must equal the weight of the towed vehicle. Based on the above it sounds like my chains are ok since (assuming the shackles are the weakest link) have a combined breaking strength of 6T.

Generally speaking as stated, yes. I can not comment on what your dealership sells. Because I never buy tires from a "stealership Huh - definitely news to me. In the spirit of “trust but verify” - could you share the source for your assertion that a tire put on a car at the factory -isn’t- the same as a replacement tire of the same manufacturer, label, model, and size? That definitely sounds like a hairball for tire manufacturers to manage to me! Though I worked for a (Buick) dealership as my first full-time job, I too was loathe to ever take a vehicle to a dealer for repairs or maintenance. These days, NOT wanting to do all of my own maintenance after having done exactly that for 40+ years - I take my vehicles to the dealer. There are several good reasons for this: They know the vehicle considerably better than I do. Especially important in these days of fuel injection, 15 computers under the hood, and not wanting to buy thousands of dollars of special equipment. Sure, I have my trusty OBDII scanner and more hand tools than most professional mechanics, but these aren’t the days of points and condensors any more. I served my time under the hood, fixing up rusty old beaters, and all the rest. Frankly, ANY service shop is charging exorbitant rates these days, so there’s not a lot of qualified, “inexpensive” places to get your vehicle serviced. My last two vehicles were purchased new, with factory warranties. One more reason to take it to the dealer than Joe Blow shade tree mechanic. I’m a little older these days, and frankly, don’t feel like having to crawl under my vehicle unless it’s just me in the middle of nowhere. I CAN if push comes to shove, and I carry enough tools to pretty much repair most things on my truck or trailer, I just choose not to. I bought my last tires from the dealership(s) because they BEAT the quotes I got from competitors. I also don’t think it’s a bad idea to throw your favorite shop (or dealership) a gravy job once in a while instead of just the warranty stuff. We travel all over the country and Canada as well. I had my truck to at least half a dozen dealerships in as many states for routine service. That said, I take my truck to my “preferred” dealer for as much as I can. I even bought my replacement vehicle there -because- they treated me right. Finally, unlike days of old where I could buy quality oil for under a buck a quart, and pay $2 for a filter, these days, by the time I buy the stuff to change it myself, I’m not saving anything. That, and we’re back to crawling under the truck, getting dirty, having to collect, bottle, and tote waste oil to a recycling point. I also don’t fly coach on discount airlines anymore.

Ok just throwing something out there, with tires you don’t just look at load capacity of 1 tire for a VH, isn’t it the same with the chains, ie 2 chains/shackles = 2T load capacity? Also, the GVWR of 7000lbs is vertical load carried by the tires/suspension/axles of the trailer, the load capacity of the shackles is a horizontal/tucking load.

AI says it better. I have to admit that AI is smarter than I am.... by a very wide margin! AI focuses on a more general aspect (Ride and miles) whereas my experience was from a performance (braking and miles) perspective. Either way, message is the same. My Michelin Defenders, Cooper and BFG's on new vehicles all wore out faster then their replacements for the same replacement tire. GJ

Generally speaking as stated, yes. I can not comment on what your dealership sells. Because I never buy tires from a "stealership". As stated above in my post: "They have a more durable and longer lasting tread compound." The logic behind has to do with braking distances for sale of a new vehicle. Congrats on being a unicorn for getting "considerably more miles out of my tires than they’re typically rated to deliver". The vast majority of owners towing an OE2 would not be getting considerably more miles out of their tires than they are rated for. But then that's just basic physics of towing a 6,000 pound trailer with non-paved roads used for boondocking, and for many of us mountains in the mix. If you don't venture off road ever, then your highway tires likely are your best choice. If that does not describe your operations, and mountain gravel roads are in the mix, some owners would say get a good AT tire that is E-rated would be wise. Personally I use and like the E-rated Nitto Recon's. But there are many other great tires out there. Just check the forum and you will be impressed by our owner's experiences. GJ PS: It would be helpful if you would kindly add to your signature line and profile your TV info. Thanks!

It’s really quite simple and well within the skill set of anybody who can change their engine oil or a set of spark plugs. You WILL need a couple of Torx wrenches. I forget the size, but both/all were included in a small Elkind folding set, I’d guess a T-10 is one of them. Two open end wrenches to remove the gas fitting. (I don’t think there’s room to use flare nut or “line” wrenches.) About 5/8 or 11/16” I think. Also the big wrench for the nut holding the gas line to the manifold. Other than having to ease it out and caress it back in is to pull out the black control box at the top right of the heater enclosure when you open the access door. Easier than removing the ignition and flame sensor leads and less likely to break them. DO take the picture as Galway Girl suggested to put the disconnected leads back in the right place. Turn off the LP first of course. Once you overcome any trepidation about working on an unfamiliar piece of equipment, it’s a pretty simple job. As others have pointed out - if you fiddle with it, you likely void your warranty.

Ordered two dust cap combos. In photo one set is (partially) installed on hose end and on my Oliver. Other uninstalled set on floor. They fit very nice

If you are correct, it is a remarkably poor business decision by Truma. The sooner the product failure is resolved, the sooner it fades from the public consciousness, and Truma's quality reputation can be rebuilt.

I was looking at my safety chains and noticed they appear to be seriously undersized for my camper. The shackles holding the chains to the camper have a WLL of 1T. Since the trailer has a gross weight of 7,000 lbs. this seems to be seriously under-sized. The chain does not have a rating I can see but it also appears to be under-sized. I am worried now that the safety chains will fail if they are called upon. Has anyone up-graded their safety chains or had any issue?

I forgot to mention the reasons that prompted my basement exploration. The floor had collapsed and upon inspection I found that the floor supports were only held in place by a few screws that only were about 1/4 inch into the side supports. I was also getting propane exhaust fumes into the trailer when the water heater was running. Anyway, in checking out the collapsed floor and the carbon monoxide issue I discovered the air leaks and lack of insulation.

Two of my least favorite things about the Oliver are the awning that can’t be used in the rain and the floppy/noisy bathroom door. I’ve long wanted to replace the door with a wooden one, but being a custom furniture maker, wifey has forbidden it because that's what I always do. No more wood! She just wants to keep with the shiny modern look for a change. So, when I told her about Oliver’s new fiberglass bathroom door, she loved the idea and surprisingly suggested that I make one just like it. Oh no! This could be problematic. I have no idea how the new door was designed, except that it appears to be made of fiberglass. Since I won’t likely see one in person anytime soon, I’d be grateful if anyone could share details or close-up pictures of the door. I’m curious about the jam, hinges, hasp, and finishes on both the inside and outside. I’m also wondering how the mirror is attached, if it has a bezel or frame, and if the door is two-layered or similar to the closet door with the gelcoat on the inside. If it seems doable without major wall or door jam modifications, I might build a reusable mold and try giving it a go. Any insights or opinions on this are welcomed. Cheers! Geoff

DEFINITELY worth looking into MountainOliver!

All interesting stuff of course, but you lost me on the above. You’re saying the replacement tires I purchased for my vehicle with the same manufacturer, model, and size as the ones the truck came with aren’t the same tire? Even when I get them from the dealer who sold me the truck?(!) If that’s what you’re saying, how are the tires that Bridgestone sends to a GM assembly plant as “tire A” differentiated from the tires Bridgestone sends to a GMC truck dealer as “tire A”? It may just be my non-aggressive driving style, but I always get considerably more miles out of my tires than they’re typically rated to deliver. That’s something that I’m fine with. I got 70,000 miles out of the original tires on my previous truck - and I replaced them long before they were near the wear indicators. I credit that to the fact that I’m a fanatic about monitoring tire pressure, alignment, and rotation. Actually, it’s surprising as I drive on rural Texas roads a lot. They’re “chip seal” surfaces which is reputed to eat up tires pretty aggressively.

I’ve had a similar issue since the camper was new. A couple of years ago I removed the aluminum Z shaped panel that closes off the rear of the trailer. This panel is located deep inside the rear bumper and the sewer drain passes through it. Mine was not sealed at all and the rubber seal around the sewer line was loose. To do a thorough job of sealing the panel you’ll need to go into the basement area as well. In doing this I also found a large area in the basement area with no insulation, especially the aluminum panel had no insulation. I used butyl tape caulk all around the aluminum panel and a long piece of angle aluminum to stabilize the raw fiberglass edge around the upper edge and stainless screws/self locking nuts through the fiberglass and the panel. The wooden dowel/screwdriver/vise grip pliers was used to hold the screws in place while I tightened the nylock nut from the outside. I also added insulation everywhere I could. Just a suggestion.

Interesting.. Cooler is always better, though we don't know the condition of the standard 30 amp plug he was testing against. He was also loading at 24 amps which just happens to be the exact maximum continuous (3 hour) load rating of a 30 amp circuit. Would have been nice to see if the temps varied even further if loaded to a full 30 amps for the hour test.

Ditto from my side. I always go for premium tires when they are due, or before. Yes it costs more. But it is worth every penny from my perspective. Galileo: I have found that the OEM tires tend to be good in stopping distances because that is what many owners want to see in the specifications. Problem to get those ultra low distances they use tires that are specially made with a softer compound. That's why they stop shorter. But it leaves the vast majority of new car buyers wondering why their OEM tires don't last anywhere near as long as their premium replacements. So, Galileo your replacement tires that you thought were exact replacements generally are not. They have a more durable and longer lasting tread compound. And the MFG knows this. So using the same exact tire likely will work fine if it meets your needs. Here is where the logic line gets a bit soft. The MFG of your TV had no idea what or if you are towing. Or what kinds of roads you are traveling with your Oliver. Where you will be going...... etc..... As such, the off the shelf OEM factory tires tend to be a general duty tire. Hence the need to at least relook at your towing needs as it relates to your TV and where your needs to safely do so. There are more than a few reams of paper worth of discussions on tire selections posted on this forum. Maybe worth a look at the posts. Or just post what your TV is at the bottom of your signature line, and how you intend to use your Ollie. I feel certain you will get plenty of good info as a result.

I don’t have a brick in this wall, a horse in this race or a dog in this fight, I just stumbled upon this “older” video from James of The Fit RV testing a smart plug…. so just an FYI!

Exactly what I plan to attempt.

Let’s hope it’s not that - otherwise you may not wake up one cold morning. Anyway - it’s still a scavenger hunt. Definitely coming in under the aft curb side though, as the street side doesn’t have the issue. Counterintuitive as the curb side has the outside access door to the “basement”. Seals around the water heater and furnace are still on my top ten list as those are in the area most affected. I suppose the right taillight also needs to be scrutinized.

Thanks Derek. Very easy swap.

I can't argue that under these circumstances, it would take a long time to get to everyone. But don't misunderstand what I wrote. These statements are just possibilities that I'm saying COULD be true, I have no evidence that they are, but if I was running Truma and a company pissed me off bad enough, that's exactly what I would do. I don't own a Truma, but if I did and now knowing the exact nature of the issue, you can bet your sweet bippy I would pull that burner out, repair it, put it back in, torque it to the proper specs, hook up and go camping.