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Yes, you could. I just wanted the security of the larger ball. The referenced model is the direct replacement! It’s critical to line up/drill the bolt holes accurately, but that’s it. Chapter 11 surprising, but they did put 7K labels on one or more 5K couplers. One failed on an Oliver. Maybe the lawyers got them, too bad.
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Replace your wet-bolt grease fitting with 45s. Yours are likely M6x1mm threads (Alcan 1/4"-20): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R8GYYYM/?th=1 Then do yourself a BIG favor and invest in a power grease gun and a LockNLube coupler: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H7LPKKU/?th=1
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Is this a direct replacement for the 2” bulldog coupler? Just take off the old and replace with the new one? Couldn’t I use a drop hitch with a 3” shank and a 2 “ ball on the existing bulldog coupler Apparently they are in chapter 11 right now, and the product is unavailable
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Ditch the Andersen and all 2" hitch hardware. Replace the old with a 2 5/16" Bulldog coupler and use whatever you need on the tow vehicle to get a 2 5/16" ball at the correct height. I installed this product: https://www.bulldogproducts.net/product/028462_square-rectangular-mount-coupler
- Today
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rideandfly started following Tow hitch/ weight distribution advice needed.
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Tow hitch/ weight distribution advice needed.
rideandfly replied to Mroth's topic in Towing an Oliver
Nice truck! We still have a WDH, but the WDH has been stored since we purchased a F-350. We can just fit the Super Duty in our garage, but it's a tight fit. About 23" top of the ball measurement is where I start with the F-350 before placing Ollie on the ball. When placed on the ball Ollie is a little nose high at 480 to 500lbs tongue weight, very little sag with Ollie placed on the ball. -
Hopefully only the latter. The BMS should be efficient, but movement of high amperage causes heat within its design. When I removed our battery tray, it gave our batteries a lot more headroom. How much clearance do you have above your batteries? Don't leave that door open too long, or those expensive items may walk! I have ours locked down double and only open the door to remove ground when doing an electrical mod.
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Thank you for sharing local knowledge and your useful links. I hope to make it out there this year or next!
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Tow hitch/ weight distribution advice needed.
Mike and Carol replied to Mroth's topic in Towing an Oliver
I towed 5 years with the Andersen, 5 years without. I don’t miss the Andersen at all. If I remember correctly, 19.5” is what the top of the ball should be, you won’t get much drop from the weight of the trailer on your F250. I had to get a drop hitch for my 2500. Mike -
Alcan Springs Quote for Jan-2026
Geronimo John replied to Wayfinder's topic in Mechanical & Technical Tips
You are on the right track in attacking the bolt head end. Certainly the approach in your above quote will work. But the Hex Nut Capture Washer would look and perform better. And they are dirt cheap. See my DIY. DIY - Dexter EZ-Flex Center Bolt Spline Repair (20 APR 2024).docx -
Made in USA leaf springs
DanielBoondock replied to Mountainman198's topic in Mechanical & Technical Tips
Fair point, retract the 1750s from what I said, except perhaps for people who lightly use their trailer It was a reasonable starting point but charging now comes with risk aversion to change probably. Maybe they’ll do it sometime as an update. 2027 looks like they’ll be adding a DC-DC converter, it’s already labeled in on the electrical panel. I don’t need it but useful for ICE TVs 3k miles and I’m hearing the suspension squeak now, doing my first grease. What a pain, getting a right angle grease gun fitting -
Thank you. I wish the truck would fit in my garage, but living in Southern California I can keep it in my driveway without much worry. I’ll probably buy a cover for it as I really will be mainly using it as a tow vehicle. The Calmark cover for the trailer is extremely well made, so I would probably buy one from them. The fabric is so much better than what covercraft uses for their premium covers. I’m leaving towards buying a new shank for the Anderson ball/cone assembly. It’s $240 vs over $400 plus, and I can still use the Anderson. I’m assuming that the Anderson will still offer some degree of stability.
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You’d be a first! I’ve have added 2 temp-activated exhaust fans, behind our absorption fridge and in the basement cavity for the inverter. But for the battery bay, I closed up the vent holes that were designed for lead acid venting and added insulation to the door, to close the air, minimize collection of road dust. Many of us have done this (two examples shown in pictures above). Uncertain the specs of other brands, but the Epoch Essentials batteries many of us have installed, will supply 200A continuous, in or out as designed, without overheating and 400A Max Amps capacity. Most we used camping this week was -120A with the fridge, the Chill Cube A/C and electric HWH all running on battery/inverter. We’re camping again this Sun-Mon again, so besides these 120V appliances, I’ll boil water in our electric kettle. Power them all on at once should hit or exceed the 200A Continuous Rating. The Victron MP2 can also exceed its 3KVA rating, found it up at 4.5K for a spell when once I turned on the power-hungry Dometic P2 A/C (thank Goodness that’s gone) not realizing the electric HWH was heating! Good thing I have a back-up 400A ANL fuse for the Victron! I’ll test and post the app screen prints that lists 3 internal temps per our 3x 300 Ah batteries! I expect to feel a cool cabin, hot water at the tap, a pot of boiled water for coffee and battery and inverter temps within spec! We’ll see… 😎
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Very nice truck - I wish that one of those would fit in my garage! You don't "have to have" the Andersen with the 250 Ford. However, I would suggest hanging on to it until you have some time to determine how you like the ride without it. I'm guessing that you will sell the Andersen eventually. Bill
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Hello all, I have been towing a LE2 for the past year with a 2025 tundra and an Anderson weight distribution system. I can say that the Anderson helps significantly with porpoising, but I found the tundra to be too little truck for the trailer. The power and torque are more than adequate, but every time I went out I found myself white knuckling going down steep grades. Just felt like very minimal safety margin if something went sideways. I sold the tundra and bought an f250 Tremor with 11000 gvwr tow package. It has a 3” receiver. My Anderson has a 2” ball on a 2” shank. Should I by a new 3” shank with 8” drop, or just by a new tow hitch and skip the Anderson all together. It is a bit of a hassle to use. I was considering weigh safe hitch with 8” drop. The new trucks receiver is at about 22.5” on center. Any thoughts would be appreciated, Marc
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Also OTT seems to have changed their insulation scheme. From factory walkthroughs it used to be outer bottom and inner upper. This was probably for ease of installation. My trailer is reflective outer bottom as before, but on top Nice thick outer insulation, no air gap as far as I know. So now maybe it seems to be a combo of infrared reflective and usual dead air insulation, all on the outer
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The person who picked up their factory trailer after me was from Alaska, if they join the forum would be interesting to hear their experience. Regarding four season I think no TT will measure up to your home. Emperial claim almost 3” thick walls though so an inch or two of insulation maybe, it does look good. OTOH Eskimos camp in an ice igloo and nobody would tell them it’s not four season 🙂 Point being there is no definition, but I think that if you can be comfortable in your TT in year round conditions then sure, it’s year round. Some TTs might require less energy to be comfortable but otherwise it doesn’t matter, does it? I think the biggest issue is moisture management. I’ll give the prize to the 4 season prize to the one that manages condensation the best, and damn the heating bill
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The battery is rated to 131 which is pretty usual for lithium so that’s ok, I just don’t like it. It was a warm March with a heat wave (another 100 year event) and the battery was getting plenty of solar charging so I think it was just conditions. Back coastal it’s normal temps again. Anyhow I’ll try the temp activated fan and do a write up
- Yesterday
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That’s good to know. Quiet and cool!
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Made in USA leaf springs
Tom and Doreen replied to Mountainman198's topic in Mechanical & Technical Tips
Oh yes we do! We have the 5-leaf packs. I replaced all the spring packs, shackles, wet bolts, and U-bolts this week , surprisingly it wasn't too difficult doing it myself. It's nice to have that job behind me though. I know one person that has a 2022 Elite II ( with less than 5000 miles) and one person who has a 2024 Elite II that had flattening spring packs. They have preemptively changed theirs out with Alcans. As others have said, Alcan is great to work with. -
If you live south, and have the Dometic Penguin II A/C installed, the Oliver is also merely a 3- season camper! Any season is good when the A/C is OFF! 🤣 First real trial of our Furrion Chill Cube, camping in the Phoenix Valley this week. We turned it on yesterday at 3 PM, been running since. In start-up it pulled 50A on 12VDC. Was down to pulling only 16A, 40 min later. Overnight it was whisper quiet using very low amps. I estimate <25A per hour daily average. Like our friend @FloraFauna, we’re not going on any winter survival trips! This 3-day trip, we ran the A/C, our Suburban HWH (largest power draw -120A) and the Dometic fridge ALL on battery! Still have 50% SOC as we’re breaking camp today. 😎 Yesterday the Victron shunt read 67% SOC. I looked at Chris asking, “you know what that means?” 67% of 900 Ah is equal to 100% SOC when we had our 600 Ah battery bank! Those of you who recently upgraded 300 Ah Battleborn to 600 Ah Epoch, next time you read 50% SOC on the shunt, just smile knowing that was your 100% in years past! So cool…
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Not just the older trailers! @Tom and Doreen own a 2023! Hope you have Alcan Springs on all fours now! 😎
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Alcan Springs Quote for Jan-2026
Ronbrink replied to Wayfinder's topic in Mechanical & Technical Tips
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Made in USA leaf springs
Tom and Doreen replied to Mountainman198's topic in Mechanical & Technical Tips
I totally agree on this one!! We had our curb-side rear spring break on our last trip. I ordered complete sets from Alcan and replaced them yesterday. I expect things to break while dragging the trailer around the country and I'm good with that and actually enjoy fixing / improving things when that happens but I don't expect something as critical as the suspension to break under normal usage. In my opinion that's an unacceptable failure, costly as well as a potential safety concern. From the number of failures on new as well as older trailers the build requirements need to be respecified. -
Alcan Springs Quote for Jan-2026
Ronbrink replied to Wayfinder's topic in Mechanical & Technical Tips
Yes, other than a slight recess at the bottom of the door to prevent water intrusion. -
This is all you need. Figured out where you want the wet bolt opening. Weld a little 1/8” x 1:4” x 1” tab perpendicular to the shackle to the inside of the bolt head. Install the bolt in position and only the nut only should spin when torquing. I’ll turn mine some while greasing, prior to torquing maintenance. Mine are all still clean and straight. My thought is Ken’s got that way from less torque. They would not bend if held square. As often as I’m doing regular maintenance, I’m not going to worry. If they look bad years later, I’ll buy a new MOR-Ryde HD shackle set and replace them. 😎 https://shopmorryde.com/products/heavy-duty-shackle-kit
