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I have a Zamp port on the street side of my 2021 model near the battery box. It’s rated for 20A max, but is equipped with a 10A blade fuse inside the trailer, which is a good match for my 140W portable Zamp panels. I have 340W panels on the roof. I’m not sure what the 2022 models have for side ports.

Does anyone know how many watts i can add to the system via the auxiliary solar port on the street side of the trailer? I have a 400 watt panel set up for my anker solar generator. I am curious if I could just use a charge controller in line and hook into the system? Or are the wires not rated for that much current? 2022 elite 2 with 400 watt roof solar and 360ah lithium batteries. Thanks in advance for any info.

Our previous Tundra's name was Stan 🙃, photo taken at W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir,

Welcome! Soon we need to find Ollie in an Ollie! 😎

Delete dup post please

That's just funny "Where is Ollie" I just joined your forum and my real first name is Ollie. haha

We were asked in another thread or maybe pages back on this one, "What would we do differently?" (re Alcan) My answer is what Bob ended up doing. Instead of buying new EZ Flex separately I would have bought the full installation set including the Dexter shackles and wet bolts, and purchase only leaf springs and U-bolts from Alcan. (Bob answered this in another way.) The 1/2" nut on the 9/16" bolt creates the shoulder. Bob mentioned 40 ft-lbs that held and allowed for greasing. The 40 ft-lbs is torqued against the shoulder, creating a standard spacing for the leaf springs. There is no real force on the 1/2" nuts, they just hold the spacing constant. Oh yes the, 1/4" steel plate hangers on the frame do get pulled in, actually bend some from the torque of the 9/16" bolt. Try 80 ft-lbs on these bolts without the leaf installed between and you will clearly see them bend (but not a good idea to try). The shoulder bolts are the better design and perhaps after another 20K miles on the Oliver, I may purchase a new set. For now, instead of 80 ft-lbs on the end bolts, I went with 64. And instead of 65 on the inner wet bolts on the EZ Flex, I went with 52 ft-lbs. If you divide my numbers by Alcan's, you'll see I'm torquing to 80% of the Alcan recommendation (NOT the U-bolts, keep them at 90). I found the EZ Flex will still appear to hang when lifted but will not when weight loaded. Watch each axle both sides going slowly over some speed bumps in you neighborhood. If all is good, you should see the tires travel smoothly up and down. When I grease there's always one bolt on each side that must be loosened to accept grease, just one bolt but not all. Perhaps my 80% take is helping. I am reporting what I have done on our Oliver based on my feelings. Proceed with caution, make your own decisions in doing your work. I am NOT making recommendations for anybody else. With this warning, I accept no legal liabilities. I also use the stabilizer jacks to lift our hull. The manufacturer OTT does not recommend this practice.

You're welcome, Ron. Ours was too and there are a few reasons... The pull cable is very short and it turns 90 degrees. It's in an awkward place to pull, whether standing outside the bathroom, sitting on the can or wherever, you can't get a straight pull! And a gunked up waste valve blade will make it worse. You can remove the waste valve, clean and lube the blade, lube the cable and it could help. You can't change the 90 degree cable run and the awkward location of the pull handle. We love the new electric one! Without the cable, push the button and I can hear it open or close in just a second! Check my thread linked above if interested.

Make sure that protection starts with a FOUR....

So do you leave them loosened up, or do you loosen and retorque every time you grease? … never mind, I see below you fixed it by using Dexter, makes sense. I can’t imagine being able to do that, these are monster, I’d have to check but at least 1/4 plate. Maybe they changed the brackets in the last 1000 hulls I get that, but any way you cut it it’s mechanically weaker and can’t take as much torque. The only advantage I can see is easier installation which may well be the reason.

Thank you both for the advice this si very helpful, the gray and black tank valves appear to be working fine. The back flow valve pull. In the bathroom is always somewhat difficult to push/pull. Ron

We don't have Oliver's factory solar system and inverter. When away from shore power, use a similar switch mounted in Ollie's battery box with our system. Installed two Epoch 105AH lithium batteries, using up to 2 solar suitcase panels for charging or gen-set on poor solar days. Stole @Snackchaser ideal (Thanks Geoff) converting the TV cable inlet to the Starlink Mini power outlet using a 12V/24V to 48V step up DC to DC converter. Need to install a small interior switch so turning the system on/off can be done from inside Ollie, too.

I bought this in order to use the outdoor plug. It not only allows clearance for the SL brick, but serves as a convenient power switch.

When I installed my wet bolts I started with the Alcans and torqued them to the spec. I was unable to get grease in them unless I loosened the bolts. I did not matter on what pressure was on the wet bolt from fully loaded, slightly load to all pressure unloaded. I was unable to get grease in them unless I took the loosened the nut on the wet bolts. I also noticed that the ez-flex did not move freely when they were torque down, but it did move freely when the wet bolt nuts where loosened up. BTW the hangers on mine where spread apart some without the nuts tight. tightening the nuts cause to bring the hanger ears back to together. I dropped a leaf spring back down. I measured the width of the hangers, the bushings and then the shackles. I added up the hangers and bushings then I measure the depth off the shoulder to the base of the bolt on the Dexters and the measurement was .010 more than what I added up. I did the same thing for the shackles and bushing. I got the same results the Dexter shackle wet bolt was .010 more. I really was surprised they were both .010 longer. I would have thought with the galvanizing on the shackles it would have been different. I measured the old Dexter shackles and the Shackles I made and painted (A whole different story, I covered in the gigantic thread I believe) The width was within a .001. Note I did not measure every shackle, hanger and bushing. I just did the ones on the one leaf I lowered. I decided to use Dexter wet bolts instead of the Alcans . After I did that I was able to get grease in all wet bots. A couple I had to still jack up the trailer to remove some weight to get the 2 wet bolts to take grease, I am OK with that. The ez-flex moves freely now. As for the dexter wet shoulder bolt and smaller thread. The way they designed the bolt all of the downward pressure is on the 9/16 thickness of the bolt. In order for the step down to break you would need a lateral force again the Assembly, or the nuts on the wet bolt being overly tight, then extra lateral force could snap the step down section off. I have heard of rumors that The Dexter bolts have snapped, but I have never read of an occurrence happening on the Olivers. I torque the Dexter wet bolts to 40ft/lbs. Over the last 12K miles they have not loosened up.

No can’t make it unfortunately, I’m way out on the West Coast so it’s a relatively major trip. Yeah have been poring over the threads but not sure what to make of it. Mixing threads a bit sorry but since I’m in a post will put out some thoughts on the wet bolts. This is all eyeball as I don’t have my caliper with me. The spring end bolts with splines have a good <1/4” spacing between the hanging brackets and the spring. So the wet bolts are held in place by torque pressure and (maybe) splines (my splines aren’t doing anything here).On the shackle side there’s no splines but again its a (bit less) torque and nylock holding it together. So that’s it AFAIK, Alcan relies on torque and beefyness. What about end rub? Something I haven’t seen mentioned is that the inner (bronze?) wear bearing at each end of the spring has a protruding shoulder. So, just as it wears against the bolt body, so too on the bold ends with respectively the hanger or the shackle - in both cases greased. I don’t see an issue with this design as it seems eminently sensible. All the wear surfaces are against the bronze bushing both against the bolt and against the hanger or shackle. Torque/nylock keeps it all together. Summarizing Alcan Thick wall radial bronze bushing Prominent protruding bronze rub shoulder against hanger/shackle on all springs Full sized bolts (no step down) Nylock Dexter Thin wall (half size?) radial bushing Inconsistent rub shoulder, from none basically to just a minor extension Step down bolts (why why why size your nut under your bolt? Dunno, I’m new to this stuff but I see nothing but better with Alcan and not seeing anything that bothers me

I had the same issue with the plug and the outside outlet. Just buy one of those cheap 2 prong to 3 prong adapters and it provides enough clearance to use the outside plug. Fortunately I discovered this issue at home while testing my Mini and various mounting spots.

I don't know enough about it to give specifics, other than to say that they did something to avoid the new parts from rubbing against the other parts. @ScubaRx might help explain this better. I don't want to use the wrong terminology. Are you going to be at the rally? We could all get together and have a powwow about this topic!

I just make calls using my phone -- though I've 'enabled wifi calling' as required. It's only dropped like that on two or three occasions, as I mentioned. An extension cord -- I should do that. Would save me from having the window cracked open! :)

Can you tell us here, what specifically? Also what did you learn about the wear?

Can you make regular phone calls or using an app? The calls are likely dropping when one satellite is moving out of range and the next one is taking over. Use any extension cord to use the outdoor outlet vs. an window open, or you could change the outlet cover.

I have read through most of this (long) thread several times and ... I don't follow all of the concerns regarding wear caused by the Alcan parts, though @ScubaRx did a great job helping me understand some of the concerns. Since I had my new Alcan Springs installed this summer, and asked them specifically about some items, I want to say that Alcan has made adjustments based on feedback and experience for their Oliver installations, so people need to be aware that some things are not the same compared to early installs. With all the interest and all the questions, I wish Alcan were coming to the Rally to talk springs! (Hint Hint Oliver Mothership!)

I've used the Mini (with the built-in router, not an extra router) for 2 years and I've never had issues with connections or slow service for internet, though sometimes phone calls drop (but only a handful of locations over more than 12 months of use). I use the cord-out-the-window and satellite on the ground method. My plug won't fit into the Oliver outdoor waterproof plug; it's too bulky to get into the recess.

Wyoming sunsets are glorious.

I just went back and read the early posts from 2016. Interesting some of the names that were on the forum a lot and now are not. Lots of old timers still here though! Mike

10 years and still going strong. Everyone has had adventures to share! Mike