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Showing content with the highest reputation on 07/11/2023 in all areas
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Unfortunately, I think you're selling in a soft market. The COVID campers have had their fill, dealer lots are piling up, and prices for used RVs are dropping across the board. Of course, Ollies are something of a special case, being in a fairly exclusive niche. I wonder if it's your price, or just a dearth of prospective buyers right now. Hope you get the answers, or buyer, you're looking for, John. Personally, I'd love to have Mouse since I know it's been so meticulously cared for. Good luck.6 points
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John, I am truly sorry the health conditions are forcing the sell of Mouse. You have been a great source of information on this forum. You have imparted and great deal of wisdom and innovations to the Oliver world. To whoever get Mouse, they will get the best maintain Oliver on the market, with a lot of great innovations. I hope you will still stay active on the forums. I think your asking price, is right on. The market is very soft right now with the being flood of stick built trailers, the inflation, and unsure economy, I think people are a little gun shy. You and your wife will be in my prayers.4 points
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John, your price is right. I believe it's people who are not really familiar with Oliver and do not grasp/understand the value of all your mods!4 points
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Thanks. My wife has already posted an ad there for me, it has not received a lot of attention except for a couple of idiotic snide comments about the inward facing zerk fittings. John Davies Spokane WA3 points
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I was the second Oliver that Truma tried to do an install on. We couldn't get the unit off the roof and didn't want to risk damaging the fiberglas. Since then Oliver has done a number of them and seems to have worked out any bugs and established a pretty complete conversion, i.e., new fiberglass platform for the AC, a couple of thermostat options, etc. I'm scheduled for the end of August, but I keep bugging them, hoping someone cancels a scheduled service sooner. If not doing it real soon, you might keep track of the new Dometic low noise AC, mentioned here and elsewhere. May be more plug and play.3 points
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OOPS! Interstates all look alike - that's my story and I'm sticking to it 😄2 points
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Very nice! I just purchased this set for ours to be installed with the same concept. I was looking for maximum versatility and light weight. The combination empty on the frame extensions will add about 70# to the back of the camper. The empty tool box weighs about 45# and lifts out easily if we want to just carry something in the tray.2 points
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John, I sent you a PM with the solution that the previous owner devised for our Oliver.2 points
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Hi Rob! Sorry you are having trouble with it. The login for the website and forum are different. The Rewards Program has a specific registration process. You can find a link here to sign up for the Rewards Program : https://olivertraveltrailers.com/rewards-program/ or go direct at https://olivertraveltrailers.com/rewards-program/signup/. There a few videos we have posted here as well. Let me know if you are still having issues. Matt Duncan2 points
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This is the rack I have and it works well for my needs. When researching for a rack, the Let's go aero was the only rack I could find which has 1 1/4" AND was rated for use on the back of. travel trailer (not just the back of a RV, which is a different rating). You will notice that the Lets go Aero rack is also the rack used in Oliver literature when shown hauling bikes. Good luckj with whatever you decide https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Go-Aero-BikeWing-2-V-Rack/dp/B09JGTYKDG/ref=sr_1_8?crid=1W9247BM44XEC&keywords=lets+go+aero+bike+rack&qid=1689030499&sprefix=lets+go+aero+bike+rack%2Caps%2C372&sr=8-8&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.f5122f16-c3e8-4386-bf32-63e904010ad02 points
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2 points
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While I won’t change my feelings about that mod, please keep everybody informed in the long term, if it works out, that would be great. My concern is the up and down torque loads, they can be tremendous, for example hitting the two whoopdedoos of a poorly graded Interstate highway bridge at 70 mph. That bottoms out the trailer suspension and transfers most of that energy to the frame and rack. It happens as you hit the bridge, and then again as you depart it. Most unnerving! I hope you have a rear camera that can be adjusted low enough to see the bikes, you can modify the power wires to operate it when driving forward. Good luck. John Davies Spokane WA2 points
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I think I agree with that. Structurally, the aluminum sleeve can be thought of as a shim to hold the rack snug to the steel U-bolts, which are what's truly holding the rack. That is, I think the only stress on the sleeve is compression, not shear or torque. The anti-rattle bearing on the 1-up is certainly a stress point, but I think you could solve that by lining up the bearing with the forward U-bolt. From the photos, it looks like that would be possible. I do wonder how thin the aluminum is where it's been routed to accept the U-bolts. I think a failure there could allow the sleeve to work it's way out. But it would have to fail at both bolts for that to happen, which is probably unlikely on a single drive. Worth inspecting every so often I'd imagine, but I don't see a failure as being catastrophic - you'd have time to notice.2 points
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I have done a fair amount of research prior to pursuing this mod/application with a local aluminum engineer, aluminum tech and actually spoke at length with Oliver Service and 1Up USA. I have also communicated recently with another OLEll owner who has several thousand miles on this same identical mod and bike rack with zero structural integrity issues with the rack or receiver. Based on these conversations I am not concerned about the structural safety of this mod. My 1Up USA Super Duty bike rack (engineered for a TT) just shipped from the factory. I look forward to the install sometime next week. *My understanding is one of the big reasons Oliver inserted the 1.25” reducer is owners were overloading the aluminum receiver and exceeding the engineered rack weight limit which will naturally could result in a catastrophic failure. Cheers!2 points
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How long have you used it this way? Any sign of cracks around the corners? 1/4” of aluminum is too thin to support that load for a long period of time. That is one reason Oliver engineers doubled up the thickness (they really do understand aluminum structural properties). 1 Up uses a very cool anti-rattle design but it is meant for steel, and it applies a very heavy point load at just one location.. Have they commented about its suitability for use in a much softer material? As an ex-A&P technician that mod really worries me. I think you risk having the rack and bikes drop down onto the road, or worse yet, come off completely, causing an accident. At the very least you should install a stout cable lock through the bike frames, rack AND around the bumper.I am not trying to sound hysterical, I truly think that is unsafe. John Davies Spokane wA2 points
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Oliver hasn’t tried to install the Truma on Ralph’s trailer, it was a Truma installer.1 point
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Jim, the external contacts are the limiting factor for amperage, 10AWG wire is up to 40 amp. You should upgrade the connectors to Anderson Power Poles, they are rated at 45 amps and they make a round weather tight panel mount that will work. SAE connectors suck big time, pardon my grammer…. https://powerwerx.com/anderson-power-powerpole-sb-connectors The controller must be rated at well over the maximum possible amps coming from the panels. John Davies Spokane WA1 point
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I bought the OTT bike hitch for our #1290, but am having a problem finding a rack for your reasons too. It seems that all RV rated bike racks for trailers require a 2 inch receiver. I have a Thule rack bought a few years ago, but it's not RV rated. John1 point
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Am I the only one that noticed that I-40 does not go near Paducah? Or am I not supposed to mention things like that? 😉 BL1 point
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Thanks for running interference on the merge at I 24 and I 69! What are the chances? Two Ollie's are always better than one !1 point
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Hunker down, get a good night's rest with the rain drumming on the hull, and make a new list of questions. Delivery day can get overwhelming. Take your time to relax, and enjoy your shiny new surroundings. Congratulations!1 point
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GJ I used bags made by Air Lift in Michigan. They were a bit more costly than the Firestones and were more highly recommended by the dealer (Les Schwab Tires, a chain in the Northwest). Mine are the 5000 series and have twin nylon fill lines. So far I am very happy with them. I will occasionally have to top them off a few pounds but leakage is minimal. They are rated to 100# but I find 35 - 45# does the job quite well. They will lift the rear end so adjustment of the Anderson hitch was necessary but simple. A set of heavier shocks would help as would tires with tougher sidewalls than those that came with the pickup. They have tamed the porposing greatly. Jim1 point
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Nov 10, 2022 Update: I had provided Jason E. the manufacturers info and also our concern about using their MAX number for lugs. He sent it up the chain at OTT. Below is Jason's response to the lug not torque question. Glad to hear that OTT has recognized the reality of torque tool accuracy and not having owners exceeding the MFG maximum recommended lug nut torque. Especially when the MFG's provide a torque range. So basically, a small victory for the owner peanut gallery I guess. Personally I am going to use 100 ft lbs on my aluminum rim lugs. Gives me ten pounds over or under for my torque wrench accuracy. GJ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: Jason Essary <Oliver@olivertraveltrailersservice.zohodesk.com> Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2022 4:25 AM To: John P. Russell, Jr. <jprredhorse@gmail.com> Subject: Re:[## 12307 ##] Tire Pressure Overstatement for many OTT units using aluminum 16" Rims Hey John, I have been informed that after speaking with the wheel vendor that they have stated that the wheel torque should be between 90 - 120ft lbs. With this being said Oliver has decided to drop our torque from the 120ft lbs down to 110ft lbs. Regards, Jason D. Essary Customer Service Director ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++1 point
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I upgraded to the 2 5/16" Anderson/Bulldog when I purchased my OEII. The next year I upgraded to the newer design. I now have 19,000 miles on my 2 5/16" Anderson ball. I use a spray can of Lubriplate spray white lithium grease on the ball for each hitch up. For me, it is best to wipe off the grease from the ball at each un-hitch to prevent my accidently getting jeans/leg greasy.. We just finished up our 2022 Summer/Fall TX to Alaska voyage (12,709 miles) and found nothing of concern with the ball or hitch. With my 2019 F-150 EB Lariat FX4 we have zero sway worries. That said, I am considering a set of air bags for next year. GJ1 point
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I’ve been using this grease from Reese. Seems to work well so far. But any white lithium grease would probably work just as well. Reese Towpower 58117 Hitch Ball Lube https://a.co/d/ijYGGoO1 point
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I have had my trailer for 4 months and pulled about 4500 miles so far. I do not have the Anderson hitch because my tow vehicle does not recommend do to unibody design. I am seeing ball wear as mentioned in this most. It is uniform around the surface of the ball. What type of grease are you all using?1 point
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I have had the same issue with the front jack. I am glad you mentioned this because I did not think to check the rear ones yet. I will do that tomorrow. Please let us know if you find get a torque value from Oliver. Thank you.1 point
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1 point
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I've posted this previously, but in case you haven't seen it. We use this hitch with our F350 towing an Elite II. Hitch is rated for 7,500#. This will not work if you have the tongue accessory box on the trailer. Only once have we had a radius turn clearance issue, but it is easily solved by folding the rack up (which can be done with the bikes still loaded), or you can take the bikes off the rack and fold it up, if necessary. Bikes stay relatively clean mounted here. Love the 1up rack! They have been back ordered till ????, like many bike related items, but appears they might be available now. https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch-Ball-Mount/Curt/D210.html?feed=npn&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google | Shop - Trailer Hitch Ball Mount&adgroupid=87631909362&campaignid=1672411804&creative=404001588902&device=c&devicemodel=&feeditemid=&keyword=&loc_interest_ms=&loc_physical_ms=9033074&matchtype=&network=g&placement=&position=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlOmLBhCHARIsAGiJg7n_j802euDcIl-x6KSaMrvyZn-hx-pLJJ9H28PEt8ZK0_qMt23ZmSQaAguyEALw_wcB1 point
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I've heard both 100 Lbs and 150 Lbs, (never in print) this is the first time I've actually seen a Sticker indicating 100lbs! It critical to consider any additional weight placed on the Rear End of a trailer and how it affects the overall handling of the TV & Trailer combination. To much weight can upset the stability of the Tow Combination and can induce TRAILER SWAY! On the other hand staying within the recommended limits can have a positive effect on the Tongue Weight.1 point
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I have submitted a Service Ticket and will follow up with any new information. John Davies Spokane WA1 point
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This would be an ideal use of a panel mounted fuse holder (probably under the rear dinette seat) visible from the trailer cabin. In particular a fuse holder that lights up when the fuse is blown. Periodic testing would be more important with a fuse installed in the emergency brake power wire.1 point
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Thanks for all the comments. I did hear back from a Bryson Elliot, customer service rep at Equalizer Hitch, the manufacturer of the Zip BAW switch used on our Ollies. While he VERY expertly danced around the "Why" part of my message, he did say two important things: "There is not once in our company history since we have released the zip cable that we have had a problem with the zip shorting and burning the trailer at all." He did not mention internal (inside the hull) wire failure. "There isn't a need to use a fuse with the zip breakaway cable. However we haven't ever had any issues with people using a fuse with the cable. So you can do whichever you'd prefer." He did not say why their wiring diagram shows no fuse, or even a recommended wire gauge, for that matter.... I did look all over the Web for diagrams, I found ONE that showed a fuse in this circuit. No others. So, take his comments for what they is worth, they are still vague. Do as you feel, understanding the possible (remote, but maybe serious) legal implications of modifying this wire. I will open a Service request to see what Oliver says about this. Thanks for your time and participation. John Davies Spokane WA1 point
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Well, this has been very interesting, there are strong feelings on both sides. I am waiting to see if the BAS manufacturer replies with any useful info. If so, I will post their response here. As an ex aircraft tech, my personal view of the Oliver electrical systems is that they make mistakes or weird choices through lack of care in the production line, or from marginal design engineering. Like the inverter recall a couple years ago because they left off the mandated extra chassis ground (they never caught that very serious error until it was pointed out here in the forum and they were notified as a service request). Burying important wire splices in inaccessible places. Not using minimal cable lengths, and instead leaving the many extra feet of it in an unsecured tangle, AKA “rats nest”. Using grossly oversized inverter cables, which are costly and awkward to deal with. I am making those statements based on Hull 218, they have definitely improved, but I won’t blindly accept something like the lack of fuse protection here, unless there is a documented reason for it, one that actually makes sense to me. 😬 John Davies Spokane WA1 point
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Unless those regulatory issues have a reason for being. Shouldn’t the default assumption be that both Oliver and the brake manufacturer know what they’re doing?1 point
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It is a DOT requirement to not fuse the wire leading to the break away switch.1 point
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It doesn't really work that way. The 2 5/16" coupler comes not-drilled. So thre is a bit of measuring and drilling involved. It is almost identical and fits the frame exactly as the 2" coupler does. Also, this will not stop the ball wear. For those using the Anderson hitch, you might check with them to see if they offer a 2 5/16 ball or not. I switched to the bigger ball and I'm glad I did, but it's partly to match other trailers I have and not entirely for strength.1 point
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I agree with Raspy above. I have towed my Oliver all over the west including almost every mountain range without an Anderson hitch. There is no effect from big rigs on the highway and very little effect from wind. These trailers tow like small boats...no need for fancy towing gear. My ball has no excessive wear and has been in use for over five years.1 point
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Sage, the wear you posted is not the same as the wear I am experiencing. Mine is highly concentrated in one area and it is eating out a deep canyon in the steel. There is no way that this can be considered "normal". I heard back from Bulldog and the only way they will do any kind of warranty exchange is if I send them the coupler and the Anderson ball for "evaluation". The rep did say that the coupler should not wear the ball like that if kept lubricated. He did not address my questions about the special way the Anderson "back loads" the ball very heavily. There is no way I will risk having my trailer inoperative during the summer - I have many trips planned. I will send them the two parts late this Fall and see what happens. I plan to ask them to send me a 2 5/16 inch 10K coupler, and I will order a 2 5/16 inch Anderson ball. I hope that the larger surface area will mitigate the wear. I also plan to do some very close inspection and testing with Dykem machinist layout dye to find the high spots on the coupler and then either grind or lap them down, BEFORE towing. Hopefully my existing coupler is a bad one. I can't imagine them all being that roughly forged inside the ball cavity. John Davies Spokane WA1 point
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As John requested, here are a couple of pictures of my ball. This ball has about 4,600 miles on it. While it is difficult to tell from the pictures, I do not consider the wear to be excessive - it appears to me that basically the chrome plating has worn in the spots shown, but, there are no real gouges or divots that would indicate to me that anything was amiss. Bill1 point
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