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We had the 4 leaf alcans put on in October and they are a great upgrade. They also gave me the extra leaves in case I wanted to add them in the future. I also replaced shocks and equalizer at the same visit an it only took Alcan 3 hours. Craig

Did this alone in. 3 Minutes!

Mostly my fault since I don't know how to post a playable YouTube link. Easy to miss a text link.

So, tonight we met cousins at a favorite pizza place. Also a harvest host site. Midcounty, Largo. Surprise! A newer Oliver in rhe lot. Our server said they were very sweet folks, had been in earlier. I left a note in the door handles. Florida plates. No tv in sight. Probably out exploring on a lovely 70+ degree night.

Yes it does! And it is good you are taking the time to figure it all out. Traditional towing wisdom is that it is always best to have your trailer "level" (parallel to the ground) while towing. One can err a little having the front slightly low, but front higher than level is to be avoided for stability reasons. If you have a long flat surface to hitch up your TV and trailer, "level" just means that they are in plane with each other and the ground. You can measure the Oliver seam joint fore and aft to the ground (as you did) to see if they are equal (or check by measuring the frame to ground). Then check your TV to be sure it's not squatting in the rear. It should be sitting parallel to the ground as well. Trailer adjustments are made at the hitch, TV adjustments can be made by adding airbags or adjusting your WDH. Best to start getting your TV level. Just standing back and looking at the TV/trailer hooked up will tell you a lot. Just a caution that adding airbags to your TV does not increase your rated payload capacity! Make your trailer and TV so they are on parallel planes, that is the goal, with a slight nose down being acceptable if that is all you can tune into the system. It is never perfect, but getting it as close as you can goes a long ways to increasing your safety, and others around you on the road. Check out the Robert Pepper video. He has many videos on rigging and trailer setups that are extremely valuable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeEEC5eVNCk Good luck, Dave

She's up top and installed, running ever so quietly... I'll write more on the installation soon and total height measurement. It does appear a bit tall, though I took the picture from higher ground. I ran the furnace during the Bears game (love when the Packers get beat, it's so sweet)! Then Chris and I went out to check on the Oliver... The cabin was at 74F and with the Chill Cube set to 60F it cooled quickly (but true testing can not be accomplished during the winter)! When it kicked in, it started drawing only 2A, OMG! We're always on inverted battery power, no shore line. it took a few minutes to ramp up. Highest reading was 18A. The Dometic Penguin II needed over 150A to make that freight train sound and would take 2-3 times as long to cool (how does that work)? I didn't measure total usage this time, but at the high draw of 18A (which sounds crazy, but it would certainly draw more on a hot summer day) I could run this A/C for 50 hours! I'm thinking with 900 Ah LiFePO4 batteries we will be able to run this on at least 3-5 hot afternoons when boondocking, get a hook-up after a week out. Out west you rarely need to run A/C overnight. A/C in the afternoon, furnace by dawn, so yes if they ever sell an upgraded model with heat pump and Bluetooth it would kill the market. Then it settled down at 10A, in AUTO mode the fan was running a low-medium speed (as recorded, run movie). The fan can run even slower/quieter! The huge evaporator fan in the Non-ducted version of the Chill Cube is the secret, and it's what sold me. When turned off the oscillating vent goes back to closed position, love how the air handler hangs <1" below the ceiling! I'm 6'2" and when the vent was full down, standing tall it was still 2-3" above my head. Love how it pushes a lot of air up and down the Oliver hallway but does not blow directly on the beds. Living in the Southwest, and especially after living a few years in South Florida, Summer has become our least favorite season (more so for Chris). I have a feeling that Summers in the Oliver are going to be pretty decent running this A/C unit! 😎 Furrion Chill Cube Running.MOV

All things electric and all things internet are beyond me. I can update my signature map, and then after the next trip can't figure how to do it🙃

It was mounted using an additional extension piece of “starboard” backing plate (as mentioned in a previous post) glued in with a very very strong industrial grade marine grade fiberglass adhesive. I do not know the name of the marine grade odorless adhesive that was used. I do know its used in Marine grade installs. I opted not to have my installer drill through and bolt the backing plate through the fiberglass. My concern is the “hanging weight” on the bolt through the fiberglass from the 3000W inverter/charger could/would eventually cause the fiberglass to star or splinter and eventually just crack. In my experience and discussions with Jason E at Oliver service over the years, drilling through the fiberglass is not at all recommended. So drilling just was not something I was willing to risk. So far my Victron 3000W inverter converter is still very secure.

Ouch! Things get worse... Battleborn Battery MELTED?! 🔥🔥New Problem!

Darn it. As others have had before, finding the intermittent voltage issue with trailer brakes and newer trucks can be frustrating. I still have a bit of an issue. So, the only thing I have not checked or changed are the brake assemblies and the brake wires inside the axle tubes. I’m pulling them out this week before my Egg rally in live oak, FL. I just received my new 12 AWG wire from eTrailer and new higher end crimpers, for non-solder connectors. Adding to my tool supply. Also got some new toys. Solder seal wire connectors, just a few, (1100 count). With a mini heat gun with deflector. I will find the voltage issue. I did check, clean, and improve any and all grounds in the trailer this weekend. The test drive didn’t reveal any brake voltage issues, but I’m removing the axle wires anyways.

I had ALCAN upgrade my axles a few months after I had their springs installed. I dropped off around 8:00 and they were done at 10:00. Enough time for breakfast and a stroll around Bass Pro Shop! Mike

I agree that their reputation has taken a significant hit. Will has a huge number of followers. The issues he found are shocking but why is it that I have the same battery (X3) that are 4 years old and have been through a bunch of discharge/recharge cycles and they appear to be in the same condition today that they did in January 2021? Is Dragon Fly handling complaints quietly under their 10 year warranty or are there no real amount of battery failures out there? Surely they have lawyers advising them. If the design issue is as Will describes, why haven’t I received notification from DF that my batteries are prone to meltdown and/or burning up? As I mentioned before, I feel like there’s something here that seems a bit off. I will continue to track this issue while cautiously using my Battle Born’s as I have since 2021. Mike

Really? Does having THAT tractor count as "alone"? I really like the thread title though. Bill

Well, it was a good day, I now have some new toys tools to help do all this type of work, and WoW, what a different they made. I finally got a creeper, a set of ratcheting wrenches, and an off-road hydraulic roller jack which reaches 29 inches in hight. It's nearly 21 inches to the Oliver frame from the pavement. Man, it was a breeze to do now. I think putting the wheels on the creeper took half the time of the entire project. LOL The ratcheting wrenches were SUPER handy for the new Bulldog shocks - I've wanted a set for years. My new high-end crimper made great crimps on the new brake wire now running along the rear axle. I have not gotten to the front axle yet, got rained out. My old shocks were all dead, which "someone" at Oliver said were "good" just two summers ago. All four shocks would not open on their own and had to be pulled apart and were much easier to push closed than the new Bulldogs. I'm now ready for next week's trip to Florida's Eggs & S'Mores Rally at the Suwannee Music ground in Live Oaks. Can't wait to see "the gang". We'll have at least 4 or 5 Ollies in our group, along with Casitas. My Alcan springs should arrive next week, but no time to put them on yet. I used heavy duty exterior zip ties to secure the double insulated, 12-gauge, 2-wire brake wire to the axle. The eTrailer part number from eTrailer is C46GJ. My new mini heat-gun with wire shield did the trick nicely on the shrink tube butt-connectors. I was also able to find the serial number to the rear axle for future replacement - thank goodness for the new creeper. IMPORTANT: I did find a bad area on the wire I pulled out of the axle, which appeared to have been "calked" over, or something odd like that. Also found a break in the wire insulation of the brake assembly itself - it's getting brittle. All brake assemblies will be replaced after Alcan spring installation, or best yet, just get the axles replaced with new brakes. Then, the entire under carriage should be good-to-go. Passenger-side voltage is now at 2.98v. Very nice. Here's a quick video of the new -vs- old shocks, a short race to the finish. Old-Oliver-shocks-verus-new-bulldogs.mp4

Nope! The spare tire housing was originally designed to fit a 15 incher. But Oliver changed to 16 inch tires at some point and never got around to changing that housing - this includes both the exterior cover and the indent in the two outside molds. However, Oliver was again "forced" to change back to a 15 inch tire due to supply issues thus making a possible change to the molds unnecessary. So, My spare is a 15 incher and the other four "running" tires are 16 while the newer Ollies are 15 inch all around (including the spare). I'm sure that someone has those exact dates of change (ScubaRx maybe) but it is easy to see which spare you have. Bill p.s. perhaps it is understandable concerning the spare tire issue when you know that a single exterior main body mold costs something in excess of $2,000,000.00 to fabricate. I'm guessing that a change to that mold might cost a bit less but then you've got to consider the cost of taking it out of production while the change is being made to it.

On our 2015 LE2 a 225X75X16 tire will not fit in our spare tire housing, so I installed a 225/75/15 Goodyear ST spare, same tire that Oliver now installs as standard. Oliver said the fiberglass tire housing on the 2015 LE2 a 225/75/15 tire would fit. My 2015 Ollie came with a 215/60/16 spare tire. Here's some research done on spare tires: As far as towing level, I'm starting at 23 1/4" from top of the ball, our TV settles about 2" with Ollie connected, the F350 rear end is still higher than the front with Ollie connected, with Ollie looking close to level. Our Ollie towing experience has been very stable with original 5200lb axles and original Dexter 5 leaf springs.

Forgot, Electrican found the issues with my temp issue. The sensor and Elite 1 is behind the front speaker in the corner. Unpluged the sensor, blew out with canned air and reinstalled it and it works fine. Thinks it might have been a bad connection from the get go. Who know, it works now and that's all that matters. Thanks guys for trying to help. Appreciate it.

One more thought on the subject. Understand that western snow is dry… normally. By that I mean it isn't usually the wet heavy icy stuff so prevalent back east or down south when they rarely get it. What this means is the driving conditions even with snow packed roads are a much different critter than wet ice packed roads. Not saying anyone shouldn't be cautious under these conditions but the differences in driving on dry snow roads is night and day different than back east… the vast majority of the time. It's not uncommon to be on the interstates with snow packed roads and people are still going 70+ MPH out here on the Montanabon. Wyoming is no different. All of the western states are very diligent about plowing too and what doesn't get scraped off either evaporates or melts in fairly short order. There will always be icy spots especially in the shade of cliffs, trees etc but it's truly amazing how fast the remnants after plowing evaporate even in cold temps. Just be cautious and take your time or grab a motel room for the night, or two

I'm with you on this line of thinking. Years of use without issues reported. Now there is an instance, one reported issue, only in test of a brand new battery. What we don't know is if BB changed their build process, or did a supplier in China change/cheapen the process in one one or more battery components?

"The other thing is ALL Oliver Owurchase is the LevelMatePRO" I agree. It's a great item to have. We once used it to find the most level pull through in a nearly vacant state park. Why not? I think we drove through ten sites and just found the most level one. It makes set up so easy. John

Ron and JD: The above 23.5" to 25" recommendation was for our older trailers with the larger wheel diameter. Sam's 2025 trailer I believe has 15" rims. So likely the target is not the same as those with 16" tires. I also agree that a bit low on the front of Ollie is also advantageous, especially out west were speeds tend to be higher. I agree with both JD and Dave that for setting up the systems for travel.... Stand back and take a gander. For those of us with older F-150's, we have found that a pair of Bilstein 5100's shocks and air bags on the rear axle have made a wonderful improvement in our driving experiences. GJ

Here’s a pic of the HD wet bolts. Hopefully you also ordered the HD shackles. I had Alcan install the wet bolts with the grease zerks facing under our Oliver for easier access when greasing the zerks.

Many thanks. Great points. I'll learn and tune with the current trailer suspension and upgrade if needed in the future. My history is 17 years with a single axle Casita Freedom Deluxe (w/bathroom). Tandem axle and Andersen is a learning experience. I will investigate the signature as you suggested - thank you. Sam

Sam - WELCOME! It appears that you have already done a bunch more than many owners in researching, thinking, weighing, etc. and adjusting your hitch setup. As with a number of things regarding towing and RV there tend to be a number of different opinions and/or approaches to the subject. And, virtually no matter how you setup the rig, many of the factors that went into the setup depend on what the "current situation" just might be. But, as a starting point, leveling the tow vehicle and the trailer (as close as possible) is a good thing. Then as you load, unload, have different levels of fluid in your tanks, different amounts of food and drink, different amounts of cloths and related items, different selections of tools, etc. both the amount of weight and the distribution of that weight is likely to change. Also, the type of terrain that you will tow over will likely change - possibly even during one trip. Within reason, your initial setup would appear to cover the vast majority of circumstances. But, be prepared to make adjustments if you encounter off-road situations, very uneven and/or rough roads , or your weights in either the tow vehicle or the trailer change (i.e. you carry another couple of passengers with you, buy that really sweet big (and heavy) grill/fire pit, etc. Yes, I believe that the work you have put into your setup does matter and will make your towing experience safer and more pleasant. But, if you encounter the rough terrain I mention above and feel uncertain about it then it don't hesitate to temporarily loosen those Andersen chains in order to take some of the strain off the frame (but, if you do this, be sure to put them back to your "normal" setup after you have resumed your "normal" towing). Bill

Alcan Spring visit and 5 leaf pack install went smooth and quick. I don’t recall the exact labor charge but it was reasonable. The install only took Lew’s team 2.5 hrs and was worth every penny, I never broke a sweat. 😄 A first class install. Still have my Alcan hat!

I can pump 35 gallons of diesel and go pee inside the trailer while Tali walks the dog, goes inside the station for a snack and uses the bathroom and be back up to speed on the interstate in under 15 minutes. I’m then good for at least another 400 miles or until one of the three onboard bladders gets full again. I have no idea how long this would take with an EV and no desire to find out.

Then fill your freshwater tank with clean water and either pump it into the gray tank and then dump or just drain it out onto the ground. That will wash out what small amount of AF that ended up in the fresh water tank. If you want to kill two birds with one stone, add some bleach to the first flush, let it sit for a few hours and then empty the fresh tank. That will sanitize it as well. I’d then flush it again.

Mike, we did the same thing with just the five leaf spring upgrade. We had breakfast, but walked around town. Lots of street art. Lew's team is great. John

Yes - I'd try all of the other possible solutions before going down this road. But, it you have mold under there you might try spraying a bit of diluted bleach in order to kill it. Bill

The following thread on Will Prowse's forum started last August, (mentioned on page 1 of this thread) is up to 62 pages so far, https://diysolarforum.com/threads/battle-born-battery-issue.110295/ I cannot embed the YouTube link, but "Will's Garage" (not Will Prowse) on YouTube has done a BB autopsy with discussion videos. This video by "All About RV's" shows Will Prowse's video and expands on the subject:

Yes, Hull 45 came with 225/75R15 tires and the inside width of the cover is 28 5/8. I'm guessing that the mold was changed at some point since @Ronbrinkhas a 225/75R16 tire spare which has a 29.21" diameter.

Mike Sokol, the RV Electric Guru has prepare a lengthy list of questions to Dragonfly/ Battleborn, and to date he hasn't reported a response.

Gene G, I have to admit that’s a first and very creative thinking! Looking forward to your pics on cover removal. 👍🏻😊🇺🇸

Patriot/CRM: Thanks for posting Will's latest video. Pretty much substantiates my claim of melting plastic as a source. But it does not explain all the other issues he is pointing out. Sad and potentially dangeros situtation. If you have BB's, it is a must see video. GJ

It’s a good thing we have grandkids to help us through these technical challenges!!

Just topped off the air for our trip to Quartzsite next week. Pressure was low since the weather got cold. 55 PSI with Alcan Springs would be jarring! Now all 4 tires are set right at 46 PSI. I like this number! 😎

Go figure! Visual inspection of shocks will only show leaks. You need to remove them to test them. Good for you Chris! I've never found a creeper that works for me. Been scooting and rolling my body on the concrete garage floors for decades! I did not have ratcheting wrenches most of my life, but 3 years ago I found this awesome set on a good sale. Nice jack! 😎 https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-144-Position-Flex-Head-Ratcheting-Combination-Wrench-Set-Metric-15-Piece-48-22-9513/313671329#see-more-details

We had a 2024 F-150 5.0L that did not have the maximum tow package, when connecting Ollie had too much rear end TV sag. I installed the Timbren Rear Suspension enhancement system and got rid of the sag with Ollie connected, but it was a firm ride with Ollie connected. Installed rear differential airbags on two tow vehicles and really liked that system when towing Ollie, small adjustments can be made with air pressure adjusting rear end sag.

In 2020 Oliver did not offer lithium batteries so either you have a special model or someone has taken the camper back in to the factory for an upgrade. The 2020s did not offer a solar disconnect or a battery disconnect. I have modified my 2020 to add lithium and replaced a lot of the older equipment. That location does look like where the wiring from the solar panels would be located, so that would be my guess too, the solar disconnect.

Too bad they went cheap on the wheels! But 15" vs. 16" wheels is only an 1/2" height difference. But of course height is dependent on the tire profile. What is the tire profile on the 15s? We have LT225/75R16 tires on our trailer. A tire 1/2" taller in profile on 15s can equal the height on 16s! When upgrading wheels & tires, I use this app often to compare tire sizes: https://tiresize.com/wheel-offset-calculator/

I just received my shocks, thanks @Galway Girl and I know @jd1923 has used these too I think I saw in another post. Can't wait to get started, but I have another rally in a week. LOL

Thanks for the comments. I'm adding all to my "level" and "towing" mental database. I'm early in the game and each comment/recommendation/opinion make me peel the onion another layer. I am indeed riding on 15" wheels. The eye is quite discerning....looking reasonably level, is indeed critical.

I upgraded to the beefier ALCAN springs and larger axles last year. That means I drove about 100K miles over 9 years with the smaller 3500lb axles and Dexter 4 leafs. That mileage includes some rough roads/off roads. I’d say you don’t need to rush to upgrade, do it when the timing/budget allows. My only exception might be if you are planning a trip to Alaska, the upgraded suspension might be a good idea. Mike

The consensus is go BLACK! IT does not show stains and the window is black anyway.

As @topgun2 and @John Dorrer mentioned the compressed air and regular cleaning has always worked well for me. I also apply a little coating of spray silicone or WD40 on a rag and wipe down the exterior black rubber seal before reinstalling. This helps to keep it supple and clean looking.

I pull mine up everytime I clean the window tracks. I can only pull up what isn’t underneath the window when open and they go back down pretty easy.

Springs Ordered: I talked with Lew for quite a long time today. He cannot believe how many Olivers they're doing these days. They try to keep at least one set of springs on the shelf at all times for Ollies. Mine will ship next week. All they need to do is create the 9/16" x 3" U-bolts. I told him on my way out West, someday, I'll have them slap on the 5200 lbs axles too. LOL. He just said give them some lead-time. I think Lew convinced me to just stay with the 5-leaf set, but also said I can simply remove the bottom leaf if I wish, no big deal. And when someone asks, Lew did say they recommend always leaving 20% of max spring capacity for "wiggle room". So: 4-leaf springs x 4 = 9,000 lbs - 20% (1800 lbs) = 7,200 lbs 5-leaf springs x 4 = 11,000 lbs - 20% (2200 lbs) = 8,800 lbs You would definitely want to upgrade the axles before hitting 7100+ lbs. LOL

The shocks are bulldog shocks. Bulldog HD Shock Absorber Replaces 555001 For Trailer Leaf Spring Retro Kit They were ordered on-line for around $145 from 4 state trucks. 19-050000007: Bulldog HD Shock Absorber Replaces 555001 For Trailer Leaf Spring Retro Kit

Thanks everyone for the info, and thanks to @Galway Girl for the picture of the 4-leaf spring. I just don't see having any issues with either the 4 or 5-leaf springs, especially since I pack light. The 4-leaf set is so much heavier duty than the stock Dexters already, that 2,000 pounds over max axle rating is certainly enough.... although, if I do upgrade to the 5200 lb axles, I'd be ready with the 5-leaf springs at 11,000 lbs rating. Dang it. Decisions, decisions. I'll be putting in my order soon, either way. Tim @ Alcan said they are about 6 to 8 weeks out from shipping. They're getting popular. I also confirmed with Tim that the splined wet bolts should indeed fit tight into the splined shackles. The first set of springs I helped replace did not come with any splined shackles, that did seem old since we had splined wet bolts, but we had to complete the job that day to get back on the road. I will confirm when I receive my springs. PS. I have plans to upgrading my truck to a 2500 as well, taking care of any lingering porpoising going over bridges, and getting rid of that damn Andersen Weight Distribution Hitch. I want to carry more tools and supplies, and add a cap to the truck. I'm pushing my weight limit now with Decked drawers full of tools currently in the truck. Cheers for now. Retirement is sooooo damn close, I can taste it.

I found the OEM springs to be under-sprung, too soft for the near 7K top-heavy load of the Oliver. Mine used to waddle left and right and porpoise up and down at the hitch. I needed the WDH to keep the Oliver in control when towing. With our suspension upgrade, both D52 axles and HD Alcan leaf springs, the Oliver is towing straight and even, no more waddling, no porpoising. The tow vehicle suspension no longer has to compensate for the weaker trailer suspension. So cool. 😎