skalywag

I am still using a bungee cord from the towel hook to the open doors edge. Works like a charm.

I just noticed this this morning: Canadian Border closure just been extended until June 21st. I do not know how this affects travel to and from Alaska. I will stay tuned.

LongStride, Rideandfly is correct - yes that is the kit I installed. I also notice the price keeps going up as well. John, that is a good point about how much travel to allow. I have some 1/4 in. rubber that I could bond to the underside of the frame over the U-bolts which may prevent damage. That is a place where I would not want to introduce a "buckle" condition. At the very least, I will pay special attention to how I load our Ollie.

Good topic. I just climbed under my 2017 LE1 and measured 1.625 in. clearance between the top of the U-Bolt and the underside of the frame. Also noticed no interference evidence after 20K miles of pleasant towing. I have recently installed the Dexter zerk fitting kit which includes new heavy duty shackles that are longer (center to center) and provide some additional lift of maybe .5 - .75 in. An improvement might be the addition of a rubber bumper pad which OTT may want to consider.

I replaced the gearbox for the Maxxfan today. It took about 20 minutes following the included instructions performed on top of the Ollie. I am starting to feel that this must be a common occurrence by the matter of fact way the instructions read. The instructions were very well done and easy to follow. I could improve on them. The replacement gearbox was more robust looking than the original one I removed. A better casting for sure. Also, I should add that the price was almost twice the cost of the one shown in John's OP (from eTrailer) and that is since January. Could that be a symptom of life during a pandemic?

Mark, Here are some pics I just took. They do show a sleeve that the bolt goes thru and a bit of grease seeping out at the ends. I included a shot of the instruction sheet that came with the kit from Dexter. There are some improvements that could be made to this arrangement. Please let me know how it turns out and if you have any question for me.

Mark, Yes, it has a sleeve. It is a section of stainless (?) tubing cut to length and fitted between the frame flanges. The bolt with the zerk then runs through it. BTW, I had no photo to upload, but I could climb under there if you need one. Sorry, I did not take a before photo. Also, the original equipment bushings were nylon and 2 of them were pretty worn after 20K miles. I prefer the grease type.

Mark, I recently installed a shackle kit from etrailer for the Dexter suspension on our 2017 Elite. I had sleeves for the upper rears. Those sleeves were original equipment from Oliver. You should have those. I did put the grease fittings to the inside so I could better torque (50 ft-lbs) the flanged nuts that came with the kit. I found it not difficult at all to grease each of them with a grease gun fitted with a flexible hose.

John, Thanks again for your pioneering help on this device. My gear box self destructed and I will be climbing up on the roof of to replace it. It was nice to find your topic and the guidance is appreciated. Did you ever find out what kind of lube it uses? Maybe a lithium based grease will suffice? The fan cover opening was a bit jerky and only 3 years old. Update: The remnants of the OEM gearbox showed a residue of a sticky grease - but not alot of it present. The casting was toast though. Cheers, Terry

I have never wished I had the larger LEII. The smaller LE is slightly more expensive (2709 per foot vs. 2446/ft), but full timing would justify the extra space and weight. The smaller trailer is very maneuverable and fits into smaller spaces. It also depends on how much stuff you want to carry. I tow with a medium sized Toyota Tacoma with comfort, so the TV options are many.

I have been towing my Elite 1 since 2017 with my Tacoma (2017 TRD Off road w/ 6 speed manual) and can say it has done a great job thru all conditions. Hauls enough stuff for 2 and a dog including 2 kayaks and supplies for weeks out. It is very well matched in both torque and braking (P3 brake control installs like it belongs). One major advantage is it's maneuverability in and out of tight places. The only weakness I have experienced is that the fuel consumption drops to 15 mpg whilst towing and only gives me 300 miles between fuel stops (but this is quality time anyways and a break is wanted by then). Never a problem in windy conditions yet. This is no longer a compact truck as you know, but a mid size with 6700 lbs towing capacity.

I use a "Die Bar" that I keep in my tow vehicle to align the pin holes. A 3/8th in. rod (20-24 inches long) would likely work and make sure you take some of the load off of the ball so the cone clutch slips. This will work from any angle the TV has to the Trailer's hitch.

I actually just simply traced the radii with a Sharpie and one of the existing cushions that was radiused. Then cut the mattress topper foam with a sharp pair of scissors. It worked like a charm and the topper cover slipped over the 3 in.foam and assumed the shape.

Overland, very nice pics of a well organized trailer. I did notice that your head "bumper" is missing over the entrance where you have installed a net. I hate to say it but, I make good use of the bumper in ours regularly. Do the contents of the net make up for this? Cheers

We have been using stainless steel drain screens in our sinks from day 1. It has prevented various detritus from entering the grey tank system and have never had a clog. Available everywhere. Glad you fixed it. Cheers.

Speaking of BEST practices, we make it a routine task to shut off the water valve at the source every time we leave the Ollie for a hike or whatever just to be safe. Also, I have used an inline filter (at the source valve) every time I connect to the Oliver water system to prevent rust/crap from getting into our lines. So far - so good. Good topic, Cheers

SeaDawg, I have been towing our LE1 using an Anderson hitch from the factory. My Tacoma tow package requires it. To be honest though, I am not sure it is needed since the Elite follows along so effortlessly. I did re-install it with the correct fasteners and torqued them accordingly. We have 15K + miles and all is well. Cheers

This may be important: "February 12, 2019EB2200i • EU2200i PORTABLE GENERATORSSAFETY AND EMISSION RECALL — STOP SALE/RENTAL NOTICEDear Honda Power Equipment Dealer,American Honda is issuing a Stop Sale Notice for certain EB2200i and EU2200i generators.In some units, the screws used to assemble the fuel valve may loosen during use and can leak fuel. If gasoline or gasoline vapors leak, a fire or explosion could occur.A fuel leak caused by this issue typically is identified as a result of smelling a strong fuel odor before, during, or after operation, or seeing fuel underneath the generator.Affected UnitsAmerican Honda Inventory: Currently all affected American Honda warehouse inventory is on hold.Units in Dealer Inventory: Tag affected units and place them in a secure location to prevent retail sale or rental. We have attached a printout showing non-registered units within the affected ranges that have been purchased by your dealership from American Honda. Units within the affected serial number ranges cannot be sold or placed into service until they have been repaired, as required by law. If a dealer sells an unrepaired unit after being notified of this safety/emissions recall and stop sale notice, any injury or damage that occurs as a result is the responsibility of the dealer.Retailed Units:Customers with affected units, that have been registered, will be notified of the recall by letter after release of the service bulletin. If you have sold, but not yet registered any units, please register them immediately.Replacement Parts:Replacement parts will be available with the release of the service bulletin.American Honda will be issuing a service bulletin with detailed repair instructions, expected in early March. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this issue may cause.If you have any questions, please contact your Honda District Sales Manager or District Service Manager" Honda-warning.docx

Hobo, I have mine parked on a concrete surface as well. I extend the trailers jacks (one at a time) to allow me to rotate each wheel 180 degrees. I do this about every 30 days to prevent flat spotting. Seems to work well. Those tires are crucial and I want to baby them. Good topic.

Yes, We had this experience as well. Used a safe household ladder with an old bath rug and removed the nest and debris. All I can add is that it was a Wren. Be safe up there.

francesm, Some very good advice here. One thing I can add is to be very vigilant for "Flood Cars". They are abundant. Have a trusted mechanic physically check as it may not show up in a CF report. Cheers from Nashville,

"I don’t know why they put the board there. Right next to a water system component that needs regular servicing (filter cleaning) is NOT a good location. I would have selected a much drier spot in the aft compartment. There is no reason for it to be in a quick access compartment…" FOUND it - I was able to remove the bad board with out removing the screws (which are unseeable) and have it in my hand. Looks exactly like John's burnt marks and all. Now to replace

John, Our Suburban igniter quit working recently. The electric side works, but obviously while only on city power. I have submitted a service ticket to Jason, but wonder if you were reimbursed for your trouble. Regardless, I will have to repair this one in a similar way. I wish to thank you for your sharing the replacement info - I know exactly were to look. I have thoughts about contacting the Suburban company near Chattanooga to see if they have any suggestions or replacements for a swap. Cheers,

We were there last week on our way from Addison. Made an obligatory stop at the LL Bean outlet. We loved the weather which was 40 degrees in the morning. Used the furnace whilst camping, but back at home it is in the 90's. Cheers,

Welcome @rodgers, Roguebooks is correct. We just returned from a 3500 mile trip towing our LE with a 2017 Toyota Tacoma 4X4 Manual to Maine and back. The trip was great and our Ollie performed beautifully whilst towing and camped. The Toyota requires a WD to provide the 6400# capacity, so we use an Anderson hitch, but not sure how much it is needed ( No sway to speak of). The LE comfortably sheltered 2 adults and a 42 pound dog with equipment and provisions for 2 weeks ( we had enough stuff for a month). My guess would be that we were around 3900#. There is much good info found here on this forum, so feel free to ask anything. Cheers for now,