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Angus

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Posts posted by Angus

  1. I just read through the comments on emergency chocks and have a few rookie questions:

    Is there a way to "engage" the brakes on the Oliver once you have the chocks set?

    Can the breakaway cable be pulled to "set" the brakes?

    Would the above be a bad practice or cause harm to the brakes while at rest?

    Thanks,

     

    Peter

  2. No worries! It does look like hatch in this area, if we are talking about the same thing, would be good for another shelf or storage above the basement storage area.

     

    Peter

     

    I was not aware that I could get an extra “basement” access door. Are you talking about an extra storage bin/door underneath the top door of the nightstand?

    It is not “extra” storage….just extra access to existing basement storage from the inside. Apologies for the mis-information on the table ????

  3. John,

     

    Thanks for the feedback.

     

    We had a feeling that we might be approaching the upper-limits of performance and safety with our current van. We can financially pull the trigger on the OLEII, but need to onload some property (the business) before upgrading to a newer more powerful vehicle.

     

    I can tell you that when I moved to Colorado, I pulled a U-Haul trailer (2,210 pounds) with the van. The trailer was carrying my Jeep (~3,300 pounds). The Jeep and Van were both loaded floor to ceiling with books and other household goods. The van "felt" heavy, but handled the load well through the mountains passes, and it was stable on the flats at 75 mph. Wish I would have weighed everything along the way. :-)

     

    Peter

     

     

  4. John,

     

    Thanks for your reply, and apologies for the data typos! To answer some of your questions and respond to comments:

    My van is actually AWD. It's not a true 4x4 like our Jeep. I am unable to shift in/out of AWD.

    Regarding the axle, I copied data directly from the Owner's Manual and was not able to find anything more specific on the tags within the vehicle. The manual lists both numbers 3.42 / 3.73 with not additional data or info. Not sure how now to narrow this down -- any ideas?

    The van is a 2007... NOT a 2017... typo on my part. The manual lists the van as "H1500 Passenger Van AWD, 5300 V8".

    The engine is 5.3L V8.

    The Ball Mount data comes from the sticker on the hitch. The sticker provides 2 numbers: 1 for a ball hitch weight, and then another if I'm using a Weight Distribution Hitch -- 500 pounds tongue weight for just the ball and then 750 pounds if I have a Weight Distribution Hitch. Then 5,000 pounds max tow weight with just the ball hitch, and 7,500 pounds max tow weight if I have the Weight Distribution Hitch.

    The max weights sticker on the ball mount that slides into the receiver match what is already on the van (750 and 7,500)

    Thanks,

     

    Peter

  5. My wife and I are conducting Oliver research and will lay eyes on our first OLE II this coming Friday. Trying to answer as many questions as possible before the upcoming visit, and one question on the list is: Can we use our existing 2007 Chevy Express AWD Van?

     

    What are your thoughts on keeping this vehicle as a starting point for a tow vehicle?

     

    Here is the data on our van:

    2007 Chevy Express H1500 AWD Passenger Van

    "5300" V8 Engine

    The manual lists 3.42 and 3.73 Axle ratios, but does not specify which ration for my particular vehicle.

    Maximum Trailer Weight is 6,100 pounds (NOTE: The "Cargo Van" version is rated at 6,500 pounds, but all other specs look the same for both models. I'm not sure what the difference is besides the number of seats.)

    GCWR is 12,000 pounds

    Here is the data on our hitch:

    Weight Distribution Hitch

    Max Gross Trailer Weight is 7,500 pounds.

    Max Tongue Weight is 750 pounds.

    Weight Carrying Ball Mount

    Max Gross Trailer Weight is 5,000 pounds.

    Max Tongue Weight is 500 pounds.

    We have been very happy with this van, and it has made several long journeys. The only downside to our van, is that it is a base model -- no cruise control... no electric windows... nothing fancy inside at all. We can live with this until the time is right to purchase a newer vehicle

     

    The AWD handles dirt, gravel, ice, and snow with ease. The van has only "broken loose" from the road once, and that was when I was testing the limits -- I kept the gas on... did not touch the brakes... steered where I wanted to go... and the van eventually straightened and continued down the road.

     

    We have one bench seat and removed the 2 back bench seats. The storage is incredible. I can't imagine that we would ever exceed the GCWR, but you never know.

     

    My local tire-guy installed some heavy duty tires for hauling cargo (groceries) over the passes around Lake City. Can't tell you exactly what type of tire at the moment, but he has never led me astray.

     

    It looks like we definitely need the weight distributing hitch.

     

    Thanks,

     

    Peter and Patty (no... we do not have much towing experience!)

  6. Dave,

     

    I'm new to the Oliver forum, but have used a Chevy Express AWD van for the last 6 years. My van was purchased off EBay motors with ~70,000 miles on it. I drove it from Norfolk, VA to Austin, TX, then attached a UHaul trailer to haul my Jeep. The van and the Jeep were loaded with household goods as we were moving to the mountains of Colorado. Not sure how safe it was, but I cruised at 75 MPH with the van and trailer all the way from Austin to Lake City, Colorado. Over passes... uphill... downhill... through snow... and up/down passes with snow and ice.

     

    Absolutely no problems at all. Neither the van nor the trailer broke-loose during the trip.

     

    Last week I drove from Montrose to Lake City during an unexpected snow storm. No chains. Empty van. We drove through 6 inches of snow on the highway without single problem, all the while passing cars and trucks stranded or stuck.

     

    I love our Chevy Express AWD, and hope the the numbers will allow us to pull a new OLE II.

     

    Peter

  7. Don,

     

    How long has Grant owned and operated the newspaper? The fellow at the newspaper who invited us to visit and view documents was also the chair or president of the local historical society. Don

     

    Sounds like the same guy. I'm quite certain that Grant has been here his entire life... has owned and operated the paper for more than 30 years... I'm just not sure if he is the founder, or if he purchased it from someone else.

     

    Peter

  8. John,

     

    July and August are probably the busiest months of our summer tourist season. So, depending on what type of town you are looking to visit, July and August could be GREAT or TERRIBLE depending on what you are looking for. Great in the sense that there is a lot going on: concerts, parades, arts & crafts shows, exhibits, celebrations, all the stores/restaurants are open, and etc. TERRIBLE if you are trying to get away from the masses, as there will be thousands of people in the Town and County. Some camp sites are booked a year or more in advance -- especially over holiday weekends.

     

    On a more positive note, there are many places to go boondocking and get an off-grid experience. You might still have some neighbors nearby, but Lake City resides in "the most remote county in the lower 48 States" according to the US Census Bureau, so there are plenty of public lands and trails to explore.

     

    There are 3 RV parks in Lake City, 1 just outside of town, another close to Lake San Cristabal, and then several County parks along the lake and further out County Road 30. We see many RVers along the County roads at smaller "river camp sites". Not sure about the amenities, as I have not camped there yet.

     

    Also, our shoulder season is pretty much untapped. May - June, and October - November can be spectacular in Lake City and Hinsdale County. The passes on our PAVED roads are always open. I've been here 5 years and never seen any of the paved roads in Hinsdale County closed for snow. The County roads that lead up to Engineer and Cinnamon Passes are always closed in the winter due to snow and avalanche danger, but Hinsdale and Mineral County crews start clearing those as the summer tourist season approaches.

     

    Finally, I like the idea about a thread for this area, but I'm not sure if I'm the right person to start that and answer questions. I can help with Lake City and Hinsdale County for sure, but know virtually nothing about the other side of the mountain with regards to Ouray, Silverton, etc.

     

    Thanks,

     

    Peter

  9. Darrell & Kathy,

     

    Thanks for your reply.

     

    I was not aware that I could get an extra "basement" access door. Are you talking about an extra storage bin/door underneath the top door of the nightstand?

     

    I saw a picture or video a while back... early in my Oliver exploration... and I swear the table rotated so that it was entirely over one of the beds, thus allowing a little temporary room to move around in that area. Unfortunately, there was no commentary about removing or lowering.

     

    Congrats on your order!

     

    Peter & Patty

  10. Don,

     

    Thanks for the feedback on your high-altitude adventures!

     

    Grant Houston now owns and operates the Silver World Newspaper here in Lake City. He is a lifelong resident of Lake City and also leads the Hinsdale County Historical Society. Grant is a wealth of information and always welcoms friends and family from Lake City's colorful past.

     

    July and August are pretty crazy with the tourist season here, and I always suggest the shoulder season if you have flexibility. There are several hook-up parks in town, nearby County maintained parks, and many off-grid areas to explore.

     

    We hope to join the Oliver crowd as soon as possible.

     

    Peter

    • Thanks 1
  11. Are there any Oliver owners out there with Sleep Apnea?

     

    I use a BiPAP machine on a nightly basis to address issues associated with Sleep Apnea. It looks like the electrical, solar, and battery systems will all allow me to plug-in and use my BiPAP in the Oliver. However, based on the online pictures of the interior, it also looks like we might be leaning toward the twin-bed configuration with nightstand out of necessity for placement of the BiPAP each night.

     

    We envision the BiPAP machine sitting on the nightstand while not underway, but I am wondering about plug placement and access ports in this area of the Oliver. Are there any openings on the nightstand that would allow the BiPAP to sit on top and run the electrical connections through an opening into the nightstand?

     

    Trying to plan for a good configuration or option for plugging-in the BiPAP... placement... storage... etc.

     

    Any comments or observations would be appreciated.

     

    Thanks,

     

    Peter

    • Thanks 2
  12. Greetings from Colorado,

     

    Questions about the bed and table options for the Oliver:

     

    1. On the Twin-Bed configuration, does the Lagun table "drop-down" to make a king-size bed?

     

    2. How easy is it to remove the Lagun Table if desired?

     

    3. Does the Lagun Table "swivel" like a hospital bed table? Can it be pushed (swiveled) out of the for a little more room?

     

    Thanks,

     

    Peter and Patty

    • Thanks 1
  13. Hello,

     

    My wife and I are researching Olivers and will travel to Longmont, Colorado to visit with an Oliver owner the day after Thanksgiving. We have a question about high altitude use.

     

    BACKGROUND: We own a small grocery store in Lake City, Colorado. The elevation here is 8,671', and we had trouble with cooler doors in our store "exploding" due to the high altitude. The cooler doors in our store are double pane and filled with some type of gas to help with insulation and frost between the glass. The fix was to finally drill holes in the frame to release the gas to prevent the doors from exploding. Needless to say we have frost issues, but at least the doors are not exploding.

     

    QUESTION: Has anyone reported issues with Oliver windows at higher altitudes? Frost? Cracking? Anything?

     

    Thanks,

     

    Peter and Patty

  14. Thanks Bill.

     

    We are pretty good about taking pictures, notes, and then de-briefing the visit.

     

    Currently waiting for a call from an Oliver owner in the Denver area, and reading as much as possible about the Oliver. We have done some sailing in the past, and all of this feels very familiar with the Oliver construction.

     

    Peter and Patty

  15. Greetings from Colorado,

     

    My wife and I have been researching RV's from our residence in Colorado. We are first-time RV buyers and would like to take a peak at an Oliver. Anyone near Gunnison, Colorado who would be willing to let us take a peak at your Oliver?

     

    Thanks,

     

    Peter and Patty

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