Geronimo John

JD: Two thoughts back: A lighter and less expensive option would be a simple HVAC drip pan with drain fitting. Would slope it towards the drain a bit. Below is a sample for concept. Due to it's proximity to the fresh water tank, any possibility that the drain could be tied to the water tank overflow line in such a way that a tank overflow could not flow back to the drain pan? GJ

That's a nice set for having at a shop. However, I prefer a smaller less comprehensive set for carrying around in Ollie. Even with this set, you don't need 80% of it just for Ollie. I recommend servicing your bearing set and set aside only that you need. Saves weight and space. GJ

I’m taking the same approach. I’m keeping the knock-off Timken sets and some grease in my spares/tool kit as an emergency set to use on the road if ever needed. I’ll use genuine Tinkens from an authorized distributor when all the bearings eventually do need replaced. Excellent. But be sure to have a couple cans of break cleaner (I like CRC RED), rags and tools too!

And you can recycle them year after year too!

KingofPauls: First, please take a few minutes to fill in your signature line. Having the standard info below your E-mails is very helpful to others. TopGun2's is a good example. 2017 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist" If the very excellent responses above do not seem to solve your problem, kindly send me a PM. But please run to ground the info above first. GJ

I really like the truck bed set-up! Well done.

Good idea. I believe the 2019 A/C pulls 16 amps. @ 120 volts thats 1920 watts. How durable is the stock 2,000 watt inverter if one was to only power up the A/C against it?

I asked Dragon about storing their Battleborns for 8+ months where temps could get down to -10F for short periods, but for sure below 32 degrees for at least 4 months. Their response was NOT to put their Battleborns on a charger. Rather, fully charge the battery bank, then deplete them to a SOC of 50 to 60%. Turn off the master switch to ENSURE no battery draw. Caution: Check with the specific manufacturer about winter storage. There are significantly different approaches between them. One size approach does not fit all.

Wow Craig that's quite an improvement. Roger on being able to see the LED's for the Dc to Dc unit. I snagged a recommendation for tiedown from John D when he did his Battleborn Battery upgrade. Here is his recommended tiedowns. I have used them and like them as well. One note of caution: No matter how many you think you will need, you'll wish you have more of these. In my case, for sheet metal attachments for the eye straps, I used blind flange nuts/Revnuts. 1/4"-20 works well for general fastening. And there is a huge number of bolt heads to choose from at HD/Lowes/Ace. It is nice having the install tool, but for 30 years I just used a grade 8 bolt, nuts and washers to crush the Rivnuts. GJ

I admire your lithium and solar system update and have used many your ideas for the design of my system. I thank you for all the time you invested on the system design, as well as the detailed report of the entire process. Likewise for the truck bed electrical installation. All quality gear for sure. For those with covered beds that don't have stuff moving in the bed on paved roads the above will work perfectly. But for those using fire roads in mountains or running across unpaved rough roads, stuff in the bed does not always stay put. For this group, a modification of the above layout would be beneficial to provide protection to the exposed components. My suggestion would be: Add standoffs to move the carpeted board out from the truck cargo bed wall just enough to mount the thicker electrical in the recess under the cargo tie-down area. Layout the the electrical components on the back side of the carpeted board taking advantage of the bed vertical ribs and voids. Raise the carpeted board up an inch to allow for cooling air to flow up and out of the created electrical cavity. Use a SS continuous hinge on the carpeted board (On the left side) allow the carpeted board to swing out for service. Attach the right side with removeable hardware for service. Run the appliance electrical under the carpeted board to power up your loads. For those with open beds, a rain shield would also be beneficial. The cargo load side would then be a clean board with carpet , and all the electrical components well protected from cargo by that board.

Trainman I think you have pretty much determined the line between camping and glamping. For over 50 years of trail and tent camping I used an ancient perk pot that was my Grandfathers. That pot has black camp fire stains permanently embossed on the bottom half of the pot. Only God knows how much coffee I wasted due to boil overs. Or how many times that same pot had been used to heat water for my lady's morning routines. Still have that pot.. way too many memories to let it go. Will keep it until the day the cows come home because it always works no matter what. Two nice parts about an old cowboy campfire coffee pot. First is that you can add more water for the slow to get up sleepers... while the real cowboy who is up at first light gets to enjoy the "First Run" brew. Second is the Coffee Eggs. I have "Brewed" many dozens of coffee eggs along the way. Funny how the sleepy heads only found one egg in the pot. Meanwhile i had enjoyed the others with a bit of salt, and some Tabasco. Sure will fire you up for the day. But alas as I too have been assimilated into the Ollie World, I carry a four cup electric pot. It is fired up first thing each morning,,,,, regardless of my old Lead Acid batteries state of charge. My priority was a great cup of hot coffee. So, I enjoy my coffee first, and then would worry about my SoC. Now with lithiums, I don't have to worry about that either. In lots of ways, I miss poking the fire embers and watching that ole Cowboy Coffee Pot work it's magic. Not to mention the smirk on my face when the sleepy heads discuss who gets that one egg in the pot. PS: Keep the egg shells as they are still useful for reducing the acid taste for follow-on pots. 🙂

Chris: if you plan on going solar and Lithium's, then the 30 amp Victron 12/12-30 brings more power to the charge process. GJ

Ok I have my solar "Newbie Hat" on for this one! Let us assume that I have a well designed solar system with all the necessary circuit protections (Breaker and fuses). That I am in a hurry and want to use my Shore Power, Solar and the TV to charge up my Battleborns. My systems are: Truck has AGM, Ollie has Battleborn Lithium's, Victron 30 amp DC to DC Charger System twin 4 AWG feeds, Renogy 200 Watt solar suit case and charge controller, and a Progressive Dynamics 60 amp charger. Potential Energy Inputs could at max be: DC to DC = 30 Amps, Solar Panels about 13 Amps, PD Converter 60 amps totals 103 Amps. The three Battleborns can easily handle 300 amps charge rate. I'm right at 1/3 of this. Questions are: Is it possible/safe/advised (?) to use them all at the same time if I am in a big hurry? Will the three computers (Victron 12-12, PD, and Renogy Solar) work nicely to maximize the charge? Thanks

The ZAMP Solar Sidewall Port that I purchased has #10 AWG wires. The port itself according to ZAMP is limited to 20 amps max. Hence, I would bet that Jason is spot on.

MODERATOR: Both JD's and this post are certainly safety related and important, but are off topic. Your call as to move them to another thread. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The above is another one of Mr. Davies' "Diamond Grade" memorable statements. This time two concepts in one sentence! The pearl of course is reminding all trailer draggers about the #1 cause for trailer tire failure. Below I have cut an pasted his, and mine, #1 cause. The entire article is a good read if you have time as he discusses the other two of the top three causes: Mechanical Issues and Road Hazards. These three issues cause 99% of all trailer tire failures. So for today, I'm just addressing the #1 reason - Under-inflation. https://www.tires-easy.com/blog/top-causes-of-tire-failure/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ #1 – Causes of Tire Failure: Under-inflation One of the main causes of tire failure is under-inflation. Tires that are under-inflated flex more in the sidewall. Excessive flexing causes them to heat up far beyond normal operating temperatures. This problem is compounded when driving at highway speeds during hot weather for long periods of time. When the tire gets excessively hot, the rubber begins to degrade, which if driven on long enough, leads to a rupture in the sidewall of the tire, or tread separation. The result is an immediate and rapid loss of air pressure, often accompanied by a loud bang as the tire explodes. UNDER-INFLATED TIRES In addition to the sidewall splitting, the inner liner will usually have evidence that the tire was run at low air pressure before it exploded. When the tire has been removed from the wheel, look for small chunks of burnt looking rubber and dust that has come off the inner liner. If your tire looks like this, it is likely that tire manufacturers, and most extended tire warranty programs, will deny any claim for credit or free replacement. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Many of the "Ole Salts" (Myself Included: Kindly note that I did not use the "Old" word!) recommend having a TPMS, an electronic temperature meter and a tire pressure gauge. These topics have been well addressed and are searchable. (Shameless Plug:) If you don't have these, you may want to look up JD's articles about great recommendations. I personally use those that he recommended, and am happy I did. There are also many other recommendations as well here on our forum. Off roaders benefit from lowering TP when going off road. This is done primarily to reduce punctures and soften the ride. In our case, during our 3 or 4 month full time all over the western US, we at least once a week have to increase/decrease tire pressures as we toggle between high speed and off-road conditions. Lowering the pressure is easy with a tire gauge that has a screw on chuck and a button to deflate the tire pressure. The royal PITA is having to find an air compressor to take the pressure back up to high speed pressure. I tried several different "toy" air compressors and most did not last a month, let alone a season. On recommendation from a friend, I tried out his 20V DeWalt air compressor. With a 5 AH 20V battery and a case it is ideal for what we use it for. I also carry a DeWalt cordless drill that uses the same battery. For me, this compressor is a safety and convenience device.

Ok Snake, you asked for it. First our rather detailed total travel inventory of EVERYTHING we carry when out for 3 to 5 months up to 4,400 miles from "home". Granted you likely will not be carrying two paraglider kits (Deduct 100 #), or maybe as many tools. But you will find dozens of items you have not yet taken into account I suspect. Our Tow Vehicle ("The Beast") is a 2019 FORD F-150 3.5 EcoBoost, LARIAT, 4X4, FX4, SUPRCREW, 145” Wheelbase, with a 5.5’ Box. Per Ford requirements we MUST use, and do always use the Anderson. The Squat numbers without the Anderson is just for grins to demonstrate the impact on ride height. So, below is how the inventory with my wife and I included and a full tank of fuel, wet tanks half full looks like: UPDATED ANDERSON BALL HEIGHT RANGE: 23.5” to 25” Below from F-150 during the Summer 2021 Truck mostly loaded Ball Height: 24 ¾” Ollie hitched without Anderson: 22 ¼” Ollie hitched WITH Anderson Set 23 ½” Truck squat reduced to 1 ¼” AGRICULTURAL SCALE: Summer 2021 Fuel Full, Truck Fully Loaded, Ollie Tanks 50% (This is our Highway Travel Loading) The BEAST OLLIE Front 3,000 Axles 5,350 Rear 3,550 Truck 6,650 Truck 6,650 Actual CGCW 12,000 Max GCW 16,200 Under GCW 4,200 POUNDS UNDER Below are the Ford max loadings for our vehicle. As you can see, we are well under all of them F-150 Tow Info: Max Payload = 2030 # MAX Tow Rating = 12,700 # (With WDH) Front GAWR = 3,450 # Rear GAWR = 3800 # GVWR = 7,000 # GCWR = 16,200 # So, as you can see, our Beast is not being stressed to the max. I have towed our 2018 OEII 24,000 miles and have no regrets with the capabilities of our TV. However, if I were another thousand pounds heavier, I think it would no longer be suitable for our mountain adventures. So, in summary for mountain boondocking: Based upon 57 years of towing experience in general and having a CDL for moving heavy permitted loads, and having now four safe seasons with an OE2: A. Your list of "Stuff" needs a major overhaul. B. If you are going to use a compact truck to haul an Oliver, it will work well for the smaller 18 foot version in flatland. But not for mountain boondocking. It frankly eventually will put you into a dangerous situation. Geronimo John 2022 Trailer Inventory and Packing List (16 FEB 2022 Version).xlsx

I'm 6' 3" and the twin works best for us all things considered. (No dog, great night stand drawer and counter top, etc.). We had OTT only provide one set of couch pillows. They store nicely on the kitchen table/seats. If we had two sets of them, that would a PITA.

I like Galway Girl's pump in a box idea. Looked at it several times and decided that it takes up more space than I can afford. Since I carry a 20V DeWalt Air Compressor, and a DeWalt 20V Impact Driver just getting a Bingqi Drill Pump and some very short hose connections was the path taken. I also carry a Fortiflex 20 QT (FB-120) bucket. It has our garden hose coiled up inside. The Bingqi Drill Pump and two sort sections of hose bibb fittings fit nicely in the space in the middle of the coiled garden hose. The existing OE2 Shure-Flow pump is slow in onboarding water. It also balks at using a filter to filter the water, and has AT MAX a 3' suction head. However this setup has no problem pumping water through a blue filter directly into the water tank. Less costly, less space, leverages things already on board, and FASTER as well. GJ

Those will certainly work well. I just like having a "Full Metal Jacket". 🙂

Bill: I also lost two of my "Hub Caps". The grease caps should not be coming off. I spoke with the Service/Warranty Department at Dexter about grease caps. They are aware of the wimpy metal of some of their grease caps. They are stamped from sheet metal that is either .021” or .029” thick. The thinner ones have been known to come loose. I have the .021” and two of them fell off after my fourth annual bearing service effort. Recommendation from Jason E. is to replace them with a heaver metal grease cap. I looked at dozens of grease caps, often having to call the manufacturer to get the metal gauge. So if you have experienced this problem, below are two that I would consider using. The BrakeBest is .030" .027", and the NAPA is .032". 16 FEB 2022: JPR UPDATE: Just got a follow-up E-mail from Reiley. They stated that the BrakeBest Select Trailer Parts Trailer Bearing Grease Cap thickness is .027". As such, if you have "loose caps", I would recommend the NAPA version.

Is your Maxx Air fan partially open? They are "Stiff/Tight" only when open or fully closed. GJ PS: Fried another brain cell. How about the bathroom exhaust fan. Maybe a bearing squeak.

My post was whimsical about a problem that Oliver is actively working to correct. Your post was intended to be satirical, I get that. However, your above statement, even from a satirical perspective, is disrespectful to OTT, as well as all the owners who have taken time to research, solve, document and then post their work. Not to mention their time freely given to answer scores of PM's about it from new owners as well. These senior most experienced owners, like your self, represent a cadre of the very best and most helpful people on earth. I am sure that your intent was not to offend or slander OTT, or the members of this forum. None the less....

Any possibility it could be from the A/C unit? Other than that, there is not much up there in the ceiling.

Please do take note that the bolt has splines on the head end. It is not designed to be turned from that end. If the splines are damaged, the suspension bolt WILL turn, and the nut will fall off. This is how some of the EZ-Flex center bolts have worked loose.

I use a 1/2" ratchet, a short extension, and a socket, with some Teflon tape. No need for the heavy tools.