Geronimo John

The below is in response to the bent jack. Nothing to do with the rubbing issue. These jacks are really strong, but they do bend. Especially when they are fully extended and moved with the foot loaded. I have seen a lot worse tilt and they continue to be just fine. Sadly, this likely is not an OTT issue, but an owner / operator caused OOPs.

With no response yet from OTT, I now suggest that you call Barker Mfg. They have been hyper responsive in the past. I know of no way to adjust the jack plate stop point (When it clicks on the clutch). It is a fixed point based on the assembly length. The stack up height of the jacks is a function of the jack length (Likely variable for different brands, and the OTT bracket thickness. My guess is that you somehow got the wrong length of the Barker Jack. Sending them your great pictures will be very informative. GJ PS: Since the jack leg length is easily confused, I also suspect that the root cause is the same as that for the Bulldog Coupler OOPs....Likely wrong part installed. There is a possibilty that the OE1 and OE2 have different jack leg lengths. Either way getting Barker into this dog tussle is a good idea.

Really cool beans!

That's a great solution. Several years ago I wish I had thought of it. At my vintage it is rare that I am pulling Ollie at night. That opens up another solution. I tapped the attic parking lights wire for the camera power. When I turn on the parking lights, the camera comes alive. When backing, or when I want to see behind me, I turn on the running lights. Saves a lot of camera run hours, and hopefully extends it's life a bit. GJ

Rock Solid. Wish I had the same with disk brakes too! GJ

On 30 May 2025 at 9:15 AM I spoke with Tim at ALCON. He responded with shipping weights. So I asked him to actually weigh the naked springs we are using. Here is his verified statement: 4 Leaf 2,000 Pound Rated Spring with 19 1/2 pounds of USA made Steel 5 Leaf 2,700 Pound Rated Spring with 23 pounds of USA made Steel As I stated a couple of times above, the ALCON 4 leaf clearly has the Rating (2,000#), weight (19#+), and compliance (4-Leaf) to make it very well suited for use by most OTT owners. As such, it is my recommendation for likely +/- 85% of the fleet to use as replacements. If price point is of concern, then the Dexter PR4 springs fits the bill as well. Also as indicated in a few places in this mile long thread, if you are heavy and/or do a lot of boondocking with questionable roads/paths or hiking trails with your Ollie, you are part of the +/- 15% of the fleet and should consider the USA made Alcon 5 leaf spring. GJ

More steel means a spring is likely to be able to handle stress longer for a given design. The weight of the spring design can be found in it's specifications. Under no circumstances would I replace my springs with a lightweight version. (Edit: under 16 pounds) Where made is a different discussion entirely.

Is it stashed inside the hull or outside the hull? Thinking the inter hull insulation would act as a faraday cage. If they are weather proof, maybe behind the AC on the roof. Your thoughts on placemenet?

I would be very leery of sway with such a design. Our OE2's have the tires well aft. They provide a long radius arm from the ball thereby contributing to the no sway attribute that we enjoy. The two pictures that show the front of the trailer are different. The Show version has no propane tanks, but does show a very light weight frame. Not strong like OTT uses. The mountain man pic shows a tank cover similar to OTT's. This with low ground clearance would in my minds eye is clearly an on paved roads rig only. It would seem that for A/C they are using a split system with possibly under hull condenser air transfer. That would have lots of advantages. Add to the clean roof direct applied solar panels and Litho's would be really nice. Interesting design with lots to like if you are only a "road runner". GJ

More steel means a spring is likely to be able to handle stress longer for a given design. The weight of the spring design can be found in it's specifications. Where made is a different discussion entirely.

what is the weight of their 4 leaf spring? Needs to be at least 17 pounds. GJ

As JD mentioned, when I purchased my BBQ, i did the low pressure mod back in 2018. I also purchased a 10' hose. I also recommend at least that if not longer. Just gives you more options. GJ

The video says it uses liquid propane. That's a tilt unless there is a conversion kit to feed it low pressure propane gas. Hopefully the video is not accurate of what it really is fed. GJ

Ditto to the above post. With 17 pounds of steel?

Both the ALCON and Dexter versions of the 4 leaf springs likely would have the same 11 pound weight. I would be leery in using either despite the possible advantage of better quality control in the ALCON's. I am of the belief that 11 pounds of spring is not enough. Now if the ALCON guys would make a four leaf with 17 pounds of steel, that would be a WINNER that I would strongly support. It would have enough steel for durability and the compliance of a four leaf with the quality control appropriate for our use. That would be worth asking them to do.

Mountainman: That would not be from the torsion of the spring packs, but more likely from worn shackles/links. Glad you are happy with your purchase. GJ

This is serious. Recommend an immediate call to Jason and Team! GJ

Interesting problem! I had the same with my Ollie and 2019 F-150 crew cab. This 7,000# class vehicle has only a 1300# payload. Scales showed with Anderson in play, my front and rear TV axle weights were almost 50/50%. But I was experiencing porposing and bump stop impacts on the TV. I consulted the F-150 Forum and as advised installed a pair of rear Bilstein 5100 shocks and air bags. Together they helped a lot. The shocks for dampening, the Air bags to get back the two inches of spring range (squat) that my payload (<350 #) and tongue weight (540 #) caused. They together helped a lot. In your case a 2500 GMC would likely not have a squat or payload issue. On the other hand, the OE2's are not light and with four serviceable shocks and the EZ flex they don't bounce much. With the extra long tongue, the CG is way back there compared to other trailers. Again reducing the forces at the tongue when driving in porposing conditions. So this is what makes this interesting. With your massive Cummings engine in a 2500 GMC, payload or any other capacity is not likely an issue. But as you indicated, a "relatively" light tongue weight (For your truck) with additional unloading by the Anderson with possibly tired shocks on the rear could be the cause. With your one to n GMC, I would find a suitable road that encourages porposing and slack the Anderson chains. Next take a hard look at your shocks. Finally tighten up those timberlines a bit. Just keep in mind the difference between payload ability and dampening of varying loads. The 2500 payload and timberlines do not dampen much, they increase paylow. But your rear shocks do. Keep us posted! GJ

Follows is a whimsical discussion "envisionating" what such a trailer would be. I'll crawl out on the limb and call it an OE3 for grins. First I agree 99.9% of your suggestions on the what we would like to see in an OE3. Assuming 25' and 8000 pounds of the OE3 we can consider the tongue weight/balance. I assume that your suggested OE3 12%+ tongue weight is to accommodate heavier than average OE2 rear bumper loads. Over my past eight seasons with our OE2, I have noted a significant number of owners hauling more stuff on their rear bumper. So far, I don't recall any such owners experience any increased sway of their rigs. This speaks highly of the OTT efforts to make a non-sway trailer that we all enjoy. It is logical that a family wanting a larger Oliver, would also want to haul more storage inside as well as on the front and rear of the OE3. Additionally that pound for pound, that rear loads have far more impact on sway than front loading. Granted my Beast (F-150) would likely protest that assumption! For OE2's, If we are running with no or lighter rear bumper loads, then the current OE2 sway design is near perfect for most of us. As well, it is likewise for those running with greater rear loading. A statement of design safety margins OTT used. I am postulating that most of us are likely running in the mid 500's on tongue weight as a result and our loaded trailers are around 6,000 pounds. That calculates to about 9% tongue weight. For an OE3: I am thinking that the additional length and mass of the box section would move the CG rearward of the current OE2 CG. The further from the hitch the CG. the less sway becomes a concern. So I am thinking that if they shoot for the same % tongue weight for a 8000 pound OE3 (720# TW), they should be good to replicate the great sway performance of the OE2 design. What do you think? GJ

Suggest jumping a wire from one of the other switche input terminal. The Beech Lane does not pull much power.

Yep me too! But with currently just one ice tray in the frig, and down the road with likely a Nova Kool with it's 20% smaller freezer (Thanks JD!), it looks like I will need to add one of these to my Ollie inventory this year! But wait a minute... that likely will cause me to add TY J's 300 Watt Bouge Cigs Fla Solar Panels on the roof next year! Thanks guys you just made my 2025 and 2026 Ollie Mod lists! GJ

Spot on. Your comment caused two of my few remaining brain cells to wake up. The twin 5" fans of the Beech Lane moves a lot of air. Hence why it is so much more effective than the 3" Titan's some of us once used. This air movement can act to assist in purging the cabinet of potential CO.

Ditto. If a 25 footer were to magically appear, I would try to be the first in line to admire it. But not likely to trade in my Ollie for one. I suspect that the majority of existing owners feel the same.

If keeping the OE2 footprint/size the same, I think that a taller refrigerator with more freezer space, and keeping a space for a Microwave/Convection/Air Fryer (pick one). To do so, the overhead cabinet would need to be reduced. Or maybe a 25' Ollie with a dry bath and bigger kitchen to get a full size frig. With a Heavy Duty Package that includes beefier jacks, 5200 axles, disk brakes and race style FOX cooled shocks. Ditch the Anderson and require a F-250/2500 TV. But then this ought to be a separate thread I suspect! GJ

No your good John. We all appreciate your posts and the quality of the mods you do. I do have to admit that some of us may be a bit anal sometimes in our responses though. Like mine maybe? I don't think of our Dometic 3-Way as a total POS. After all it is in it's 8th season and gets the job done. And as you mentioned the Beach Lane condenser fans do make it more effective in very high temperatures. I do think that its technology presents a few special hazards that we owners need to keep top of mind to ensure tragedy stays away. When I was planning ahead to the future and posted an updated DIY, it was just that... looking to the day when my Dometic dies. Hopefully I'll have a few more years before doing a John Davies on mine to get it out; and buying a new one. For both of us, hopefully by then the price will have come down like the Litho's have.