Mountainman198
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Posts posted by Mountainman198
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3 hours ago, jdmmtx said:
I wondered the same thing. Ours was curbside rear. The other 3 still had good shape.
Streetside rear on my E2 sheared at the usual spot. Curbside rear was flattened and starting to form a slight “S” shape. Front two springs appeared normal.
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11 minutes ago, mossemi said:
Thank you!
@Gliddenwoods asked the question about increased hight and it caused me to wonder while I was at my keyboard.
And now a question for all of the Dexter axle spec sheet interpreters, please see the attachment.
I believe in this case 3” references the spring arch.
Edit: my mistake. I responded too soon. You are likely correct in it being axle diameter
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46 minutes ago, mossemi said:
I may have missed this fact in this great 17 pages and growing post, does Alcan make a 4 leaf spring pack that would also work for a LE2 and still be a capacity upgrade?
Mossey
Last I spoke with them this past Spring they did not. As they are a custom shop, might be worth a call to see if they would make a set. If you do call, please report back here what you are told.
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2 hours ago, MSURRATT said:
I planned on greasing the zerks and on my second one it would not take the grease. While trying to disconnect the grease gun the insides of the zerk broke off and is stuck in my grease gun. What do I need to do to replace that zerk? I plan on jacking the trailer up to take weight off moving forward.
2023 elite 11 hule 1443.
Thank You,
Mark
Can you provide a picture of what remains of the zerk in the shackle? This will help in diagnosing and recommending a solution (e.g. ez-out vs wrench vs?)
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20 minutes ago, rideadeuce said:
1/2 is 65 ft/lbs
9/16 is 90 ft/lbs
Is correct.
Make sure to tighten bolts in a cross-pattern and re-torque after 100 miles.
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19 minutes ago, John Dorrer said:
We have a 2022, so I'm keeping a close look on our springs.
When we do switch it will be to Alcan.
Somewhere I read that we need to supply the axel diameter to Alcan. Can someone confirm this
Can Oliver confirm the diameter or do I just take a string and then measure. What has everyone done? Thanks.
John,
If you tell Alcan you want a set of springs for a Oliver Legacy Elite II they have a default for undersprung install and 3” u bolts
almost all Oliver E2s should have a 3” diameter axle. I double checked mine with a set of calipers just to calm my ocd. The reason to check is just to reassure the correct u bolts are ordered at time of purchase as there had been at least one report of replacement axles on older E2s being of different diameters. Springs should be the same regardless
You can certainly do the string circumference then to the math for diameter.
You can also check the stickers on your axles. It should look something like this and say D52 capacity - 3500 lbs as our trailers are only a year apart you and I should have very similar axle specs
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1 hour ago, CRM said:
An important question for anyone who has the narrower spacing shackles- are there any new model Dexter axles that will fit that spacing if their axles ever need replacing?
My theory of what happened may or may not be correct. We will have to wait for Chris to let us know what Oliver Service says and/or what his axle sticker says (if it is still there)
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1 hour ago, mossemi said:
I’m not quite sure that OTT created any defect. It seems to me that Chris's 2016 LE2 was built to the axle specifications used on his trailer and have been in service for about 8 years without any problems.
Mossey
Without more specifics it is hard to prove for sure, but from what Chris has provided so far, I believe you are correct.
From what I can tell, the current standard for E2 axles is a Spring Center(SC) measurement of 50.50”. This is the measurement from the center of each of the centering holes located on the axle spring perches, across each axle (see my axle sticker below). I do not know of Oliver manufactures the steel suspension frame to which the spring/axle assemblies are then bolted to the aluminum frame or if this component is provided as part of a complete suspension package provided by Dexter which is bolted to the aluminum frame. Regardless, it appears that there was a period of manufacturing where the axle SC measurement was less than 50.50”, necessitating that the spring hangers on the steel frame were moved inboard. Not a defect IMHO, rather a manufacturing change to meet the narrowed spring perches being provided on the axles at that time
Couple of questions I have:
1) how many trailers were manufactured with these narrower spring perch mounts?
2) since the steel suspension frames are bolted to the aluminum frames, is it possible for those impacted hull#s to have the narrower steel suspension frame replaced with one with a SC of 50.50”, thereby allowing newer axles to be fitted?
For those interested, HF (hub face) measurement of 68.75” (as shown on the sticker) is the outside to outside width of the axle, as measured by the outside of one hub, across the axle, to the outside of the hub on the other side. I believe that this should remain unchanged for all E2 trailers built.
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2 hours ago, Wayfinder said:
Hey guys. I tried trudging through some of the 8 pages on the Alcan leaf spring thread listed above. Wow, that was a long thread. But I did not see mention of an actual part number to reference for the Alcan. Did I miss it or do they go off the basic specs of the springs that @Geronimo John mentioned in his attached document (very handy, thank you).
EDIT: Ah I see, it's a super small business, so likely no specific part number, and just give them the specs.
Thanks.
Chris
There is no part number.
When you call, ask for Lew or Mike and tell them you have a Oliver Elite II(this way they can make sure the centering pin is set up for our spring under axle configuration).
According to Alcan, their springs are rated at 2,750 lb/ea. While most of us who have installed them notice very little incremental stiffness, you should be aware of this going into the purchase.
If you order your new ubolts and nuts from them, make sure you know your axle diameter when you call so they send the correct ubolt size.
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Here is the replacement spring info Oliver Service sent me for my 2021 E2. They can be found on Amazon in pairs for $68. Note that the springs on Amazon appear to have nylon bushings rather than bronze, but they would serve to get you back on the road and home where you can figure out your final solution
Please open a service ticket with Oliver so they are aware of the issue and can advise for your exact hull#
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1 hour ago, Mike and Carol said:
We’re on our way to Colorado to escape the south Texas heat. Overnighting in Roswell, NM which does not get us out of the heat! It was 106 when we pulled in to our campground. No sitting outside, we’re enjoying 70s inside with our loud Dometic AC. We’re at the Red Barn RV Park, very small but clean and convenient. We’ve stayed here at least a dozen times on our way to/from Colorado.
Yes, that’s a Red Barn. It’s the office, rec room, rest rooms. She keeps a cooler there with bagged ice, food, ice cream and drinks.
Farm field behind us, there’s only about 12 sites total and several are long term folks.
Happy and safe travels to CO. At 8700’ daytime temps have been mid 70’s with nighttime temps in the 40’s. Should be a welcome relief
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I am 6’6” tall and have the twin beds layout. I pondered the standard layout in order to have a larger bed but did not want to lose floor space in a already small space. My solution was to build a temporary platform about 2 feet long that spans the bed wings between twin platforms near the galley. My sleeping mode is head to the aft so the platform allows me to throw one leg onto the platform (I am a side and stomach sleeper). So far it is quite comfortable. Sorry but I do not have pics.
I believe Foy Sperring’s aisle/bed platform would accomplish the same thing
Best wishes in your shopping
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I have both a goal zero 500 Li and a Ecoflow River Pro. Both work well but I use the Ecoflow more than the Goal Zero as it charges faster and is easier to charge with my flexible solar panel which uses mc4 connectors vs. Goal Zero which requires an adapter. I wouldnt camp without one as it allows you to take power easily with you for running small appliances, light strings, compressor fridge and 12v/110v things into the wild and when not near the truck or trailer.
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On 6/17/2024 at 6:43 PM, topgun2 said:
I believe that it was John Davies who did a post a few years ago concerning this very subject.
As I recall, he encouraged everyone to "safety wire" these such they could not loosen.
This is one of the first mods I made after bringing my new Ollie home. Drilled the knobs and installed zip-ties. Easy visual inspection to see of panels are still secured before hitting the road. They have not moved a mm since day 1.
thanks John Davies
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My objective when starting this thread was to cast light onto a significant safety problem that many of us have dealt with (and/or may deal with in the future), share my chosen solution and then share the results of that solution with other E2 owners. In doing this, I hoped others would develop and share their own solutions and their observed results following implementation. Any deviation to this objective is outside the intention for this thread. Please try and stay on objective and if you have found your own solution, please provide your reasons for your choice, including analysis and specs, where you purchased, the total cost and your observations during installation and direct observations of use after implementation. There will likely be more than one viable solution to this problem and that’s fine. Providing the details on how you arrived to that solution and real-life towing following install should be of great help to the rest of us.
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For those looking for alternatives made with US steel, here is the response I received from St. Louis Spring when posing the question to them about whether they could fabricate a set of 4-leaf, 1,750 lb leaf springs for me. To this date, I am not aware of a Oliver owner who has gone this route. Very interested to hear if anyone has purchased springs from them for their Ollie and how they have worked.
One other source to check may be Deaver Springs in CA
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4 hours ago, Minnesota Oli said:
I been following this topic and it got me to look at my springs and sure enough 1,750 pound four leaf springs were failing. I was leaning to ALCAN five leaf for replacement but when Geromimo John came up with the Dexter 2400 pound rated 4-leaf I decided that would be a better fit. My thinking is keep the ride as soft as I can but have springs strong enough not to distort them from the load that the Oliver puts on them. So this bumps the 7000 pound rating to 9600 pound rating and I think this should be sufficient for them to carry the load with out distorting the springs. I included a pic of the 2400# spring next to the worst 1750# spring.
This is the differences in thickness of the leafs.
The individual leafs are longer.
I didn't think to measure the height before I started the job but when I had one side installed I measured from side to side and there was 1-1/2 inches difference at the wheel wells.
Thanks for sharing. Please let us know how the ride is after you have some miles on them. I believe you will be the first to test the 2,400lb springs as a full set of four. Always good to have proven alternatives.
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5 minutes ago, Mountainman198 said:
I mounted a led light whip to the front storage basket for “flair” but most importantly for ease of finding my way back to the Ollie in the desert at night. The whip is only 4’ tall but it displays strobing multi-colors so it makes for a nice homing beacon. To power its 12v power needs I built a 12v power source inside a small Harbor Freight “Pelican” case using a female 7 pin plug into which I plug my trailer’s male 7 pin plug (I wired the 12v and ground to a fused 12v female lighter socket and female usb combo). Works great for powering 12v devices and the led whip from outside and at the front of the Ollie.
A bit off topic, but the spring-mounted LED whip alerted me to a broken leaf spring when it started swaying from side to side. A bonus, unintended consequence of its installation
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I mounted a led light whip to the front storage basket for “flair” but most importantly for ease of finding my way back to the Ollie in the desert at night. The whip is only 4’ tall but it displays strobing multi-colors so it makes for a nice homing beacon. To power its 12v power needs I built a 12v power source inside a small Harbor Freight “Pelican” case using a female 7 pin plug into which I plug my trailer’s male 7 pin plug (I wired the 12v and ground to a fused 12v female lighter socket and female usb combo). Works great for powering 12v devices and the led whip from outside and at the front of the Ollie.
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Found this little roadside park and free campground on iOverlander while driving across Kansas on US36. The sign in the park says overnights are welcome… and free, unless you need electricity, then it is $15/nt using the self-pay box. There is potable water available. While it is next to the highway, overnight was extremely quiet. Awoke to two deer grazing near the trailer and the sound of songbirds. Highly recommend this spot if you are on US36 near Kensington, KS.
For a moment I felt transported back in time to the 1930s/40s when roadside camping on US highways was commonly practiced by Families making their was across the Country.
US36 takes you past the geographic center-point of the US and not too far from the worlds largest ball of Sisal twine (my cat was pawing at the window to get out and try his best to play with it).
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On 5/6/2024 at 8:04 AM, MAX Burner said:
As the flexible solar module technology progresses - I'm thinking flex modules that contour to the roof lines would look cooler than the flat modules we have now. It would be nice to have 400-600watts up there mounted in a "stealthy" fashion...
Some of us like the “Flying Nun” look of the current solar panels (said the old guy)! 🤪
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First day towing on Alcan springs update:
-500 miles (Ubolts re-torqued at 50, 100 and 500 miles intervals to 90 ft lbs). Decreasing amounts of adjustment required as mileage increases)
-ride slightly harsher during first 100 miles, harshness decreasing as mileage increases (finding nothing returning to the floor at 500 mile checkpoint).
-running 45 psi in tires (was running 55 psi with stock springs). Monitoring tire wear at each stop. Likely will increase to 48psi at next stop.
-less observable side to side (roll) movement. Very stable while underway (drove in high winds thru Kansas yesterday)-so far I am happy with the new springs
I am very interested in reports from early hull number E2 owners who have purchased the Alcan springs. Wondering what their observations are as compared to stock heavy duty 5leaf springs they are replacing.
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54 minutes ago, ScubaRx said:
There has been some unintentional misinformation posted in this thread about the 5-leaf Alcan Spring that is being sold to Oliver owners for retrofittiing. That being the weight rating of the spring packs. I've seen ratings posted varying from 2000 to 2400 pounds.
During multiple conversations with Alcan Spring in Colorado, the owner Lew Weldon, has stated that the correct weight rating is 2750 pounds per spring for a total of 11,000 pounds. They supply exactly the same spring for both the 3500 pound and the 5200 pound axles, the only difference being the U-Bolts provided which is based on the diameter of the axle itself.
The GVWR of both the Oliver Elite's is calculated using the weight ratings of the axles and the spring packs. The final rating is based on the weaker of the two. For those owners that have the 3500 pound axles, the installation of these heavier springs will not affect your GVWR of 7000 pounds. For those owners that either already have or have switched to the 5200 pound Nev-R-Lube axles you would now effectively have a GVWR of 10,400 pounds upon the installation of these heavier springs.
This is unfortunate as many of us were quoted weight rating of 2k. Mine are installed so I am running them as I do not want to go back to the cake that Dexter installs on their axles. I know of at least two E2 owners who have towed with these springs (one for 5k miles and another for 1.5k miles with good results. I head out Thurs on a 1.5k mile trip with the Alcans.
Thanks for posting this after speaking to Lew, Steve. I guess at this point it is tow forward and observe. Stay tuned.
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14 hours ago, jd1923 said:
Several members here, going back 12 pages of comments, were worried about going too stiff on replacement leaf springs. I had written earlier that 14% stiffer is a nice bump - perfect! You're suggesting 2400 LB rated springs which are 37% stiffer. That's a big difference, that personally I would not at all advise this option.
Wholly agree with this observation
When my spring broke I was 250 miles from home. I bought the only pair of springs that would fit and were geographically close to where I broke down. they were 4 leaf, 2,400 lb springs as GJ describes above. While they did fit, I chose later not to replace the other two springs with 2,400 lb 4 leaf springs as the amount of stuff in my trailer which had stayed put during my prior 4,000 miles of travel on the stock springs had suddenly found its way to the floor during the 250 mile drive home (with only two 2,400 lb springs).
My E2 now sports 5 leaf, 2,000 lb Alcans2,000 lb, 5 leaf springs will be more flexible and have better travel thru their range than 2,400 lb springs with only 4 leafs (less jarring ride).
14 hours ago, jd1923 said:-
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Cabinet Hinge?
in Mechanical & Technical Tips
Posted
Yes. Same here, although I do re-check tightness before each trip as one cabinet door that fell down previously had damaged a small area of Gelcoat and want to avoid this again