Mountainman198
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Posts posted by Mountainman198
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8 hours ago, jd1923 said:
First @Mountainman198, Lance get the cat OFF the dinner table! 🤣
You tell him! 🤪. That’s what a daily wipedown with disinfectant is for. Still trying to train him (it’s only been ten yrs). I am delusional that I am making progress.
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10 hours ago, Rivernerd said:
We left a bottle of Dawn dish soap, stuffed in a plastic shopping bag, in the sink while on the road. The soap bottle leaked, and we didn't catch it before winter storage. We didn't know that Dawn can be corrosive, if allowed to sit fully concentrated on steel for too long. Lesson learned! The pitting is just unsightly enough to land sink replacement on my "some day" to-do list, maybe in the winter.
Does anyone know where to source a replacement galley sink? My preliminary research suggests it is not a stock size available from etrailer or Lippert. I submitted a "low priority" ticket to Oliver, but they have not yet gotten back to me.
You may find success by re-graining the stainless finish on your existing sink using red and/or gray scotch brite hand pads. I did this with great success on a stainless oven door which had been heavily scuffed during transport. Looked like new after application of some elbow grease.
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52 minutes ago, Ronbrink said:
Where do you store the Lagun table and swing arm, in the Pelican case as well? I see the upright leg is securely bolted.
Table and swingarm get stored in truck. Upright mounting plate is bolted to pelican case so it can be adjusted up and down.
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Updated outdoor Hitchen to house my camp stove and propane hose as well as attach a Lagun table. Like several of us, I prefer to cook outside and digging my camp stove and table out of the back of the truck can be a pain. Hoping this latest version will work well.
The use of a Pelican case as a outdoor kitchen is popular in the overlanding community and should be easier to setup and stow than pulling cooking gear from the back of the truck. A pair of cables will be installed on the lid of the case so it rests parallel to the ground and can act as a surface upon which the stove can sit while cooking.
Last image is the from a overlanding site.
For those wondering why I don’t use the rear receiver to haul bikes, well I did this in the past but found that with a dog I would rather be on foot with her than on wheels without her.
I also prefer not to cook inside the trailer as I detest cleanup of cooking residue (yes, I am lazy).
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No drinking or cooking from on board water tank. Wont even use it for filling pet water dishes.
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Perhaps you have already tried hooking up the Oliver to your Ram or a friend’s tow vehicle that has a known, working brake controller? It may be too late to try this as a definitive test as you have made several changes to the trailer wiring.
I had a similar issue when hooking my Dodge Ram to my car hauler and the brakes would not work, yet worked when hooked-up to another trailer. Brakes on both subject trailers worked when hooked-up to my Toyota Tundra. I put a new brake controller on the Ram and the issue has not returned.
It’s worth a try. Hate to see you fire sale your Ollie if the problem might be with your tow vehicle.
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Saw a grey/white E2 heading West on I80 in Nebraska today (grey top/white bottom). Best-looking E2 I have ever seen. If this was you, how did you achieve the solid grey on the top clamshell (wrap, paint, gel coat)?
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5 hours ago, ScubaRx said:
Are you sure this is not a crime scene?
The cat did it!
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54 minutes ago, Dave and Kimberly said:
See now I must just be different? I like all the little lights inside at night... the way they reflect in multiple places, bouncing from curve to curve around the interior. I think of them as my Ollies star-lights! 🙂
That said... I really appreciate the nice neat daisy chained ground wires! Good job!
You are not alone in enjoying the way light bounces across the Oliver interior.
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5 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:
Dexter..... LOL
Sorry, I'm 4,000 miles from my OTT or I would mike them for you.
Below is what AI says. I would assume that the brass ones I and others have used are the same ID/OD.
- Type: 4-leaf double eye spring
- Capacity: 2,400 lbs per spring (Some sources list slightly different capacities)
- Length (eye to eye): 25 1/4 inches
- Width: 1 3/4 inches
- Eye Diameter (with bushing): 9/16 inch
- Eye Diameter (without bushing): 11/16 inch
- Bushing Material: Nylon
The pair of PR4 springs I got to replace my failed stock springs and limp home last year had the same size bushings as my old 1,750 stock springs. Perhaps yours are different?
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7 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:
Is the comparison of a 1750 pound bushing to that of a 3000 pound bushing logical?
Which bushings do your 2,600 lb PR4 springs have?
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14 minutes ago, rideandfly said:
Question, are the Alcan wet pin bronze bushings (assume bronze) thicker (larger OD) than the Dexter EZ Flex bronze bushings? The Dexter bronze bushings are so delicate, during installation it's easy to damage them. I may have missed this point in this thread.
Installing the bronze bushing on a Dexter 5 leaf spring coated with castor oil:
Yes. While I.D. Remains the same as stock, the bushing wall thickness on the Alcan is greater than the dexter ( Alcan is bottom in attached photo while stock dexter-supplied spring is on top).
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1 hour ago, Cort said:
Thanks for the instructions. I actually carry all of that with me - I didn't envision a day long job though - darn!
I replaced two springs on the same axle at a campground after one broke and the other was failing. Took 4 hrs using the onboard rear “stabilizers” and a bottle jack. Found a pair of springs at a local rv shop. Once I made it home I replaced all four with Alcan 5-leafs and never looked back. 10,000+ trouble-free miles on the Alcans. It can be done if you have the tools.
PM me and I am happy to talk you thru the process.
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On 1/21/2025 at 8:59 AM, MAX Burner said:
OK - a random idea following @Steve Morris's impressive milestone....
Back in the day when flying aboard navy aircraft carriers, it was a big deal to celebrate every 100 landings on a specific carrier and especially every 100 NIGHT landings on that particular boat. Each air wing had its own flight jacket "Centurion Patch" with the number of landings 100, 200, 300, etc. including the name of the carrier (Nimitz, Constellation, Ranger, Oriskany, etc.).
The idea is we design a patch, coffee cup, hat, whatever that celebrates multiples of 100 nights in an OTT. The most coveted was the "Black Centurion" patch signifying 100 night landings.
Thoughts for coming up with and designing "Oliver Centurion" swag?
I like it, Art. Might I suggest the coveted patch series for Ollie owners would be the “Boondock Centurian” patch celebrating 100, 200, 500 nights spent without hookups?
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45 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:
Mountainman: Sorry for the off topic response.
GJ
No worries. I have a 1979 Husky 390WR that I would put on my tongue, balanced-out by a hitch-mounted Big Green Egg on the back
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7 hours ago, jdmmtx said:
We had the 4-leaf Alcan springs installed yesterday along with the 5200 axles. Not sure if we’re the first with this spring version but think we may be. We’ve only towed about 125 miles but so far so good. Will update in a week or so after we have traveled a much longer distance. GJ, one of the guys at Alcan said the 5-leaf spring weighs in at around 23 pounds, so, if that is accurate, I’d say the 4-leaf is more than 17. But I certainly don’t know for sure.
Glad you got what you wanted. Lew and his team are Great.
the springs you bought are just like the top one in the attached pic, minus the bottom most (short) leaf, correct?
Please keep us advised as you put more miles on the new suspension
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8 hours ago, John and Debbie said:
Hi Mountain Man, we just got the Alcan Springs in Tuesday. Lee said he has no competition in the USA. He said you were the first to get them, but he's done about 100 Oliver's since yours. How much stiffer are these 5 leaf springs versus the 4 leaf ones? We have about 10 miles on them so will be going under the trailer in 40 and 90 more miles. I have a big piece of cardboard to use when I torque them.
Initially, they are a bit stiffer but after 500 miles or so the ride softens. I dont notice much more stiffness now than stock ( judged by stuff falling off counters and beds while underway). There is less side to side movement of trailer going down the road than before. I am extremely happy with my Alcans after 10,000 miles.
Everyone has to come to their own conclusion about what is right for them. I have no idea if St Louis Spring makes a good product or not. It is merely an alternative to be investigated by those who want something other than stock or Alcan.
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11 hours ago, katanapilot said:
Has anyone been able to get leaf springs (like the ALCAN) in a slightly lower weight rating? I would like to do this modification, but like GJ, I am a little concerned about the additional stiffness of the ALCAN springs and the long term effects on the Oliver. I would prefer to do the ALCAN mod versus the PR4 Dexters, but I need to resolve my concerns first.
Try here. When doing my initial research for US made springs, they said they could re-create the 1,750 lb 4 leafs using US steel.
Saintloiusspring.com
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I do not believe Oliver offered a 2” receiver option again until just recently. Definitely not offered in 2021. If you bought yours used, perhaps prior owner had the smaller sleeve pressed out in hopes of using a 2” shank, however as I recall, there have been posts about owners trying this only to find out that the i.d. Was not large enough.
Please post pics so others can weigh-in.
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Trailer Security
in Mechanical & Technical Tips
Posted
The Collar, ABUS lock with 2” de-shanked hitch ball locked in the jaw. If leaving for extended period, will remove safety chains. If they want it, they will find a way to take it, merely deterring honest and lazy thieves is the goal. Buddy had SOB trailer stolen from his drive by thief merely wrapping safety chains around hitch and dragging it off, sparks flying down the road.