Ghostriderc227

I purchased a new F250 Super Duty two years ago, the truck is a 2019. It has the 6.7 diesel and the suspension includes the camper package that includes a rear stabilizer bar, the front stabilizer bar is one step stiffer, but less than the snowplow option. There are two bed lengths and mine is the shorter of the two. I did tow my LE 2 on a 1,200 trip recently and it towed great. Smooth and no sway or bounce. My fuel mileage is 19 combined with no trailer or load, with the LE2 I averaged 14.5 and that was through the Smokey mountains. I am very happy with the truck and the Oliver. Recently I added the Undercover Flex Armor bed cover for the 6’ 9” bed and very pleased with that as well. Steve

Sounds like a fun time and a perfect time of year. I am registered. Steve R.

I love living in Texas. However, August in Texas is BRUTAL. That 98f is nothing until you stand in the direct sun…it will bake you. I bought my Oliver to escape Texas in August….I will be heading to NW Montana for the month. We had a great spring, bit the heat is back. Steve R Jefferson, TX.

My LE 2 is hull 106. Still doing great and looks close to new. Just getting ready to add the Dexter EZ Flex kit. I have all the parts, but need to work it into the schedule. Most upgrades have been done by Oliver as far as camera, inverter, battery pack, etc. Steve R. NE Texas

In my limited opinion, that is not near enough engine, transmission, or final drive for pulling an Oliver. There is a huge difference between a Diesel engine built for fuel economy, and one built for heavy towing and rugged use. Buyers many times believe that simply because it is a diesel, that it is capable of heavy loads. There are light duty Diesel engines designed and built for economy....and this is one of them. Also, consider what is between the end of the crankshaft and the tires on the ground. Drivetrain and suspension are just as critical. Steve R.

In addition, you might call Oliver and have them send you a pint of their resin, that way you will start off with a good match. You can use any polyester resin hardener once you get the resin. Steve

Make 100% certain your repair material is a good color match. There are pigment kits for polyester resin, but use care, you can easily end up with a muddy grey. Be certain to check your color match after drying is complete before moving on to the actual repair. In the past I have repaired gel coat to an acceptable level by spreading a small amount of resin directly into the damaged area, then lay a piece of Saran Wrap over the material and carefully spread out to fill the area and blend into the adjacent area. After the material sets up you can peel away the plastic wrap. Your repair will most likely be very shiny and smooth. If you feel you want better leveling and blending, then take some 600 grit wet sandpaper on a block or wrap around a nice flat paint paddle, and wet sand the area smooth and level. The repair does not have to completely harden or cure before you remove the Saran Wrap. In fact it works better is the repair material is at about half cure...the Saran wraps peels away easier. Try it out on a sample part to get the hang of it. From that point you can use rubbing compound to polish out the 600 grit sand scratches. With some experience you can get acceptable results with just the clear Saran Wrap. Try to use the thickest grade of Saran Wrap you can find...it makes the smoothing process go much better. Steve

Might as well add a 1 pound can of Timken wheel bearing grease to that order. Timken GR224TUB.....$6.99 Steve

Great information..... I would like confirmation on if the inner bearing and outer bearing on each hub are the same. My reason for asking is that in the past I have changed out bearings on axles that are a different size between inner/outer. I have not serviced the bearings on my LE 2 yet, but plan on it for this season. Thanks in advance. Steve

I have that carrier option on my Oliver. It is extremely well built and constructed...not an off the shelf item at all. Just looking at the metal thickness, weld quality, and overall construction, one can see it is a quality designed and built item. The big issue with the carrier is the access to the spare, as the tolerance is so tight on the construction that it can (an does) bind when pulling the pins and trying to slide the carrier rearward to gain access to the spare. I found it necessary to remove my carrier and rework it a bit. Unless that carrier is mounted on a perfectly flat surface, you will have binding when attempting to slide rearward for spare tire assess. This can be overcome by reworking slightly the pin holes and rounding the edges of the thick aluminum tubing. This carrier was mounted by Oliver and I don’t believe they could have inspected its function after installation. I now carry a rubber hammer in my tool kit so I can “assist” the carrier rearward to gain access to the spare. There are most likely some very good reasons they install a 1 1/4 hitch size...but I believe the carrier capable of more weight to carry than Oliver suggests. There are many factors to consider other than what the carrier is capable of. Steve R.

I went thorough this when I purchased my f-250 Superduty. Tire size and axle ratios are pretty well narrowed down by the options you select. My suggestion is to go to the Ford site and build your truck online. Start by selecting the option you want and your choices will be narrowed down, if not eliminated. Tire size is mostly determined by suspension, springs, wheel, cab and bed length. There was an option on my truck to select the weight rating as well. Selecting your known or most desired options will narrow down your tire size and axle ratios pretty fast. stev R.

I have never been a supporter or trailer tire rotation, as we usually do on a motor vehicle. Tire balance is necessary I believe for several reasons. The primary reason to rotate is to maintain equal tire wear, so they all wear the same. The big contributors to tire wear are driving force (the power transferred to the wheels to push the vehicle), turning and cornering (front wheels where wear is caused by turning right or left), and tire load (weight distribution). Most tires on a trailer will “age” out of use long before they ever wear out the tire tread. Since a trailer tire see’s little of these main contributors, there is really little need to rotate on a scheduled basis. I do rotate when the wheels are removed for maintenance, but never rotate just for the sake of rotating. Tire pressure and tire balance are most critical for tire longevity. I do believe the correct pressure is most critical as heat is the biggest cause of tire failure. I have also found that tires with higher pressure are more resistant to picking up nails, screws etc. I have owned many motorcycles over the past 55 years, and driven them many thousands of miles. Over all those miles I experienced tire punctures most from tires that were at lower pressures (but still within spec’s). This has been confirmed with fellow riders. Heat is the big problem in tire failure. The greater your load the more heat you generate....tire pressure can compensate for that. I have found that a small handheld infrared heat thermometer to be extremely handy for quick side of the road checks...a big plus being you can quickly and easily check not only the tire, but the wheel bearing. Picking up a higher temp reading on one bearing quickly tells you of a potential problem waiting to occur. Steve R.

Thanks Bill, I applied that body side chrome trim myself, and it is not all that difficult. Just need tape to stretch a straight line, wax cleaner, and a careful eye. I had it on my previous 2001 Dodge Ram diesel and enjoyed the look. Are you implying that the dressing on the running boards will cause your foot to slip? I don’t dress the running boards at all....but never thought of losing traction. Good tip, thanks. Steve R.

For what it is worth, I bought a Ford F-250, XLT 2019 model. In doing my research I found a huge price difference between the XLT and their top of the line model. A few options brings the XLT up to a very well equipped vehicle for a reasonable cost. I found a 6.7 diesel with the suspension upgrades and nice trim options I wanted...and even preferred over the top of the line models. You can add the chrome upgrade option, trailer towing package, 4 door, bucket seats, large nav screen, and a number of other features and still be 20,000 under the top of the line models. one thing to also consider by going to the 3/4 ton, is the heavy brakes, shocks, springs, transmission, axle, etc. that will give you years of added use over a 1/2 ton. I have averaged 19 - 20 mpg without the Oliver and 14 - 15 mpg with the Oliver. Yes routine maintenance is higher for the diesel, but also is the resale. I could not be more pleased with my Ford F 250. Steve R.

I could suggest Johnson Creek on Lake of the Pones in NE Texas. Lots of green and trees. The corp of engineers manages several very nice camp grounds around the lake. Most sites have water front access and are full generally around the big holidays. They all have boat ramps and beach areas. I live on the lake just across the bay from the Johnson Creek campsite. Very beautiful, clean, safe, and low cost. There are a number of smaller towns near and Longview is about 30 miles away (pop about 80,000). you should be able to find out much more online. The lake is about 20 miles long and has a great number of campground sites all managed by the Corp of engineers. Jefferson is a small town about 12 miles away, it is a real tourist area for weekenders with historic hotels, bed and breakfasts, and saloons. Steve Rangeloff. Lake of the Pines, Texas.