routlaw

Finally received delivery on the 3rd, turns out my payload capacity is 1285. Not great but should be able to work with it. It has the moonroof, max tow pkg, and 4X off road pkg, came with factory tonneau cover all which add to the load. Now that I have installed Li-ON battery I would like to eliminate the charge for the new TV but there is nothing in the manual that specifically states what fuse and or relay fuse is used for this. On my older 2013 it was #9 & 21 for the relay and fuse. Anyone else know anything about which fuse to remove to eliminate the charge to the trailer? There are a few fuses related to the trailer but most them are marked for various lights, brakes etc the other noted as #8 just states Trailer Tow 1 rated at 30A. I suspect #8 is the one I am after but would like confirmation before pulling. Thanks in advance if anyone has insight on this.

I'm not a lawyer but even a quick AI research/query provided this info: Regardless better to be safe than sorry. Generally, a sticker on the bottom of a truck hitch stating load or weight capacities is considered legally binding, but its primary purpose is related to safety and manufacturer specifications, not necessarily creating a contract. Here's why and what it means: Manufacturer Specifications: The sticker indicates the maximum tongue weight and towing capacity the hitch is designed to handle, which are set by the manufacturer. Safety and Responsibility: Adhering to these limits is critical for safe towing and preventing potential damage to the vehicle or hitch. If you exceed these limits and it contributes to an accident, you could be held liable. Not a Contract: These stickers are not generally considered to form a contract in the typical legal sense, like a buyer's order or sales contract. Instead, they provide essential safety information that must be followed. Important Note: Vehicle vs. Hitch Capacity: The sticker on the hitch might indicate a specific weight capacity, but you must always adhere to the lower of the vehicle's towing capacity or the hitch's capacity. The vehicle's towing capacity is determined by the manufacturer based on factors like engine power, chassis strength, and braking systems. Tongue Weight Importance: Proper tongue weight (typically 10-15% of the total trailer weight) is crucial for preventing trailer sway and ensuring safe handling. In summary, while the sticker isn't a legal contract, ignoring the information on it about weight limits could have legal consequences related to negligence or contributing to an accident. Always prioritize safe towing practices and adhere to the manufacturer's specifications on both your vehicle and your hitch.

I don't recall who the forum member was but a couple years back he informed all who were towing with half ton pickups (or less) insurance companies will take you to the cleaners if not properly equipped at time of wreck including but not limited to you being faultless in the wreck. Apparently he was a retired insurance lawyer who did just that investigated people on behalf of the insurance companies who were towing either at their limits or over. Cutting to the chase as I understood it, you could get t-boned at an intersection but if at the limits or over of your towing capacity get taken to the cleaners financially even though it was not your fault. At this point I had been towing for 8 years or more without the use of the Anderson WDH with no issues. I decided it was time to change, bought the Anderson, and still hate it, but also worth the peace of mind not to get taken by insurance companies for all I am worth. Is there a difference using the WDH? Yes. Is the difference monumental? No, but I still keep using it. Not all of us can afford or even want to own a 3/4 ton pickup and for a litany of different reasons. In the meantime a couple of issues the RAS does that airbags will not do. Completely eliminate axle wrap on acceleration, some weight distribution, and purportedly better gas mileage. It also has the disadvantages of lifting the rear truck bed especially noticeable with highest setting. Personally I have not realized better gas mileage but the difference in handling, and towing are noticeable. Not sure what I will do with new truck yet.

Agreed these newer trucks are on a completely different level in performance as well as comfort, features and amenities. Approaching rocket science.

Thanks but for the record I live in Montana not WY but we often travel to and through WY, camp, hike and bike. From what I know the payload does differ a fair amount depending upon what other options are installed from moonroof to off road package. For the most part other than toys, ie bikes or kayaks we are fairly light travelers. Even over estimating our load with everything we might bring along I don't get anywhere near what the lowest payload might be on this truck. Future experience might prove otherwise, hopefully not. Like many others on the forum I have had great success with my previous eco boost engine pulling the Ollie for over 10 years. A 3/4 ton would be great for towing but just not in the cards for me for a litany of reasons. Once I have this new one in hand I will report back on all of the concerns we have all come up with. It's interesting how the Ford truck forums have so much vitriol for this one model of truck though, just on the issue of towing and none other. Almost funny how so many people get worked up over these issues. Oh well.

I've used both a bottle jack and conventional auto jack with long handle pump. Both work just fine but honestly the bottle jack is easier to get placement with given the limited amount of space and the small target areas. Of course I always use jack stands too. As for the wheel lug nuts, have never ran into what you're describing but do torque them to 110 ft/lbs. Seems like this is the official torque values the last time this came up on the forum. Don't have a clue as to whether the bolts are splined or not.

Bill, yep been aware for that for many years, and ended up adopting the Anderson a couple of years ago although I had towed the Ollie for some 8 years with no issues. However I have seen another Olivers out on the road with half ton pickups with no WDH including last summer in Glacier. I will admit they help, but are also a PITA to use. I hear you though the liability just isn't worth going without a WDH. Thanks

I do have the 6.5 foot bed, but doubt it would make a huge difference one way or the other. Just curious are you also using the Anderson WDH? It seems there are still some folks with half tons and not using it so that certain could make a noticeable difference too. Regardless using the RAS system will raise the bed, no way around that, to what degree depends largely on adjustment implemented, ie heavy vs light. Unfortunately I can't take any photos now of my setup having just traded in my older '13 F150. I see you have the 2.7 engine, probably somewhat lighter in weight. Curious if that throws the front to rear weight balance off compared to my setup.

Allow me to add this, I installed the RAS on my 2013 Lariat Super Crew 3.5 Eco Boost a couple of years ago. Initially I adjusted it for the max setting using black thicker gauge disc. On my setup this was just too much and felt the ride was a bit too hard, tail up too high and finally the the tow vehicle to trailer looked like an inverted V with trailer pointing upwards at the hitch ever so slightly. A few months ago I adjusted the RAS back down to the lower setting using the thinner white disc and like this setting a lot compared to the previous max. Ride is better, TV and trailer are flat out level and the truck bed tail gate combo set lower while not towing. From my perspective I don't think the max setting is needed on an Oliver given its modest size and weight. I would encourage you to at least try this method and see how you feel about it before abandoning the RAS. BTW never used air bags so no idea how it compares.

That's some very helpful and interesting information @STEVEnBETTY thanks for sharing this. Clearly I have a lot to learn about these new vehicles. Thus far on my test drives I have been truly impressed by the difference from the older units. I was starting to become a bit concerned regarding the reduced payload capacity at first due to the additional weight of the onboard battery but given how we travel I think the Powerboost will be fine. Ford is really hitting with some of their new features on these trucks but reliability might be a concern too, only time will tell.

@I M in KS actually the Powerboost does come in a 6.5 bed, have been driving one today, Lariat model. It's impressive and a cut above my older 2013 EB in every way. Truthfully I am not sure how much use I would get out of the 7.2 KW generator, maybe some but given our solar and LI-ON battery and how little electricity we use while camping but its still a very nice forward thinking attribute and feature. I am surprised you are not getting better gas mileage though. Even my older eco boost gets on average much better MPG unless its severe windy conditions. Thanks for the info.

Bill your results are very similar to mine in terms of MPG for towing but much depends on the wind out here in the west. I have gotten lower but also higher too under very ideal conditions. Good point regarding my older unit getting close to 100K and this more than anything has prompted me to make a move rather than getting in trouble back in the boonies and all that entails potentially. Otherwise the yes the 3.5 EB are surely a tech marvel, well the entire truck line is for that matter. Very close to closing the deal on new one as we speak. While the longer beds are a PITA in urban areas I still prefer them, but local dealer had very few on the lot but otherwise just about ideal. Thanks

@STEVEnBETTY thanks for this info. Just about to close a deal on one. I do have one more question for you though. What is you normal assuming there is one, cruising range on a tank of gas. I understand the EV portion does nothing on behalf of towing and the tank is smaller by 6 gallons so your range between fill ups should be shorter and more frequent, right?

I will take a stab at this. By filling the fresh water tank until it overflows via the weep holes you now have a tank that is so full the water will tend to flow out of the lowest point. Understand too the bubble level at the front is NOT a perfect indication of true level until its calibrated to a known source. What I am getting at is unless you know there is water leaking between the hulls I wouldn't worry about it too much so long as it's coming out of the weep holes. However one way to check this is take your kitchen drawers completely out of the cabinets and with light in hand peer over to the outside of the trailer, backside of the cabinets at the floor area to make sure nothing is leaking into this area caused by a bad fitting. You could also prevent this by shutting of your water supply during fill up when tank indicator states 100%. On my Ollie even after 100% indication the water will keep filling for another few gallons until it overflows via the weep holes Hope this helps Rob

Considering a new TV and the Powerboost caught my attention yesterday. A 3/4 ton would be nice but just don't have the space to park it or the budget to own and keep one so still going with a half ton. I have had great service from my existing F150 3.5 EB but it is getting long in the tooth (2013) and I now have one major repair to do to the HVAC system (over $2K) with potential concerns for more major repairs in the future now that I am coming up on 100K miles. Other than this one repair the truck has been near faultless for well over 12 years other than basic maintenance. Given my tendencies to be far off the beaten path with #70 in tow reliability is becoming a concern. I know there are a few of you who have been towing with the Powerboost F150 and wanted to check in with you to see how thats still going? MPG, towing range, or anything else you would like to share regarding its towing capability as well as day to day driving? Curiously what I see on dealer lots recently is the 5.5 beds vs the 6.5 foot beds. Not sure why, but not happy about it. I really like the longer bed length for a variety of reasons but maybe I could get used to the 5.5 foot bed length. Thanks Rob

Haven't driven this road in quite a few years but when we last did it was a very slow go so if you decide to do this pack your patience with you. We were not towing at the time, just car camping with tents. In most areas it tends to be a near bumper to bumper experience with many small towns communities along the way. Think stop and go traffic and driving. It is a very pretty drive if you have the time and patience. At the time we were there the campgrounds were very packed and very crowded along the way, almost claustrophobic at times, and no doubt much more so now by any measure. Since 101 is on the Pacific coast even in the summer months it can be considerably cooler than you might imagine, pack accordingly. There are a lot of nifty little towns along the way and depending upon what you are looking to do it could be a pleasant trip. Just don't be in a hurry. Good luck.

Couple of thoughts. Just for the record your trip locations are not really the NW but rather should be considered the Northern Rockies. Have not been to CN in a long time so will leave those areas out of the comments. As for chains, I have lived in MT for almost half a century and never owned them nor used them. The likelihood of needing them this time of year is unlikely too but anything is possible. You might see some triple digits temps in SD and ND that time of year and certainly well into the 90's. I did photoshoot in TRNP once in the summer and it was brutal. At least 110º perhaps more, but at least the assignment was with horses. Cameras got so hot it was difficult to hold them at times. Two Medicine is awesome and will be quite a bit cooler, days will be getting much shorter too by then. Same for East Glacier of course. Autumn colors start quite a bit earlier up in this neck of the woods compared to the SW but you should be hitting it at a good time. Expect cool to downright cold nights and with some frost on the later part. I have seen bitter cold temps and near blizzard conditions in Sept but it is rare and certainly not every year. Normally, the roads would not freeze up this time of year, but again anything is possible. Early winter snows tend to melt fairly quick on the roads and Montana has a great road crew system for clearing. I would imagine CN to be no different. Have a great trip

I used to own the 04 version of your exact same Tundra, it struggled to tow our T@b back in those days. I'm not making this up. If memory serves me correct dry weight for the T@b was around 1600 lbs. With that in mind not in my wildest imagination would I think about towing the LE2 with this truck. The transmission alone would be woefully lacking from what I recall. Good luck with your decision on this.

Agree with @rich.dev and @CRM Never have cared for the existing windows and have always felt they were one of the weakest points with the Oliver's. I had the European style windows on my T@b many years ago and felt they were far superior in most cases. Oddly enough never experienced any scratches, although one of the round non opening ones got broken in a hail storm. The last time I checked the company did not make those style of window wide enough to fit the existing Oliver rough openings. Seems like I read somewhere Dometic had either bought the original company. Loved those windows. Oliver windows, not so much.

Sorry but you have some incorrect information I believe. I did order and install the newer converter charger for my PD 4045 unit and it charges at 14.4 volts however it was my understanding some of the earlier units charged at 14.6 volts but realized over time most if not all LiFE-PO batteries should only be charge at 14.4 volts max. I had a long conversation with the people at Epoch regarding charging and what settings they require. The tech support person, perhaps the owner, strongly recommended only using 14.2 volts especially in the initially stages as the BMS goes through it break-in. He insisted never go beyond 14.4 volts. Keeping in mind I rarely use shore power and depend on solar for 99% of my charging duties this was easy enough to setup with the IPN Pro Remote. I would seriously encourage you to talk with the folks at Epoch on charging as they can explain this better than I. The gentleman I spoke with had some serious warnings about 14.6 volts and beyond. In the meantime I have yet to connect shore power to my new Epoch battery but at least I have this option if needed.

John if I understand your description properly you should be able to snap off the shade first. Pull from the bottom then lift off from the top. Once the shade is off the frame you should see several nuts around the circumference of the window frame. Before tightening those you might need to apply some caulk between frame and Oliver body. This shouldn’t have happened regardless of road conditions but should also be a fairly easy fix, albeit an aggravation. My guess is a few screws/nuts were not completely tightened during the build and vibrated loose. Good luck

Lots of great ideas and inputs on the subject. Have to admit I am a bit surprised by how many people do rely on Apple Car Play or the Android equivalent. My older 2013 F-150 of course does not have this built in. I do agree with many other comments though regarding Apple Maps and prefer it over Google Maps the times I have used it sans Apple Car Play of course. Plus I like Siri's voice. @Steve Morris comments regarding how bad Toyotas built in GPS is from my experience and from what I hear from others all auto manufacturers are terrible as well, plus you have to pay for upgrades. Cruel joke. All of these auto GPS built ins are already out of date the day you drive off the lot too and most of them are a major PITA to go through an update, so bad that I haven't even tried it on our Subaru Outback knowing what others have claimed. Given that I don't have a high opinion of my Furrion Rear View Camera at this point I am leaning towards the Haloview 12 BT with Apple Car Play built into the system. Like others we always carry along paper maps too, perhaps it's a generational thing but a road trip/camping trip just doesn't seem complete without them. I really like the Benchmark and Delorme state by state maps too, great having that much close detail. Then there's the National Geographic Trails Illustrated Maps for specific areas, ie national parks and monuments and other such outdoor wilderness areas. Thanks Rob

Looking at the Alcan website it was my understanding they can custom build any spring set with softer or stiffer ride depending upon the needs or desires of the customer. So while even using 5 leafs for heavier loads, why not have Alcan produce a softer ride with different spring steel, or did I miss something?

You are exactly right Bill, cell coverage can be sketchy at best out here in the hinterlands and also an excellent reason not to forgo the use a real GPS device. Granted one can save sections of a map to use off line but that also adds up to a mountain of stored data while not being as fluid as a GPS device. Intuitively have felt for me there is not a sensible way of getting by without a dedicated GPS but am certainly willing to hear from others. Likewise I too travel alone when my wife can't come along which changes the ballgame quickly. It's interesting the only company now making GPS devices in the US is Garmin, all others have left the market due to massively diminished sales years ago.

Good grief @Steve Morris indeed there are some sleaze bags out on the road. Never ran into this yet, hope I don't but something serious to consider now. In the meantime I also found another very interesting device on Haloview that I initially overlooked. It's the Rear View Camera integrated with Apple Car Play or Android Play. Link here For those who already have a TPMS system but not the newer tech found in new trucks and autos this could be beneficial. Thanks