MAX Burner

General Issue!

We use Blue Sea Systems components whenever possible - we've had good experience with every BSS product installed on Casablanca, FYI. High quality components, IMO.

I would be drooling over these when I was about 13 years old while leafing through the Sears catalog! They were going for about $350 from Sears back then as I recall... Nice choice for "date night" travel mode back in the day, for sure! HA!

Hey, Rodger! Great move to decide coming back to the forums! Wow, Cavalon! -- Nice! Love the Rotax - Cavalon sports the 914, right? I fly a CT-22 with the Rotax 1630, fun stuff, for sure. Is yours the open/closed cockpit? Tandem/side-by-side? Just curious... You'll be interested to know there's owners living in Hawaii full-time and travels the US in their OTT during summer months, much like you've described you'll do from Thailand. Also, regarding finding an Oliver - you may have some luck on Facebook. There's usually several for sale here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OliverforSale/ Good luck with your search and keep us posted with your OTT plans. Welcome back! Cheers...

One would almost need a Star Wars stormtrooper outfit to be seen driving that truck around town.

FWIW: We like the Suburban water heater. We're used to it, having had one on a couple previous rigs. For our style of camping, it's a nice benefit having that extra 6gal of water along for the ride. Easy enough to winterize, too - if that's in one's storage procedures. Occasionally, we've had to replace the AC and/or DC thermocouples - no biggie, cheap to do. We keep extras in the spares compartment. That said, since we've got no experience with the Truma system, we can't comment - but it would be nice for hot water on demand... @Going Coastal - Very glad you're in the "Happy Wife - Happy Life" mode, brother! It's the preferable mode to stay in, IMO. Thanks so much for posting your project, well done! Cheers!

@Geronimo John - That's a Phase-3 upgrade for us down the road, amigo. The electric over hydraulic disk brake conversion kit's price point has skyrocketed over the years - a decent setup using the preferred Dexter K71-651-00 1600PSI brake actuator runs north of $1,100/wheel; can you spell, OUCH ? We're thinking the larger 12" drums on the new running gear will meet our braking needs and RV camping style for quite awhile. That said, the disk conversion will still stay on our radar, for sure. OBTW: We never come close to the 7k# max GVWR for our camping style, even in the winter months when carrying more gear. We encourage others to do the same, no matter what suspension upgrades are present. "Roll-On" and have fun out there, All! Cheers!

HA! The klister would rub off too quick, right? Good idea for the short game though!

That's exactly our thought process too, Mike. We, like many owners have done, mounted our external 12vDC receptacle on the battery compartment hatch and wired it to the Victron SmartShunt (NEG) and batteries (POS) directly with an inline fuse. Serves both as a solar input from the Renogy 200W module "suitcase" kit and an accessory 12vDC output plug. On cloudy days when the BBs need a bit of a bump in solar, it's a snap to connect the suitcase array to the questionably "weatherproof" receptacle on the battery hatch.

Exactly, right on! HA!

We applied some blue backcountry ski wax last summer - still smooth articulation in and out after 8 months, FYI.

Same here. We use the same Anderson to connect the 12v-12v Charger between the TV and OTT. The fitment is such that they clean off oxidization enough for a good contact every time they're plugged/unplugged. Not cheap, but bomb proof...

Concur 100%. We put north of 1900 miles on the Alcan's on our last trip to Dallas from NM. Subjectively, high cross winds on I-40 near Amarillo did not cause nearly as much roll as before replacing the spring packs. We ran the tires at +/-50psi the entire run. Nothing different noticed inside the rig after stopping (window shades still attached, converter door under dinette still closed, glass flowers & vase still on dinette table, etc.). We'll be in Hohenwald 8-9MAY to have a couple 5.2k# Nev-R-Lube Dexter's mounted over the Alcans - so, we'll probably miss meeting you and Carol until we make it down to the rally...FYI Safe travels, All... Cheers!

Had to go back and re-read the initial posting by @FloraFauna to re-frame the issue and get my pea-sized brain box around it. Seems to me that these forums can communicate with local OTT owners to share reputable RV service centers in their region and connect offline by starting a dedicated thread designed to do just that. What am I missing here?

Many thanks for reaching out to us with this "heads-up." We owners in the OTT forums appreciate you, Jason! Keep up the great work - it really shows... Cheers!

Hey, @dewdev - sorry about that! Meant the cellar of the Ollie; we call it the garage, HA! But the point being, we have options when on the road if a road hazard sneaks up and bites us. Always carry one on the bike, too - used my mini 12vDC compressor and the mushroom plug kit to get a guy out of the boonies after airing down his tires too much and managed to get a pinch flat (plus he was going WAY too fast up a single track with rocks bigger than the size of baby heads).

We keep the ViAir tucked in our collapsible plastic milk/tote crate inside the "garage." The tire plug kit (same one we use on for the scooter) sits right next to it...(actually plugged a rim pinch flat on a GS1200 with about 6 of those mushroom plugs with a healthy amount of glue and the guy made it out to the pavement and to a shop):

This is a good example of why we always fill the fresh water tank with the RV park plumbing system via our fresh water hose & activated carbon filter. Once the FWT is full (indicated by water exiting the overflow tube near the main hatch steps), we stow the hose/filter for a tidy "look" outside(*). This way - using the OTT water system is exactly the same procedure whether we're boon docking or staying at an RV Park (usually with unknown water pressure unless we ask). This practice exercises the water pump "ON/OFF" procedure used by OTT owner/occupants. If you're feeling "froggy" - as your FWT begins to drop in volume, use your 6-gal spare fresh water container to exercise your "boon docking" water valve procedure by topping off the FWT with the spare water. Then reposition your water valves, refill the FW container, and stow it and the hose. (*): Don't you just love seeing that SOB at an RV park leaking precious water everywhere from their fresh water hose connections that's spread helter-skelter between the hose bib and the trailer?

Correct, IMO. But in the original scenario with the 3.5k# Dexters and "under-rated" 4-pack springs from China -- those springs will always be the weakest link in the running gear. Poor design - specifically regarding the short "2nd" leaf spring and questionable quality (at best) of steel will be a critical path to failure and breaking of the 1st leaf near the eyelet. Jim Oliver, lead OTT designer, had it right. He likely knew of this shortcoming since he insisted on configuring his personal rigs with the 5.2k# axles and higher rated (2,750#) spring packs. AND, the "Jim Oliver" configuration has yet to report broken spring packs. Owners having chosen to upgrade their rigs with Alcans or similar designed/rated spring packs are clearly on the right path and making an informed decision leading to significantly lowering the probability of spring failure, IMO. Do not second-guess your decision to toss the Chinese packs and upgrade your running gear to a more robust/safer configuration. For us, the 5.2k# Nev-R-Lube Dexter's with our new Alcans are close-in on our radar screen.

We'd love to retro-in another door for the Man Cave - definitely on our radar. A drive-through is the top-shelf option, IMO. My only concern at this point is loosing the existing back wall which currently is floor to ceiling with metal storage racks... Someday, for sure.

So, we built a ramp for the R90 to get it into the bed of the "War Wagon" and would routinely take it on camping trips to have a fun mode of transport whilst boon docking with the "'Ol Rivet Smasher"! Sadly, we can't manage that option anymore with the TUNDRA, but we still have the ramp. This pic was taken pre-Magnus at Catalina SP near Tucson - D with our sweet "Willa"... Kinda miss those days, but Magnus and Oscar are making up for it! HA! Ya'll keep the shiny side up!

I love me a Boxer!

...or aluminum and rivets!

...with all the Touratec options possible!

yup