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John Welte

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Posts posted by John Welte

  1. 2 hours ago, MobileJoy said:

    LockNLube has three right angle adapters. The more expensive one at $16.99 is the one that was linked earlier in this thread. The one I'm considering is this "simple" one at $10.99. The former one is shorter at 0.8" while the latter is 2.15". Anyone have experience with it, or with both?

    The third one is the push-on adapter that looks like it will not work for the upper zerks.

    I used the $16.99 one that has a screw on piece and external spring.  There are three pieces that are inside the housing.  Don't make the mistake that I did and unscrew the piece fully.  I lost those three little pieces and had to reorder the piece.  I have to finish the job still now that the replacement adapter came.  They should warn people to not unscrew that, or maybe everyone except me just knew not to.  I don't have experience with the cheaper adapter that you reference.  Good luck.

    John

    • Wow 1
    • Sad 1
  2. 11 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:

    Well, that was a PITA. So sorry., but really glad for the persistent motorist who alerted you to the flat tire.

    We have the TST tpms system.  Though we haven't needed the repeater, there is one available to boost the signal forward to the display unit if needed.

    I think a few other brands sell a booster or repeater,  as well.

    I have the TST also and monitor all eight tires.  Four on the TV and the four on the trailer.  It came with the repeater, but it hasn't been necessary.  It does take about five minutes to start registering on the display, but after it does, it cycles through all the tires.  It gives great peace of mind.

    John

    • Like 6
  3. 14 minutes ago, mountainoliver said:

    We just got home from meeting the CGI guys in Charlotte, NC to coat our trailer. We met them at an air b&b and they did the whole job in the driveway. They certainly are the nicest bunch of guys! I can’t believe how hard they work at the whole process and what a difference between before and after! After six plus years outside 24/7/365 it really needed some help. Now knowing that the gel coat will be protected, looks better than new, and having a little easier cleanup routine really means a lot.IMG_1440.thumb.jpeg.98766dcb5c2ae003cfce359bc6e2544f.jpegIMG_1439.thumb.jpeg.7fafa03cf5e4bb0457cc49cc3d858c56.jpegIMG_1438.thumb.jpeg.3c97bb9c37b7c93b35280494500a1566.jpeg

    #1290 will get their treatment in less than two months.

    John

    • Like 1
  4. 5 hours ago, Wandering Sagebrush said:

    It took a bit of chasing, but I did find the inline T harness to 4 pin that @Mountainman198 mentioned.  This appears to be a much better solution when compared to poking a hole through the protective cover of the factory connector.IMG_0969.thumb.jpeg.00c0b23ba63fb99ed2a9feec056a4336.jpeg

    Thanks.  I will run this by service to see if I need to buy this for the wiring job.

    John

    • Like 1
  5. 4 hours ago, Wandering Sagebrush said:

    John, rather than splice into trailer wiring, the previous owner of our trailer ran a second circuit from the tow vehicle to the back of the Oliver.  It’s for the storage box on the back, and there is a quick disconnect for the box.  Wiring is under the hull.

    There is a down side to this approach, both he and I had to cut an opening into the door of the TV 4 pin to connect the new flat four circuit. I’m probably going to build a new jumper that comes off the TV 7 pin, and splits to a 7 and 4 so I can better weather protect the TV connection.   If you would like, I can take photos for you.

    Yes please.  OTT will be doing the work since they know a lot more than me about wiring.  I am in the information gathering stage to hopefully get the best solution.

    John

    • Like 3
  6. Does anyone have an idea how to form a flat four way connector from the licence plate light wires on the back of the Ollie?  The tv has the four-way connector as well as the seven pin connector.  We're going in for service on October 30 and I mounted the light kit on the Yakima Stage 2 bike rack.  I am guessing that the license plate lighting would not have the capability to power the brake, turning, and hazard lights.  OTT will look at the wiring needed.  Somehow I am guessing they'll need to run a 4-way from the tv to the back of the trailer to enable the light kit to do all the normal functions.  Has anyone else done something similar?  Does the wire go underneath from the hitch to the bumper?  Does it somehow go between the hulls?  TIA, John

  7. 1 hour ago, topgun2 said:

    Four of the nicest , polite hard working young men you will ever meet.  And, they do a good job of polishing and ceramic coating your Ollie - either at their shop in Murphreesboro, TN (just east of Nashville) or at your home.

    The ceramic coating not only makes the Oliver shine better than new but it makes cleaning the Ollie much easier too.  I'm DONE with that twice a year wax job!

    Bill

    Bill, I decided not to do the twice yearly waxing and will have our 10 month old LE2 ceramic coated in November by CGI.  I hope it's a good decision.  Our trailer is on a north facing hill in Oregon, so it doesn't get the intense sun that it might get in southern states.  Time will tell.  I wish I could have it under cover, but there's no room on the property for an Ollie barn.

    John

  8. 1 hour ago, topgun2 said:

    The guys from CGI Detailing "camped" in our lower level last night for the first night of a trip around North Carolina.

    After a quick breakfast this morning we were out the door headed for the storage facility where I have to keep my Oliver.  After a quick look and some elbow grease it was decided that Twist was back to looking as it should.  The guys then headed off towards Charlotte but made a stop at Mount Mitchell (highest point in the east at 6684 feet) located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

    Not only do these guys do good work, but, they also stand behind that work and they are fun to be around.  Very much in what has become the "Oliver Tradition".  My only regret is that I didn't have them do the ceramic coating sooner.

    Bill

     

    Bill, we're having our 2022 LE2 done by CGI almost one year from delivery day.  We picked up on November 7, 2022 and CGI will do their coating on November 1 and 2.  I currently have a coat of Rejex on it, which they said was ok to do.  I am looking forward to seeing how it looks after they're done.

    John

    • Like 2
  9. 1 hour ago, topgun2 said:

    No, but, I'm presently seriously considering it.

    ScubaRx found the ones referenced by me and they are solid stainless.

    Bill

    I put in a service ticket to see if my wheels are aluminum on hull 1290 (I think they are), whether my lug nuts are aluminum clad (I think they are) and lastly if they know of what company to get stainless steel bulged acorn style lug nuts from for what I assume are aluminum wheels.  I don't think the lug nuts that ScubaRx found are bulged acorn type.

    John

  10. 32 minutes ago, MAX Burner said:

    Sometimes it makes it easier to "crack" the torqued wheel nuts before raising that side - or Xchock those wheels after they're raised to loosen the nuts...

    Speaking of those lug nuts, are they made of one metal only?  I replaced all my lug nuts on my Ford Expedition since they swelled.  They are made of two metals.  It seems crazy to make lug nuts that way, but if Oliver also uses those types of lug nuts (for appearance, I assume), I would rather have all stainless steel lug nuts.  Swollen lug nuts are just that, they're near impossible to remove.  I know this is off topic.

    John 

  11. On 8/23/2023 at 8:40 AM, Boudicca908 said:

    Thank you all — order will be placed today. I’m looking forward to doing this. 

    I got the Locknlube gun and 90° angle piece.  I removed the screw on part to inspect it after doing one zerc that oozed a bit of grease at the connection point of the gun tip and the zerc.  Don't do that.  It removed a little washer like piece that's needed to hold onto the zerc that is in that connection area of the 90° piece.  I didn't realize that it held that small piece and the 90° piece is useless without that small part.  Yes, I ordered another one for $21.  Did you remove the wheels or are you planning to remove them to get to the two fittings that are at the top of the Dexter assembly?  Something about crawling under trailer while on stands makes me a bit nervous.

    John

  12. 2 hours ago, topgun2 said:

    On my 2023 F-150 there are no "cross hairs" but there are guidance lines and the ability to "zoom" in once you get close enough to the hitch.

    The biggest "problem" is that with the bulldog hitch painted black (from the factory) it can be difficult to see.  This is particularly so if the pavement is asphalt and/or the lightening is not that great.  This is the reason that MB (above) painted a white stripe in his bulldog.  I chose to simply paint the entire front end of the hitch.  However, my first attempt painting it was with fluoresrsent orange paint.  This didn't work too well in that the paint faded in the sun.  Therefore, I switched to "hammered silver" and the results are great as it is easy to see in virtually all lighting conditions.

    Bill


     

    Hi Bill, what kind of prep and paint did you use?  I already am seeing some rust on my 2022 that I picked up in November.

    John

    • Like 1
  13. 1 hour ago, topgun2 said:

    I'm certainly NOT taking that bet.

    I spend more time collecting the tools and prepping for the job than actually doing the job.  While the zerk caps help a bunch, I still spend a fair amount of time cleaning off the old grease - bring plenty of paper towels/rags to the job.

    Bill

    Bill, I have a late 2022, hull #1290.  We are going back to Hohenwald in October from Oregon for annual service.  We have about 4000 miles max on the trailer since getting it new.  It has the EZ flex axles so I assume I  am ok.  We will have about 7000 miles on it when we get to Tennessee.  Any advice on whether we should put grease into the zirc fittings and if so, what kind?  TIA, John 

  14. 18 hours ago, Steve Morris said:

    Nope! And I've searched the forum and Facebook group for any Oliver supplied rack failure, and found zero results. That's why I was careful to say "If there's any weak link." I don't think there is, but if so, that's where it seems likely to occur.

    @Geronimo John Even simpler would be to take a ratchet strap from the spare tire ring nut around the outermost point on the deployed rack. Then take up all the slack in the system. This would facilitate folding the rack up without having to remove the extra support. Neither of our bikes have top tubes, so your design would have to go around the seat post if I went with something similar. Cool idea!

    IMG_9515.thumb.jpeg.d66ff54b90f5c5eadeeef474b0d280fc.jpeg.9eb2a27d559bd858e4444ce31236a469.jpeg

     

    My license plate relocation kit arrived early, and I just installed it. I could remove the flip-down license bracket from the spare tire cover for even easier access.

    BTW, the relocation kit is pretty slick, working in the up or down position, and works even with the EZ Pull handle. Now to rig up a 4-pin harness on the trailer to use the included lights.

    (One thing I overlooked is that I use the rack on the Cruiser, too. I'll have the wrong plate showing unless I swap them with each use. 🤷‍♂️ )

    "Now to rig up a 4-pin harness on the trailer to use the included lights"

    I bought the Yakima Stage 2 rack after putting a 2" Curt receiver on with stainless steel 316 grade for high tension use.  There's a light kit that I can buy to attach to the rack so tail lights/turn indicators are visible in both the up and down position.  It would be plugged into a four pin harness, but I don't know how that's done.  The trailer goes to Hohenwald for service in October so may see if they can do that.  If you figure out how it's done I would like to see how you did it.

    John

    • Like 2
  15. Hi all, I searched for screen door bar, but didn't find anything.  I don't have much luck getting good results on the search function on the forum.  Does anyone have the link to the Amazon product that some of you have for attaching a bar on the screen door for ease of opening or holding the screen door?  TIA, John

  16. On 2/20/2023 at 9:57 PM, taylor.coyote said:

    I have respect for the elegant and creative solutions on these mods. I have given my voice on prior mods to the trailer bumper rack system. I spent 20 years as an executive and partner at Yakima Racks and can speak from experience.  There is a good reason for the factory set weight limit. The length of the back half of the fulcrum (trailer axles to the trailer bumper) is many times greater than from the axles of any TV to its bumper. Not to mention the forward distance from trailer axles to the bulldog hitch. Consider these distances and the vertical distance the bulldog hitch instantly travels up and down when your rig encounters dips, rises, steep driveways and potholes. The results of these encounters are nothing less than absolute violence at the trailer bumper. The forces applied at the trailer bumper are magnitudes greater than almost all receiver hitch systems are designed to withstand. Of the many receiver hitch mounted bike systems Yakima produces, only one is approved to withstand the extreme forces of being mounted to an RV bumper. I cannot judge your mods and if they will withstand the test of time. The test of time being constant vibration, sudden jolts, and that once in the life compression or frost heave that rocks your rig like never before.

    The scope of actual experience of trailer bumper systems within Oliver users is very small as there are 1,200 +/- trailers on the road compared to the well more than a million Yakima systems on the road.

    I can only advise to operate with an abundance of caution when modifying your bumper system and or exceeding the factory load limit.

    Thanks for your post.  I thought the same thing about the forces.  Abundance of caution seems like very good advice.  I was thinking that the main force would come from behind the rear axle, but you also mentioned the movement at the tv hitch in the front of the trailer.  I would think that those of us that use the Anderson hitch have some more moderation of movement than without the Anderson.

    John

    • Thanks 2
  17. 17 minutes ago, Steve Morris said:

    I installed a Reese Towpower 81378 bumper hitch yesterday. It isn't the prettiest thing. But many reviews of this style receiver had reports of bad welds, with a couple of instances of complete failures while on the road. (Nothing left of a bike rack with bikes except the bolted down plate.)

    I chose this one because I don't trust welds on cheaply made products, and it was the only one that I could find that had the base plate wrap up around the receiver. So if the weld fails, there's still a ring of the bolted plate hanging on. Attached with 1/2" stainless fasteners designed for high pressure applications.

    *If* the local bike shop gets their act together and has our new e-bikes ready before Sunday, we will be testing this setup soon.

    IMG_9429.thumb.jpeg.b04aa7e6170dbabd08a67dddda83e512.jpeg

     

    IMG_9430.thumb.jpeg.fd4cc4675d1590cf3f8b60a4fd610428.jpeg

    It looks like you didn't get the OTT bike rack option.  It looks like a secure installation to me.  How do you plan to address the galvanic corrosion because of the two different metals.  I wonder if the painted hitch might be enough.

    John

  18. 21 minutes ago, John E Davies said:

    Install 1/2” ?  stainless bolts with nylocks in three places, and a short locking hitch pin in the fourth. I am assumng they are 1/2”, you need to measure..

    Post a close up picture so we know what it looks like please.

    John Davies

    Spokane WA

     

    That makes sense.  Thanks John 

    • Like 2
  19. Hi all, in preparation for removing the OTT 1.25" receiver and putting a 2" one on, I took out the four pins that secure the hitch framework.  It was very fast.  How do you all secure that assembly from theft, especially when you have a nice bike rack attached?

    John

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  20. 3 minutes ago, Mountainman198 said:

    This is the rack I have and it works well for my needs.  When researching for a rack, the Let's go aero was the only rack I could find which has 1 1/4" AND was rated for use on the back of. travel trailer (not just the back of a RV, which is a different rating).  You will notice that the Lets go Aero rack is also the rack used in Oliver literature when shown hauling bikes.  Good luckj with whatever you decide

     

    https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Go-Aero-BikeWing-2-V-Rack/dp/B09JGTYKDG/ref=sr_1_8?crid=1W9247BM44XEC&keywords=lets+go+aero+bike+rack&qid=1689030499&sprefix=lets+go+aero+bike+rack%2Caps%2C372&sr=8-8&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.f5122f16-c3e8-4386-bf32-63e904010ad0

    I have fenders and racks so it looks like that rack won't work.  We live in Oregon.  Fenders are necessary here.  That was the name of the rack that OTT recommended.  I think replacing the 1.25" receiver with a 2" may be my only option.

    John 

    • Like 1
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