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rideandfly

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Posts posted by rideandfly

    Clouded window glass

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    @dewdev , I have a different reason to remove the glass, but have the same question on how to remove the glass. Believe the previous owner might have put darker tint on Ollie's windows, now they have etched window spots. I'm thinking about replacing them.

    Thanks for starting the thread!

    Where’s Ollie?

    in Campgrounds & Parks

    Posted · Edited by rideandfly

    @Tideline77Understand about needing a suit, completely. My Sister in Law was extremely sick a week ago until she was diagnosed & treated for Lyme disease from a tick bite, now she is finally returning home from the hospital. She is a bee keeper.

    Edit: We were camping when I got Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever from a tick bite,  we saw the symptoms and I received early treatment! 🙂

     

     

     

    • Like 2

    Furrion Stereo Upgrade: A Sound Choice

    in Ollie Modifications

    Posted · Edited by rideandfly

    33 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

    Thanks again, Bill. I would use glue or VHB tape and cover (hide) the existing screw holes. Also with 1/8" stock, add something like Geoff suggested. Maybe use aluminum stock vs. "wood cleats" for better strength and durability. Drill mounting holes through both after everything is glued in place. This way your mounting screws can grab the cover sheet and the metal behind.

     

    John and Geoff, 

    Agree, you guys have me thinking of thin aluminum bar glued to plastic behind IRV radio along with fiberglass & drilled through to secure everything with mounting screws. 

    Thanks,

     

     

    • Like 1

    Furrion Stereo Upgrade: A Sound Choice

    in Ollie Modifications

    Posted · Edited by rideandfly

    33 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

    Bill, thank you for making me feel better! Now I'm happy ours is still fully working after all these years. I just remounted the bezel and speaker while listening to a CD that with the volume up sounded pretty good.

    You and I are both going to need that 3D printer! 🤣
    Geoff, what does it take to program a detailed shape?

    I say this because the DV1200 is mounted by the 4 outer screws into the Oliver fiberglass. When you go to a smaller box there will be nothing to screw into. Good that the new units are likely half the weight. Maybe a plastic sheet thick enough to screw into and support the weight and/or a bracket or base the radio can sit on. Not so simple.

    Should the sheet be black or white?

    Glad to help you feel better! 😂

    Here's the recommended cutout for the DV 1100 and probably DV 1200, too:

    IMG_0001-XL.jpg

    I don't have experience with a 3D printer. Thinking about cutting out 1/8" black plastic sheet (1/4" probably too thick) large enough to cover existing DV 1100/1200 cutout/ screws holes securing with black screws in existing holes, also with cutout for iRV unit to mount. Shape plastic sheet corners/edges with belt sander.

     

     

    • Like 1

    Furrion Stereo Upgrade: A Sound Choice

    in Ollie Modifications

    Posted

    Our Oliver came with a Furrion DV 1200, the DVD player failed after a couple years. I found a new Furrion DV 1100 on EBay, new old stock, same size with same wire connections, it worked OK up until last year when it developed DVD issues. After looking at several units, I’m probably going to install an iRV unit with the unit mounted on black plastic sheet covering  the existing cutout for the original Furrion unit. Just thinking about it for now!

    Tire Recommendation?

    in Mechanical & Technical Tips

    Posted · Edited by rideandfly

    On 4/23/2026 at 9:22 PM, jd1923 said:

    This is the fact I got mixed up. I’m going to have to see what’s printed on our OEM wheels.

    So OTT put 60 PSI wheels on Hull #75 in 2015! Does your hull have a DOT sticker stating 80 PSI! Mine does.

    #75 tag, Installed Goodyear Endurance ST225/75R/15E 80PSI spare tire mounted on SenDel S20 15X6 3200lb wheel, since a LT225/75R/16E will not fit in the 2015 fiberglass spare tire housing:

    IMG_3775-L.jpg

     

    Tire Recommendation?

    in Mechanical & Technical Tips

    Posted · Edited by rideandfly

    6 hours ago, jd1923 said:

    Started suspension maintenance today, so got a pic of the back of our wheels. I can zoom in, to see the SenDel brand trailer wheels, made in China, 6x16jj rims, 110 PSI Max, 3,200 LBS load rating.

    Oliver Wheel Backside.jpg

    Received new SenDel S20 wheels to install on our Oliver replacing the original ION wheels. Purchased 16X6 wheels, installing the LT225/75R/16 Coopers already mounted on Ion wheels for two more years, before replacing tires.

    IMG_3799-L.jpg

    IMG_3800-L.jpg

    IMG_3803-L.jpg

     

     

    Tow hitch/ weight distribution advice needed.

    in Towing an Oliver

    Posted

    Nice truck! We still have a WDH, but the WDH has been stored since we purchased a F-350. We can just fit the Super Duty in our garage, but it's a tight fit. 

    About 23" top of the ball measurement is where I start with the F-350 before placing Ollie on the ball. When placed on the ball Ollie is a little nose high at 480 to 500lbs tongue weight, very little sag with Ollie placed on the ball.

    • Like 1

    Bathroom Shower Hose Issue

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by rideandfly

    1 hour ago, Fred and Pattie said:

    Has anyone had this issue:  When the faucet is in sink mode, the water pressure is fine.  But when I place the faucet on the shower hook, the flow sometimes reduces significantly or shuts off completely until I pull the hose in and out a little.  Is there an easy fix or do I need Oliver service?

    The towel rack/soap dish on our 2015 LE2 was originally installed with silicone sealant. Don't know what year Ollie you have, later model LE2s towel rack/soap dish is installed with screws, but we had to remove sealant to get to the loose heat outlet hose and water pump LED where the shower hose is also located under the sink. We installed a U seal around the towel rack/soap dish and four screws when the towelrack/soap dish was reinstalled without using silicone sealant.

    IMG_7019-L.jpg

     

     

    • Like 1

    Tire Recommendation?

    in Mechanical & Technical Tips

    Posted · Edited by rideandfly

    12 hours ago, jd1923 said:

    Check it out. Ken’s wheel is also the SenDel brand. I remember a weight rating something like his wheel.

    Looking at my exterior picture, I'll bet ours is a SenDel as well. You can see it has a simple face without all the studs like the ION wheel. Hull #75 is certainly a special one-off Oliver! 😎

    Oliver Wheel.jpg

    Yep, it's my understanding Oliver ran out of 3500lb axles & springs when they installed 5200lb axles & springs on #75. I can only guess the wheel & tire supplier made the mistake when supplying wheels for #75, we had the same original LT225/75R/16 Load Range E tires as many early LE2 Oliver owners.

    My plan is to replace the ION wheels with 15" Sendel S20T trailer wheels with ST225/75R/15 tires mounted. The original 16" ION wheel's finish are in poor condition after 11 years. Going to check where I can get the best deal, Discount Tire will match wheel/tire prices. My goal is to have the same size & capacity wheels/tires as the spare tire (remember smaller spare tire housing on #75) using the same 15" ST tires Oliver currently installs on LE2 trailers. I will only lose about 1/2" of ground clearance.

    GJ, the wheels & tires just got bumped to the top of the AFE list! 🙂

    Appears to be legal changing trailer wheel/tire size if the change meets or exceeds the original wheel/tire capacities, but the ST tire has a lower speed rating compared to the LT tire. No one should be towing an Oliver close to the ST tire top speed anyway.

    https://www.rvtravel.com/is-it-illegal-to-change-tire-type-or-size-on-an-rv-rvt-1086/

    Sendel 15" S20T (S20-56655T-2+) wheel's capacity is 3200lbs @ 95psi.

    https://www.sendelwheel.com/wheels/s20t.html

     

             

     

     

    		 

     

    • Like 1

    Tire Recommendation?

    in Mechanical & Technical Tips

    Posted

    32 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

    This is the fact I got mixed up. I’m going to have to see what’s printed on our OEM wheels.

    So OTT put 60 PSI wheels on Hull #75 in 2015! Does your hull have a DOT sticker stating 80 PSI! Mine does.

    It’s got the DOT tag, but I need to look at it, I don’t keep Ollie at home.

    Tire Recommendation?

    in Mechanical & Technical Tips

    Posted

    7 hours ago, jd1923 said:

    The 60 PSI number was ONLY cited as the spec limit on a Sendel trailer wheel. He purchased one for the spare tire, thinking of buying 4 more to replace the OEM wheels vs. restoring them. I believe the Oliver OEM wheels must be rated for 80 PSI (had a pic of the wheel label, can't find it today), also since OTT installed Load Range tires on them and wrote 80 PSI on the Oliver DOT label.

    John,

    The original 5 wheels on my LE2 were ION wheels with 60PSI maximum air pressure in the casting, following photo.

    IMG_2919-L.jpg

    I finally decided to install four 15" Sendel S20T trailer wheels replacing the original ION wheels next year, instead of refinishing the original ION wheels.

    https://www.sendelwheel.com/wheels/s20t.html

    This is the 15" Sendel S20T with Goodyear Endurance ST225/75R/15 tire on the right that replaced the original 16" ION spare wheel with passenger tire on the left, both fit in the smaller fiberglass spare tire housing that will not accommodate a LT225/75R/16 tire/wheel assembly. 

     IMG_7182-L.jpg

    Bill

     

    Tire Recommendation?

    in Mechanical & Technical Tips

    Posted · Edited by rideandfly

    Our LE2 originally came with Dexter 5200lb axles & 5 leaf springs. Right now our ready to camp weight with empty water tanks is 5100lbs. No one has reported the original 5 leaf Dexter springs failing, yet. With the 10,400lb total axle/spring capacity combined with a 5100lb LE2 weight, I always tried to reduce the overall accumulated fiberglass/frame/component stress from the impact of higher capacity springs by running lower air pressure in the LT load range E tires and by towing slower on rough pavement. We purchased our Ollie used in 2016 and ran 50PSI like the previous owner without issues until seeing the LT tire pressure/load charts in different threads here like the ones posted earlier when I reduced the pressure to 40PSI for the last one or two years without issues. 

     

     

     

    • Like 1
    • Love 1

    Tire Recommendation?

    in Mechanical & Technical Tips

    Posted

    19 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

    Please read again. This is the MAX PSI rating of the wheel. Margin being that he runs 40 PSI in the Oliver!

    Yep, I have been running 40PSI for a year or two. Believe my original wheels rated for a maximum of 60PSI are rare.

    • Like 2

    Tire Recommendation?

    in Mechanical & Technical Tips

    Posted · Edited by rideandfly

    2 hours ago, jd1923 said:

    Do they also print a weight rating? The OEM wheels are rated for 80 PSI, but 60 is all you need with margin. The OEM wheels are weight rated, don’t remember exactly

    Only thing I can find on the wheel is maximum pressure, not capacity. It’s probably in the operators manual.

    We have put many miles on these wheels, but for full disclosure, if we replace them and someone wants them, I have to post the maximum pressure.
     

    It’s going to be next year before I start on the wheel/tire project. Actually have two more Ollie projects before the wheel/tire project, I know it's easy to replace wheels/tires, but it's also according to $ available for AFE (authority for expenditure) projects, that's what we called them on the Railroad. 🙂

     

     

    • Like 2
    • Haha 1

    Tire Recommendation?

    in Mechanical & Technical Tips

    Posted · Edited by rideandfly

    54 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

    And you can likely get $100 used on the old set locally, or maybe an Oliver owner needs one?

    Good thought, I could the sell the old set.

    I only run 40PSI @ 5100lb ready to camp weight with the ION wheels that came on our Ollie. Another piece of interesting information is it looks like the maximum pressure for these particular wheels, 60PSI. 

    IMG_2919-L.jpg

     

     

     

     

     

    • Love 1

    Tire Recommendation?

    in Mechanical & Technical Tips

    Posted

    23 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

    The new wheel looks great! It actually has a simple, cleaner look.

    If quality and weight rating is equal, buying 4 is likely lower cost and longer life vs. refinishing.

    Having 5 like wheels is a certain advantage vs. a temp spare that we must change twice. The 1/2” drop matters not on paved roads. Lower center of gravity another benefit. Thanks 

    Agree, guessing the new 15" wheels may be about the same cost as refinishing and I like the idea of having  a spare tire/wheel that matches the tire/wheels mounted on Ollie.

    • Like 1

    Tire Recommendation?

    in Mechanical & Technical Tips

    Posted

    37 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

    Lastly, I'm wondering why Mike @Mike and Carol and Bill @rideandfly are both choosing to move to ST tires? What criteria makes you prefer ST tires? 

    John,

    I keep our Ollie on pavement most of the time except when a campground has dirt roads. To be honest I was thinking about refinishing the original 16" ION trailer wheels or replacing them with new 15" Sendel trailer wheels. I already have one 15" Sendel trailer wheel with a Goodyear Endurance ST225/75R/15 for the spare tire since the full size 16" LT225/75R/16 tire/wheel will not fit in the original spare tire housing, believe the Oliver spare tire housing was made larger during 2016 or 2017. I would lose about 1/2" trailer ground clearance by moving to the 15" tire/wheel using the same 15" Goodyear ST tires Oliver currently uses.

    Just a thought for now. I have another Ollie project in front of wheels/tires for next year.

    Here's the original spare with 16" wheel and passenger tire (not LT) that would fit in the spare tire housing on the left. The new 15" Goodyear ST tire and Sendel wheel is on the right that fits the original spare tire housing.

    IMG_7182-L.jpg

    • Like 2

    Dexter Axle Bearings

    in Mechanical & Technical Tips

    Posted · Edited by rideandfly

    2 hours ago, routlaw said:

    There is an excellent YouTube tutorial by the Trailer Smith illustrating the difference between never lube, easy lube and traditional bearings. I would encourage you to look up this video as he tears each one apart and explains his takes in depth. 

    I also like the Husky pad, keep three of them around and one always comes with me on trips.

    I repack original bearings and replace seals every two years on our Ollie's original 5200lb axles, we don't tow Ollie as many miles as Mike & Carol. Bearing repack gives me the opportunity to inspect brakes, drums, bearings and races. I try not to let trailer hubs get hot while towing by using engine braking towing down mountain grades.

    Here's two videos by Trailer Smith, Dexter Nev-R Lube and Bearing Buddy VS. EZ Lube-What's The Difference:

     

    • Thanks 1
    • Like 3

    Confirming Sway Control with HD trucks in 2026

    in Towing an Oliver

    Posted

    Towed our LE2 with three different 1/2 ton tow vehicles. Installed either Timbren rear suspension system or Firestone Airbags to get rid of rear end sag on those trucks. 

    We purchased a 2024 F-350, we don't need a WDH or rear suspension modification. The F-350 with 6.8 Minizilla handles Ollie great and this truck has over 4,000 pounds of payload capacity, too. 

    • Like 3
    • Care 1
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