rideandfly

John, Before buying our LE2, we towed a 2000lb aluminum travel trailer out west a couple times from NC with a 2013 4.0L Nissan Frontier. Best fuel economy I could get with this rig was 13.5MPG. Called this trailer a lightweight aluminum brick because of the lack of aerodynamics. The Trailer Frontal rating for the 2013 Frontier pickup was 60sf. When we purchased Ollie in Missouri, towed Ollie home with the Frontier and could not believe the fuel economy @ 15MPG to NC (checked by actual gallons burned) with Ollie over double the weight of our previous camper. In 2014 the trailer frontal area dropped on the 2014 4.0L Frontier to 30sf with same engine and pickup frontal area. Believe these changes were made due to SAE J2807 towing methods. If you look at 2014 Ford towing brochure, if I read it correctly, even the F-550 Super Duty is restricted to trailer frontal area of 60sf, page 13: https://www.fleet.ford.com/content/dam/aem_fleet/en_us/fleet/towing-guides/Ford_Linc_14RVTTowGuide.pdf This is a good discussion on the FGRV forum on the same topic during 2016: https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f56/trailer-frontal-area-77307.html

We camp at Linville Falls Federal Campground on the BRP when the temps in the lower elevations are below 90F. The places to hike, drive, and eat in my first post are close by Linville Falls Federal Campground. Linville Falls Campground on the BRP: Met a couple from SC at Mt. Pisgah on the BRP when they had a truck camper, they toured our Ollie, next time we saw them at Mt. Pisgah they had a beautiful new Ollie. We head to Mt. Pisgah @ 5,000' when temps in the lower elevations are above 90F. Last time we camped at Linville Falls on the BRP, they were there, too: Here's a shot one morning at Mt. Pisgah, beat the summer heat there without AC when it's hot everywhere else: Our favorite sites @ Linville Falls on the BRP marked in pink:

Davy Crockett State Park at Limestone TN is not too far from Johnson City:

Bandit's Roost COE is close to Boomer on Rt. 268. We camped there a couple weeks ago when David & Kathy were there in their Ollie. This is a shot of the Lake when we had an all aluminum camper. We like Kayaking there:

We camped at Julian Price Campground several years ago. Fun lake to Kayak on! No electric or water on their sites. Sites A30, A32, A33, A34 & A35 look like nice sites with some sun. E loop has some nice sites with sun, too. Last time we were there restrooms were not clean. We like the non-reservable sites for last minute access. Probably busy on the weekends, too. With the Geezer card should be around $10 per night. There is a private campground at Linville Falls with hookups: http://www.linvillefalls.com/ If anyone in the group likes chocolate, there is a Kilwins chocolate factory at Blowing Rock. There's a BBQ resturant at Blowing Rock, too, don't remember their name. https://www.kilwins.com/stores/kilwins-blowing-rock-1 If you head toward Asheville on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Christa's at Pineola on Rt. 181 & BRP is a good place for breakfast and lunch. There is a campground on Rt. 181 between Rt. 221 and BRP that has hookups, but have never camped there. If anyone likes hiking, drive to Table Rock parking area for an easy hike to the top with nice views. Grandfather Mountain is a State Park, but have not been there for years. Linville Falls Park is another nice place for a hike to overlooks to see the falls. If it has not been raining too much and you have a 4WD vehicle, Wiseman's View is a beautiful place to visit. After we visit Wisemans View, we will continue on Old NC 105 to the end when it turns back into pavement, but if it's been raining much, don't recommend traveling over the complete road. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g49294-d4339937-Reviews-Wiseman_s_View-Linville_North_Carolina.html Wisemans View on Old NC 105: Old NC 105 view of Shortoff Mountain while riding a dual sport bike:

Pennie, Don't be in a hurry to head home after picking up Ollie. Stay at the local campground one or two extra days in case there are any initial issues to be corrected. It's possible Ollie may need to be towed back to Oliver to have a simple issue corrected, too. The job I retired from was involved with industrial machine rebuild, manufacture, R&D, pneumatics, electrical, and hydraulics. My Wife does not consider herself to be mechanical, but she is happy to help me with many projects. During these projects she has fine and useful ideas without a mechanical background, just common sense. With the support group you have here, you will do great!

We started using Meguiar's products over a year ago with great results removing stains and creating a beautiful finish. We normally wax annually, but did not travel much during 2020 with Covid keeping Ollie inside a hangar. Did not wax Ollie during 2020 or 2021, so far. We were camping a couple weeks ago when it was really hot, found shade trees to park under to keep Ollie cooler. After returning home found a thick layer of tree sap on the top of Ollie. After using Meguiar's Flagship Marine wax over a year ago, tree sap/spots came off easily with normal washing. Black streaks, always wondered why they appear like your above photos and when we stored Ollie outside for a couple years. We live 15 miles (like the crow flies) from Charlotte Douglas International Airport NC under approach path to well used runways. Could jet exhaust be causing these black streaks?

We also use the TV as a daily driver. Right now a 3/4 ton TV is not on the radar for us. Put many thousand miles on a 5.7L Tundra towing Ollie around the lower 48. It will be interesting to see the new generation 2022 Tundra's cargo carrying capacity, but don't know if it will still be a 1/2 ton pickup, will see. We travel light with Ollie & TV. Our LE2 (no factory solar system) weighs in at 4940 pounds ready to camp with slightly less than 500 pounds of tongue weight with empty water tanks except for full 6 gallon water heater as per CAT scales last month. Lower tongue weight helps reduce overall weigh of the TV while connected to Ollie, increasing cargo carrying capacity of the TV helping keep TV under maximum cargo, axles, and GVW weights. Used to leave gear in the TV we only used once every year or two, that gear now stays home unless needed for a specific trip.

Here's more photos of black tank valve replacement:

Chris, Just returned home from having fun at the Dentist. Ordered mine from Amazon, but buys lots of stuff from etrailer, too. Checked amazon orders from several years ago, it's a 3" valve: https://www.valterra.com/product/waste-valve-body-3-with-coupler-seals-hardware/

Great advice! Thanks,

Our black tank valve was not sealing completely when closed allowing liquid to find it's way into the capped dump hose while camping. Made sure the cable was shifting the valve completely. Ended up replacing the black tank valve & seals fixing the problem.

It took me about 8 hours to remove the previous sealant and sign. Guess I was lucky being able to remove the sign without damage to the sign and re-use it. Used several layers of micro fiber cloth under the modified wood paint stir stick tool to help lift the sign preventing surrounding fiberglass damage. Did not see any signs of epoxy under the sign on our 2015 LE2, but the sealant used to install the sign was very tough to remove. Also used white electrical tape to temporarily seal the lens with sealant removed. Did not want to pull off gel coat with stronger adhesive tape when tape was removed.

It took me about 8 hours to remove the previous sealant and sign. Guess I was lucky being able to remove the sign without damage to the sign and re-use it. Used several layers of micro fiber cloth under the modified wood paint stir stick tool to help lift the sign preventing surrounding fiberglass damage. Did not see any signs of epoxy under the sign on our 2015 LE2, but the sealant used to install the sign was very tough to remove.

Once caulking is removed, the lens lifts straight up out of the hull's recessed flange for the lens. Did not have to disconnect wiring and the LED light housing is secured to the interior of the hull on Hull #75 2015 LE2. This is the only photo I have of the attic interior with complete LED Oliver sign housing. Normally I make photos of projects, but failed upload photos of this project for some reason. After lens removal, installation, and re-caulking. Rainbow was icing on the cake!

Replied in this thread:

To be sure, have someone run water over the exterior of the lens while looking in the attic at the LED light housing to see where the water is coming in. I used wood paint stir sticks cut in half to about 4" long each. Ground both ends to a dull edge and started digging the exterior caulking out around the Oliver lens. Once the caulk is dug out, the lens will come out. I did my project outside, so if it rained during caulk removal, used white electrical tape to temporarily reseal the lens in the hull. When the hull and lens areas where sealant goes are clean the lens is ready for installation. Different sealants have been used to seal the lens. Some folks may use 3M sealants, butyl tape, and some may use silicone. I had a tough time removing the original sealant, not sure what sealant it was, but it was tough stuff. Wanted to use something that was flexible and easy to remove next time, if it leaks again. Oliver has used ASI 335 silicone for some applications. Make sure the sealant used is compatible with cleaner to be used. I used Starbrite Marine Silicone Sealant Adhesive for above and below waterline applications. Initially cleaned surfaces to be sealed with alcohol. For me, silicone is difficult to apply making it look good. Found I always wanted to apply too much silicone with too much excess making a real mess if care is not taken. Good to practice installation somewhere else first to find a good application technique, no matter what sealant is used. Made this repair about 4 years ago without any leaks since. This silicone has not yellowed and still looks good. We have traveled in many state in the lower 48 through heavy rain and hot deserts, without leaks.

Coffee, and Tea for sure! We're on Keto diets for two years, no sugar and very little carbs. Occasionally we fall off of the "no sugar" wagon. 🙂 Bacon & eggs are OK! 👍

Purchased our LE2 Ollie used, it is our dream retirement camper, too. Our Ollie's "Rear Oliver Sign" leaked and the top of the dinette window leaked, too. The dinette window leak was from from the exterior porch light above the window. The light was removed and wire holes in the hull sealed along with top and sides of the old style exterior fixture. Also drilled a drain hole in the bottom of the old style light fixture. No more leaks in that area! 👍 Old style porch light fixture: The following photo shows where rear Oliver LED light sign leak was dripping between hulls. Water traveled between the inner and outer hulls coming out of the bottom left side of the rear window on the curbside mattress. Removed the Oliver lens and cleaned out all of the old sealant. Resealed Oliver lens and no more leaks! 😁 All campers will eventually leak, good thing about the Oliver, when a leak is repaired there is not any wood damage to worry about!

I retired from the railroad. Debbie and I use railroad train movement (lamp) hand signals, if dark with flashlight, for backing, move forward, and stop. If more than one person tries to give signals or person giving signals is out of sight, the Ollie movement stops. We don't worry about air brake application, hand brake application, and release air brake signals! 😁

Some folks may be impatient, like said earlier if I'm already backing in, I continue backing watching Debbie give signals. One time I was trying to back into a campsite I already paid for on line, but our name had not been placed on the site post. Another couple was standing on the site when I started to back in, they wanted to camp on it with their tent. Got out and told them I already paid for it and to talk to the Ranger with questions. They eventually left after a short discussion. Yep, when taking check rides for different pilot's certificates and ratings, sometimes the examiner would try to distract you during the preflight walk-around and cockpit checks. I learned to place my finger on the last completed checklist item and stop everything I was doing until the distraction stopped, then continue where I left off. Like Mike said, it's difficult to talk to folks during certain operations.

Beautiful captured shots of the area!!!!!!!!!!!!

Camped earlier this week at David Crockett Birthplace State Park TN in North East TN. It was in the upper 80s close to 90 some days. Found a shady campsite in the small RV area to make it pleasant. Campsites are close together in this area, but really enjoyed the shady trees. It's a beautiful mountainous area. Debbie feeding a donkey at the Crockett home-place.

Looking forward to camping and testing one Lithium battery!

Yep, was wondering about power consumption with appliance changes! 👍