donthompson
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Posts posted by donthompson
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Dave, great idea--I'll check that now!
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Here's the content of an email that I sent Jason a few minutes ago. If any of my fellow Ollie owners know the answer to my question, please respond!
"I parked my Ollie in my driveway yesterday afernoon:
Filled fresh water tank to about 45%.
Turned on water heater.
Turned on water pump and it cycled on and then off as it should.
I failed open the backflow preventer in the bathroom—I had closed it while towing.
This morning, I noticed that the water pump was running constantly. I turned it off. About 4 hours later, I stepped into the bathroom and found that their was about 2”-3” of standing clean water in the bathroom. It wasn’t deep enough to overflow into the camper, but I sure got my foot wet!
I opened the backflow preventer valve and the water drained. My fresh tank says 19%. If I turn on the water pump, it stays on, so I turned it off again.
Any advice? I’m leaving Tuesday a.m. for Colorado and Utah, so if I have an issue that needs to be addressed by a repair shop, I need to know ASAP.
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A local frame and axle shop ordered this for me and installed it this morning They charged me $212 for the Dexter kit and $160 to install (2 hours of labor). With tax, I paid $407. Leaving for a long trip to Colorado and Utah next Tuesday. The trip should be a good test of this modification.
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John,
Thanks for your post--lots of great information. For me, the first question I had to answer about a tow vehicle was whether I wanted a pickup. I didn't want to buy a dedicated tow vehicle--whatever I purchased would have to serve as my daily driver as well as my tow vehicle. I already had an old air-cooled Porsche 911 and I didn't want to fill our three-car garage without providing room for my wife's car!
Since the early 1990's, I've driven Audi sedans with a couple of VW's thrown in. I drove a number of pickups while shopping for a tow vehicle and decided that I didn't want to drive a pickup every day. The Touareg is still big and unwieldy compared to the Audi I traded (and even more so than my '86 911), but it provides comfort and handling that is significantly better than a pickup, in my opinion.
Having owned German cars for decades and having used an Audi/VW dealer for service, I agree that the cost of maintenance and repairs can be daunting. In my early years of Audi ownership, I traded when the warranty expired. However, the quality and reliability of the Audi's and VW's have improved significantly over the years. While I haven't driven any of these cars more than 100,000 miles, I haven't had any significant repairs on any of these cars for 10+ years.
The link you provided in your post pointed to information from a buying guide for the second-generation Touareg--it was specifically related to a buying guide for the 2009-2010 Touareg. Here's some information from a Motor Trend review of the 2013 Touareg. http://www.motortrend.com/cars/volkswagen/
"While the first-generation Touareg (2004-2010) came with intriguing tech such as 4XMotion four-wheel drive (with low range!) and 4-Corner Air Suspension with Continuous Damping Control, the second-gen (2011-current) boasts items of interest such as VW’s first (but not only) production hybrid powertrain and an enormous panoramic sunroof (standard on Lux trim). Carried over from Gen 1 to Gen 2 is the optional 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6 replete with a meaty 406 lb-ft of torque and 7716-pound tow rating. We recently hosted a 2013 Touareg TDI, now rated for 240 horsepower (up from the previous 225 hp) courtesy of exciting efficiency enhancements including friction reduction, lighter pistons and connecting rods, separate cooling cycles for the cylinder heads and block, an optimized timing chain cycle, and a water pump able to disengage itself to decrease engine drag. These lessons learned will likely trickle into other VW engines. And yes, selective catalytic reduction is used, so the diesel exhaust fluid (“AdBlue” to VW) level will need to be minded and topped off. (The filler location is in the spare-wheel well.)"
VW has apparently had some issues with timing chain tensioners, but I don't think the problems apply to the diesel engine in my 2015 Touareg TDI. A class-action lawsuit was filed a couple of days ago in New Jersey relating to timing chain tensioners. The Touareg models involved are 2008-2013.
I plan to visit with the service manager at my VW dealership after reading your post. I want to make sure that the timing chain tensioners are checked (assuming that this can be done during normal maintenance).
Your comments about driving in the west are accurate. For me, it's a matter of assessing the risk and comparing the risk to the benefits of driving what I want to drive. I left home (Iowa City, Iowa area) in early October last year in my '86 Porsche 911. I left I-80 in Grand Island, NE and drove through the Sandhills of NE (where getting anything but a Big-3 pickup serviced or repaired would be a problem) and then drove into the Black Hills in SD. I knew that I was taking a risk if I experienced mechanical issues, but the joy of driving the 911 through the Sandhills and Black Hills was more than enough to allow me to accept the risk. I feel the same way about the experience of towing with the Touareg compared to towing with a pickup--but that's purely a personal preference.
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Hi David,
I have the same Weber grill. If you find what you need to make it work with the propane quick-connect, will you please let me know what I need to purchase? I spent quite a bit of time chasing this down without success.
Don
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Re: Options.
I have all of the options you are considering other than the surge protector. I prefer a Progressive Industries EMS-PT30C Portable 30AMP Electrical Management System that you plug into the power supply at the campground. If you order the propane quick connect, make sure you have a grill that will work with it. My Weber won't.
I wouldn't bother with the Wi-Fi Ranger. I've pretty much given up on it and use my iPhoe as a hotspot.
Don
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David,
I tow a 2016 Oliver Elite II with a 2015 VW Touareg TDI. The new Audi Q7 TDI should be an absolutely stellar tow vehicle. I've towed my Ollie about 1100 miles since I picked it up in March and plan to travel to Colorado and Utah in June.
I followed Volkswagen's strict advice on not using weight equalization hitches. I tow with the standard bulldog hitch. I've towed in pretty wild crosswinds without any issue. I towed the Ollie home from a campground about 130 miles away yesterday and averaged 19.5 mpg towing!
Please feel free to call me tomorrow if you'd like to discuss my experiences towing with the Touareg TDI. 319.651.6666. Like you, I trolled all the forums trying to decide what to do. I even considered driving to the Canadian Airstream dealer to have the Touareg hitch modified. I spent some time with the general manager and the service manager of my local Audi/VW dealer, and they both assured me that the Touareg TDI without modification and without a weight distribution hitch would be fine. They were right--towing the Ollie doesn't seem to put undue strain on the Touareg. I did add a quart of oil at about 18,000 miles today. The diesel didn't use any oil during the first 10,000 miles. My towing was all after the 10,000 mile service.
I've owned 5 Audis and about the same number of Volkswagens. I think you'll be very happy towing with a Q7 or a Touareg if you opt for the TDI.
Don
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Vector,
I may be in the minority, but I don't believe it's necessary to have a heavy duty (3/4 ton) pickup to tow an Oliver Elite II. I tow with a 2015 VW Touareg TDI (turbo diesel). It has a 7700 lb. towing capacity and I tow without an equalizer hitch. The standard bulldog hitch works well. The diesel provides the grunt to pass with the Ollie on two-lane roads and gets me up to cruising speed very quickly. I checked my mileage yesterday after returning home from a campground in NE Iowa about 120 miles from home and I averaged 19.5 mpg towing the Ollie. I was on 2-lane roads most of the time driving between 55-58 mph and interstate for about 40 miles towing at 65 mph. The Touareg's only negative is that you don't have the cargo space available in a full-size pickup, but if you have or are buying an Ollie, you've already made the choice to go "small". When I'm not towing, I have a very comfortable, luxurious SUV as my primary vehicle that averages 26 mpg in my everyday driving and around 30-31 mpg when traveling long distances at sustained speeds of 75 to 80 mph. It really does double duty!
Don
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Handed out my second Oliver brochure today to another camper who approached me at the campground wondering what kind of camper I had. The way people who own "stick built" campers react to the Oliver is amazing--they can't believe the apparent quality of the materials and construction of our campers. I'm starting to understand why Oliver doesn't have "dealers". They have a huge sales force. :)
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A very nice couple from Clinton, Iowa walked by my Ollie this morning. Both had their heads on a swivel as they walked by. I was outside and said "you probably wonder who makes this camper". They confirmed and stopped to talk. They are Airstream owners. They did a walk around and I asked if they would like to see the inside. They said yes--and they took a tour. Both were very impressed. They said they wanted to check out the website so I gave them a brochure (Anita gave me a bunch of them when I picked up my Ollie in March). They both made repeated comments about the apparent quality of the Oliver Elite II. I predict that Oliver will have many former Airstream owners as customers as more Ollies hit the road!
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Thanks, Buzzy. Saved in Evernote!
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The Thompson's Ollie is at Pulpit Rock Campground near Decorah, Iowa. Great weather--high 60's, nice breeze and sunshine. No bugs here this early in the spring. Decorah is in Northeast Iowa which is part of the "driftless region that includes parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota. The glaciers bypassed this area resulting in a very hilly and interesting terrain. The rivers and streams run clear and many have wild trout. Great bicycling here too. Biked about 20 miles today.
Don
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Lot's of great discussion about this subject. I stopped at Midwest Frame and Axle in Iowa City yesterday on my way to Decorah, Iowa for a few days of camping in beautiful Northeast Iowa (it really is beautiful here!). They agreed to install the Dexter EZ Flex for $175. Given my lack of mechanical ability, I made an appointment to have this done before leaving for Colorado and Utah with the Ollie in June.
Thanks for the input and advice!
Don
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Matt,
Thanks for making this modification. I like it!
Don
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Really appreciate all the information in this thread. I'd like to get this installed before I leave for Utah in early June. Knowing my mechanical limitations, I emailed Jason and asked if the factory can recommend a good RV shop in my area to do the installation. I'll let people know the cost once I have that information.
Watching the video sold me!
Don
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Mike and Carol,
I picked up my camper on March 15, 2016. While I didn't experience as many issues as you did (very sorry to hear about your issues), it did seem that the Oliver folks were a bit stretched because of the number of deliveries. Their success presents challenges for them. On the positive side, every person I dealt with was professional, patient and persistent! The only serious issue I had was with two cameras. I ordered a camera for the front as well as the rear. They couldn't pair both cameras to the monitor. I had them remove the front camera and repair the fiberglass after a couple of days of trying to get it to work.
My advice to anyone traveling to Hohenwald to pick up a new Ollie is to be flexible. You may spend more time there than you planned. Most important, plan to camp for a few nights within 200-300 miles of Hohenwald before returning home. The Natchez Trace is a great experience. Enjoy your maiden voyage nearby so you can return to the factory to have any issues you discover addressed.
Be patient and flexible, and stay calm. You'll thoroughly enjoy all of the people at Oliver--from sales to the technicians in the factory!
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Rob,
You have a lot of knowledge about this area. May want to talk to you by phone at some point. I have the Moon publication "Zion and Bryce" that includes Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Grand Staircase-Escalante & Moab. My trip is to Mesa Verde, Arches, Bryce, Zion, and Cedar Breaks National Monument. Any advice about books, maps, etc.? I'm traveling alone so I want to hike safely and avoid getting lost!
I've been to Mesa Verde many times but have only passed through Bryce and Zion. Looking forward to exploring these areas.
Noticed your photos from Chaco Canyon. One of my favorite places--but haven't been there for many years. When I was there, the road in was very rugged.
Don
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Rob,
Thanks for all of the information about BLM campgrounds! I checked out your website and it confirms that you know this area very well. Great photos--I'll spend more time looking at them before I leave for Utah.
Don
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Thanks to all of you for advice and information about your experiences. I think I'll buy 2 20 litre Sceptre water cans rather than 2 10 litre cans! I can handle 50 lbs. and they have a great spout that you can buy to fill small water bottles, etc.
Regarding BLM campgrounds in Utah, I do have the "geezer" pass which is a great bargain! Routlaw and others, do you have any knowledge about the following BLM campgrounds? They are all near Arches National Park:
**Goose Island BLM Goose Island Campground is located 1.4 miles from Highway 191 on Highway 128. The campsites offer spectacular views of the Colorado River and massive red rock cliffs of Arches National Park. Both RV and tent camping are available including 3 walk-in tent-only sites. This campground is popular due to its proximity to town, its shade during the summer, and the beautiful scenery. Campsites are available on a first-come, first served basis.
Hal Canyon Campground is located 6.6 miles from Highway 191 on Highway 128. One-way loop and 2 of the 11 sites are walk-in sites; early summer shade and nice river views. Campsites are available on a first-come, first served basis.
Fee: $15.00 per site Number of campsites: 11 Toilets: Yes
Big Bend Campground is located 7.4 miles from Highway 191 on Highway 128. Big Bend can accommodate large RVs, trailers, and tents. Many of the sites are located next to the Colorado River, and all are surrounded by imposing cliffs. Big Bend has a sandy beach, a river walkway, and features accessible facilities. Campsites are available on a first-come, first served basis.
Fee: $15.00 per site Number of campsites: 23 Toilets: Yes
Hittle Bottom Campground is located 23 miles from the junction of Highway 191 on Highway 128. The campground accommodates large RVs as well as tents. The Hittle Bottom boat ramp is the starting point for the Colorado River "Daily." An historic homestead is also located at the campground. Campsites are available on a first-come, first served basis.
Fee: $15.00 per site Number of campsites: 15 Toilets: Yes
Dewey Bridge Campground is located 29 miles from the junction of Highway 191 on Highway 128. The campground accommodates small RVs as well as tents. The campground is located near Kokopelli's Trail, a multiple-use trail from Loma, CO to Moab. There is river access for small boats. Campsites are available on a first-come, first served basis.
Fee: $15.00 per site Number of campsites: 7 Toilets: Yes
**Goose Island BLM Goose Island Campground is located 1.4 miles from Highway 191 on Highway 128. The campsites offer spectacular views of the Colorado River and massive red rock cliffs of Arches National Park. Both RV and tent camping are available including 3 walk-in tent-only sites. This campground is popular due to its proximity to town, its shade during the summer, and the beautiful scenery. Campsites are available on a first-come, first served basis.
Hal Canyon Campground is located 6.6 miles from Highway 191 on Highway 128. One-way loop and 2 of the 11 sites are walk-in sites; early summer shade and nice river views. Campsites are available on a first-come, first served basis.
Fee: $15.00 per site Number of campsites: 11 Toilets: Yes
Big Bend Campground is located 7.4 miles from Highway 191 on Highway 128. Big Bend can accommodate large RVs, trailers, and tents. Many of the sites are located next to the Colorado River, and all are surrounded by imposing cliffs. Big Bend has a sandy beach, a river walkway, and features accessible facilities. Campsites are available on a first-come, first served basis.
Fee: $15.00 per site Number of campsites: 23 Toilets: Yes
Hittle Bottom Campground is located 23 miles from the junction of Highway 191 on Highway 128. The campground accommodates large RVs as well as tents. The Hittle Bottom boat ramp is the starting point for the Colorado River "Daily." An historic homestead is also located at the campground. Campsites are available on a first-come, first served basis.
Fee: $15.00 per site Number of campsites: 15 Toilets: Yes
Dewey Bridge Campground is located 29 miles from the junction of Highway 191 on Highway 128. The campground accommodates small RVs as well as tents. The campground is located near Kokopelli's Trail, a multiple-use trail from Loma, CO to Moab. There is river access for small boats. Campsites are available on a first-come, first served basis.
Fee: $15.00 per site Number of campsites: 7 Toilets: Yes
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I'm planning a 3-4 week trip to southwestern Colorado and Utah in June. I plan to camp in BLM campgrounds quite a bit. Most of the campgrounds don't have drinking water available. I'll be traveling alone. I can fill the Ollie's fresh water tank before arriving at a BLM campground and I'll use that water to flush the toilet, wash dishes, shave, take a quick "ship shower", etc., but I'd prefer to have a separate water supply for drinking and cooking water. I don't think I'll spend more than 2 nights in a dry camp before moving on. Another Ollie owner recommended Scepter water cans. I'm thinking about purchasing 2 of the 10 litre (roughly 2.5 gallon) cans to carry drinking/cooking water. The cans weigh almost 3.5 lbs. and the water will weigh approximately 22 lb.s. I think 25 lbs. is as heavy as I want to go. Scepter makes a handy dispensing nozzle for the cans. What do you think of this plan? We recently had a problem with our communal well at home and had to purchase bottled water. We bought two 2.5 gallon containers and used the water for drinking and cooking. We only used about 3.5 gallons in 2 days for cooking/drinking--and there are three of us at home. For you boondockers, how much water do you typically use per person, per day for drinking and cooking?
On future trips, I hope to spend time camping in remote areas rather than designated campgrounds where I can use the outdoor shower, etc. I may spend 3-5 days in one spot without water.
Any advice is welcome!
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I plan to spend most of June in Utah and Colorado. Mostly Utah. Will there be other Ollies in the vicinity? I've attached my itinerary.
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We chose the twin bed configuration and purchased the "escape" mattresses from Oliver. We had the mattresses shipped to us and had them covered with the same material as we used for the cushions on the side dinette. We then had back cushions made so the twin beds also serve as seating surfaces. Don't make beds at night. Just remove the back cushions and pillows and use a sleeping bag when it's cool/cold or a sleeping bag liner when it's warm. It's worked out well for us.
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Bill,
The Toyota Tundra 5.7L V-8 should be able to tow the Oliver filled with gold bullion! My tow vehicle is a 2015 VW Touareg TDI (diesel). 7700 GVWR and a maximum of 660 lb. tongue weight. I weighed my Olliver Elite II on a Iowa Department of Transportation scale and it tipped the scales at 5,100 lbs. It's loaded with options and I had the galley fully supplied and gear and clothing for 1 person. The three tanks were all below 20%. My tow vehicle tipped the scales at 6,000 lbs--it was carrying 1,000 lbs. in gear and me.
The Touareg diesel has 225 hp and 406 lbs-ft of torque. I towed the Olliver from the factory into Mississippi and then north to Iowa--about 1,000 miles. The Oliver tows really well--no sway or issues with the standard bulldog hitch. The high torque allowed me to get to 55-60 mph pretty quickly. I haven't been to the mountains yet, but I'm pretty confident that I won't have problems with mountain passes.
Don
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No problems pairing the Prodigy RF and the brake controller worked very well. I've towed around 900 miles so far and I'm very satisfied with the brake controller.
Standing Clean Water in Bathroom
in General Discussion
Posted
Steve, you led me in the right direction. Tap in bathroom is dripping but when I turn them on, no water flows. I filled the fresh water tank and the pump works ok now. Toilet flushes, water flows in galley. Now I have to figure out how to get to the connections in the bathroom to see what's loose! Getting owners' manual out!
Thanks,
Don
PS we met at the factory. You were there after a long trip out west and I was having them work on the front camera after a week-long shake-down cruise along the Trace.