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topgun2

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Posts posted by topgun2

  1. 54 minutes ago, HDRider said:
    On 10/27/2023 at 11:26 AM, ScubaRx said:

    No, everything about sales and service in Hohenwald will remain the same. 

    That did not age well.

    In defense of Steve - 

    Note that the moderators are no different than any other member of the Forum. 

    Yes, from time to time the moderators will be given information by Oliver that is not necessarily in the public domain.  But, even in the rare situation when this happens the information is generally given in confidence. 

    In many cases, any information that the moderators might have has been developed from reliable sources and years of association with Oliver.  And, there are very few of us that have as much history with Oliver as does Steve.  In October, 2023 Steve's comment reflected Oliver's official stance on the subject.

    Finally, yes, October was a fairly short time ago.  But, we all know how fast things can change in today's market.

    Bill

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  2. And here I always thought that the purpose of the accmulator was to even out the pressure in the water line. and had little to do with the amount of water stored in that little tank.

    If what I thought is true then that helps explain why you didn't see any marked improvement when you added the second tank.

    Bill

    • Like 2
  3. 17 hours ago, topgun2 said:

    If Mossemi doesn't beat me to it, I'll get you the name of that anti-rattle hitch.

    The name of the anti-rattle device is:  Hitch-Vice

    The name of the company that makes it is: Hitchrider.com

    After a couple of years of use, the bolts showed that they were bending.  So, I replaced them with grade 8 bolts and also added a couple of nyloc nuts to help keep things tight.

    Bill

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  4. I've done both shims and an "anti-rattle" hitch that Mossemi put me on to which is much better than the first two I tried.

    Even with that - on a trip of roughly 6,000 miles I will still have to tighten things up at least once or twice during the trip.

    If Mossemi doesn't beat me to it, I'll get you the name of that anti-rattle hitch.

    Bill

    • Like 2
  5. Even though it appears as though the "major" crack that comes from the window could have been (at least in part) from over tightening the lower left screws in the window mount, the rest of the cracks/delamination appears to be caused by either the glue that holds the outside material to the foam underneath or a failure of this plastic material itself.  Either way - it ain't pretty.

    Bill

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  6. Several questions here - 

    1 - I've only seen one other door on an Oliver that had these same "symptoms".  I believe that the owner replaced the door.

    2 - All of the original doors on Olivers are NOT made by Oliver.  I believe that Lippert makes them but am not positive.  All doors originally come with "frosted/textured glass".  There are a couple of "treatments" that can include replacement glass that is tinted such that it matches the rest of the windows (except for the bath) in the Ollie.  

    3 - I agree with the posts above that the "cracking" probably started with the replacement window being installed improperly.  Add to this the black frame on the window would have different thermal properties causing it to expand/contract at different rates as compared to the surrounding white material.  Add slamming the door or a wind guest and once the cracks start you'll more than likely get more cracks.

    4 - given #1 above - it is likely that the cracking will continue and that the material will start "flaking".  Perhaps tape of some sort will slow that process.  But, most likely the process will get water/moisture behind it and simply start cracking/flaking in another spot.  Therefore, either replace that interior portion of the door or get a new door.

    Good luck!

    Bill

    p.s.  HERE is a company/product that many Oliver owners (to include myself) have used to change the glass AND install a "shade" inside the window.

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  7. 2 hours ago, Steph and Dud B said:

    We have a thermometer with 2 extra sensors. One goes in the fridge, the other either outside or in between the hulls.

    With regards to the fridge sensors - 

    There are a bunch of choices out there these days.  But, since I'm not the brightest bulb and am generally interested in things other than what the temp is in my fridge/freezer, I simply found that I didn't (usually)  even look at the readout to see what was going on in there.  

    So, I bought one of THESE and set the alarm.  Now, when I return to the Ollie from a long day of fishing or hiking or being on the road, the alarm makes me look at it.  This functions two ways - 1 - if the temp is too low I can figure out why and (hopefully) fix that fast.  And, 2 - if the temp is too high, I can adjust the controls in order to lower the temp thus saving either propane and/or battery.

    Bill

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  8. If you need it - see Mike's post above this one - then watch several of the YouTube video's out there referencing the Andersen.  Also, know that it does get MUCH easier the more you work with it and understand what you should do in the varying situations.  There are also a bunch of posts here on the Forum about working with the Andersen.

    Even though our Ollies do not sway and even if you don't think that you need the Andersen, please be aware that if you are towing with a 1/2 ton (or similar) vehicle the manufacturers of those vehicles call for a weight distribution hitch.  Given that, if you decide to not use this Andersen then you will subject yourself to liability in the event of an accident where you are not using it.

    Once you know how to use the Andersen, it really isn't a big deal to hookup and detach (99% of the time).  Invariably, that 1% happens when you are in a rush, its raining, its cold, you're not happy (for various reasons) and/or you are (or have to) hookup at an angle much different from the angle at which you unhooked.

    Take your time - it will get better.

    Bill

    p.s.  put the info below as your signature and you will not have to do it again.  Also, it will tend to get you better and quicker info if you need help in the future.

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  9. 10 hours ago, Mike and Carol said:

     You can also get ones that have multiple sensors that can be placed in between the hulls, for instance in the water pump area.  We also have one that is on the wall.

    I'd recommend the multiple sensors - or at least one that has the ability to add multiple sensors to it.  And having humidity levels is important too.

    The first reason for this (for me at least) is that you want to know the temp and humidity level inside the main cabin.  The second is that I want to know the temp and humidity outside so I know how to dress.  I place two sensors outside for this purpose. If you are camped such that the front of the Ollie is facing the sun and place the sensor under the "dog house" then that sensor will tend to read too high due to the sun warming the front of the Ollie first.  Therefore, I place the second sensor under the spare tire cover in the back which in this circumstance will tend to give me a more accurate reading.  Next, if you are camping in cold conditions, it is helpful to know the temps in the basement area such that you can direct more heat down there to avoid frozen plumbing if necessary (as Mike points out above).

    An expandable system gives you the option of experimenting to see just how many sensors works for the camping that you normally do.

    Bill

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  10. Well - 

    My guess is that as with the varying opinions that you observed on the web, you are more than likely to get a similar experience here.

    From what I recall, either Andersen or Ford recommend to NOT have the Ford anti-sway activated when towing with any anti-sway hitch.

    In the 50 to 60 thousand miles that I've towed my Ollie, it has never swayed - even a little. 

    Shortly after purchasing my Oliver I took off the Andersen and went for a drive on the local interstate.  I didn't get crazy - but - I tried to find out at what point the Ollie would sway.  Short story is that I simply could not get it to sway - with or without the Ford anti-sway system activated.

    Well, the Andersen went back on, the Ford anti-sway went back on and I've never touched it since.

    I'd recommend that if you don't already understand exactly how each of these anti-say systems work, you take a look.  Basically, the Ford uses its brakes when it detects sway while the Andersen uses friction inside the main housing to heat a material that expands causing more heat which causes more expansion thus exerting greater force being applied to the inside and the outside of the "shaft" that runs from the hitch ball down through the housing to the attachment point of the whaletail.

    Bill

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  11. 6 minutes ago, Ollie Ollie in Free said:

    For this purpose, I plan to pay more attention to voltage levels in this process rather than the percentage SOC displayed on the app.

    Its not a bad idea to pay attention to both.

    After a period of time you will get used to your system and how it works under different weather and usage conditions.  In turn, this will make you more attuned to what your electrical system is doing and/or should be doing.  Thus, a quick glance at your monitors will either assure you or alert you to possible issues.

    Bill

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  12. 24 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:

    Is the shape of the door "teardrop" or is that just camera parallax?

    The shape of the door has not changed - it must be whatever a "parallax" is 😁.

    And, the lines are still not insulated at Oliver.  A number of owners (to include the provider of the pic) have insulated their lines like this.

    Bill

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  13. 16 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:

    But for true boondockers, especially winter boondocking camping, not so.

    And - 

    for those that live in hot/humid climates (i.e. Florida, Georgia, etc.) during as much as 3/4 of the year.

    Bill

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  14. 10 hours ago, Ollie Ollie in Free said:

    since I am concerned that the sensors are not measuring properly and/or I am not completely draining my tanks. (I have been getting some odd readings for the waste tanks.)

    This is entirely another and separate issue.  These sensors will generally get you "in the ballpark", but, if you really want to know if you are on third base or over in right field you are probably not going to be happy with your readings.😢

    Bill

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