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Everything posted by topgun2
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E-bike Recommendations and Experiences
topgun2 replied to Mike and Carol's topic in General Discussion
Those sensors are great and a good idea for those of us that ride "out there". With regards to e-bikes - there are a couple of relative new ones that now have a range of up to 100 miles. From what I've seen - neither of these bikes were of the folding variety. Unfortunately but not surprisingly the cost is between $4,000 and $7,000. If one were to want to use these bikes versus getting a new car or truck then the price certainly would make sense. Bill -
I agree with JD on the product ID and with his assessment as to the job that was done in the picture. However, Dicor can be made to look presentable but it takes a fair amount of work and/or skill to do so. Bill
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Ford Ranger XLT - any owner use this vehicle?
topgun2 replied to VFI Vacations's topic in Towing an Oliver
Anyone that is considering NOT using a weight distribution hitch with a half ton truck (or less) certainly must be aware that in doing so they are potentially exposing themselves to a fairly sizable amount of liability in the event of an accident regardless of just who may be at fault for that accident. This is in addition to the manufacturer of the vehicle just may NOT authorize any warranty repairs if the vehicle was used for any towing that exceeds the manufacturers recommendations for either ball weight and/or total weight towed. Bill -
Hull 1030 “Reset” Has landed in Duncanville
topgun2 replied to DunnYet's topic in Delivery Day Photos
My TPMS (EEZTIRE) has a re-chargeable internal battery that lasts up to 60 hours of active monitoring (the monitor shuts itself down if the tow vehicle is not moving and restarts automatically when moving) which equates to about a week of actual travel time. Certainly it can also be hardwired but I've not done that due to the ease of use without having even more wires to deal with. If your TPMS has a re-chargeable battery you might want to consider giving it a shot before doing the work of pulling those wires. Bill -
If you're just now sending in your "build sheet" then you should have a bit of time to make your final decisions on fabric. Assuming that this is the case then ask for those samples as suggested above. You might also ask for some pictures of a choice or two to see what they might look like in an actual Ollie - the Sales office does have cushions made up in several of the fabrics and all they have to do is take those into a display trailer and snap a couple of pics for you. Good luck! I found this to be the hardest part of ordering my Oliver (yep - even harder than writing that check! 😊). Bill
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Given your decision model - you're right, it is a coin toss. However, it would be easier to add that awning later as opposed to removing it. Bill
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John - Not to steal mtkadan's thunder and I expect that he will answer your question when he gets settled, but, there are a bunch of apps that can be used to do this type of thing. You might want to start HERE for some that help. There are all kinds of ways to get these apps to work - computer, tablet, smartphone. Even the Garmin 890 GPS has a couple of them built into the device. Bill
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Hull 1030 “Reset” Has landed in Duncanville
topgun2 replied to DunnYet's topic in Delivery Day Photos
I too picked up my Oliver in February and much like you it was raining and near freezing. Made me appreciate the warm dry interior even more. However, I did shed a tear or two while taking that nice shiny clean beauty through the mud and dirty roads. Congrats! Hopefully we will get a chance to meet at the Rally. Bill -
I'll basically second JD's advice concerning Garmin's InReach devices when used with the Garmin Earthmate app. I have the InReach Mini. While driving my wife and friends can basically keep track of my location (as long as I have turned it on) and I can see where I am on the map on my cellphone or tablet or computer. While hiking and fishing the same thing applies plus I have the unit's "breadcrumb feature" that allows me to retrace my steps and if I get in trouble I can always hit the "SOS" button for search and rescue. These things are not cheap! But, you never really know what is right around that next boulder. Bill
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I agree - within reason. For most purposes you are not trying to read a license plate or bumper sticker. However, you are trying to see that person tailgating you or the little kid behind you or that rock or tree as you back into a space. Both of the rearview cameras I have on the back of my Ollie do not have the best resolution. One is a Garmin that works with my Garmin 890 GPS mounted on the top of the Ollie and the other is a no-name brand that sends its signal via WiFi to my tablet, computer and/or cell phone. The biggest difference (other than resolution) between the Oliver camera and mine is the price. Bill
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If the pressure in your tires raises much more than 10 degrees above ambient air temperature it is time to consider adding air. However, you must take into consideration things like road surface (black asphalt is hotter than white concrete on a summer day), and, is the tire in direct sunlight. Remember, for most general highway driving it is the heat in a tire that causes most damage to the internal structure of the tire. Bill
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Be careful to check on the open/close status of these campgrounds before you go. Last year I know that the Merriweather Lewis campground was closed due to staff shortages (probably Covid induced). From the current pictures online it appears as though the pavement at Busby has been improved since the last time I was there. As ScottyGS says - some of the facilities can be a bit rough - closed restrooms, broken pavement, lack of general maintenance - but the restrooms that are open are generally fairly clean. Water is available at the Merriweather Lewis campground (a spigot on the drinking fountain right near the restroom) but I didn't check at the other two campgrounds. Therefore, be careful to have your fresh water tank at least half full. Emerald Mound is (by far) the best of the Native American mounds. Unless you are REALLY into that I'd wait until near the end of the Parkway to visit Emerald and leave the others rest. Be sure to stop at the "Old Trace" since you will get an idea of just how many people, horses, wagons, etc. it took to wear a path this deep. Finally, a short stop at the French Village will get you a chance to "drive" an old tractor (see below). Bill
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Have you thought about simply heading down the Natchez Trace? The NT is only two lane and is slow, there are camp grounds both on and off the NT. ScubaRx lives near the NT - so - if you get in trouble, call!😁 Natchez has some decent restaurants and a nice State Park not too far out of town. Then it is an easy drive back over to SW Florida from there. And, as ScottyGS says - have fun! Bill
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Well, that 230 watt panel can potentially generate up to about 12.6 amps depending on the amount of volts it is putting out. Perhaps that explains why that 10 amp fuse is blowing.🙄
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If you go to Ollie Modifications under the main Forums tab in the blue banner at the top of the page, you will find all kinds of modifications that owners have done to their Olivers over the years. Some of these mods are inexpensive and simple while others are involved and can be expensive. Also, if you attend the annual Owner's Rally there are multiple chances to view some really interesting Olivers. There's even one where the interior décor gets changed numerous times a year (Foy & Mirna). Make it your own!
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The first time my wife and I went to Valley of Fire we were stopped at the entrance gate for about an hour. The "problem" was that the Park was being use to shoot a low budget film involving a race/chase scene on the fairly long straight road that starts right at the entrance. A McLaren , a Ferrari and a Porsche (whale tail) were chasing each other at speed basically starting at the entrance. The sound! The speed! The scenery! Sure did make that Park even more special. Bill
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Don't forget the one on the street side exterior.
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One of the "issues" with the Camco door handles ( like THIS one ) is that people/guests that are not familiar with how light weight the construction of the screen door is tend to want to place too much weight on that handle versus using the ones built into the Oliver. Of course, the Camco handle gives you much more room to grab it in the event a sudden wind gust catches the door. Bill
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On the other hand - You might want to consider purchasing 6 sensors: 4 for the Ollie 1 for your spare tire in the tow vehicle 1 spare - just in case. That one for the spare will help as in most cases checking the air pressure in the spare is a real pain. Bill
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Nope.
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Kirk - If I were in your shoes, before I spent a bunch of time, trouble and money switching from one solar controller to another (interior) I'd study the differences between these two types of technology. From what I've read, the differences are very small - in the real world - and would take considerable time to recoup any real difference in performance. The reason Oliver switched from using MPPT controllers had more to do with simplicity for the user/owner than it did with anything else. Bill
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Ford Ranger XLT - any owner use this vehicle?
topgun2 replied to VFI Vacations's topic in Towing an Oliver
I'd bet a bunch that a WDH is REQUIRED by Ford for towing anything that has a tongue weight of any Oliver Elite II. And, given that Ford requires it you risk not only your Ford warranty if you decide to disregard this requirement but you also risk untold liability if you are involved in a mishap regardless of who is at fault. Bill
