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Everything posted by topgun2
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John - A bit of a late WELCOME to the family but glad that you are here and enjoying that new Ollie. With the temps here in western North Carolina being below the normal high of 48 degrees I really do hope that you are nice and warm. Any chance of a pic or two of sand and sun and your Ollie? Bill
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Ken & Karren - While your thoughts on this are great (in theory) the actual situation is a bit more complicated. All of us develop a set of "best practices" that are good for us and/or for the camping that we like to do. What is one persons best practice is not necessarily anothers. As an example - John seems to always use his water setup as shown in his pictures. But, in reading that thread, there are a number of other ways that people get water that seem to work perfectly fine for them. Add to this that almost each camping situation is different, what is a best practice in one situation just may have to be modified for another situation. And, this applies even to boondocking at a WalMart - one may be very flat while another may be severely angled, one may be near a busy road while another may be relatively quiet and have a nice grass median. So, even though I think I know what you are requesting, be aware that what just may be a perfect solution for you will not be a perfect solution for someone else. There are many ways to get a job done and as long as you do that job in a safe manner I am not going to tell you that my way is "better" than your way. Bill
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Hello its us Doug and Jane from Michigan and Florida.
topgun2 replied to underdug's topic in Introduce Yourself
Yes, the team at Oliver has it covered for virtually any major repair. Also, most any good fiberglass boat yard or a body shop that takes care of Corvettes can do fiberglass work. If I were going to take my Ollie to anyone besides the team at Oliver I would insist that they at least talk to the people at Oliver to make sure that the resins used and the gelcoat type and color were the same and/or compatible with the original Oliver stuff. Bill -
Hello its us Doug and Jane from Michigan and Florida.
topgun2 replied to underdug's topic in Introduce Yourself
Under and Land - Welcome! The plant tour is great - take a bunch of pictures. They will help you later on if you should need help in trying to do a Mod or if something should go wrong and you are trying to fix it. There is a ton of info here on the Forum and while our "search function" is not the greatest, I'd just poke around looking for things that catch your attention. Then ask questions - if it has been covered before I'm sure that someone will point that out. If it hasn't been covered then we will all learn something new. You only have between now and June to get trips planned and questions answered - so - let the fun begin. Bill -
OOPS! Sorry about that - original post is edited! Should have read curbside! Bill
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I'm guessing that since she doesn't want to change beds - a flashlight between the teeth is also out of the question?
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Yes, the water pump is easy to get to on the CURB side under the bed. Replacement is also relatively easy with just two water line connections and three or four screws that hold the pump to a board. Entire process should take less than 1/2 hour. Take a look at the picture below. Bill
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Outdoor propane grill and griddle recommendations
topgun2 replied to hobo's topic in General Discussion
Looks OK to me! Glad I could help. Bill- 40 replies
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Outdoor propane grill and griddle recommendations
topgun2 replied to hobo's topic in General Discussion
Hobo - PM sent re editing profile. Bill- 40 replies
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While this might not pertain to all of us, it is perhaps good advice for most of us. Don't Let The Old Man In Bill
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Unless you are particularly sensitive to things being exactly on level I wouldn't worry too much about this prior to delivery. After I took delivery of my Elite II I placed a couple of small bubble levels on each side and on the front nose primarily because I found that the level that is located on the front jack just would not stay adjusted properly, and, it was simply easier to see and use these others from various locations without the need to have to always go back to the front jack. Bill
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Andersen Triangle Plate Shackle Pins
topgun2 replied to CedarForks's topic in Mechanical & Technical Tips
I've never worried about this in that other than my once per year cleaning and/or repainting of the whale tail, I've never had the situation where I needed to take those shackles off. However, shortly after I took delivery of my Oliver, I did purchase stainless steel shackles (Lowes, Home Depot, Ace) so that I would not have to deal with the eventual rust on the stock ones. Bill -
When I towed with vehicles other than a 1/2 ton truck I felt the need for rear side-view mirrors. But, since the Oliver is just about the same width as my F-150, I can see behind it just fine. Like John, I too turn on my rear camera when I'm in heavy traffic and/or am backing up - think safety here. That camera also helps avoid the bozo who is right on your bumper and just about the time you decide to move right, they jump out trying to get one car ahead. If you decide to get the mirrors anyway, don't get the kind that "strap" onto your existing mirrors. Those rubber straps are difficult to deal with and do not last more than a couple of years. Nor would I purchase the type that just "clips" onto the existing mirrors. This type that "slides" over the existing mirrors is better: https://www.amazon.com/CIPA-10700-Custom-Towing-Mirrors/dp/B000CISLSI/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1547649821&sr=8-18&keywords=slide+on+towing+side+view+mirrors Of course, mirrors that can be "tilted" back alongside your vehicle are great in that you can swing them back when getting into tight spaces and then back out when the area opens back up. I've never owned a vehicle that had mirrors that can be extended while towing since I've always thought that most of these were a bit ugly. Hope this helps. Bill
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Certainly the Tacoma can pull the Elite II. But, it just as certainly has its limitations. Several years ago I was towing a "stick built" that weighed only 3200 pounds. Heading west on Interstate 70 into Kansas a headwind picked up and was blowing at 40 mph. My gas mileage went to 4. Yes, four miles to the gallon. With the relatively small gas tank in the Tacoma I HAD to stop every 120 miles to refill. I was not so worried about the cost of this as I was about being out in the middle of nowhere and not being able to find a gas station - they don't call the west "wide open spaces" for nothing. After that trip I decided to not take that risk ever again and purchased an F-150 with the large gas tank. Now, not only do I get better gas mileage but I never am worried about braking, running out of gas, pulling virtually any hill at virtually any (sane) speed or even my personal comfort with reduced noise levels and roomier cabin. Virtually all of the 1/2 ton trucks currently on the market will give you these benefits plus an added safety margin. Bill
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Leveling LEII with scissor jacks under the axles
topgun2 replied to mdernier's topic in General Discussion
YES, Andersen levelers are expensive, but, worth it. YES, "Legos" are cheaper, a little more difficult to use, but, they get the job done. YES, scraps of lumber are even cheaper, are heavier and can be dirtier, but, they also get the job done. NO, don't jack the axles. Bill -
I printed the chart below and placed it near my surge protector readout. Hope it helps you! Bill Error Code Chart E-0 Normal E-1 Reverse Polarity E-2 Open Ground E-3 Voltage High E-4 Voltage Low E-7 Frequency High E-8 Frequency Low E-9 Data Link Down E-10 Replace Surge Protector
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Favorite Campground near Bicycling Rails-to-Trails
topgun2 replied to dbp05ret's topic in Campgrounds & Parks
Well, the south area just reopened this past year, so, it is new. However, there is more grass and "open" spaces on the north end. In either case, try to make reservations as far in advance as you can - at least for the months of April through October. There are plenty of hiking trails and since it is a gated State Park the traffic is light - particularly before 10am and after 5pm - with plenty to roads to ride (some closed to traffic too). I know that there are a few sites on the north end that have sewer at the site - I don't know about that for the south end. There is a very nice dump station just as you exit the north end. Bill -
Favorite Campground near Bicycling Rails-to-Trails
topgun2 replied to dbp05ret's topic in Campgrounds & Parks
Darryl, In that case be sure not to miss Huntington Beach State Park. It is closer to Wilmington. If you go, plan to spend a day right across highway 17 at Brookgreen Gardens. Bill -
Frank - I use two runners for that area. When it is time to "clean", it sure is a bunch easier to roll up one of those shorter ones at a time and shake it out as opposed to wrestling with one long one. Also, since more or your "dirt" will be at the front near the door, I chose to add a third "runner" just for the area from the door to the seat near the bath and keep the other two even shorter. Obviously this allows me to take up the door mat more often without having to move the others. Finally, the one in the "bedroom" is nice and soft, the one in the "kitchen" is easily cleaned (think spills here) and the one by the door is "all weather". Bill
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Heck - I'd even actually pay (not much) to see Bugeyedriver get out that window. As an "old" pilot I'm sure that he could do it, but, I'm also sure that it would be worth a laugh or two. On the other hand - given the right amount and direction of wind, I'd bet that there is a possibility that Bosker just might fly with those ears of his. Bill
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http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/fire/ I like the idea of getting out FIRST, but if you are in a position of even the slightest indecision then another extinguisher just might be of help. Bill
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https://www.youtube.com/embed/B2AEkfjc6-o?feature=player_detailpage Bill
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Frank - GREAT! Look forward to meeting you. It really is a nice park. Be safe on the journey. Bill
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Stan - A cheaper and somewhat elegant solution to the frosted glass in the door is: https://www.amazon.com/CloZures-Controls-Privacy-Outside-fingertip/dp/B07FDKJFHD/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1547156425&sr=8-14&keywords=RV+door+shade A number of owners have already done this one and I'm thinking about it. Bill p.s. keep you head down - I understand that some snow is headed your way for this weekend.
