Boudicca908

Your solution looks great, and effective. I may try to find someone who can drill a hole like that for me. Thanks for posting.

These are all excellent tips for being prepared. Those who face storms on an annual basis should (but don't always) know these standards for preparation -- it's always good to share lessons like this, especially given so many people who have moved around the country in the past few years. Many people have no experience and therefore don't understand the reality of the situation until they face it personally. I am so glad that your family (and others here in the OTT forum) are safe. I have several friends who live in the W NC and E TN region, and from all reports it's going to be years of work to return to "normal" -- Lee County Florida is still repairing from 2022's hurricane Ian, so I can attest to that possibility. It's so much work. Sending positive thoughts to all in VA, TN, NC, GA and FL who have been impacted. And thank you to those who have given us first-hand reports on your areas.

Thank you for sharing your story -- and this important reminder. I am so glad you and yours weren't injured. Having survived a head-on (that totaled a Volvo) I will say that the experience will probably always be with you. It's wonderful that you've taken steps to get back in the saddle. Best wishes!

Yesterday it was time again for my Zerks to be greased. I asked my cousin to take a look at my L-shaped fitting, and advise me whether I was using it incorrectly (it didn't seem to engage the zerk the way the straight-line one did). He found that a spring inside it was stuck, and fixed it for me -- but it still didn't engage as easily, and I reverted to using the straight-line fitting that came with my grease gun. I was able to get this task done in 2 hours, including the time I take to haul out my tools and grease and then put everything away -- a record for me. I think it just took time for me to get to know the feel of those hidden zerks, to be able to connect to them without using a mirror or the L-shaped fitting. Happy Day!

I have several touch lights that are acting wonky now, but I've been waiting to be in a location where I can take time to investigate it. One of mine doesn't come on, and another won't go all the way off (it glows faintly at night), and both of these plus a third one sometimes flicker. I've taken the covers off, trying to re-seat them but that hasn't resolved the issue. I will open a ticket as well, eventually.

Hello to the Oliver I spotted on September 9th, heading west on I-90 toward Spearfish SD -- I was heading east. I've been on the road for five months and this was the first Oliver I've seen this year!

I'm interested in these, as I will be in that area this fall.

My grease gun, assorted accessories, extra tubes of grease, paper towels and disposable gloves are neatly stowed in a kitchen garbage bag (flat) in a plastic crate in the bed of the truck, because I could imagine the mess. My trips are long distance (partly because I live so far south) so I will always carry my grease gun along. I will look at these when I get home (another 2 months!) and I appreciate the suggestions from everyone here.

@mossemi I just registered this suggestion in my brain. Might be a very good addition for my tool box. Will look at these.

Welcome to another Florida OTT!

Congrats on that! My TV is a 2023 Chevy 2500 Silverado HD -- and I love it. If you can, find the one with the larger console (in lieu of the dinky console and "3rd" front seat. The only comparison I can make though is to my old OLD 1977 Ford 150 that I purchased used in 1993 -- it was a Florida Power & Light Service Truck and it had those great tool boxes on the sides, and it was ORANGE because, you know, Florida Power & Light. I bought that truck when I was started a major house remodel. I loved that truck, too, but it was much rougher on the road than my new Silverado. I suggest the test ride as mentioned by others. There is a decent handle to grab to pull yourself up -- and in my opinion the FLAT SHAPED permanent step is a must-have add-on with this vehicle. I had to order that step separately from the truck.

Yes -- I now have both 1/4" and 5/16" wrenches. Plus I purchased a socket and a short-handled driver in order to access the zerks that are hidden 'around the corner' (not accessible with a regular wrench). I have two different sizes, because the existing zerks need 5/16" -- but the replacements need 1/4" (the head -- or would you call that a nut -- is different). These tools fit -- we tested them. The threads are all "28".

UPDATE: So, the hardware person I initially spoke to was a machinist; but he was out sick the next day. The person that helped me struggled to figure out what size tool was the correct one (and we tested several zerk fittings, since it was mentioned that there might be more than one size). I purchased $80 in tools and zerks that day. In the process, the problem zerk was totally mangled and man helping me couldn't get it out -- he advised that I go to an auto repair to have them pull the wet bolt, in order to remove the zerk. None of the five local shops could see me until the following week! So I moved on south to my next destination, stopping along the way to make an appt with an auto repair. Yesterday I met up with Seth at Ol' Reliable in Walsenburg CO -- hats off to this great auto repair shop. In 10 minutes he had that zerk out, my new zerk installed and grease applied. I watched him -- he gently tapped the socket squarely onto the head before he attached the driver. "The guy was using the wrong size tool," he said. $20.

There is another thread here on the forum that discusses hitch locks. YouTube has some demonstrations of locks being broken. Since I knew I was going to boondock a lot this year, I upgraded my hitch locks (I use two) including one around the collar (stays on even when I'm towing) and then a Ft Knox Locks. I can't seem to get my photo to upload, but you can find these online. https://ftknoxlocks.com/

May I suggest Fort Davis --- where you can see the historic Fort Davis, go to the McDonald Observatory (make reservations ahead of time!) and visit the Chihuanhuan Desert Nature Center? https://www.nps.gov/foda/index.htm http://mcdonaldobservatory.org/ http://www.cdri.org/

As noted by @Patriot -- I frequently check the fasteners after travel. I have my tires at 55#. However, a couple of rough washboard roads have convinced me to lower my tire pressure more. Even though I go really slow, the vibration impacts everything. This last trip, I opened the Truma AquaGo WH (outside panel) to turn it on, and discovered a screw sitting against the panel door. It took me a while to figure out where it came from. That required me to go buy a TORX screwdriver (star-shaped), and Blue (medium) Locktite. I also purchased some other new tools this week, for dealing with Zerks. But that's another story. I wish we had a "recommended tools" list on the OTT Service Knowledge Base (a more robust list, I should say)... because sometimes you find a need and no hardware within distance.

I added a photo (on my last post). This is the front streetside zerk that finally took some grease. But notice that the grease only comes through at the outside, and doesn't seem to completely penetrate to the far side?

Q1 -- Oh boy! Maybe that's why the service department couldn't answer that question. This is good to know; I might need to buy 2 different tools as well as 2 different size replacement zerks. Grainger's will be on my to-do list. Q2 -- Thanks. I thought I should ask, since I've encountered a case where one threaded thing screwed into another threaded thing can be opposite hand. Since I don't have the tool to get them off, I used my caliper to measure the one front zerk, and took the caliper to the local hardware store. It was my lucky day! The hardware guy turns out to be a machinist. He thinks it's 8mm but suggested that I come by with the Oliver tomorrow morning, on my way south, and he will help me determine the size and thread, and find the right tool. Or tools. I do have caps I purchased, and they make a huge difference. Thanks for the photo too; I like the look of those 45 degree angled zerk fittings. I can imagine it's a LOT easier to get the grease gun fitting on there with those. Oh good -- thanks! I'm learning! Many thanks to all for the help. I'll be at the hardware tomorrow, but likely not in a place where I can work on the zerks until a few days later. I'll follow up from there.

This worked! I first used a paper clip to work on the little ball in the zerk, and felt it loosen up, but the grease didn’t flow until I drove the other (rear) tire up onto the trailer aide tandem tire ramp. That accomplished, I wanted to remove the zerk and go down the mountain to the hardware, to try to QUESTION (1) ascertain the right size zerk (and buy some extras). I can’t get the zerk off. I have an assortment of adjustable wrenches, but none of them work. And I can’t tell QUESTION (2) which way to turn the zerk to remove it. QUESTION (3) recommended tool to use for the zerks? Can anyone answer these 3 questions?

As @mossemi noted, some of these questions are really subjective, and I agree that you will figure them out. That said... My tendency is to camp for long durations -- 3 or more months at a time. My longest stop in one place is about 2 weeks. This year, I boondocked continuously for 5 weeks, hooked up at a campground for a few nights during the extreme heat wave, and then boondocked for another 4 weeks. There were small towns with laundry facilities, grocery stores, fresh water, fuel and propane refill options. I have a composting toilet; @Cameron summed up the benefits. I'm very frugal with short showers and efficient dish-washing. I've never run out of water. I carry a 3rd 20# propane tank and that has been helpful. Space has not been an issue for me, but I converted from bicycle touring so I'm used to paring down to essentials. I carry clothes for all seasons and find that I rarely wear some things. I can go for about 4 weeks without the need for a commercial laundry. My shirts and socks are merino wool; they air dry in an hour. That's a trick I learned from bike camping. About 90% of my clothes live in the bulkhead on the rear end. I have the twin bed model and love it. Food is subjective, and relates to how you like to cook and eat. I love to cook and don't eat processed foods, with few exceptions. I carry my freezer full of meat, and cheese, milk, eggs, veggies and cold drinks in the refrigerator. I never feel shy of food space. In the pantry I carry dry goods (beans, rice, dried fruits, nuts, spices, oils, canned fish, paper towels). I have a stove-top pressure cooker and cook batches of stew, chili, soup or other meals that make several meals. In my tow vehicle, I carry extra food, and plenty of bottled drinking water. I probably carry too much food. My dishes and cooking pots all stow in the drawers below and the cabinets above the kitchen area. Some Oliver owners have devised clever ways of stowing things in their front closet. My closet is a catch-all and is not very efficiently organized yet. If it fits your schedule, I would suggest that you attend an Oliver rally, where you can tour Olivers that are set up in different ways. There are mini-rally gatherings in different parts of the country; I think one is coming up in Texas.

I should mention one more thing. There is a scam artist that spoofs local towing companies. A friend was the victim of this when I was there. I recommend that you look up and save the correct phone number/s for local towing companies before venturing out, in case you need them. My friend paid $600 in advance over phone and then the company never showed up; it was a reputable company -- but he had 'looked up the number on google' and it was a spoofed phone number.

@topgun2 how are you doing with the wildfire situation up there?

I have several recommendations, having spent weeks in that region this year: North Rim of GCNP is very nice, less congested, less commercial and there are plenty of NF boondocking sites that are within reach. From the Kaibab NF near the North Rim, you can also take day trips to places like Vermillion Cliffs, White Pocket (if you have OHV or hire a guide with capability), "The Wave" (be aware that tickets are required in advance -- for many of these highly desirable locations) and other places. Kanab UT is a great central location for camping before heading to Zion, as there are many things to see and do in that area: Pipe Spring NM, Dinosaur Tracks, Coral Pink Sand Dunes SP (where you could camp if you want hookups), as well as day trips from Kanab to Zion, Bryce, Red Cliffs and other sites. St George is much larger, and in my opinion it isn't as walkable as a city, whereas Kanab is entirely walkable. If you stay in Kanab, they have farmers markets two days a week, a great library, some interesting museums, good groceries, free fresh water and a very friendly Post Office where you can receive mail General Delivery (not all USPS will do that). I concur with others on trekking poles; take at least one with you. Learn and understand about driving in sand. Understand how the weather impacts the "dirt" (sand) roads. Plan your timing accordingly. As Spring marches on, and the dry weather extends into early summer, the sand becomes more treacherous. One Park Ranger warned me about trying to drive through the western section of GCNP (the section that is southwest of Pipe Spring NM) because "it's so dry that it's easy to get stuck and it can cost you $3,000 to get towed out". Don't pull over on the side of the road unless it's paved or you know that it's going to support your vehicle. I saw many 4WD vehicles mired in the sand, in late May and the first week of June. One area where I walked, the sand would rise up over the tops of my shoes with each footstep. It was like quicksand, but thankfully not quicksand. Once the monsoons hit, I was told, some areas of sand turn into mud that can be equally treacherous. This condition depends on the area, of course. You might call USFS offices in the region and ask -- I found them very helpful on information. You might switch around the order of your itinerary, to plan the sandy places earlier in your trip. That's my two cents. Have fun!

Thank you -- I will try looking for youtube or other videos about this -- because seeing the images of what I would call a 'bolt' and looking at the nut and head of the element that passes through, I don't see how to remove the zerk without removing the bolt. I'm heading to dry camp in the mountains this morning, so I will have to do this next step later. Will be night before I'm back online, assuming my starlink will work there.

I am revisiting 3 of my zerks today, that resisted accepting grease. I had towed to a new location, and 2 of them accepted the grease, but the 3rd one did not. I don’t own a jack (yet) and may succumb to the pressure to buy one, but I do own a trailer aid tandem tire ramp, like THIS https://a.co/d/3WPOXCa Would that work for this task? Second question: If I remove that bolt, will the leaf spring (proper name?) come falling out? I don’t have a great amount of upper body strength. (It takes two hands for me to squeeze the grease gun.) I want to be prepared before I venture down this road.