John E Davies

I ran across a nice little Aliner “expedition” trailer (AT tires, lift and a nifty 40mm ammo box for his grenades) for sale on Craigslist , and I immediately spotted this unusual mod on the roof...... Here is what comes from the factory.... The second vent faces forward, and that little factory fairing is there to keep the vent from catching air while towing, which would be very bad.... That makes sense, and when camping the vent opening will face downwards. .... https://www.popupportal.com/threads/roof-vent-lid-keeps-opening-how-to-secure.131136/ The upper pic has me entirely baffled. Is it intended to act as a rain scoop? I can’t image any way the rain cover baffles would seal in the closed position, when angled up at 45 degrees.... but the MaxxAir is a lot longer than the little square one, so it won’t clear the fairing or the solar panel in the reverse position. If this was an owner mod, I guess we can forgive him, but if a dealer installed it........ holy cow. Should I email the seller to tell him? I am serious. John Davies Spokane WA

I don’t know why they would not delete that one item for a cash credit.... worst case scenario, unbolt the basket (four 1/2” nuts under the tongue) and sell it here in the Classifieds. Or leave it in place and just don’t fill it with heavy stuff. You might want to use it now and then for firewood, or wet boots, or any kind of fresh road kill..... 😳 John Davies Spokane WA

Actually the old style one is not nearly that heavy. I did not weigh mine, but it is way, way lighter than a full 5 gallon jerry can, which is around 42 pounds. I guess the tray weight to be about 20-25 pounds. There is hardly anything extra underneath the bottom plate which is 1/8” thick, just some brackets. I do agree that you should not put any additional weight on the tongue unless there is no other place for it. Lighter is better in many ways, and the LE2 does not show any signs of twitchiness when it has a light tongue weight. I can’t personally comment on the LE. John Davies Spokane WA

Garmin Overlander - No personal experience. I was really interested in this until I read the specs and some actual off grid reviews; if you are a “wanna be” overlander this will get your feet wet. But for actual navigation in the boonies, the maps are sorely lacking. GAIA on a tablet offers way more options, like NFS maps and MVUM (motor vehicle use maps) layers, which are critical. https://www.lifestyleoverland.com/garmin-overlander-review/ BTW on many Garmin road gps units you can easily load state 24k topo maps. You don’t need to pay $700 for that feature.... John Davies Spokane WA

FYI you can avoid that “fun” by purchasing aluminum at a specialty metals supplier rather than plain low carbon steel. No rust, and much lighter. https://alcobrametals.com/product/1-2-x-081-3003-aluminum-expanded-flattened/ You could get stainless steel but that is overkill for dog claws and two square feet would cost $50. John Davies Spokane WA

They got the first nest, but they think there are a couple of more, and time is running out before winter, when the workers die, the queens disappear and burrow underground until spring. Yikes. Here is a wonderful article on the operation, and those very cool moon suits. https://www.wired.com/story/what-to-wear-when-youre-battling-giant-venomous-hornets/ John Davies Spokane WA

Your estimate is way too high for an Elite, by maybe 200 pounds. It is an appropriate guess for a LE2. The Andersen adds 60 pounds. Buy a decent tongue weight scale like the Sherline LM 1000 and you will know for sure. John Davies Spokane WA

I have a couple of personal reasons to really dislike this new technology, though it is a game changer for rural folks and especially for emergency response teams moving into devastated regions. The possibility of space junk from collisions - they weigh nearly 600 pounds each, with over 4000 satellites planned, and there has been a very near miss already - and night-sky light pollution. This is what happens when a ground telescope takes a long exposure picture while a string of these satellites is passing overhead: These can probably be reduced, but not eliminated, by tech improvement. Starlink is planning to do this at other locations too, specifically our moon and Mars: ...https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/starlink-on-mars As a long time sci-fi fan, the idea of surfing the Web from Olympus Mons or Valles Marineris simply boggles my mind... And FYI Season 5 of "The Expanse" starts in a six weeks John Davies Spokane WA

That rubber mat probably weights a whole lot, some of the recycled rubber ones are 70 pounds or more....you could swap it out for a light weight Bed Rug. I used one in my last truck and liked it enough I would buy again, if I had a pickup. https://bedrug.com/bedrug-classic-bed-mat/2018/ford/f-150 I have been trying to find its weight but have had no luck, does anyone know this figure? They don’t tell you online but they do usually ship free. I do know that they are pretty darned light. I installed mine without the velcro, it worked fine, but an open bed and no cargo might result in it literally flying away. John Davies Spokane WA

Craig, I see you will be four nights in Kalaloch, be sure to spend a few hours at low tide at Ruby Beach, a few miles north. It is a glorious spot for rocky tide pools at a minus tide, just watch for sleeper waves, the rocks are kinda far out on the sand. My wife and son really enjoyed the tide pools, I was more than a little freaked out by being that far from high ground. Be “tsunami aware”, always. Know your emergency exit routes and don’t ignore a siren if it goes off. Kalaloch is high enough that you would be safe there.... just don’t pitch a tent on the beach. Sorry to hijack a SW camping thread. John Davies Spokane WA

Bill, I don’t have any advice for this cool area of WY. But if you are a Longmire fan, this might be of interest, in mid August, no 2021 dates published yet. http://craigallenjohnson.com/longmire-days.htm Have you already fished the Wind River Mountains south of Lander? I know that area quite well but my knowledge is from 1974.... probably it is not of much use.😀 John Davies Spokane WA

LOL. It sound as if a decision has been made. Have you driven this beast yet? If not, ask the sales droid to direct you to some gnarley, choppy roads to test the ride. You may not be able to find gravel or dirt, and the droid won’t like getting the truck dirty, but broken, potholed pavement will do as a substitute. John Davies Spokane WA

So, since you have lived with both configurations, if you bought another truck, would you specifically choose the Ram Boxes? I really like the storage concept, but I wish they had a drop door design that would function with a normal canopy. How effective are the seals in keeping out moisture and dust? Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

You need to understand one thing about off season travel in this area..... elevation elevation elevation! The South Rim is at 7000 feet and arriving there in Feb will put you in the dead of winter, snow, and sub-freezing temps. They do keep it accessible. I don’t know if the campgrounds still operate that time of year. In 1980 I camped there two nights in January in a van, the temperature never got above 10 degrees F. The North Rim at 9000 feet is even worse, the roads do not even get cleared until late May. You will have to stay down low. Moab area should be fine, it is desert and around 4000 feet. You will not be able to access any of the surrounding National Forest high country campgrounds, but there is plenty of boondocking around the rivers, as well as Arches and Canyonlands NPs. If you get the opportunity to park your Ollie and rent a Wrangler, do drive the White Rim Road, at least the southern part of it closest to the Canyonlands Visitors Center. It is jaw dropping and beyond spectacular when viewed from a 4wd vehicle. There is a big road cycling event March 13-16, plan around those dates. ..https://www.skinnytireevents.com/skinnytirefestival John Davies Spokane WA

The Rebel is a very nice choice for a 1500 pickup, but be aware it has some “offroady” aspects like bigger (33”) All Terrain tires, upgraded suspension, skid plates and a 1” taller height. If you actually want these features (as I do, for boondocking and exploring the VAST network of unimproved roads in the West) then go for it. If you don’t want these features, and you want an easier to enter vehicle, plus a lower bed height, then a standard Ram 1500 would be a more logical choice. In terms of cool factor, the Rebel wins hands down..... I don’t know if this has been mentioned before, if you plan to install a canopy, which I do recommend, do NOT buy the Ram Box option, since the box lids cannot open with a canopy in place. They will work with a retractable tonneau cover. The bed is also a lot narrower when you have the boxes, some people do not like this aspect. Nice truck: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a19561753/2019-ram-1500-rebel-first-drive-review/ Black especially, or any really dark color, is a bitch to keep looking nice, pardon my language, especially when traveling long term. White will match your Ollie, but any light color will be easier to maintain. I really like khaki (desert tan) since it is the color of dirt.... but they don’t offer “Dirt” in the Rebel color chart.😀 Always always, drive before you buy. Make sure it fits you, both physically and emotionally..... John Davies Spokane WA

If you plan to move to the PNW, or just visit, it is important to understand the concept of microclimates. Puget Sound especially has many. Northeast of Olympic NP is the little town of Sequim (“Skwim”) which is very dry since the prevailing wind drops all the rain on the west slope rain forests. Sequim gets 23 inches, the Hoh Rain Forest gets more than 150. The wonderful San Juan Islands near the Canadian border are also dry and relatively balmy.... The systems coming in from the west have to deal with tall mountains, so they move in odd directions and come together in convergence zones in Puget Sound. You can get lots of rain or even snow in a CZ, and a few miles away you might get nothing. Seattle is known for being wet and dreary but annual rain is only about 38”, average for the USA. Olympia, the capital at the south end of the Sound, gets 53”. You will see lots more moss there than in Seattle. Once you get east of the Cascades this microclimate effect still exists, but it is not nearly as dramatic. Your weather is defined mostly by your elevation and which side of (and how close to) a mountain range you live. Spokane gets 17”, twenty miles further east, nestled against the mountains, Coeur d’Alene ID gets 27”.... The further east you get, the more likely you are to experience arctic blasts in winter. We just had a record October snowfall, 6”, and it is getting into the low teens at night. Brrrrrr. John Davies Spokane WA

I would like to point out once again that the “Wet Sides” of WA and OR are actually a fairly small percentage of the Pacific Northwest region, which stretches clear to the Northern Rockies..... It is only because most people live there that the silly “moss everywhere” public image persists. The Cascades effectively block that Pacific Ocean moisture; just twenty miles east of their crest you enter arid and semi-arid climates, with clear skies, hot summers and chilly winters. And WAY fewer people. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Northwest Certain locations like the Okanagan Region are “banana belts”, low elevation river valleys aligned due east of rain- blocking mountains, where irrigation is most definitely required for the orchards and vineyards (not a moss to be found). These spots are popular with retirees looking for mild weather, spectacular beauty and much more affordable housing than in Seattle or Portland. Just saying. Come visit and see for yourself. John Davies Spokane WA, AKA The Dry Side. No moss or slugs here:

Some of what you say is valid, but throwing gravel is not. The more open the tread pattern, the less gravel is kicked up. The worst tires for slinging stones are street or snow tires. And the AT tread pattern with wrap-around blocks offers MUCH more resistance to sidewall cuts from sharp rocks, especially when aired down. Some forest roads are covered in large ballast, and that will trash regular tires in minutes. Nothing will ruin a vacation faster than getting a flat a hundred miles and hours away from the nearest tire store, on a weekend.... Increased rolling resistance is certainly bad. Increased road noise, who cares? You won’t hear it inside the TV. John Davies Spokane WA

One REALLY effective trick to locate a mystery leak is to place a folded up blue paper “shop towel”, not a white one, under a suspected fitting. If there is a slow drip, it will show up as an easy to see dark blue spot on the light blue background. Don’t buy from Amazon, you can find them for around $2 per roll at any place that sells auto parts, including Walmart. John Davies Spokane WA

Perhaps I'll try a small dehumidifier and hang system in the bathroom in the future. This has been working well for us,we use it all the time, but mostly for damp towels or hand washed tee shirts or undies.... https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2758-how-to-wire-cable-clothes-line-full-cabin-length/ John Davies Spokane WA

I can’t help with the hole locations, but you should buy this wonderful crimping tool. https://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBite-3-8-in-1-in-PEX-Clamp-Tool-UC961/202688118 Use the appropriate diameter stainless steel crimp rings. They are easy to install, and what is more important, they are easy to remove. A crimped copper ring requires cutting or chiseling off. The stainless rings pop off with the twist of a flat tipped screwdriver. https://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBite-1-2-in-PEX-Barb-Stainless-Steel-Clamp-10-Pack-UC953A/202032891?MERCH=REC-_-plpsearch_multi-_-NA-_-202032891-_-N My hand strength is low and I have to have help for the 1” size, I just slip a couple of steel pipes over the tool’s handles. Once you try this system you will never go back to the stupid copper ones. You can tell your wife that you need this stuff to repair your house plumbing too.... it would also work on irrigation lines, but the parts are kind of pricey for that application. I used mine a while ago to install hot and cold water lines and valves for a bidet toilet seat, it worked great and made my wife very happy indeed! I have never had a clamp fail, but if you are repairing a joint that will be forever hidden, like inside a wall, you can double up (install two clamps instead of one) per connection, and you will not ever worry about a possible failure. John Davies Spokane WA

How about a great big dead blow hammer and a great big brass drift? Whack the bolt head really hard a few time, check to see if the nut torque dropped, retorqued the nut, repeat until they no longer shift. Like bearing races, at some point they will quit moving and bottom out. Did you install new nuts? They are self locking and should not back out by themselves. OTH old nuts possibly could. If you are really worried, just double nut each bolt with a free running jam nut, which will prevent the “primary” nut from moving. Good luck. John Davies Spokane WA

Here is a 2020 Laramie in Boise, heavily discounted ($47k) and it has a more appropriate spec sheet, with a 33 gallon tank. https://www.dennisdillonchryslerjeepdodge.com/inventory/new-2020-ram-1500-laramie-4x4-crew-cab-1c6srfjt0ln367053 Maybe the eTorque engine option reduces fuel capacity since it in theory gives better mileage, but not necessarily while towing. Dennis Dillon does about 90% of its sales remotely, folks fly in, the sales guy picks them up, they buy the truck and drive it home. They have very hard to match pricing. John Davies Spokane WA

Everything is fine (3.92 axle ratio is great), except the gas tank is only 23 gallons, no good at all.... why did they put such a small tank in it? Don’t buy this one. John Davies Spokane WA

Fritz, one option, if you can do without the diesel engine, is a Power Wagon 2500. Base payload for a 2019 model is 1660 pounds but you can add aftermarket rear airbags to level the truck and in effect increase the payload, tho legally speaking you can’t carry more than the door sticker indicates. I would choose options carefully to keep the payload as high as possible, no sunroof, no extra battery or alternator, etc.... The PW has very soft, long travel suspension, which greatly reduces the advertised payload compared to a standard 2500, but it rides beautifully empty, especially if you deflate the tires to an appropriate psi. When you are exploring choppy gravel or forest roads, the ride is stellar in comparison. I can’t recommend the older models with six speed tranny, but the newer 6.4 Hemi plus eight speed transmission combination provides plenty of power with a very low first gear, to get the load rolling from a stop, and for better rock crawling 😀 It is important to know how much air is in the tires when doing a test drive, an empty truck with 80 psi LT tires will not ride nearly as smoothly as one with 45 psi. Also, the diesel trucks require more pressure in front all the time because there is an extra 600 pound mass there..... these are very heavy engines and they load down the front suspension, ball joints and tires. BTW there are a number of ways to determine correct unladen tire pressure, we could have a thread about that. John Davies Spokane WA