John E Davies

Your payload is actually pretty adequate, for the small Ollie and one person, especially with the two rear seats removed. Try this.... drive your van to some places off -pavement that you think you might want to visit with your future trailer. I am pretty sure the van simply won’t get there, much less with a trailer on the back. Your city van has a pretty long wheelbase and with such low clearance it will drag something important. Research Breakover Angle Have you looked underneath? What is the low point? I had a 2007 RAV4 which is just a rebodied Corolla sedan. It had 6” clearance. Toyota unwisely ran the exhaust system in a sharp loop under the rear suspension, instead of over it.... that trucklet was hopeless on even the most gentle of uneven terrain. Their new Adventure model got a 1/2 inch “lift” by fitting taller tires plus lots of plastic cladding. I haven’t looked to see if they moved the exhaust.... where I am getting is, a car based TV is simply the wrong choice for where you want to “adventure”... You should get a truck. Otherwise you will damage stuff, get stuck, have to deal with the heartbreak of getting towed and paying to fix what you broke. A pickup or tall SUV means lots less stress to the TV and WAY less stress to you. Which is the most important factor. Your Metris is remarkably similar to the Ford Flex. Neither has nearly enough clearance in the middle, even though the Flex has 2 more inches.... if you scrape a simple concrete parking barrier with the front air dam, imagine how that will work when things get tougher... John Davies Spokane WA

I am assuming you are talking about the Elite? It is right at your maximum towing weight. It doesn’t really leave you any safety reserves for high altitude, hot weather or headwinds. You would always be constantly stressing the heck out of the drivetrain. I personally would say, find a more suitable vehicle with a better tow rating and ESPECIALLY more ground clearance. You will never be able to boondock off paved roads with this: If you are talking about the Elite II, then no, it will never work. One of the big Benz SUVs would be a suitable choice for either trailer. John Davies Spokane WA

Well, IMHO you should find the actual problem and correct it, mine drains in a few minutes. The initial flow is a geyser. I would physically remove the grey valve and look it over intimately, there may be a blockage, like a big glob of hair. With it out you can check the tank itself. The grey tank vent operates through the bathroom when the travel valve is opened (there are three places air can enter: the main waste roof vent, the sink drain and the floor drain. If it is closed, the ONLY way air can enter is through the galley sink drain. If that is blocked by the metal strainer, and the travel valve is also closed, no air can get in the tank at all. Burp burp burp..... Good luck. John Davies Spokane WA

Step one when troubleshooting (other than your very obvious problem with the swollen case) is to charge them, take them out and let them sit overnight, and have an automotive electric shop or battery store perform a load test. That will provide a definitive answer. Mine are 3 1/2 years old (four camping seasons). I have a suspected dud battery. I plan to do this ASAP and will start a thread about how it goes. If all the others are good, and one has failed, I will see if I can get a warranty replacement for the bad one and keep the AGMs. If they are all going bad, I guess I am next in line for lithiums. I might just go with the two best AGMs for a while, until I find a great sale on the lithiums. Or until those go “Tango Uniform”, whichever comes first. My Victron monitor said I was at 95% but the little electric hot water kettle caused the inverter to go crazy. The batteries would not carry even that little load, much less the microwave. My wife had to dig out the old fashioned kettle and use the stove top. How primitive! John Davies Spokane WA

LOL, the forged steel Bulldog coupler weighs about 15 pounds, compared to maybe 5 pounds for a stamped low-grade steel model. It is chunky and very strong. The label on the top is the most TRAILER weight that is allowed. There is no such thing as a stupid question. Well, maybe the one that you are afraid to ask. Welcome to the forum. John Davies Spokane WA

😀 Well said, but we should keep trying with stuff like this. At some point, maybe when RV sales are in a deep slump, they will decide to offer more “adventurous” options for us, the fringe market. It certainly does NOT hurt to keep asking. John Davies Spokane WA

Using air regulated to about 60 psi (just like your water regulator) won’t hurt a thing. Blasting 145 psi air into your plumbing can rupture lines or blow off connections. I use air followed by antifreeze. It just seems like a better way to get things done.... if you don’t have a regulated air source, just skip that step. John Davies Spokane WA

Well, dogs tend to sleep on the floor under the table, in very close proximity to the gas sensor.... John Davies SpoKane WA

Do you by any chance travel with a dog? Dog farts can trigger the alarm..... Sorry, that isn’t a really pleasant subject. John Davies Spokane WA

I have the RV660LMT and really like it. It is a slightly older model, and a larger screen would be welcome. The RV mode is needed to warn you of low bridges, steep grades, etc and it is SUPER ANNOYING. I turned it off the second day of our first trip. It kept popping up constant alerts that I already knew about “curves ahead!!!”, duh, I have been driving on curves for an hour. “Steep grade ahead!!!” True, but many miles away. The RV database is clunky, the icons are big and block details. In general I think it is simply poor programming. For low clearance, use the eyeballs you were born with, anything posted 12 feet or under, stop and double check before proceeding. I have a height placard hanging down to remind me as I drive. You can add additional map layers to this series Garmin. I have 24K topo maps which I can add to the existing road map when out in the boonies. Instead of a single line against a totally blank background, I get elevation contours and other features. The big plus is that the Topo maps are routable. You can add up to four low res camera inputs to the main display, I use one for my trailer backup camera. The Garmin Connect phone app is pretty lame, I never use it. I am a big Garmin fan, for the most part. I won’t buy another brand. The only thing I dislike about mine, other than RV Mode, is the external flash card sticks out the bottom, no recess or guard, and it is easy to accidentally press and eject it. John Davies Spokane WA

Premium or mid grade gas is in no way needed for low compression power equipment engines. Fresh fuel is mandatory, so a fuel stabilizer is needed. Modern gasoline starts to go stale in about a month. With a stabilizer it can last a year. I only use ethanol free fuel for my mower, trimmer, generator etc to reduce the harmful effects of alcohol on the rubber fuel parts. The Maverik stations which are now all over the West have it, and there are apps to locate it at other brand stations. John Davies Spokane WA

The Attwood Air Command originated in Oz. I have never heard of the Gree. My personal feelings about Wifi and Bluetooth for RVs is, the less, the better. Certain exceptions like the VictronConnect are great, but for controlling the main systems, I want simple and reliable hard wired controls. John Davies Spokane WA

I measured the Attwood Air Command inside sound levels, using the same Decibel Meter app on my iPhone 6S, I did not remove the case (Otterbox Commuter). The trailer was inside the RV bay, AKA The Hanger deck, plugged into a 20 amp 115V wall outlet. All 110V AC breakers inside the trailer were turned off except for the air conditioner one. The app was set to measure dbA, which is what the human ear hears. I zeroed the display before each test. My system is different, it has Low/ Med/ High/ Auto fan speeds. The cabin fan runs off one small motor up on the roof The compressor runs off a second small motor. Most other types have a single big motor with two shafts, driving both parts simultaneously at the same speed. For reference: Katanapilot's measurents Location, Baseline measurement, Low Fan, High Fan with compressor running Front dinette seat (phone on table) - 35, 68, 71 Rear dinette seat (phone on table) - 34, 71, 72 Left bed (phone on bed at aft end) - 31, 70, 74 Right bed (phone on bed at aft end) - 32, 70, 73 Standing under A/C (phone held at 5') - 32, 76, 78 Attwood Air Command 16,000 BTU "equivalent" (rated at 13.5K), no heat strip. Location, Baseline measurement, Low Fan, High Fan with compressor running Front dinette seat (phone on table) - 34, 58, 63 Rear dinette seat (phone on table) - 34, 58, 63 Left bed (phone on bed at aft end) - 34, 58, 63 Right bed (phone on bed at aft end) - 34, 58, 63 Standing under A/C (phone held at 5') - 34, 64, 70 These numbers compare favorably to Attwood's own testing from this Powerpoint presentation: An interesting note: The sound level is dominated by the cabin fan wind noise. The readings on High Fan and High Fan Compressor Running were identical. Other than the cold air pouring out, you could not audibly tell that the compressor was operating. This is very similar to the compressor noise level outside the trailer - with a quiet generator going twenty feet away, the AC sound on the roof is hardly perceptible when standing next to the hull. When you walk away a few feet, you can't hear it at all. It is very "neighbor friendly". Compressor snarl: When running off the Yamaha generator (no soft start kit installed on the air conditioner) the compressor is louder when it kicks on, due to the voltage drop. It doesn't happen when plugged into a strong shore power circuit. I will try to test the sound when running off the generator to see what the sound level is. My system was a custom install by the factory in early 2017, they no longer do this sort of mod on the production line. See the attached Attwood pdf files for more info. I hope this helps. It does indeed seem to be much quieter overall. I have never been inside an Ollie with the standard unit running, so I had no way to know the real world differences. I can't say if it is worth the money and time to swap the Attwood for the Dometic, but the sound difference is certainly there. You would lose the electric heat strip, it is only available in the larger Attwood, which is way too big for an Ollie. Plus the condensation drips down the side of the roof, there is no belly drain. And the Olliver techs were not able to mate the AC with the digital thermostat, so I have to run it either from the drop down control panel or from the little remote control. None of these is a big deal for me. One feature I do NOT like: because the unit is running off the thermostat attached to the bottom of the inside console, instead of from a wall stat on the far side of the pantry, the unit short cycles. When the cabin has cooled down to the desired temp, it cycles on and off too quickly. The cold air bouncing off the rear wall and overhead cabinet confuses the onboard controls. If it could be connected to a remote wall stat, this would not happen. It is irritating but not harmful. John Davies Spokane WA RV Atwood Air Command Presentation2014.pdf RV Atwood Air Command Service Manual.pdf

My alarm is really really loud. It is a residential unit intended to be mounted way up high on a ceiling, in a large room. Inside the Ollie with all its hard surfaces, and positioned three feet over the bed, it is just way too intense. This takes the nasty shreik out of it while still being easy to hear. Yeah, I know you are supposed to change the batteries annually, that is too often IMHO. When it starts to chirp once every thirty seconds, then change them. Don't wait longer or it may go dead.... My Duracell regular AA batteries last two years. Warning, if any of the folks camping inside the trailer are hard of hearing, it would be best to leave the speaker uncovered. Do this at your own risk. John Davies Spokane WA

This is super easy..... Little House Fridge Button Guard - scroll 3/4 of the way down to view I have only mistakenly switched to DC once, and I caught it in time before the batteries went flat. The DC "heater" inside the fridge draws 15 amps continuously. It isn't something you want to leave operating more than an hour or two. Here is the DC/AC select button: The plate is clear plexiglass, maybe 1/4" thick or so. Follow the included instructions and install it. Center the guard left and right and also vertically, make sure it is level, and when you are satisfied push GENTLY. Make sure it looks good and none of the buttons bind in the guard holes. Mine were fine, if yours stick, remove and reposition the guard slightly. Once pressed firmly and held for half a minute, it won't move. The lights are easily seen, but eventually the dust will collect back there, so maybe a blast of compressed air might be needed in the future. I can't get my index finger inside the holes, but my pinky works fine. I can't see any of these buttons being pressed by mistake. The plastic will scratch easily and any harsh solvent may cloud it, so be gentle when cleaning the area. Do NOT spritz it with 409, the soap will run behind the plastic and you won't be able to get it all out. John Davies Spokane WA

The hose is 1/2” inside. The actual hole in the ball valve is less, tho I have never actually looked at it. This is pretty common, look at your garden hose squirt nozzle or shutoff valve sometime - it is pretty restricted unless it is made by Eley. Extension hose...... hmmmmm, let me think. Oh yeah. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/4267-how-to-fresh-tank-drain-line-extension/ John Davies Spokane WA

Woah! Seems a little pricey at $25 per pair. A quick search shows you can order direct for $3.37. Shipping adds $12 to the cost. (Sometimes Amazon Prime prices are criminally high.) Maybe Oliver should buy a few hundred and offer them for $5 to owners through the mythical and much hinted about Ollie Store.... Add a $1 to ship in a USPS envelope. https://shop.southco.com/en_us/latches/rotary-latch-systems/actuators/m1-546 John Davies Spokane WA

Southco offers a gazillion types and sizes and they are pricey. I have no idea of what size (thickness) you would need, but something like this, added to the existing factory latch, would be pretty secure. https://www.amazon.com/E3-55-62-Action-u00AE-Compression-Latches-Southco/dp/B07MC91X22 OTH a second “special” lock shouts STEAL ME and advertises that there is something special in there. Replacing all the OEM ones so they look the same probably would be better in this respect. The Oliver supplied key is a very sad thing made of stamped sheet metal. I suspect that every owner of a high end boat has a few lying around that will match the Ollie latches. I don’t know if many RVs use these due to their high cost. In an email I asked about getting some spares and was met with a figurative blank stare.... I made multiple backup door keys but have only two latch keys. The Ace Hardware guy couldn’t make any. If anyone knows a source for more keys, please tell us. John Davies Spokane WA

I’m sure Overland while chime in, as far as I know he is the only one here with an off-road coupler on an Ollie. He tows a LE2 with a Raptor. Search his posts. I have used a Treg coupler before, but it was on a dinky aluminum utility trailer (750 pounds loaded). I towed that trailer for maybe 30,000 miles over all kinds of surfaces. I personally would be VERY uncomfortable towing off pavement with a single axle Elite and a 4Runner. You don’t want any bars in that situation, so your TV has to be stout enough to deal with the load and the jerking without using them. I would be happy with a LE1, an articulating hitch, and my Land Cruiser. That would be a dandy expedition setup. The LE1 is small but it is a heavy tank when loaded down. As far as sway goes, Ollies don’t sway. I haven’’t heard a single complaint of lateral instability, at all, in the five years I have been here, not even with an exploded tire... OTH vertical jouncing on choppy highways may be a big problem if you tow without an Andersen, which is the only WD hitch that will work, unless you cut away the bottom of the propane “doghouse”. And nobody has done that yet, and bragged about it. I might, one winter. I think it would look fine with the frame rails exposed there, and it would give you an alternative place for mounting stuff like a wheeled swing out tongue jack. Welcome to the forum. I like hearing from folks who want to go explore the more remote places. John Davies Spokane WA

Installing a bigger valve will help, but just a little; the problem is not really the size of the opening, it is the lack of head pressure. If your water tank were located up high, say on the roof, the water would shoot out of that little valve like a fire hose.... well, almost. To get a really fast drain you would need a great big dump valve, like 1/2”. Big, expensive, clunky, heavy. Raising the front of the trailer helps a little to increase the head pressure (at first) and gets rid of those few last gallons. Since the Ollie tank is so very low, maybe the best solution is to accept it for what it is and just go do something else productive while it dribbles out. Mine takes 22 minutes. Irritating, but not the end of the world. If yours takes much longer than that, there may be a blockage in the outside line, like a dead bug. If the water is a little stale, rather than drain it, I just let the fill hose run for an extra five minutes to flush the old tank contents out the big vent line. That is nearly as effective as a drain and fill, and lots quicker. John Davies Spokane WA

This confuses a lot of folks. Legally you have to carry chains for those passes. You do NOT have to install them if the signs say “Chains Required” if you have 4WD/AWD and traction tires installed and are not towing. Normally if things are bad enough that all vehicles must chain up, the DOT closes down the road until it gets cleared of spun out vehicles. Traction tires, not the same as M&S, have the snowflake/ mountain symbol on the sidewall and have a little different rubber that won’t slip quite as much when the road is freezing cold. (However they are not true snow tires, which must not be run in warmer seasons because they have really soft rubber, they get squirmy and wear out incredibly fast on dry hot pavement.) Nokian makes one truck tire with a snowflake that can be used year round (WR G4). There are a few more agressive All Terrains available like the BFG TA K/O2 that have the symbol. This stuff changes constantly, so you have to do your research. https://info.kaltire.com/what-is-the-winter-tire-symbol/ https://www.tirebuyer.com/education/all-terrain-vs-winter-tires# The big problem is finding these tires in non standard sizes. I run Nokian LT2 non studded from mid-November through late February on their own wheels. When they wear out (50% tread) I may try the BFG snowflake AT tires for October through April, since sometimes I encounter non-snow conditions like mud where a conventional tight snow tire tread is hopeless. And sometimes I am running my mud tires in the shoulder seasons and encounter snow on the passes. But ATs are hopeless in some offroad situations and throw gravel like crazy..... And pure snow tires are so very wonderful on black ice. Darn it, so many compromises.... and we haven’t even mentioned TPMS for your second set of wheels yet, another great big can of worms. John Davies Spokane WA CF5322C1-E628-4908-9FF9-2D19AB196C67.webp

Update to an old thread. I am now running 42 psi which seems a decent compromise between tire temperature, tread wear and cushioning. I do notice a negative effect on fuel economy when they are not rock hard. Coincidentally, that value is the exact same as in my Land Cruiser LT 10 ply tires. The truck and trailer weigh about the same and that makes it easy for me to remember .... If you don’t have TPMS in your Ollie, run a higher pressure for a better safety margin. John Davies Spokane WA

You are very welcome, we are glad to help. Be prepared to be shocked at the massive current draw you see on the VictronConnect app when you switch on your microwave.... John Davies Spokane WA

Looking good, I am glad you got it working. It is a very nifty application. I like it a lot. I do suggest that you separate the red inverter wire from all the ground wires. Shift it over to the right, away from your new bus. Normally you should maintain separation between hot wires and ground wires, in case a terminal fails, or a wire chafes through. And add some nylon wire ties to reduce wire motion when towing. Tie the red temp sensor wire to the nearby black inverter cable, that is OK. If you worry about chafing you can add some plastic split loom material to it. I bet you are relieved that it is done. It’s a big job. John Davies Spokane WA

No, these are light duty. For the weight of your truck and the need for serious towing traction, I would get one pair of heavy duty truck chains plus rubber tensioners, for just the rear axle. This will be fine for 99% of the situations you might encounter. For anything worse, don’t drive. I have two sets of heavy chains that I could use to get around in a disaster, or drive through bottomless mud, or Snowmageddon, when you have to get the gal in labor to the hospital, no matter what, through two feet of unplowed snow. With studless snow tires I have never actually had to use them on my Land Cruiser 200. But OTH I am not towing a brand new $65,000 three ton trailer over slick winter roads. This really deserves a new discussion thread..... you need fresh winter tires on the TV, not half-gone, five year old All Terrains, or you will be in a ditch, regardless of your having chains for the passes. I hope I am not scaring you, are you used to, and is the truck equipped for, normal snow or black ice driving? Attached is Oregon’s requirements for passes, most states are very similar. John Davies Spokane WA