John E Davies
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Posts posted by John E Davies
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Yes it is permanently attached at the top, it can’t fall away.... You should test your exit window to make sure that it is operating OK, and that you have a plan on how to exit out of it in the event of a fire. If you have a bike rack, that can be a problem because of the handlebars. While it is open, clean all the parts, look at the seals and tell us what you see. Got gaps?
John Davies
Spokane WA
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[postquote quote=178908][/postquote]
Is that short life expectancy for leaving it outside all year in a sunny climate? If stored in shade the colors should last WAY longer, I would think. But I would carefully choose colors that don't look bad when faded. Don't buy red unless you like pink..... there is a good reason why most boats are white.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Yep, an Ollie is the best travel trailer out there. There are a handful of better made expedition style truck campers or motorhomes, but they are a ton more money, sometimes four times or more. If you want to tow the best rig behind your truck, the Oliver is it....
I never get tired of seeing the reaction of a knowledgeable person who is viewing it for the first time. The ones that flag you down and run over with their phones out, snapping pictures wildly, are the most fun...
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Welcome to the forum, and please fill out your profile so we know who and where you are.
There have been issues now and then with systems, like plumbing or wiring, but they should have long been fixed or updated on an older trailer. If you make a field trip to the factory they can do these upgrades easily. The appliances are generally low end RV junk, meaning built to a low price point and not especially long lived or reliable, but usually easy to fix and cheap to replace. The Truma water heater is an exception, it is a high end unit but I don't know if they have a long enough track record to see how they hold up, and being German they are overcomplicated and expensive to fix, like an Audi....
The only concern IMHO is if the trailer was used in winter and towed over deicer covered streets. This will without question cause lots of rust on the steel suspension parts and also corrosion on the aluminum frame and wheels. "The frames don't rust", but don't fall for that line, they can corrode. My trailer gets parked indoors during all winter months when there are caustic chemicals on the roads. If you look at a used trailer and the frame doesn't look close to new, I do not suggest that you not walk away, but I would have it closely inspected and I would pay a lower price for cosmetic and possible hidden damage.
Speaking of which, check for rock chips, which can be repaired or covered with a protective coating. Lots of un-repaired stone damage is a warning sign. There are plenty of owners who take great care in keeping their Ollies looking nice, so look for one of those, not a scruffy one, unless you can get the scruffy one really cheap so you can fix or replace things...
A trailer located close to TN is more likely to have had good "factory service" done to it, this would be a plus compared to one in Alaska, for example. Owner upgrades are always good, but they may not meet your approval and should not significantly affect the asking price, except for something like disk brakes or a compressor fridge, both of which are major improvements.
Like buying a used car, be prepared to walk away if something feels wrong to you. Have a prepurchase inspection performed by a mobile RV tech, unless the seller can show you a printout of a very recent one. Unless recently serviced, all the wheel hubs need to come off for a look inside. You need to know if ALL the systems function as they should, and the suspension, bearings and brakes are in good condition. Buyer Beware. This can be very hard if you drove all day to check one out, but that is what you need to do.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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This is a Lippert 8600 Series window. I emailed their customer service asking, why the gaps and can I seal them?
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Ken, in my pics, the white insert is fairly new with only a few hundred miles of towing.
Yours looks pretty disgusting, no offense...., I would have changed it out a long time ago!
With the older designs it seems as if it is pure luck whether or not rain will make it scream... Mine was fine for 6000 miles and then it just got super noisy..., the new insert did not help much.
What I would actually like is a fixed ball (no friction material, the Ollies do NOT need a sway control) with a single chain along the centerline of the frame, attached directly under the CENTER of the ball on a stout bearing. In turns, the trailer (and chain) would rotate like a simple dead weight setup, and the chain would give you good jounce control on bouncy roads. Weird, huh?
John Davies
Spokane WA
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I always wondered why my rear window dumped large quantities of fine dust into the back of the cabin when towing off pavement! I was making a nifty “Panorama Window” lanyard to hold it fully open so I could clean around the frame, and also hold it fully open when camping (when there are no bugs).... this is what I found:
That is a 3.5” gap, and there is a second one....
Please inspect your hatch seal and tell me if yours is like this. It looks intentional, but maybe they just ran out of seal? Is there any valid reason to have these huge gaps?
The seal is soft foam, 3/8” wide x 1/4” thick. I am going to replace the entire seal with 1/2” wide material, all the way around. I will leave a couple of 1/8” wide moisture drain slots, one near each bottom corner.....
Stuff like this just makes me very mad.
Thanks.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Maverik, can you post some close-up pictures? What did they do to change the ball mount, there is something about a retaining flange mod. Is that supposed to keep out moisture better?
How many towing miles have you put on the new version?
Water is the downfall of mine. Usually the environment is really dry here but we had a couple of 2-hour torrential downpours in the last few days and that really got the ball squawking and popping. It will dry out and quiet down, but that takes a while.... OTH I could just carry my 4 pound sledge hammer and whack it out each morning to dry it off. But that might look alarming to some campers....
Thanks,
John Davies
Spokane WA
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[postquote quote=178722][/postquote]
Thanks. on my iPhone it would not let me select anything but "Always".
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Neat, the more choices for offroady trucks, the better. The aftermarket for lifts, tires, bumpers, etc is simply enormous but the quality is sometimes dubious and the support may be nil. Builders come and go without warning. It makes sense for the manufacturers to offer a very high quality tuned option that you can roll into your monthly payments. Plus it will have a warranty and spare parts through your nearest dealer.
I would be interested in the big gas motor. The Power Stroke will always be a heavy tank off pavement. A 7.3 gas engine tuned for low and midrange torque should be satisfying.
The Power Wagon specs are still lots better, with additional skid-plates, front sway bar disconnect, 2 fully lockable diffs, coil rear springs and that incredible 5 link front suspension. And the standard winch and bumper. But most buyers probably won’t care about those features and Ford knows it. The Ford package is a lot cheaper and you can get it with many trim levels.
Is it a PW beater? Nope.
Thanks for posting.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Neat, it is also available for IOS.
I downloaded it but decided not to use it. It won’t operate unless Location Access is set to Always, which I do not like. It uses about 4% of your battery life in 24 hrs which is OK but I don’t want it tracking without the App open.
Does it upload full sized images or does it reduce the file size?
Do you have full authority so it doesn’t start uploading stuff when you are connected to a slow Wifi server?
You can order an actual printed travel album from them at a reduced cost (10 Euros off) but I wonder what the actual cost is. That would make a nice gift ... maybe .... the only relatives that like looking at travel pics are your spouse and maybe a housebound grandparent. The kids don’t care. LOL.
Thanks for posting.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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I am finally going to do this, mine just doesn't like rain, it starts to creak and pop loud enough to wake the dead. I call it the Spawn of Satan and it is very embarrassing to make turns around people....
I emailed Andersen Service and included pictures but I expect it will be a few days before I get a reply, even if they are there over the week of the Fourth....
What is the procedure - does my ball mount have to be returned to get modified and what do they do to it?
What is the turnaround time and current cost?
I want to upgrade the ball to 2 5/16". How much more will that be?
Can someone post "after" pictures so we can all see how this works? Here is my early setup (purchased 04/17)..
Thanks,
John Davies
Spokane WA
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We are traveling north toward Canada and we passed a southbound Elite II being towed by a white Land Cruiser or Sequoia, a mile south of Okanogan, WA on US 97. I pulled over at the next turnout, hoping the other one would do a u turn and rendezvous with us. Nope....
We need a standard set of rules for head-on passing encounters. On a narrow mountain forest road, uphill vehicles have right of way and downhill vehicles should pull over and give them room. Maybe we could adopt something like this.....
If one of the owners wants to meet, flash your headlights rapidly.
North or east bound Ollies have “right of way”, and should proceed, then pull over and wait when possible, or exit the next off ramp from a freeway.
South or west bound Ollies should do a u-turn when possible and safe, and go back to meet the other.
Obviously this has limitations when traveling on the Interstates, especially when the exits are thirty miles apart. But it could work OK on secondary highways and county roads.....
For situations where you overtake an Ollie on a freeway, the passing Ollie should exit at the next offramp or rest area and the other should follow. That would be simple....
We waited ten minutes but never saw that other Ollie, but he may have pulled over to wait for us..... LOL.
Comments? Please discuss. We could post an article with these “rules” in the Newsletter for those who don’t hang out here.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Hey, my NH was one of the first factory installations. My suggestion is to talk to Service and see if they can send you plumbing drawings for the vent system, and also a recommendation on how to cut out the toilet flange and replace it with a flat plate underneath the floor. You might want to consider some sort of cover for the opening in the bathroom floor, mine is wide open and I can inspect my black tank every time I remove the main unit. I am unsure if this is good or bad...
You will need access to the vent under the bathroom sink, so the storage bin thing in front will have to be removed.
While you are redoing the vent, find the fresh water flush line that goes to the standard toilet and cut and cap it where it tees into the faucet line. You won’t need that line any more, and winterizing it is a small bother since antifreeze shoots everywhere including your face... just disconnect it completely. Leave the cut piece of line tied up nearby, in case a future owner wants to go back to a flush toilet.
In addition to the vent you will need a 12 volt fused power and ground. The factory installation uses a spare slot in the fuse box below the dinette. You need a 2.5 or 3 amp fuse. A 1 amp will blow.
Please start a new thread with pictures and stuff, I am sure others have been considering this mod. Good luck.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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[postquote quote=177213][/postquote]
Cool, do you mind sharing the details and cost of the delivery? Will they tow it or put it on a flatbed? The latter is preferable, with shrink wrap plastic protecting the front.....
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Cool, how big are the grommets at the top, would you be able to replace the steel hooks with Command Hooks?
Can you post some pics?
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Unless you really want to see the Tetons, I suggest that you bypass that part of WY entirely heading east. To say it will be a zoo would be a huge understatement. Can you dodge south at Pocatello along the grey alternate route? It will be easier since it avoids the mountains and tourists. Coming back, the blue route will offer way more places to camp. The western part of Wyoming (away from the mountains and forests) closely resembles the surface of the moon. It does not encourage one to linger. Watch your fuel and fill up often, stations are far apart.
Have fun, if you think you will be near Cody let me know, I have a favorite spectacular boondocking spot south of the town. You won’t find any affordable or unreserved ones within 25 miles of Cody. The entire Tetons/ Yellowstone corner of the state is insanely crowded in summer. The Cody firearms museum is a must see, if you are close by, they have RV parking.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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What is the bearing service interval? The Aussie owners manual requires it to be done ONLY by a certified shop and the interval is ludicrous - 300 km. I hope that was a typo. But maybe that was for a monsoon summer where it gets submerged in Cape York swamps.... How is the USA warranty and terms?
John Davies
Spokane WA
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CJM, since you may go further north, I can’t recommend highly enough both Colorado National Monument and Dinosaur NM. They are at low elevation so they may be stinkin’ hot..... They both offer “no services except water and toilets”camping but the scenery is spectacular and they don’t get many visitors. You haven’t mentioned your tow vehicle.... if you have high clearance 4wd there are some really cool rough tracks to explore. My favorite is Echo Park Rd, a steep winding rough track that takes you through slot canyons, stream crossings, old ranch structures and all the way down the a primitive camping/ fishing spot on the Green River, where outlaws use to ford. It is spectacular and lightly travelled, and very remote. You have to leave your trailer at one of the Monument campgrounds, no trailers allowed on that road. It can be impassible due to water over the road after a thunderstorm.
https://made-all-the-difference.com/echo-park-dinosaur-national-monument/
John Davies
Spokane WA
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I carry two full jerry cans of gas, an empty water can and chocks. I moved the cargo tray to the rear onto a custom rack because I hated the front position for a number of reasons. I carry the generator in the back of the truck where it remains secure, out of site and clean. I can pop open the tailgate and run it in situ without having to remove the cable lock. You are not supposed to run a generator within 25 feet of your Ollie so that you do not gas yourself. The company lawyers wrote that rule, just be careful about which way the wind is blowing. BTW three years ago the tray was commonly referred to as a “generator tray”, that is why the opening is there next to the optional front shore power receptacle, for the power cable to go. I guess they changed the terminology so you can’t sue the company. Just as they changed the definition of the rear jacks to leveling, not lifting.
The trailer tows better without all the weight on the coupler.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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We stopped at Red Rock Canyon SP about 45 minutes west of Oklahoma City, it was pretty and enjoyable. It’s about five miles south of I 40 down in a hole ;) - a drone video....
I don’t think you will have much luck finding a nice spot over the 4th weekend, all reservable parks will be booked up... I try to never be on the road over the major holiday weekends, it is usually stressful and a real hassle. You may end up spending the night at a few Walmarts.
Once you get to CO you need to play it by ear, if the weather is hot you need to stay high up, say Durango/ Silverton/ Ouray, but avoid the Million Dollar Highway between the last two or it will scare you witless if you are towing. If the weather is mild you can visit the low desert attractions . Southern UT is absolutely amazing but pretty wilting in July.
If you tell us what you like to see or do, and what kind of camping, and your prospective route, we could offer more specific recommendations. Which Ollie and what TV? Do you want to boondock?
Good luck and have fun with your Ollie.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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You nailed it, if you plan to keep it for a really long time and for 200,000 plus miles, either avoid a diesel entirely or delete it if you don’t have inspections. .....
Some of the new gas engines are amazing ... have you researched the new 7.3 Ford?
Even the older gas engines are getting better, the newest Power Wagon with the eight speed automatic and a few aero tweaks got 25% better mileage than the previous year (The Fast Lane 100 mile test loop.)
It was hard to give up that endless diesel torque, but I am way happier with a gas truck. Go drive some gas trucks, see if any appeal to you. The Tundra is overdue for a complete makeover, it will be interesting to see what the new model offers. The Ram 2500 with rear coil or air springs drives really nice compared to leaf spring trucks.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Great comments. I disagree that the rubber EX Flex equalizers don’t work. I think they offer extra dampening of high speed vibrations. I have had a couple of big tandem trailers with the heavy duty (non rubber) shackle kits and they were not as soft riding as my 6000 pound Ollie. The rubber ones do offer four extra failure points, and the rubber pads should be inspected regularly for deterioration. If I stored the trailer long term in full sunlight I would probably figure out some sort of sun guard for the side that gets blasted by UV rays....
I have no plans to tow at 50 mph on unpaved roads, as I have in the past with a little offroad utility trailer, but I need something to cope with those unseen potholes and dips that appear out of nowhere, when you can’t slow down or evade. I ran over a really nasty hole at 45 mph because it was unmarked and there was a vehicle in the oncoming lane. I really thought I had broken something..... it scared me.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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They are residential quality, they are darned tough. If you are in a storm bad enough to break these panels, you will have more important things to worry about. Besides, your insurance would cover replacement cost.
OTH, if I were in a bad storm and solid shelter was available, I would certainly use it.... if it were limited, I would stick my truck and occupants under it and leave the Ollie sticking out.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Check cotter pin in step rod
in Mechanical & Technical Tips
Posted
Thanks. Sometimes we forget to look at even the most obvious parts. Remember that there are two!
One extra step to do - bend both cotter pin “ears” sharply inwards toward the shaft and then squeeze them tight, so that there are no gaps to hook a wash rag or your skin. Exposed cotter pins are dangerous and can really hurt you if they are wobbly and the sharp bits stick out, as in your picture. They should be installed as tightly as possible.
I think a stout outside retaining (snap) ring would be a better choice here, and it would look much classier. But it is easier and cheaper to drill a hole than to machine a groove. That is a future mod for somebody who has access to a lathe....
John Davies
Spokane WA