John E Davies
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Posts posted by John E Davies
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Nan, this a “tow hitch”.... a beefy square receiver that bolts to the frame, providing a strong mount for your actual tow ball mount or Andersen weight distributing hitch. It also has holes for you to hook the emergency cables to.
They are defined by how much weight they can handle, you need a Class 4 or 5 for an Ollie and that is which is what comes standard on all newer pickup trucks..... https://www.etrailer.com/faq-hitchclasses.aspx
As Bill said, what you need is the complete package, which varies highly from manufacturer to manufacturer. IMHO for new vehicles Ford currently has the most sophisticated setup. And it doesn’t come standard on every vehicle, because all the extra “assists” cost money.. And it changes from year to year. Pickups you see on the lot are way more likely to have the complete package, full sized SUVs, not very often. Confusing, eh?.... https://www.boatus.com/magazine/trailering/2013/june/tow-package-or-not.asp
NEVER EVER believe the sales droid, who may know less than you, read the sale sticker on the back window, or a copy of it. If you need help post a picture of that “equipment list” here and ask, we can decipher it. If you download a sales brochure for the year truck you are looking at, you can read all about the tow features, for that year. Like this.... https://www.ford.com/services/assets/Brochure?bodystyle=Truck&make=Ford&model=F-150&year=2018
John Davies
Spokane WA
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I just spent an hour crawling around under my trailer, looking things over and then lubing the suspension. Guess what I found 3 inches behind the centerline of the front axle, about in the center of the hull (left to right)....
One hole is filled and sanded flush, the second one is more more ragged and you can see chipped gelcoat. The second pic shows what it looks like after I scratched it with my fingernail. It is really soft and appears to be similar to Bondo, which is not a material I would use to patch a misdrilled hole that is exposed to a high pressure water spray when towing.
I would really like to hear the story behind these holes, and what is directly above it. A tank support perhaps?
I will probably leave mine as they are and if they start to get worse I will drill them out neatly with a step drill and patch them with some 3M 5200 and send the receipt to Oliver.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Trainman, you should be able to open your tailgate if the trailer is lined up with your Ram. It kind of depends on how far back you are able to mount it, without interfering with the jack. If you are buying an Andersen hitch, you can ask the factory if they have an extended shank available. They used to have these listed under Accessories but may have discontinued them because they are so busy. I added a plus 3” one to my Land Cruiser so the tailgate would not contact the hitch coupler latch. I never came close to hitting it (or the factory tray) with the tailgate on the Ram 3500, which was much further from the hitch than my LC.
You will have to drill holes in the fiberglass A frame cover regardless of what type of hardware you use, but I agree that drilling holes in a frame member should be avoided if possible. The long squared off U bolts they use to mount the cargo tray are probably hard to source, I would buy some when you pick up the trailer.
I think the smaller receiver will be OK if you add a “slopper stopper” at the connection and also support the two ends of the bike rack with straps going to the bumper or side of the frame. Regardless of the receiver size, you need to stop the motion as much as possible. A pair of Mac’s Tiedowns anchors through-bolted to the side of the frame would work great for the straps and would not hinder lowering the bumper. .... http://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/product/versatie-anchor-plate-assembly/Anchor-Plates
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Welcome, these really are the coolest trailers, they are stunning when viewed in person. The most common first reaction after the wide eyes is “WOW!” The interior is polarizing, you either hate it or you understand why it is like that, and you then love it. No plastic electric faux- fireplaces, cardboard trim, carpets or stapled plywood cabinets here! It’s all designed to be easy to care for and to look great for decades.
They are not exactly light though. Compared to a conventional RV the same length, when loaded with some options, full tanks and your stuff, they are fairly heavy, like little white bulletproof tanks. Be sure you don’t skimp on a tow vehicle. This is especially important if you plan to wander all over, all the time.
Thank you for your service in the military and as an LEO. Please fill in your personal profile and add a signature if you remain interested in Ollies.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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That Northern Tool box looks pretty well constructed, but I did not see a gauge or thickness. Many of the aluminum tool boxes are way too thin, they are flimsy, bend easily and offer zero security. Many are made from dead-soft aluminum which has minimal strength. (Your trailer frame is high-strength tempered aircraft aluminum, like 6061T6.) Unfortunately there are so many horrible aluminum boxes out there that it is risky to order one sight unseen. Maybe go to a ranch supply store and look for a good heavy commercial one.... don’t buy one from a box store.
OTH I think you should consider a plastic box. This one is the same size, has a lifetime warranty and won’t look nasty after a few years of stones chips and road spray. And it has no diamond plate to slash your fingers. Being plastic it will keep the tongue weight down. A spritz with 303 Protectant annually should keep it looking decent, or if faded you can use a “back to black” car trim product to restore the color.
https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Cargo-Organizers/DeeZee/DZ91717P.html
I have not seen that one, but it gets a 4.7 star rating, you won’t find ANY affordable alloy box that gets that kind of score. Read the reviews and look at the pics here to see what NOT to get in an aluminum box. .... https://www.amazon.com/Better-Built-73010284-Truck-Tool/dp/B00JHMYINC/ref=zg_bs_15737921_9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=WVHNG57BTCSRKT8SXGNX
Finally, consider what will happen the day you screw up and jackknife the trailer into your truck when backing. Which box would you rather have making an intimate contact with your new Ram’s sheet metal? This is one reason I moved my Oliver tray to the back, I could not stop worrying about jackknifing. Sooner or later, it happens to everybody.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Travis, in your situation I would consider putting a 4 or 5 ft wide rear door in the center of the wall, and put down packed gravel or a concrete pad behind it. Back the trailer up the hill, park it, connect your motive power to the hitch and drag it straight into the storage bay. Disconnect and drive the machine out the back. Super easy, Your idea of dragging it straight in would be fine. No maneuvering and when you move the trailer back out it is perfectly aligned and ready to hook up to your truck.
I don’t think you would need an ATV for this method on flat pavement, but maybe you would if you needed to drag it up the slope. If you install this $270 tongue jack, you could leave the jack down when towing into the bay. The two castering wheels will let the tongue steer easily. You might even be able to use a larger riding mower, but it might be hard on the belt drive. Overland has one on his Ollie, shoot him a PM.
https://www.arkportablepower.com/pages/xo-trailer-jack
You could have a quick detach tow bar made at a welding shop, or buy an actual aircraft one, to attach to the jack’s wheel bracket with a simple lunette style tow ring at the other end. Like towing an airplane. .... NO tongue weight at all on the tow vehicle, and the jack’s wheels will pivot to exactly follow the TV.
None of this will be cheap.....I used to live in a house with a double front garage door and a single rear garage door and that was super useful, since I had a concrete pad there large enough for a truck to park out of sight from the street. Good luck. Nice house.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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The wheel weights are unusual, I don’t recall anyone reporting that the factory does this. Their being out of balance anyway is disturbing. You should alert the factory about this.
The bearing nuts are supposed to have a very slight amount of play when cold, they are NOT torqued down hard. Tighten them down firmly, then back off until they are free and go to the nearest cotter pin slot. When the wheels are operating and the bearings are warm most of the play should go away. With a brand new set of bearings they might seat a little during travel and get a little too loose. They should be readjusted if needed. Unfortunately with an Ollie the little domed dust cap is covered by the chrome axle cover, so you have to pull the wheel off. I am thinking about eliminating the chrome parts so I could adjust the nut quickly. I have never kept these pretty covers on other trailers, I want to be able to service the nuts without a hassle, and inspect them so I know the caps are secure and not leaking..
If I ever get around to installing disc brakes I will buy stainless hubs, so they will look SUPER cool without plastic covers and they won’t rust......
John Davies
Spokane WA
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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BWYO2PM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have been using the middle sized (200 series) unit for several years in my 225 sq ft bedroom and it has been excellent. It traps a ton of particulates and with the bedroom door closed it makes the room much fresher feeling. For an allergy sufferer it is a godsend. I also use a HEPA filter element in my HVAC system but it can only do so much.... this gives me a “clean room” to stay in if the pollen or smoke is bad.
I have used it in the Ollie but it is really too big for that small space. I had to leave it on the floor under the table and pack the area with soft duffles so it would not move during travel. I just received the small one, it will work much better in the smaller volume of the trailer. It uses a single pair of filters instead of two pairs. The small one is a much better fit:
And I have space in the closet for it to travel in. It is just a little too wide to fit in an overhead compartment.
The medium one draws a maximum of 0.85 amps at 120 volts, the small one draws 0.5 amps, so there will be a measurable energy savings when running off the inverter and batteries. Plus it is a little quieter. There are four speeds. On Low it uses hardly any power, so I don’t worry about leaving it running all the time.
OEM filters are expensive, I use the way cheaper generics with no problem. I do vacuum the foam pre-filter often to remove the accumulated dust and I blow out the HEPA filter with low pressure compressed air to extend its life. The units have a filter minder to tell you if the airflow is restricted.
Air is drawn in the front and exits out the top, so you can place it tight against a wall, no worries. I really like this design.
I researched all the other manufacturers and models and decided on this one for a lot of reasons. The only thing I DON’T like is the easy open filter door (press in two places and it pops free at the top). This isn’t a great feature for a unit that will travel and be handled often. You have to be aware of this and check it sometimes to make sure the door is closed, otherwise.... highly recommended.
For those of you camping in the West during wildfire season, this would be very helpful to make the nasty air breathable if you get caught downwind. This is an accessory that you don’t think about, but after using it I would not want to travel without one. Cool fire pic:
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Thank you for the replies. I wish a front receiver would work for me, but it is the overall length of the trailer attached to a TV, that is driving me to look for an alternate solution. With the layout of our home, unfortunately a front receiver still won’t help.
Have you considered a heavy duty ATV with a 2” receiver? That would be crazy maneuverable since the wheelbase is only 4 feet. I wouldn’t even think about anything with a belt drive though, look for something like a Honda Rincon with a stout automotive type transmission.
You could get a ten year old one from a private seller for maybe $3000. Here is one from a dealer. .... https://www.atvtrader.com/listing/2007-Honda-FourTrax®-Rincon™-5006888401
Please post a picture of your driveway or goat trail or whatever you are going to push your new Ollie along. The waiting is hard, isn’t it?
Yes, it can be done...
John Davies
Spokane WA
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JD –
Hopefully you are kidding? That shop is at the rear of the Oliver Sales office – it is indoor/outdoor carpet, there is water and electric in there but no sewer.
Santa –
Good looking rig to include the color matching Chevy and, not a bad number either. Hopefully you will be at the Owner’s Rally given it is a fairly short drive for you guys.
Bill
Hey, I have never seen it, the place was unfinished when I picked up my trailer. Our pickup area was the potholed back gravel lot. Regardless, it is very nice.... I love the carpet, at least until there is a grease stain from the suspension....
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Hey, nice shop, I love your green floor and the BBQ. Is that painted or outdoor carpet? Have you got a 30 amp 120v RV outlet and septic connection there?
I grew up in West Meade (SW Nashville) and re-visited the area for three days when we picked up “Mouse” in 2017, and I was pretty amazed at the changes since I was last there in the Stone Ages around 1980... it is a completely different city now. I am not so sure I like those changes. The traffic seems a little out of control.
Maybe you could start a thread with “Things To Do in Middle TN” for those who are picking up trailers.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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John, thanks, I had not seen your video. Here is one for you, a most excellent story of the restoration of Flying Scotsman.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sOc5MsEUOAA
That’s one that my dad used to watch as a lad from the overpass in rural Yorkshire, outside of Doncaster, in the 1920s and ‘30s. He got to see it again much later in his life in Scotland and it really made his day to see it once again flashing through the countryside. He was staying at a small B&B and did not even know that there were tracks out beyond the fields behind the old house. He was having tea outside at a small table when the Flying Scotsman came into view. As he told me, he was “completely gobsmacked”.
And this is a must watch, it isn’t all steam, it’s a bunch of antique oil engine start-ups... The last one is like something out of a Rube Goldberg nightmare on LSD.... If you have young kids around, show them that last engine running. It’s a hoot.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Update, here is a thread about how I did this project.
http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/how-to-wire-cable-clothes-line-full-cabin-length/
John Davies
Spokane WA
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If you are alone a Zero Gravity lounge chair like this works great in the Elite II.
It just fits between the galley and pantry and you can read or sleep in it for many hours. It’s cool in hot weather and has drink holders. Fold it up and stash it in the dining foot area or in the tow vehicle when not in use. You can’t walk past it to the beds without folding it, but if the back of the chair is placed towards the rear of the trailer you can get to everything else without much hassle. This will not work well with two people or dogs.
If you want to star gaze or watch an air show, take it outside and recline it all the way. Here is my wife Jac watching the Thunderbirds at Fairchild AFB.
Here is a previous thread about the lounger...
http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/reclining-lounge-chair-in-the-cabin/
John Davies
Spokane WA
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The Big Boy 4014 and the Living Legend 844 locomotives are in Utah. I can’t make this Golden Spike event but I hope to see one or both sometime this summer. They plan to drive them all over the Union Pacific system to display in cities and towns across the West. I’m not sure if they will continue to travel together as they are for this big anniversary event.
https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.
State by state guide...
https://www.up.com/aboutup/usguide/index
Please, if you have an Ollie and plan to travel to see these locomotives, post a thread and maybe we can make a mini Ollie Steam Event out of it.
BTW if you haven’t already watched Hell on Wheels, do so. It is excellent, tells the embellished story of the Union Pacific, and the last season includes the meeting of the east and west lines. I think all five seasons are on Netflix, but I bought all the dvds...
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Access to the black tank is pretty good, all the downstream connections are wide open under the front dinette area. I personally would never travel to TN for a simple repair like that. Can you post a pic of what is leaking? If it is the flexible rubber slip joint you can try tightening the hose clamps. I would also check the ones on the smaller grey water line and at the back of the tank itself. That might take care of it. Five minute job, max, once you find a screwdriver...
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Some casual reading....
http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/video-what-your-non-oliver-rv-salesman-cant-tell-you/
http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/rv-industry-death-spiral-articles/
http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/lack-of-safety-in-design-rvs-and-boats-oh-my/
As you can tell, this is a personal hot topic. I swore a decade ago to never ever own another RV but when I discovered Ollies I changed my mind. No regrets here.... A trip to the Howenwald production line would convert you in less than half an hour I think.
OTH have you thought about a truck camper? In your shoes I would be looking hard at a Northern Lite which would work great on your truck. For a solo traveller truck campers have a lot going for them.
Good luck in your search.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Before you start comparing these two you need to decide if you want a fifth wheel or a regular trailer. These two are so far apart that they are not even close. That Arctic Fox is a huge heavy monster of a trailer that in all probability will be moldy, water stained, slide-sagging junk in a few years. The only fiver that I can think of that is in the same category as an Ollie is the Escape 5.0 TA. We could talk about that, tho I expect none of us have seen one of these in person.
https://escapetrailer.com/trailers/the-5-0-escape/
The huge problem with a little fiver is that it destroys your ability to carry a bunch of cargo in the truck bed and there just isn't enough cargo volume in a small trailer otherwise...
Welcome to the forum, sorry if we seem a little harsh. Too many of us have owned "stick and staple" RVs in the past and we do not like to recall them... It appears that you are not an experienced RVer..., I suggest that you rent a couple of trailers over the summer, see what you like and then come back and ask specific questions about Olivers. A couple of week-long trips in two different mass produced cheap trailers will be very educational for you. ... https://rvshare.com/rv-rental/san-diego/ca?location=San%20Diego%2C%20CA&lat=32.715738&lng=-117.1610838&rv_class=Travel%20Trailer
John Davies
Spokane WA
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The only thing keeping gases from venting into the cabin is the standing water in the two sink traps and the shower trap. If that water evaporates you will get smells, so make sure to add some (or antifreeze) before storage. I get smelly burps regardless of water in the traps due to really massive elevation changes, like 5000 feet in fifteen minutes. When the grey valve is closed the tank doesn’t vent properly. To the best of my knowledge the vent in the bath area is the only grey vent.... other than the sinks.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Has anyone done this or thought about it? I have these heavy steel rollers on my wish list.
I have only dragged the frame one time on a steep paved driveway, but it was loud, jarring and a little frightening. Thankfully nothing was damaged except for the last frame cross support, which lost some material on both ends.
Those rollers are 3” wide, you could have them welded to a thick steel plate and bolt it to the bottom of the frame rail. It would not be a difficult mod. Cost would be under $100 unless you could weld it yourself.
An alternative would be a smooth flat steel skidplate that would just slide without getting trashed. The rollers are far more elegant, tho they would need an annual shot of grease.
Any comments? Have you dragged hard enough to damage the frame?
John Davies
Spokane WA
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They should go directly to the batteries, both wires.That is how my factory installed Furion port is wired. You should be able to see them coming into the battery compartment if you slide the tray out. My wires were dangling loose. I added split loom and secured them properly.....
The system is intended to accept the regulated current from a stand-alone panel (in the 100 to 120 watt range) with its own onboard controller. I have to ask why you would bother to carry a 40 watt one. That is more suitable for long term storage (trickle charging) when the main panels are completely dark.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Sorry for the “newbie ?” the valve for the grey tank to the shower. Is closed pushed forward or pulled aft?
Push in for towing, pull out for running the faucet. Pushing in moves the other end of the cable further, causing the blade in the valve to move closed. I actually labeled my shower wall with a Sharpie. “PUSH IN FOR TRAVEL”
It’s easy to verify, just run the sink and if your socks don’t get soaked, it is in the normal operating position.... you learn fast after that happens.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Related/unrelated: I am finding that my hitch is actually higher than necessary. I was told the top of my ball should be about 24″ high but in reality, my trailer is actually level at about 21″ of height. Any thoughts about that?
That is a little odd, 21” seems low..... post a pic of your ball mount and ball. Also one of your truck and trailer from a distance, showing the angles....If you are using a dead weight setup, consider a 7500 lb rated ball with extended 1” OD shank. (They are intended to go through a really thick truck bumper.) You can use a lower drop mount and with that ball you have the ability to stack thick grade 8 washers under it to do fine adjusting of the height. Maybe you just need a little less rise.... I was able to get my 06 Ram 3500 and the trailer both pretty much dead level. If you want some pics let me know.
Edit, found one.... you may not get your truck level unless you luck out, but you should be able to get the trailer pretty close. Remember that when you look at pictures that adding a bunch of passengers or cargo in the cab will drop the front of the truck a little.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Yesterday I stayed one night at my favorite COE campground, Hunters Campground on Lake Roosevelt, in northeast WA. Cost was $9 with the Geezer Pass. I got site 22 which is one of half a dozen right along the beach. The place was practically deserted, due to chilly temps, school in session and a huge Spokane fun run scheduled for Sunday (the Lilac Bloomsday Run) which has kept a lot of folks near town. Up to 60,000 folks will run, walk or roll in a chair, not me, but my wife has entered.....
https://www.nps.gov/laro/planyourvisit/cg-hunters.htm
I found another use for the Stone Stomper. It keeps the doghouse off the ground.
John Davies
Spokane WA
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Spring over axle lift
in Ollie Modifications
Posted
Bringing back an old thread, I am tired of my u bolts smashing into the frame, that is really hard on the parts...Any new comments or ideas about extra lift and especially additional travel?? I want longer travel for gravel, but also for dealing with 6 inch deep potholes on the road.... I hit one a few days ago at speed. My 200 shrugged it off but the trailer gave a terrific BAAA-BAAAANG.
That is yet another reason to run lower tire pressures in the trailer.... I am now down to 42 psi.
John Davies
Spokane WA