John E Davies

The transfer should be automatic. It takes about 20 seconds for the surge suppressor computer to sample and analyze the incoming current to decide if it is of acceptable quality. Then it will engage the relay with an audible CLUNK, and take over from your inverter. You can shut that off if you like, but it can be left to to run in the background for when the shore power shuts off. The time delay will let any voltage spikes from the generator’s start-up settle down before connecting to your trailer, which is good. Nobody likes spikey voltage.... John Davies Spokane WA

Why the name? Is there a wilderness close by? Full hookups, groomed grass lawns, boat rentals and a gas dock do not remotely meet any definition of “wilderness”. At least, not in this half of the country. http://seboomookwildernesscampground.com/camping/ Did you wash our Ollie? It looks too clean. Pretty lake.... how is the canoeing? Windy? Any marshy areas with birds? Thanks. John Davies Pokane WA

Mike, try not to be so judgemental. I hate those huge monsters but I often like to hang out inside my Ollie. I am not an especially social person, plus I have allergies, so when the pollen count is high, the skeeters are swarming, or the atmosphere is full of smoke particles, which means everywhere out west this summer, I tend to stay inside with my HEPA filter cleaning the air. I stll enjoy the travel and the camping, I just don’t sit outside for hours. I do not watch TV tho, that addiction I simply cannot understand. John Davies Spokane WA

Agreed, that is probably the toastiest place on your trailer on a sunny windless day. Plus it is vulnerable to water when travelling at speed on the highway, and from a pressure washer. I have been keeping mine in the doghouse clipped to the gas bottle that is on standby. It still gets abnormally hot when in sunlight. Bill “topgun2” uses two sensors in his “Twist”, one in the front and one under the spare tire cover, and he uses the “cold” one as the most accurate temperature. I don’t know of a better way to get a true reading and still have them be protected from the water..... I need to order a unit with a half dozen sensor inputs. Then I could average them all. LOL. John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks for the comments. In regards to only lubing one side of the seals, that is what normally happens with the grey valve unless you left it open part way. In a “normal” configuration only the inner part gets fully coated in lube for an extended time period. Though treated water rushing past might treat the outer seal to a small degree. I don’t want to put any grey water in my black tank, as I will at some point convert it to fresh.... and I prefer keeping it as clean as possible until then. John Davies Spokane WA

???trainman, what are you trying to say? You need to use the “Quote” button when you reply to a specific comment, or it may come out meaningless since we don’t know who you are responding to. You can also delete certain parts of the quoted message if you like for brevity. John Davies Spokane WA

Has anyone tried plain mineral oil? I tried the Thetford product for a while and felt that I was just wasting money. https://smile.amazon.com/Mineral-Cutting-Butcher-Stainless-Approved/dp/B00VNI1JI0/ref=cm_wl_huc_item Compared to .... https://www.amazon.com/RV-Drain-Valve-Lubricant-24/dp/B000BGK2L0 An online RV article recommended 1/2 cup of food grade mineral oil in every tank, three times annually (spring, mid-summer, and fall). http://roadtrek190popular.blogspot.com/2015/04/lubricating-waste-tank-seals-and.html?m=1 I am a real cheapskate and I suspect that the Thetford product is just mineral oil with perfumes. I cannot find an ingredient list or MSDS for it. I do really like their compact flat sided bottles since they sit neatly together in the pantry without wasting space like round ones. I am saving my old grey water deodorizing treatment bottles and would use one to keep the bulk mineral oil in for trips, and others for vinegar (for the composting toilet). I also wonder how to easily lube my black tank valve since it is not getting used at all. If I open the grey valve with the sewer opening capped, will the grey tank valve treatment reach it and be effective at all? I worry about inadvertant leakage onto the ground. Comments welcome. John Davies Spokane WA

I hope we can continue to post feel-good pictures of our Olivers here. No special subjects, just pics you want to share with the forum. You can post links to your videos too. I have started a collection of time lapse videos, some of which include “Mouse” in the foreground. My YouTube videos: .... https://m.youtube.com/my_videos?disable_polymer=true&csn=4GZbW-OHFMr2-gOLmJrwAw I washed the Ollie today after towing 3600 miles, the RejeX did great and the bugs came off with minimal labor. I used a gas leaf blower for the frst time, to blow off the water. It did great. I followed up with an easy wipe down with cotton rags and the trailer is shiny again.... I emptied the rear bumper bay and this is what the pressure washer drove out: I wish there were an effective way to seal that space off from the dust. Here is a Homegrown wood trailer (Kirkland Washington builder) we spotted at a rest stop. Post your random Ollie pics please. John Davies Spokane WA

With my factory installation and a “barely there” Verizon signal, I do have to put my phone pretty much directly under the inside transmitting antenna. With my wife’s Jetpack, we just set it on the table and it works fine throughout the cabin. We haven’t tried using the Booster outside at all. I haven’t tried David’s trick of turning the phone to Airport Mode briefly to get it to hookup to the Booster rather than a distant antenna. I was initially not thrilled with the performance of the system, but it has brought in a 2 bar connection when my phone showed No Service, so it does indeed work, and I would not be without it for remote travel. The Wifi Booster is of no use to me all and I left it off the build sheet. I used the money saved to buy an inReach for emergency communications. John Davies Spokane WA

Actually, 23.5 is what your ball “should” measure when the truck is connected to the trailer, ready to tow. How much higher it sits disconnected is the quandry, and it depends entirely on your truck model and hitch used. You can get close by guessing, but may have to do some tweaking to get the trailer riding close to level. An adjustable ball mount is useful, as is air suspension or rear airbags. That is with the Anderson and 12 psi in the bags to bring the truck’s butt up to level. It rides great and looks right... John Davies Spokane WA

This is a crosspost, but it might be interesting for those learning about the 200.... You can use Low Range on pavement if needed, something that very few other vehicles can safely do. It’s a great feature. http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/have-you-used-4wd-low-on-public-roads-and-highways/ John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks very much Randy, I had not seen this video. It is pretty thorough. The guy runs his own Land Cruiser shop and he was at the NW Overland Rally last June in Plain WA and gave a very entertaining 1 hour off the cuff talk. He really knows overlanding. Good guy, great trucks. I would buy a nicely kept four year old 200 with 75,000 miles long before I would buy a brand new Chevy Ford or Ram. It's a way better vehicle. Oh wait, that is just what I did. John Davies Spokane WA

Ideal except that is a good way to blow out the rear driveshaft u-joints. That is a heck of a lot of torque going through just one shaft and one axle. I would really worry about it .... but those old Cummins are great engines. I tried to find a list of full time 4wd trucks and SUVs with a transfer case, that allow use of low range on pavement, but came up empty. Can anyone provide a link? Maybe the Grand Cherokee with QuadraTrac II? John Davies Spokane WA

Hi Bob, it is rated at 8300 pounds trailer, 850 pounds tongue weight, I have 2 inch oversized LT tires which lower this number a little. Axles are 3.90 (higher than the Tundra's 4.10). The trailer is typically about 6000 pounds loaded. I do not monitor oil temp, though it is possible to do it with the Scangauge. ... https://www.scangauge.com The transmission oil pan temp normally runs around 195 F, the same as the coolant temp, slowly spiking to 205. The torque converter temp is normally the exact same as pan temp when the converter is locked, but it quickly spikes to 220 when unlocked on short climbs and 230 on long climbs. The highest I ever saw it was 235 for a short period on a really nasty grade. I am running Toyota ATF which I believe is semi-synthetic. I plan to do a full flush and service with full synthetic ATF. The 200 has a seriously overbuilt cooling system, you would really have to try very hard to hurt the truck. It is a tank - keep the fluids and filters changed and it will run forever, and take you through hell and back again..... unlike the older 80 Series I used to own, you never have to worry about coolant temps. John Davies Spokane WA

I am unafraid of using the full capabilities of my truck. We drove north from Fruita CO on a very hot afternoon heading to Dinosaur National Monument and stumbled across the wonderful Douglass Pass. It is a set of hairy switchbacks dug into the end wall of a precipitous box canyon. It is neither high nor steep compared to many others in Colorado, but it is challenge pulling a trailer due to the VERY tight turns, average 7% grade and no guardrails. Plus semi-truck traffic. It has a 20 mph speed limit and you can’t maintain momentum through the turns. Rather than struggle up in first gear while straining the drivetrain, I pulled over and engaged 4 Low and went up it t 4000 rpm in fourth gear, at up to 30 mph on the straights. Transmission torque converter and pan temps, and engine coolant temp remained normal, using my Scangauge, and I felt in full control. The truck felt happy and under no strain. All these really hard passes have a pulloff at the top for viewing the scenery or fixing your broken car, so it was easy to pull over and get out of 4 Low, and also take a lunch break while absorbing the beautiful scenery. I have used 4 Low a few times before while towing up or down super steep Idaho switchback backroads, up to 18%, but never before on a busy highway with other traffic. Anybody else done this? I was very pleased with it in this particular situation. It would not work if you had to drive much over 35 mph, and you must plan for a place to stop at the top to get back into High. Let’s hear your stories..... Caution: you can only do this on high traction surfaces if your truck has a center (third) differential like my Land Cruiser, or you may cause very serious damage to the system. The front and rear axles must be allowed to turn at different speeds .... https://sites.google.com/site/awdand4wd/ This is something to consider when buying your next tow vehicle.... John Davies Spokane WA

Sherry: Honestly after seeing what’s available in Whitehorse, I can’t blame RVers for choosing an asphalt parking lot over the so-called “parks” in town. We paid for one night at a park and it was one of the most crowded places we’ve stayed outside of Las Vegas. If local Whitehorse RV parks would do some upgrades so that guests weren’t crowded in like sardines, and have more full hookup campsites available, more of us would be willing to spend the $35 – $45 per night at their shoddy establishments. I know I would. We have only overnighted one time at Wally World, It was not a memorable experience, but when there are no other choices, you make the best of it. I wish more stores would allow overnighters and enforce the one night stay, by chalking the tires and calling the cops if people do not move on promptly. Better yet, open some actual secure pay RV spots in store lots that have the room. It would be an opportunity for Walmart to embrace the RV community and also make some money. Similar to what many Native American casinos are doing..... Washington is simply stuffed with them. ... http://www.casinocamper.com/rv-parking-locations John Davies Spokane WA

UPPER SUNSHINE RESERVOIR. The area around Cody is insanely busy in summer, and finding a place to stay that doesn't require a reservation and $50 per night is very hard, especially if you do not have a fixed arrival date. It is one of the main "feeder towns" that tourists go through on the way to Yellowstone and Tetons. We wanted to revisit the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, and avoid the Parks, but we could not find a place to camp. A little research turned up this gem.... About 30 miles south lies Meeteetse WY, and due west are a couple of irrigation reservoirs; while both offer camping and water access, the jewel is the Upper Sunshine Reservoir, the western-most one. It takes about half an hour to drive there from the town, along a stunning valley with views of the jagged glaciated mountains south of Yellowstone. Most of the access road is high speed WY highway. The last 4 miles are well maintained gravel and dirt (possibly very slick when wet, definitely dusty when not). Location map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Upper+Sunshine+Reservoir/@43.968422,-109.1090158,11z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x534c5725b1e82ec9:0x278afb15aaf5ba06!8m2!3d44.0490298!4d-109.0627262 Run by the Wyoming Department of Fish and Wildlife, it is a well maintained area with lots of dispersed camping, a boat ramp, pit toilet and lots of fish. It is definitely brown bear country, and you must take appropriate food precautions, but all we saw were antelope and a little Jack Russell terrier that repeatedly weeweed on Mouse's wheel. It is very popular on weekends. Midweek, it is not crowded. Most of the day-fishermen pack up and leave by 400 pm. We elected to camp on the shoulder near the (non-busy) boat ramp because we were worried about thunderstorms. Some of the dispersed spots would be very greasy after a heavy rain and we needed to be gone by 700 AM to get to the Buffalo Bill museum by 800 am when it opened. Even in summer there were a lot of birds including some American Avocet, which has a cool "Doppler Shift" call and curved up bill, and we had never encountered any of those before. The sky was threatening and overcast, and we had a brief downpour at midnight, so we could not do any star gazing, but it should be a great location for that in better weather. Timelapse sunset: https://youtu.be/N8ejZg49EWQ Highly, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if you are in the Cody area! Five stars, well maintained, isolated, free. Meeteetse is a pleasant, prosperous little community with a Conoco and a chocolatier, so it is a good spot to refuel the truck and the wife before heading to the Cody Mess. The highlight of the Cody Firearm Museum for me was: The Colt Navy 1861 revolver, serial number 1: [attachment file=IMG_6752.jpg] ...and the Longmire tv show display. Here is Walt's badge: ...and the entire display with his Winchester and 1911, and Vic's Glock and badge; I need to rewatch the series now..... John Davies Spokane WA

My 2 cents: The Tundra may or may not be OK without the Anderson, depending on the Elite II weight, but my suspicion is that it will be marginal at best, and over bad roads you will be swearing a lot. The bouncing will really stress the rear axle and shocks, and the passengers. Other than the hitch issue, it will do a good job towing, better than my Land Cruiser, since it has a lower axle ratio (4.10 vs 3.9). The engine is a real beast but you have to work it hard in the high 12% mountain grades - rev it to 4000 or higher and it will be fine. If you want worry free towing, get a 3/4 ton diesel truck, use a dead weight hitch and don't look back. It's a much better choice. I always ask this question when folks want a recommendation like this: WHERE DO YOU PLAN TO TOW? It is a very important factor that you need to consider. Florida vs Colorado is a huge difference. John Davies Spokane WA

You should worry about any sharp dings that might tear the seal when you put the hub back onto the spindle. Dress the one visible with a fine file and use very fine sandpaper (400 wet or dry, or finer) in a circular pattern on the surfaces that the seals ride on. If there is a groove worn on the spndle, you can install seal saver rings to make the surface smooth, if really bad you might have to scrap the axle. Use high quality Timken or SKF inner seals, not your typical $2 Chinese junk. Those are notorious for leaking, which will ruin your brakes. ... https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B001544U88/?coliid=I312K0P0Q25BPI&colid=305M5TXY22I7S&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it John Davies Spokane WA

Cool, we are leaving at 0800 Sunday and are planning to drive on the Interstate. It’s about 600 miles, maybe we can rendezvous Monday evening. Will there be cell coverage (Verizon)? Can you send me a PM with your cell number? I guess we could just poke around the area looking for a clone trailer. We may need to stop in Idaho Falls at Andersen Hitches, I have been trying to get a new friction cone and may have to knock on their front door for the correct one. They sent me the wrong part, apologized and then sent me overnight the correct one, but it hasn’t arrived yet. I may have to put the worn one back in for a couple of days and live with the groaning..... The factory is literally minutes off our planned route. John

Thank you Alison, those were helpful comments. I do not know Colorado well, I just research a lot, and we have visited five times, to various parts and in various vehicles, over the last forty years. Gates of Lodore was one place I had planned for, but if it is busy with drunk rafters, we will go elsewhere to overnight. Funny how the National Monument web page doesn’t mention that feature. We both really like the state but it is so darned busy in Summer (compared to WY and MT, away from the big parks.) Unfortunately, it is hard to camp off-season with a travel trailer when you want to be 10,000 feet up. The most memorable trip was in 1980 in a poorly insulated RWD van conversion, over New Years, camping our way through the UT and AZ National parks. Our cooler water refroze every night. We had blankets on our laps when driving, to trap the feeble warmth from the truck heater. It got so cold we finally stopped at a motel in Fairplay, plugged our box heater in and stuck it in the engine compartment and slept well inside the room. It was 25 below and howling wind outside. We were both younger, tougher and way more clueless then. Snowshoeing in Bryce! Woohoo! John Davies Spokane WA

Go back to my March 22 post and click the bold link in the text, not the attachment at the bottom. If that doesn’t work I will convert it to pdf. This forum has problems with attachments. John Davies Spokanw WA

Any comments on Rifle Gap State Park? I have it waypointed as a possibility. I have not camped in the moutains in this part of CO, just passed by, headed south.... any other recommendations in the NW part? We plan to do Dinosaur NM and Black Canyon, and maybe return to Colorado NM, for a longer stay than last time. Also Flaming Gorge if not too busy with boaters from SLC. John Davies Spokane WA

East of Idaho Falls, west of Jackson.... http://www.greater-yellowstone.com/Swan-Valley/Palisades-Reservoir.html We will be passing through at least once on our next trip, it looks gorgeous and there are lots of possibilities. We are trying to stay clear of the Teton Jackson Yellowstone hustle and bustle. We could stay one night near Palisades on the way down, but might revisit the area on the way back if it looks promising. Any suggestions? Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

Cool, we are headed down through MT and the SE corner of ID starting Sunday, en route to Colorado. Maybe our paths will cross. John Davies Spokane WA