John E Davies

This truck is very cool, has a tuned diesel with big turbo, built transmission, 1 ton drivetrain and wheels, 4wd, and you can have it for $135k. https://jalopnik.com/how-to-build-the-chevy-suburban-diesel-that-gm-wont-sel-1821199538 I reckon it would pull an Olle OK.... but they never mentioned the actual tow rating. John Davies Spokane WA

I have towed our II with a Ram 3500 diesel and now a Land Cruiser 200. The 200 has similar power to a 5.7 Hemi (381 bhp/ 400 ft lbs,/ 6 speed) BUT it is body on frame, very stout and it is rated at 8500 pounds. There is no way that I could recommend any Grand Cherokee if you plan to visit the rest of the countey, the Rockies especially. It just doesn’t have enough reserve capacity to be safe and secure in 100 degree weather, a 30 mph headwind, climbing 12% at 10,000 feet. You need reserves for the ugly situations that you will inevitable encounter. You can plan to travel dry (empty tanks) but that puts some serious limitations on where you can camp. Keeping the fresh tank full stabilzes the trailer (since it is positioned so low) but it adds about 250 pounds that must be counted as payload. The other tanks can and should be empty when towing, but sometimes even that is not possible... Tongue weight on my Mouse with a loaded generator tray is 700 pounds. You can travel lighter, but a generator has to go somewhere. Putting one in the back of the TV would load it down as much as having it on the tongue. While you may really want a GC there are a ton of reasons why it is a poor choice. You need to be considering a pickup sized vehicle. A large properly equipped SUV like a Sequoia, Suburban or Expedition would work very well, or even a full sized van, which could be fitted with wheelchair lift if that is ever needed. John Davies Spokane WA

I don’t think anyone is suggesting that you put the Oliver panels at 45 degrees, But it is very easy to just lower one side and raise the other, by several holes. That way the snow will slide off and not puddle and turn to sheet ice. Freezing is what does damage, not so much the dead weight, unless you are talking about several feet of wet stuff. I can’t comment from direct experience about charging, but I suspect that a couple of inches is all that would be required to shade them. Tilting will probably take care of your worries about charging, since even partially cleared panels will charge a little. Ones sitting under a coating of snow, probably not at all.... John Davies Spokane WA

Welcome, I think the only big factor for you would be hooking up the Anderson hitch. It involves some effort and bending. If you get the bigger trailer and pull it with an appropriate larger tow vehicle, you can get away with a standard dead weight hitch which greatly simplifies the process.The Anderson works well but it is a pain in the butt, in general. John Davies Spokane WA

If you are pretty sure the snow is going to melt completely, leave it. If it may freeze and turn to ice, then it would be good to remove it. The panels are glass, treat them as you would an expensive car windshield. They won’t scratch unless they are dirty (gritty). Personally I would not use any kind of residential roof rake or floor broom, you need to be careful about hitting other stuff up there. I suggest a step ladder and a long extendable auto snow brush, with the brush at 90 degrees. Like this excellent one (with push button lock).... https://www.amazon.com/Snow-Moover-Extendable-Squeegee-Scraper/dp/B077BF5KQR/ref=sr_1_4?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1513017449&sr=1-4&keywords=Snow+brush+long You can tilt the panels a few degrees away from the awning, that will help. Don’t tilt the other way or the snow will pile up behind the awning. While you are up there, just clear the whole roof ;) I wish we would get some snow, it is dry, cold and the air is stagnant... John Davies Spokane WA

That is funny since I just upsized to 33 inch Nokian LT Load E snow tires (+2 inches) and bought a single Ridge Grappler in the same diameter which is hanging under the truck as a spare. In spring I will buy three more and use a Nokian for a spare. I bought an extra set of reconditioned factory wheels, so they match. I haven’t driven on Ridge Grapplers but they are very highly rated, quiet, and probably the best “hybrid” AT/ Mud tire on the market. The tire sales guy told me he loves them and runs a set on his own truck. That is always good news. Don’t run those high pressures on your truck when empty, it is not needed and will give a harsh ride when not towing. I am running 42psi in my Nokians with a 5400 pound 200 LC. Ihaven’t felt the need to go higher when towing with a WD hitch, but I certainly would raise the rears with a dead weight tow. [attachment file=81025] John Davies Spokane WA

Well, if you feel the need to have one readable from outside, put it in the battery compartment. Plug into shore power, if nothing happens, flip open the access door to see why.... Having it inside is not a big deal. There is a 10 second lag anyway as the unit analizes the incoming power and decides if it is OK, so you can look in the left window to see when your microwave display lights up, or wait for the audible kachunk of the relay. If neither of those happens you can go look at the inside display for an error code. I really like having a continuous visual monitor inside showing the amp load. When I am hooked up to say a 15 amp circuit, I can easily keep track of things like the box heater and converter and switch stuff off if needed. IMHO an outside display would be cool but a needless expense. There is no way I would put an electronic device outside down under the curve of the hull, it is vulnerable to rocks strikes and gets fire-hosed on wet roads. Having a constant blinking light outside would be a real irritant to a neighbor and a “Steal Me” sign to a thief. At delivery I found a generator plug in a drawer, it was needed for my Yamaha 2400 to connect. Or I could just bypass (turn off) the suppressor, but under generator power I REALLY want that amp display. John Davies Spokane WA

Reed, my Land Cruiser specifies 87 at all times. I haven’t tried a higher grade, but I do really like the way it runs with ethynol free 87. It is smoother and noticebly peppier. Maverik stations typically have it for 20 cents more. After reading your post I may try a higher octane at higher altitudes (87 instead of 85). Did you install LT tires or does it come with those? The ten ply tires are stiffer and your ride will suffer a little, but stability while towing on curvey roads and emergency maneuvers is greatly improved. Plus you won’t worry about sidewall slashes on gravel roads. John Davies Spokane WA

Be sure to place the SPOT flat on its back, the antenna is under the logo and should face straight up for best performance, with no metal obstructions. In any location, test operation before closing things up. I have a bunch of pics of the area at the sign, from my backup camera install. They can be found on that thread or I can repost them here ... John Davies Spokane WA

I have a comment on Tracking with a SPOT. I have used one since they first came out many years ago, originally while motorcycling. It is very nice to have a "bread crumb" trail for would-be rescuers to follow if you disappear, for example, ride your bike off into a ravine and become incapacitated. The SPOT device requires a clear shot at the sky, and any terrain or trees that are in the way will result in missed track points, sometimes for up to 30 minutes (using a ten minute setting). If your cry for help does not get received, the bread crumb trail may be the only way rescuers would know where to look. So if you routinely camp in the wilds of the Idaho forests, with steep canyons and constant tree cover, do not expect much out of a SPOT. If you are in wide open terrain, it works very well indeed. For tracking a stolen trailer, it will work up to the time the thief parks it inside a barn, but maybe that bread crumb trail will get the cops close. And its continuous signals will be received again when the trailer is removed from cover. UNTIL THE BATTERIES DIE. Thus I recommend that you power the device from the trailer wiring, and not rely solely on batteries. John Davies Spokane WA

The wire is very flexible flat phone cable and can easily be bent back and hidden so that only the connector is visible. You do need to make a big hole (about 0.5 inch) for the connector to pass through, but that hole can be behind the case, not below it. Otherwise I agree 100%. It is not a very attractive unit. I may end up painting mine bright white to blend in better. Overland, the main suppressor unit is darned big, I do not know the measurements. Maybe somebody else could help. John Davies Spokane WA

This is so easy..... I never understood why Oliver decided to mount my remote display underneath the street side mattress in the electronics compartment. After all, it is a "remote" so it should be installed in a remote location from the suppressor. Fortunately there is a good amount of slack in the cable. I chose to position it just in front of the street side bed and in an area that offers protection from bumps and bangs, yet will still allow me to see it without disassembling the bedding. Here is a shot from the same angle with the interior lights out, showing how the reflected light is blocked by the bed support: And this is a shot from the curbside bed (right next to the galley) - I can see the display by lifting my head up but normally the light will be blocked: I haven't tried sleeping yet with this arrangement. If the light is still bothersome, it would not be hard to temporarily put a piece of black tape over the display. I would have preferred it to be located close to the entry door, under the switch panel, but did not feel like buying extra cable and stringing it under the floor. This works fine. John Davies Spokane WA

Update: I towed about 800 more miles since posting. The wear on the ball seems to have stabilized (as shown in the first pictures). I am going to live with it for now. I am still unhappy but if needed I will get a new 2 5/16 replacement coupler and matching Anderson ball. John Davies Spokane WA

It’s hard to imagine calling somebody who owns a small uber-quality $60k trailer cheap...... But I am frugal in other things.... I suspect it is the non-frugal people who buy new stick built trailers that lose all their value in a few years.... one reason I picked an Ollie is that they do not depreciate much. Frugal is good, cheap is not. John Davies Spokane WA

Nice pic. I sometime have a glass of hard cider and never even considered that it might be illegal to do so outside. Here in WA at the State Parks it is 100% legal in campgrounds and picnic areas. Intoxication and rude behavior is not. I guess TX is different. Is there a list of “public use of alcohol in parks” laws, by state? I would appreciate a link. I would not want to get cited or hauled off to the pokey for having a bottle on my picnic table.... that seems pretty silly to me. John Davies Spokane WA

Peter, Dexter does in fact make drum backing plates with a “parking brake feature”. Instead of a round top post for the shoes to rest against, there is a cam with two flat surfaces, and a shaft that extends to the inside surface of the plate. On the shaft is a short arm or lever - number 28 in the drawing. This is designed mostly for offroad/ military utility trailers. The system requires a brake lever at the front of the trailer, usually on the tongue, plus cables that run back to the brake parking levers. You simply pull up on the brake lever and the shoes on one (or more) axles are engaged hard. You can leave the brakes set indefintely. Even with a parking brake setup, you should always chock the wheels, just in case. My rule is “Chocks under both sides of one axle, always, before uncoupling from the tow vehicle...” Never ever unhook the trailer without making darned sure it cannot roll. This is the sort of situation where a parking brake would be very helpful - turning around on a nasty jeep trail that is only 10 ft wide.... John Davies Spokane WA

Angus, part of the equation is occupant comfort, both while towing and while unladen. While a big gas motor can perform acceptably well up high, it will never feel effortless. You will spend a lot of time with the engine wound out in the lower gears, ocassionally smacking the steering wheel with your hand in frustration. At 10,000 feet your little V8 is only supplying 60% of its factory (sea level) power. It can be very frustrating for the people inside to be in a vehicle that is simply underpowered for the task. A modern turbo diesel will lope along at low rpm in a supremely relaxed manner. My Cummins 5.9 could climb steep grades while towing 6000 pounds at 4000 feet in overdrive at 1600-1800 rpm, no problem. The only way you would know it was working hard was to watch the boost gage. At 13,000 feet on a 12% climb, it was foot close to the floor in second gear, but it would still accelerate. The turbo supplies the extra air that is needed up high, so power loss is not dramatic. My new TV is a Land Cruiser 5.7 with 400 ft lbs of torque and a six speed auto. It pulls the Ollie without a problem, but it is in no way effortless, and as a result it is not as relaxing an experience. I have to use the gears and rev it to 4000 rpm or more. It is rated at 8500 pounds so it isn’t close to its limit. When empty an older HD truck will beat you up on rough pavement. That is the main reason I sold the old Ram, it was hopeless and painful on rough back roads and choppy freeway. Forget about forest roads! The newer HD trucks, a Ram 2500 in particular with independent airbag rear end, is actually comfy. I am very fond of the Power Wagon 2500 with the 6.4 gas engine. You will need to decide which factors matter most to you. A big truck optimized for towing works great but you may not want to drive it at other times. The sweet spot for an Ollie appears to be a long wheelbase “heavy half ton” with a turbo gas motor, like the F150 Ecoboost, or perhaps the Ram 1500 Ecodiesel. Either would pull your trailer up the steep high grades, yet be easy to live with hauling groceries. You can certainly try your van, but I would caution you not waste much money trying to improve it. It is not the best starting point for this purpose. A set of rear air bags and HD shocks wouldn’t cost much and might make it OK for a years trial. After you have some experience pulling your Ollie you will know a lot more about what will suit you best. John Davies Spokane WA

If you lived down below 3000 ft I would say, go for it. But having towed my Ollie on the Million Dollar Highway with a turbo diesel, I can say that you will be COMPLETELY unhappy with the towing performance and it will suck fuel like you would not believe. You really need to consider a diesel. They make towing at 10000 ft a delight. If you get a HD model you won’t need a weight distributing hitch, nor will you have to worry at all about payload. The Elite II is compact but, if you buy many options, it is a heavy little guy. You need more truck.... or else buy the smaller trailer. Your van simply does not have enough reserve towing capacity for those high passes. Sorry for the bad news. John Davies Spokane WA

Peter, Lake City is a lovely town. My wife and I will be staying in the area mid-July 2018. We would come sooner in the summer but we really want to make sure the high passes are open and dry. We plan to park our Ollie at one or possibly two places while we make day trips and explore in the Land Cruiser. We visited in 2008 while driving solo, rented a Wrangler in Ouray, and drove half the Alpine Loop, and we came through again with the Ollie last May on our way back from TN. But we really want to spend some time there, a week at least. I know this is off topic, so if you would start a new thread about RV boondocking (free preferred) in the Durango/ Silverton/ Ouray/ Telluride area, I would _greatly_ appreciate some suggestions and tips ftom a local. We like high passes, views, ghost towns and cool old towns like Lake City... Do you have room at your place for a visiting Oliver? I would love to meet you. Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

Is this too much radio? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QMTI6YK/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00QMTI6YK&linkCode=as2&tag=radiojayallen-20&linkId=PDEBKMRRH7A5WL2E It is well made and gets very good reviews, I bet the manufacturer has simpler models if you don’t care about listening to pilots. It does have the ability to use rechargeable batteries and plug into a USB port. https://radiojayallen.com/c-crane-cc-skywave-radio/ These little SW radios are fun to play with when you are bored or have a child that needs entertaining.... John Davies Spokane WA

Dave, the anode rod has a steel core so it is unlikely to fall off. Even if it did, it would be easy enough to drag out of that big hole. There is nothing else at the bottom of the tank - the heating element is further up. Be sure to clean the threads on the anode and also inside the hole before reinstalling with new thread sealer. John Davies Spokane WA

Bill, As an older person I understand your reluctance to depend on a cell phone, but often change can be good. Just leaving it turned on might allow rescuers to find you if you are alone and become incapacitated. There are many more uses for a tablet than a phone, but you still have to have that darned signal for much of it to function. I would never go off highway without my iPad and its several nav programs, for example. But I do download maps so I can use it anywhere. Would I ever consider turning off my phone or tablet? Never... they have too much value, even away from reliable cell coverage. I might not have a signal for half an hour, then I get a bar as I approach a saddle, and I am back in touch again, so I can send a short “I’m OK” text to my daughter. With it turned off I would never know that I even had a connection. I do carry and use a SPOT but that is a whole other subject. John Davies Spokane WA

I can’t recommend a particular radio, are you looking for something that will work outside of cellular coverage? For times when you have a signal, there are apps that are very useful, for example... http://www.nixle.com My real fear is getting trapped at the end of a dead end forest road by a forest fire during summer camping season. I don’t know of any way to stay informed about those other than logging into the wildfire websites, or waiting until a sheriff’s deputy comes screeching past yelling into his bullhorn warning folks to run for your lives. It would be comforting to have push notifications for fast moving or shifting fires... but then again, with no cell signal you are screwed. John Davies Spokane WA

Welcome! Click “See an Ollie” at the menu bar up top, that brings you a map of owners that are willing to show their units. There is one in Ft Collins and one up in Cheyenne, plus a couple in AZ. You may have a road trip in your near future.... Send a request to Oliver, one of the sales folks will email and call the owner(s) with your contact info, then the owner(s) will connect with you directly to arrange a date. It works pretty well, the only problem is when you want to look at two units in one visit, you might not be able to scync them with the owners. Also, in choosing a unit to look at, make sure that in inclement weather or darkness you will be able to adequately see everything. Visiting an Ollie that is stored in a dim warehouse or parked outside in a howling blizzard will be, well, unproductive, at best. These are beautiful trailers, try hard to view one that is clean, well lit (the outside) and with all features operating (not completely put to bed for the season). John Davies Spokane WA

Found the warrant terms. One year on the gage (“accurate to 50 pounds”), lifetime for the rest. They do not mention ball wear, but I bet it is not covered. https://www.weigh-safe.com/warranty/ Like the Anderson, they require you to pay shipping and send it in for evaluarion. If you are mid-journey and have an issue, you are screwed for a week or more. If you have a HD truck, it would be smart to have a standby steel hitch and ball in case your super duper one fails. Otherwise you might be parked for a while while it gets resolved by the maker. Just saying.... FYI a 1000 hitch scale is accurate to 20 pounds. John Davies Spokane WA