John E Davies

What are the warranty terms for the scale part, and can you buy that part separately (or the orings) when it starts to leak hydraulic fluid? I would be really worried that having the coupler come down with a bang could wreck it. The ones that are not built-in like yours are known to be a little fragile (the gage itself, not the plunger and housing), and sometimes sticky operating after storage. Do you tow other heavy trailers? If so your hitch should be a very useful addition. For an Ollie, not so much. Do they offer a smaller version with a 1000 pound scale? I really like the appearance of a forged and polished aluminum hitch, like yours and my Anderson, but I don’t expect them to look very pretty after years of use (especially in winter), and you can’t just recoat them with spray paint. There are a lot of specialty hitches and couplers that appear with claims of revolutionizing towing, and many of the makers fold after a few years. It is really hard to tell when a new design is going to be a success.... please post a towing report and a few long term followups. You are rightfully concerned to be wary of theft. That is a gorgeous hitch, and you should always remove it from the truck when not in use! John Davies Spokane WA

Did you raise the tongue? Any water left in the tank can be sucked out using the water pump, _before_ adding antifreeze (capture it in a bucket at each faucet). Or you can open the tank drain valve and let it drip a long time.... What small amount is left will be of no consequence. If you don’t elevate the front significantly (at least six or eight inches), you can’t effectively empty it, this is simple geometry. It’s been a while since I watched that video, does it discuss raising the front for complete draining? If so, then sorry for my comments.... John Davies Spokane WAa

This is on my Honey Do list. Mine is currently under the street-side twin bed. I will move it outside the compartment about 18 inches off the floor. I will put it close to and inline with the mattress so the lights do not bother either rear sleeper. Fortunately there is lots of slack in the cable. That Oliver choses to install a REMOTE display inside a hidden compartment is mind boggling. You need to be able to see it from near the front door at a glance, without disturbing the bedding or removing stored items. You need to be able to switch it off easily. I actually would much prefer it to be mounted under the entry door light switch panel, but I don’t want to string a new cable under the floor. Has anyone asked why they chose the rear buried location? John Davies Spokane WA

This is simply excellent! Don’t load that back bumper too heavily... John Davies Spokane WA

Mark, please start a new thread for this discussion since it is only vaguely on topic. The bottom line for that mod is that there is no way to access the gray tank to flush it out when it develops nasty hard deposits from “solids” floating into the gray tank, and you cannot insert a wand or dump a bag of ice into it and drive on rough roads. Don’t do it! Unless you add and use a pressurized water flush system such as in place in the black tank, then maybe it would be acceptable. In regards to having to service the poo tank every five days, that is just plain wrong - IF you keep the TP out of it, the solids will dry up quickly, decompose and the volume is reduced. If you have access to a public toilet and both use it every now and then you should easily be able to extend the service interval to a month, if not more, for two people. If boondocking, then yes definitely the service intervals will be reduced. The toilet is a COMPOSTING toilet, not a storage tank, you need to let the bacteria do their work in breaking down the contents. This means not sterilizing the poo container between servicing, and especially not dumping it out weekly!... If the tank needs jump starting, then you could add a septic tank biologic treatment. John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks for posting. I have not weighed my trailer yet but intend to, sooner or later. However I do have a 1000 pound hydraulic tongue scale and recorded similar numbers to yours, with much better accuracy, I am sure. 720 pounds with three full jerry cans on the cargo tray. (2 steel gas, 1 plastic water) 600 pounds with jerry cans empty. This is for a II loaded for travel with full fresh tank only, no generator or other extra heavy cargo. I do encourage owners towing with light duty vehicles to buy and use a tongue scale, this stuff is worth knowing. Those with HD trucks should not bother unless you tow other heavy trailers. Caution: a tongue scale does not include the weight of your hitch coupler, be sure to weigh that separately and add it to the scale value! A big WD hitch with steel bars is darned heavy! ... But some of that weight is carried by the front axle. Truck scales are not especially precise, they are good enough for commercial rigs weighing 20 tons.... Also, the type and number of batteries you have will have almost no effect on tongue weight since they are directly between the axles. Stuff loaded on the back bumper or tongue will, in a huge way. John Davies Spokane WA

Did they say if they will send a shipping label and ask you to return the old one? How does that work exactly? I have a bunch of extinguishers in cars, house and shop. Two are affected. My big main units are higher quality brands (rechargeable with steel valve and handle. The cheapies are sort of left-overs that I scatter around where I think an extra one might come in handy... The one in my Ollie is a First Alert and not affected. John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks for the comments. I ordered THREE of the Camco ones, for $8.50 shipped, as a Prime add-on item. LOL. That is cheaper than driving a few miles to Wally World. I will try to keep it lubed when one is installed, using silicone grease, but as cheap as they are I will consider them to be disposable. John Davies Spokane WA

Mark, that is a really long and rambling video, can you highlight their main points? I did see the part about bugs - how unsettling - and that was definitely user error since they tore the filter. I am thinking about installing a washable pleated filter at the inlet (K&N or similar) that will have way more surface area than the little bug screen, yet be unaffected by splashing water during a shower. I have never noted any smells, but it is imperative that the Natures Head fan operates continuously.. John Davies Spokane WA

There are a number of different diesel treatments that will extend that 30 days into _many_ months. Biobor was the original, designed for jet fuel in the 70s, if I remember correctly. It was a really big deal for the general aviation community when it finally migrated from military use to the civilian market. The problem is biologic growth (algae and fungus) that occurs in the water/ fuel boundary. The beasties live and breed in the water, and eat the fuel. With a good maintenance routine that includes high quality filter at the outlet, constant chemical treatment (I STRONGLY recommend Archoil AR-6200) and especially draining condensation often, long term storage is not a problem. If you are lazy and cheap, you have a real risk of introducing badly contaminated fuel into your very expensive high pressure fuel system. If I wanted more range I would just add a bigger Titan tank in place of the OEM one, and rely on the OEM filtration, or a good aftermarket twin filter setup, and skip the big Exxon Valdez in-bed tank. Those take up way too much room, I would rather have that volume devoted to a fresh water tank for boon-docking. Titan offers a 30 gallon aux tank that goes under the bed in place of the spare tire. I would rather carry my spare in the bed, and have all the heavy MESSY fuel under the truck.... with a small aux tank you can burn up all the fuel routinely and not worry about a large amount of aging diesel sitting up high in the bed. http://titanfueltanks.com/titan-spare-tire-auxiliary-fuel-system-for-gm-2011-2017-4010211 The guys that buy and really need those huge in-bed tanks are the ones who rack up 60,000 miles per year hauling trailers across country. They don’t make a whole lot of sense for the casual retired RVer. My Ram 5.9 Cummins had a 36 gallon factory tank and I never came close to running out. These diesels have pretty long “legs”. John Davies Spokane WA

November 2, 2017 Remedy: Consumers should immediately contact Kidde to request a free replacement fire extinguisher and for instructions on returning the recalled unit, as it may not work properly in a fire emergency. Note: This recall includes fire extinguisher models that were previously recalled in March 2009 and February 2015. Kidde branded fire extinguishers included in these previously announced recalls should also be replaced. All affected model numbers are listed in the charts above. Recall information for fire extinguishers used in RVs and motor vehicles can be found on NHTSA’s website. Incidents/Injuries: The firm is aware of a 2014 death involving a car fire following a crash. Emergency responders could not get the recalled Kidde fire extinguishers to work. There have been approximately 391 reports of failed or limited activation or nozzle detachment, including the fatality, approximately 16 injuries, including smoke inhalation and minor burns, and approximately 91 reports of property damage. Sold At: Menards, Montgomery Ward, Sears, The Home Depot, Walmart and other department, home and hardware stores nationwide, and online at Amazon.com, ShopKidde.com and other online retailers for between $12 and $50 and for about $200 for model XL 5MR. These fire extinguishers were also sold with commercial trucks, recreational vehicles, personal watercraft and boats. Full list of affected units and contact info here: https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2017/kidde-recalls-fire-extinguishers-with-plastic-handles-due-to-failure-to-discharge-and Kidde's recall page: https://inmarmarketaction.com/kidde/Kidde284US/ John Davies Spokane WA

No offense intended, but what is your risk tolerance? If the heater stays running, and the temps don’t get too low, your pipes will probably be fine. What if it gets way colder than predicted, or the furnace doesn’t light (for example, the igniter fails, or the bottle runs dry and doesn’t switch over)? An RV furnace is in no way like your home furnace, other than the basic operation. It is cheap, of minimal build quality and much more prone to failure than a home unit. You can probably get away with leaving water in the pipes near the outer hull penetrations (service ports and shower) but one cold morning you may find yourself with a rupture. It isn’t a big deal compared to a wood framed RV with household insulation and plywood floors, but it will still be a big PITA to deal with and it will most definitely ruin your winter vacation. I live where zero degree winter nights are common and 15 below is not at all unusual. Having had burst pipes in a couple of houses I guess I am maybe a little over-sensitized about this. It is always prudent to take extra steps to protect your expensive equipment. Be aware of what might happen, and take steps to minimize any bad consequences. John Davies Spokane WA

What tires did you choose, and why? I am running Nokian Hakka LT snow tires right now (they work great), but will be buying a set of Nitto Ridge Grapplers next spring for my other set of wheels. Both are 275/75R18E (33.2 inches OD, 11 inches section width). I ‘ve never owned Nittos before but they are really well regarded as an agressive hybrid AT/ mud tire. John E Davies Spokane WA

I have been using this clear one for seven months and one of the tabs snapped off with very little force on it. It does not appear to be very durable. Rather than buying two more (including a spare in case the new one breaks), can someone recommend a different version that is durable? Preferably clear so I can see the fluid level, but that is not critical. How about the Camco one? It has four hooks, not two, so it should be stronger. I can buy three for the price of the Valterra: https://smile.amazon.com/Camco-39463-Sewer-Hose-Connection/dp/B000BQKBP2/ref=pd_sbs_263_6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=NX652H5MYYJNFXHCDRZ7 Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

If you want to put a bigger picture in with the text, click the place you want it to go, then drop down and select "Insert into content". Like this: It isn't necessary but sometimes you want the pics to flow in a certain order with comments, like for a travel report. Nice truck! John Davies Spokane WA

I haven't winter camped in my Ollie so take this with a grain of salt, or a whole shaker of salt. Even if you have the inside toasty warm that section of the plumbing is going to be vulnerable. If you keep the bed on that side lifted and the access hatch open, it should stay plenty warm, but that doesn't help at night when it is coldest and you want to use the bed. There is no hot air ductwork on that side of the floor. I suggest that you do a partial winterization, as I did last week. Using compressed air, blow out the outside service ports, all four, and be sure to open the shower taps to clear those lines. Then use a hand pump to put a few strokes of antifreeze into each port. For the shower, make sure that you see pink coming out there, then close its valves. You can skip the tank fill port, just blow it dry, otherwise you will inject a little AF into the tank the next time you fill it. We don't drink that water anyway, so I don't care if a few ounces of AF gets into 32 gallons of fresh water. The outside ports will self drain and empty the lines all the way in to the check valves, just be sure to always give them some time to stop dripping before you put the dust covers back on.If you trap water in that section between port and check valve, it will definitely freeze. John Davies Spokane WA

With the cargo basket, you may possibly have some interference if the trailer is at a severe angle to the truck, if it is straight, no problem. Your HD truck is tall enough to clear the Bulldog coupler. My Ram 3500 had many inches of clearance, my Land Cruiser 200, not so good. The latch on the tailgate would hit the top of the coupler. I added larger LT rated tires (33 inches, 2 inches larger) to the Cruiser, which raised the ball over an inch, which allowed me to adjust the height of my Anderson hitch down one hole. Land Cruiser: You do not need the Anderson hitch. A standard (dead weight) ball mount extends about six inches out from the receiver, you can order a longer one that measures nine inches if you feel you need more room. The longer mount does make it a little easier to maneuver while backing, the risk of bumper or tray damage due to colliding with the tray is reduced a little. Normally you want to keep the ball as close to the axle as possible, but with your stiff truck you will never feel any difference. Here is the Ram setup with a nine inch (extended) bar.... you can see how much room there is: If you don’t need the tray, don’t buy it, and you will have tons of clearance. I think the tray looks cool as heck, and I use it for lots of stuff, but not for a generator. That is a horrible place to locate an expensive piece of power equipment. IMHO. John Davies Spokane WA

The unit you are talking about is a smoke/ co detector located in back up high. The propane detector under discussion here is the one located under the dinette table, since propane is heavier than air the unit must be near the floor (and close to dog butts).... If your smoke detector is going off you can try to clean it, dust can cause false alarms. Remove it and blow it our with compressed air, that may fix it. Sonetimes they just fail and you have to replace them John Davies Spokane WA

Try to come early in the summer season. Fires have been really bad the last few years and by July the skies will most likely be horribly smoky. Bozeman is a wealthy upscale yuppy town with lots of high end shopping. The Gallatin River valley has a superb fishing river and obviously the big Parks are just to the south. What do you like to do? Do you plan to visit other parts of WY or MT? For how long? Do you like ghost towns? Remote backcountry byways? Water sports? Backpacking? Biking? I love Montana...! Tell us the things you like to do and it will be much easier to make suggestions. The first step is to order the MT visitor guide info if you haven’t already. They have some beautiful brchures. John Daves Spokane WA

Ray, itwill take about a minute to flip one blind, if the clips are installed correctly. I suggest that you add inspecting ALL the clips personally, with your own eyeballs, to your delivery checklist. You or your Oliver delivery representative can take them off and look at the clips, then flip the blinds when reinstalling. If even one clip is cocked (outwards at an angle), tell them you need ALL of the plastic spacers to be drilled out and installed correctly and in alignment with the frame... Taking down the blinds should not worry you, it is so easy and you need to know how to do it anyway for cleaning and possible service. If your blind installation has a problem, then delivery day is the perfect time to have it corrected. Good luck and enjoy your new Ollie. And please report here what happens. John Davies Spokane WA

I haven’t personally used one, but you need to look for a large grippy platform and a mounting system that eliminates flopping back and forth, and ideally it should work with the gate up or down. These are pricy but they are much better, WAY better, than what you posted. AMP makes top grade accessories like the power retractible side steps you see on lifted trucks.... https://www.pickupspecialties.com/Power_Step/truck_bed_step_bedstep.htm Keep in mind that you will be using it in the dark, when rainy or muddy, and you need to be sure you won’t slip off. That would ruin your day.... there are a whole lot of unsafe, poorly made truck accessories - a step is something that you don’t want to skimp on quality. John Davies Spokane WA

Nope, I have all the measuring and ordering info, but I want to design, fabricate and install the cross piece that will support the rear of the mesh panel BEFORE I order. “Measure twice, order once”, or something like that..... I will start a new thread on each of these projects as I complete them. Don’t expect anything right away, I won’t need it until April ;( BTW, Stone Stomper is willing to offer a price reduction and reduced shipping (in bulk) for a group buy, but I have no idea how big the savings, and the odds of getting ten or so Ollie owners to agree to buy at one time are slim, I think. Have you contacted them and asked for the Information Packet pdf? There is lots of great info there, but they specifically prohibit publishing it online or forwarding it. They are rightfully concerned about guarding details about their well developed and tested design. John Davies Spokane WA

I have a couple of winter projects scheduled: Rear mudflaps Stone Stomper gravel guard Both require substantial aluminum brackets and/ or channels secured crossways to the frame. In front I may be able to use square stainless ubolts such as are used to hold on the cargo basket. In back, near the jacks, the hull prevents anything from going over the top of the frame rails. Any suggestions? Welding on some angle brackets would probably be the simplest and strongest ... I do have a local welder who is very good .... but I am a little leery of welding the frame for a few reasons. I could drill sideways through the rails and hang angle brackets by passing 3 inch long stainless bolts and nylock nuts through the frame. I am leaning toward this method. Any suggestions or warnings? Do the frame sections have moisture weep holes installed or are they sealed up tight? If so I would drill a small hole near each bracket, on the bottom, just in case any water got in through the new holes. Any pictures or designs for mudflap brackets that you would care to share? Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

Bill, do you catch your gray water and containerize it, or let it go down the drain? How did that work out for you? John Davies Spokane WA

Got any to share? I spotted this rig a couple of weeks ago at Fort Spokane COE campground. It looks very scary to me, but it does get the trailer off the ground... I do however admire his Oliver wheels and Cooper AT tires. Got any others? John Davies Spokane WA