John E Davies

I requested baby pictures many times and never received one. They were pretty busy at the time, so I kind of understand, but it would be a nice PR gesture to send one or two when the hull gets attached to the frame.... Also, the sales staff relocated from the factory to a new office a mile away, so it is harder for them to just drop by the production line. John Davies Spokane WA

... preferably lithium iron phosphate chemistry like the Viking one sold by Harbor Freight https://t.harborfreight.com/lithium-ion-jump-starter-and-power-pack-62749.html https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_iron_phosphate_battery So far I haven't been able to find a single other brand that uses this safe and stable technology. I will not store a large lithium ion battery pack long term in either Mouse or my Cruiser. The fire and explosion risk bothers me too much. I may get the HF one and pay for an extended warranty, since the factory one is just 90 days. I need to be able to jump the 5.7 V8 in my truck. There is so much conflicting info, wild and absurd claims, and so many carbon copy clones of these jumpers, that I am just getting confused. Comments? Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

If you are spending big money on a new garage, consider sizing it to accept a standard big RV. That way the resale value will be MUCH higher. You only need 10 ft to clear an Ollie but IMHO you should go with 16 ft ceiling and 14 ft high door. ... http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/attached-rv-bay-pics/ The ceiling has to be two feet higher than the door opening so there is room for the tracks to go.... unless you build a sliding barn type door. Good luck. John Davies Spokane WA

I just threw mine in the trash. All it does is catch junk and it is extremely hard to clean behind. After cleaning the gelcoat (wow it was nasty!) I think the trailer looks way better without it. I don't think I will mind it being gone since it never rains around here long enough for me to worry about spending time under a deployed awning while it was coming down ..... I do plan to add a gutter over the side and back windows this winter. BTW, mine came off in one pull in about five seconds, leaving no glue residue behind, but it had only been on there four months.... Has anybody else intentionally removed it? Any regrets? I think this should be a no charge option, to just leave it off during the build..... and to also leave off the permanent ink guidelines the tech drew on the fiberglass as an installation aid! Maybe polishing compound will get them off. ;( John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks Reed, I have the regular deflapper and it wants to comes off. I'll order a pair of the magnum sized ones. What brand ball bungees do you recommend? I want some about 12 inches long with lots of stretch. Too many of them only have a few inches of range. Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

Bill, thanks, I guess I will wait for the field reports to start coming in. I wonder why they went with a steeper taper? Maybe it's easier to remove the insert when it starts to squeal? As overland suggested, maybe I will just pop mine out and slather it with ant-seize lubricant when that happens. LOL.... That would be messy. John Davies Spokane WA

I think it comes down to how willing you are to fuss with the pump, or pay somebody to fuss with the pump, year after year. I never had one in an RV but I did in a power boat. It worked GREAT to empty the 30 gallon holding tank into my home toilet with a long hose strung outside to where the boat was sitting on its trailer. This would also work for your Ollie, but please never, NEVER, EVER leave the far end unattended and simply stuck down your toilet. If it should fall out un-noticed while your were outside running the macerator, you can imagine what your bathroom would look like, and smell like. And what your wife would say..... I did have to clean and lube the impeller annually or it would get sticky and stall the motor, and I also was sure to flush it very well with lots of fresh water after each use. I can't recall the brand, it has been 25 years. For my trailer, I much prefer low-tech, so I did not even consider the macerator, but bought the composting toilet instead. No regrets here. John Davies Spokane WA

Any more details on this new improved more-better version? I expect that it is easier to connect. Are those plain steel bushings or are there urethane inserts? I suspect one reason for the extreme cost of a brand new Anderson hitch is that they have to figure in the cost of a LOT of warranty parts exchanges. That isn't bad, it is just an observation. I am glad that they are standing behind the product. John Davies Spokane WA

I tested the brakes locally and they work great, no more lockup of one brake. I was able to dial up the voltage to 9.5 and they seem to be working as well as they ever did - strong and even. Maybe too strong - the rear drawer flew all the way forward and ended up under the bathroom door..... John Davies Spokane WA

Sage, the wear you posted is not the same as the wear I am experiencing. Mine is highly concentrated in one area and it is eating out a deep canyon in the steel. There is no way that this can be considered "normal". I heard back from Bulldog and the only way they will do any kind of warranty exchange is if I send them the coupler and the Anderson ball for "evaluation". The rep did say that the coupler should not wear the ball like that if kept lubricated. He did not address my questions about the special way the Anderson "back loads" the ball very heavily. There is no way I will risk having my trailer inoperative during the summer - I have many trips planned. I will send them the two parts late this Fall and see what happens. I plan to ask them to send me a 2 5/16 inch 10K coupler, and I will order a 2 5/16 inch Anderson ball. I hope that the larger surface area will mitigate the wear. I also plan to do some very close inspection and testing with Dykem machinist layout dye to find the high spots on the coupler and then either grind or lap them down, BEFORE towing. Hopefully my existing coupler is a bad one. I can't imagine them all being that roughly forged inside the ball cavity. John Davies Spokane WA

With a HD truck you do not need any kind of WD hitch, period. With just about any light duty pickup or SUV you need one since the suspension and payload is too soft to handle the tongue weight and the dynamic loads. I pulled Mouse 3300 miles with a simple ball hitch, behind my Ram 3500. My new TV is a 2013 Land Cruiser and there is no way it can handle the trailer without WD. It all depends on what you are pulling it with, and which model trailer. I think my 200 would pull an Elite I just fine without WD, with the addition of airbags and adjustable shocks. Finally, you don't need sway control with an Oliver. John Davies Spokane WA

One of my straps tore free because there was no washer under the little screw head to spread the load. They were all like this: Fixed: John Davies Spokane WA

I started finding stray hardware in my overhead cabinets, I took a closer look and found this: The holes are sized for a number 8 screw. The installed hardware is a number 4 FINE thread screw with a number 6 COARSE thead plain nut run down it. Whoever did this had his head in a very strange place indeed. The plain nuts rattle loose and the screws fall out. Then your expensive door can bang open and break out the hinge screws or worse. Simply unbelieveable! Here are the 8-32 x 3/4 stainless panhead screws and nylock (self locking) nuts that I installed. The washers are optional: For most of the latch plates I was able to get them to adjust back far enough to eliminate play. Some ran out of adjustment (probably the reason the too-small screws were installed) so for those I ground part of the head off the screws and also filed the slots in the brackets a little longer, so I could get more travel back.. I also checked and tightened as needed all the hinge screws. Please check your hardware, let us know here if you find the wrong size installed. Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

Some more pics! This is the floor under the toilet, after cleaning the area. It gets a little dirty under there since it isn't sealed in any way. You can see the black tank, which has no hole or flange for the regular toilet. I am surprised at that, all it has is a small hole to one side, capped with a translucent pvc plug...???? You can also clearly see the unused fresh water tap that needs to bypassed by blocking the hose to it, for winterizing. The toilet emptied of its, uhmmm, contents and stuff, ready to be refilled. The old stuff was very benign and did not smell at all, I just secured it in a heavy leaf bag and added it to the trash. You are NOT supposed to clean out this area, leave the remnants behind to help kick start the new batch of good bacteria.: A fresh batch of coconut coir hydrated for about 45 minutes. The toilet is filled just to the agitator center line (no higher or it gets hard to turn!), and there is enough left for another fill. I bagged and labelled that extra material and set it on a garage shelf with my other RV supplies, so my wife would not pot a plant with it: Not shown is the pee tank receptacle. I drilled three 1/4 inch holes right at the bottom facing the center of the bathroom, so any accumulated shower water would naturally drain out instead of getting trapped there. We are both liking the toilet. It does take a little regular maintenance but it's in no way hard, just different from a black tank system. We like being free from dump stations, tho we still have to deal with the gray water. But that is not a big deal out West. John Davies Spokane WA

Raspy, I am unsure how you came to the first conclusion since it is the exact opposite of my experience..... there always seems to be some shoe rubbing whenever the wheel is spun by hand. If you spin the wheel on an unbraked utility trailer it turns with much less effort. Even Dexter has this to say about drag, from their electric brake service manual: "Then rotate the star wheel in the opposite direction until the wheel turns freely with a slight lining drag." Whether or not the drag is enough to actually reduce mpgs by a measureable amount is another matter entirely. I have zero prior experience with the new Dexter self adjusting brakes (like mine), which adjust while braking forward as well as the usual reverse direction, like a 30 year old car.... maybe this new system brings more issues into play. John Davies Spokane WA

Do you mind explaining that last part? How can adjusting ball height affect weight in any measureable way? Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

It may not matter to some, but I personally would never choose a vehicle that nauseated me every time I looked at it. The NV is one strange truck. My neighbor has a large brood of young kids and uses one of the passenger versions. The six year old was walking around up on top of the roof when I drove by the other day...LOL The weird nose compromises interior volume, so in addition to being butt ugly, it isn't actually a very efficient design for hauling cargo compared to a real van. That 5.6 l gas engine is very nice, but it is RWD only, a real handicap. On a very long list of possible tow vehicles, mine at least, the NV ranks dead last. Especially with a nightmare interior conversion like in Post 21 of that link. ... what were they thinking? John Davies Spokane WA

I just want to add that since you are going to be full timing, driving comfort is PARAMOUNT. A truck that rattles your kidneys on choppy or broken pavement will be agonizing in the long run. On any test drive, seek out the absolute worst possible roads to drive on, and go a little faster than you would normally, to see how rough, or cushy, it is. Be sure to focus on seat adjustability, lumbar support and general comfort. Don't drive a Land Cruiser, it will spoil you rotten.... John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks, I am aware of that recommendation. The shoe linings did not look bad or glazed and I scrubbed them multiple times with brake cleaner. Maybe that was enough. Replacing parts becomes a slippery slope..... if I replace the left front shoes, then I must also replace the right front, since you should always do the same on each side of an axle. Then the new linings are not bedded. So the other brakes will be working harder, causing them to wear more. If you dial up the current to get full braking, the other axle brakes will lock up. If you dial back to avoid those locking up, you get increased braking distance. Neither is good, so maybe I should install FOUR new sets of shoes! That's what a brake shop would recommend. Manufacturers recommendations are "worst case", if you follow them exactly you won't go wrong. But they are not always the best choice. I'll see how this goes before deciding if I need to put in two new sets of shoes.... BTW, I have been doing my own brake jobs for 45 years, it isn't rocket science but there are some things that can trip you up. Like carefully driving in that fourth and final grease seal, with your mind sort of running on autopilot, then discovering you left the bearing out.... and then you have to make another trip to the bearing supply store for a new seal! John Davies Spokane WA

The clips on Mouse were installed incorrectly, like so many of the little nuisance things I have been fixing over time There is a thin, very hard plastic spacer behind each steel clip. The installer drilled a small hole straight through the spacer and the window frame, then drove the screw down. Anybody who has installed two parts together will understand why this is so very wrong. The hole in the spacer MUST be larger than the hole in the window, preferably the same diameter as the outside of the screw threads. With a bigger hole the clip will pull down hard and flat against the frame (into perfect alignment). With a small hole the clip can rest at an angle, which prevents the ears from fully engaging the blind frame, and it holds the frame too far out, so the next clip is also less than fully engaged! The frame comes loose there and can fall off during travel. Once all the clips are ALL lying PERFECTLY flat, you can rotate them or bend the ears outward for extra gripping force, and the frames should stay put. I fixed two at a rest break, while my wife and son watched with amusement, on my last trip and I will redrill them all sometime. I was going to do a "How To: REInstall Your Blinds Properly" thread. Maybe you could do that, take pics, otherwise it might start to look as if I am angry about my trailer..... I'm not, really, I love it, I am just increasingly frustrated that one or two sloppy/incompetent/ untrained/ hungover/ part time/ unsupervised/ rushed/ whatever technicians could have screwed up so many little and seemingly insignificant installations that care and common sense would have prevented. John Davies Spokane WA

There are a number of aftermarket 4wd conversions, Sportsmobile, for more radical trucks, and Quigley, more mainstream, are the big names. The OP could order a new van with added 4wd or get theirs done later. http://www.quigley4x4.com The Sprinter is now available with a VERY good factory system with low range and added ride height, but that truck is marginal for the bigger Oliver. Any if the full sized vans will tow well with a proper engine selection, but I agree that 4wd is highly desirable! A big downside is that repairing the engine is lots harder, since access to the back is through the cab. Most mechanics hate working on them and you will pay extra labor cost. That may be acceptable to you, to get the huge cargo volume they offer. Any of the 2500 or 3500 vans (and most trucks) will ride uncomfortably when lightly loaded. A half ton pickup makes more sense in this regard, you can get a long bed and install a canopy, to maximize cargo space. OTH the latest Ram 2500 with rear coil springs rides very nicely. You won't find any HD van with that design. John Davies Spokane WA

I took all the hubs off and found a slight grease leak in the one brake that was locking prematurely. I cleaned the bearings, drums, and brake assemblies and everything looked OK, with minimal wear. With a couple of exceptions. Both left axle stubs had some sort of black crusty stuff where the seal runs. I've never seen this before, can anyone comment? I cleaned them both up with a red scotchbrite pad: And I decided to buy real seals, not the crap stuff from China that is sold everywhere. These are USA made, obviously better quality (by visual comparison and at the recommendation of my favorite NAPA parts guy). I had to get them from a bearing supply, cost was $4.59 each. I STRONGLY recommend these for your next brake or bearing service; poor quality seals will mess up your brakes after a few thousand miles. I suggest you order four, throw them in the spares kit and use them yourself, or tell the shop to use them instead of another brand. https://www.amazon.com/Timken-473336-Seal/dp/B001544U88/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503898998&sr=8-1&keywords=Timken+473336 I used Redline Cv2 grease in the bearings, removed the adjusters and lubed the threads with silver antiseize, and sprayed a liquid grease on the cams, magnet pivots and self-adjuster cable guides. I hate drum brakes, they are such a pain to work on. Hopefully they will work right now.... for a while at least. John Davies Spokane WA

Right turn, left turn, right turn, straight, right turn..... It's very typical of north Idaho highways and especially back roads...... The fun eastern part of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is 100 miles of tight hairpin turns. So is the Million Dollar Hwy in Colorado. Left turns will tend to keep the drawers closed, in right turns the G force tries to open them, and sometimes succeeds. The Soft Close latches are pretty weak. When they are open and you hit a bump, spatulas go flying. It is really wierd to enter the trailer and find the drawers closed but lightweight kitchen stuff in the middle of the isle, or under the table. I am sure this happens in all of these trailers, to a certain extent. Most owners are unaware of it. I was tempted to duct tape my phone to the bathroom door to video the action, but I never got around to it. If it happens even a little, it can damage stuff, rip the screws out, bent the mount latches. Not good... it is best to restrain the drawers for any enthusisatic and/or twisty driving. Specially if you store heavy items in there. John Davies Spokane WA

Our dresser drawer opened and popped the screws out of the wood within the first 50 miles. Whe have not been using it while moving. I am going to install a locking stainless latch in that drawer, the same as the two outside locking compartments. It shouldn't be hard to do, but I am waiting for Winter for that one. I'll start a thread on that mod. The dinette cushions will stay in place if you turn the vertical ones 90 degrees so that they are against the outside wall, slighly wedged under the table. That is our preferred orientation for eating and travelling. They stay in place pretty well. John Davies Spokane WA