John E Davies

THE FRONT HITCH: Note the wire harness secured out of the way near the centerline of the hitch, so it can't bind or get damaged. I added another big nylon tie to secure the part near the coupler bolts. Oops - my tailgate latch contacts the coupler, though it clears the receiver bracket easily when the trailer is not attached. More witness marks - the instructions call for those bolts to be torqued to 150 ft lbs with no load on them. That did not seem right to me.... I did that, and the aluminum mount visibly shifted up and back in the bracket after towing. These bolts need to be tightened with a FULL CHAIN LOAD on the hitch. I greased the ball. Anderson says no grease is needed, but that is bogus. Although the ball and coupler rotate in sync, the parts still move up and down under tremendous load and they need a good synthetic lubricant. The shackles chafe the powder coating on the A Arm so I added a stainless flat washer under the top part only. These shackles need to be tightened, then loosened slightly or you will have trouble getting them disconnected later. Once there is tension on the chains, they are not going to loosen! Hook up: My truck was perfectly aligned with the trailer, so I wanted to see if I could connect the entire system without taking off the A Arm as Anderson recommends. The adjuster nuts were backed off to half engagement with the threaded rods. The truck was positioned close to ideal, in line with the coupler: Entire assembly was lifted up and slid into the truck receiver, and the retaining pin and lock installed, I pulled the truck forward a smidgen, lowered the coupler and we are connected: All that is left is to tighten the big adjuster nuts as per instructions, lower the tongue and check the trailer and truck for correct leveling. Adjust as needed to get the load shifted away from the tongue. More to come: John Davies Spokane WA

Duplicate post, sorry.

REAR BRACKET INSTALLATION: The front (Anderson calls them "inner" I think) plates are sandwiched together in front of the rear chain brackets. There is interference at the bottom at the weld as shown. The brackets can't be rotated back close to the main brackets without alteration. Grind a big radius on the bottom of each bracket as shown, to clear the welds on the other pieces. These are hardened steel parts and cannot easily be sawed. Here is the final installation. The rear brackets have to be rotated forward at the bottom to eliminate any clearances between bolts and frame that would let them slip under the very high chain tension. I used a big dead blow mallet, with the hardware snugged down a little. When I had everything positioned where I wanted it, I hooked up the chains, put them under some tension and torqued the four nuts to 90 ft lbs. It is very important that the bolts are at 90 degrees to the frame member and not cocked (angled). View looking down - note the great access: There is potential for the right chain to chafe or bind against the jack tube. Mine cleared OK, but I added a small Quick Link (sailorashore used two) to bring the chains together at that spot for extra clearance. The smaller Quick Link is used because the 1/2 inch ones won't go through the holes. There is minimal side load on it since the chain angle is almost 180 degrees. After towing 45 miles I re-torqued the four rear nuts -I noted no movement but they did take a little extra tightening. Rather than count turns which is not very precise, I chose to measure the length of the threads extended past the nut. For my heavy tongue load (710 pounds, of which 130 was water and gas) I needed 7/8". I plan to add the figure for a lighter tongue load later.... It is easy to set the nuts using a small pocket tape measure. I added extra 1/4 inch nylon ties to keep the light wire harness up tight and out of the way. Clearance is not an issue. I then added witness (slippage) marks so I could tell at a glance if they have moved. More to come... the front part. John Davies Spokane WA

I would like to thank John Shkor "sailerashore" for this method. He talks about it in great detail with pictures of his installation starting on Page 3 of the Anderson FAQ: ... http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/andersen-wd-hitch-faq/page/3/ I won't go into every single detail of the actual work, but will post my pics and add comments where I feel they would be helpful. A word of warning, if you want to install this hitch yourself you need to be very comfortable working and grinding metal, and have the proper tools to do this right. Putting the Anderson parts under the middle tube is very easy with excellent access. The loads on the brackets are pretty much straight so there will not be any twisting or loosening due to very high off-center loads. MATERIALS LIST: 4 feet Chain 3/8 G70 Zinc plated 8800 pound working load (truckers chain) @ $3.50 per foot 2 Quick Link 3/8 inch plated, 2200 pound working load @ $2.68 each (used one, kept a spare) 2 Quick Link 1/2 inch plated, 3300 pound working load @ $2.08 ea 4 Bolts 5/8-11 x 5 inches Grade 8 (1 inch longer than the provided soft bolts) @ $3.01 ea 4 Nuts 5/8-11 Grade 8 self locking @ $1.16 ea 4 Washers Grade 8 ("Thru-hard") @ $0.96 ea I bought all this stuff at the Spokane Fastenal store. Any commercial bolt supply company will have it. You won't find bolts this big at the box stores! THE INSTALLATION: My tow vehicle is a stock 2013 Land Cruiser 200. I needed the 4 inch kit and I decided that I would have to cut off the very top of the steel bracket for tailgate clearance. Cutting the bracket, it is mild steel and cuts easily but you need either a vise or a metal cutting band saw. These are big thick pieces of steel we are working with. The piece removed and the bracket smoothed using a bench top belt sander. Painted with gloss black brake caliper paint - my favorite for this kind of touchup because it requires no primer and it is tough and pretty. So much for the easy part, the chain cutting is tough! You can't touch this hard chain with a bolt cutter. The store uses a huge hydraulic machine to slice through the links. I used a bench top grinder to cut most of the way through a link, then I used a bolt cutter to break the rest. It took about fifteen minutes per link, with dunking in water - the steel gets hot! Rear bracket location: these parts need to be positioned so that there is some fore and aft adjustment and also some room for the inner plates to be mounted in front, as reinforcements. I selected the very middle of the open area below and in front of the propane bottles. I installed them with the hardware loose so I could bash them into position if needed using a dead blow mallet. Here is the chain and hardware: I originally bought 8 washers but ended up using them only under the nuts. Here is the chain mocked up to see how much I would have to cut off. The reason for the extra long length is in case I screwed up, and also to give me a spare chain of the correct length. Here are the two pieces cut to the correct length - 12 links. IMPORTANT NOTE: chain comes in different configurations and the chain you buy might require a different number of links, so figure it out by mock-up before cutting. Note the grinding marks on the links, and the vice grips needed to hold them. More to come, I do not want to lose this work. John Davies Spokane WA

Does anybody know more about this rig? I saw it at this thread, which covers the recent 2017 Northwest Overland Rally in western WA. Which I did not attend, though I would have loved to inspect this closer..... https://expeditionportal.com/the-vehicles-of-nw-overland-rally-2017/ John Davies Spokane WA

Yes, always ALWAYS bring at least a slim fold up RV ladder if you don't have room for something bigger and sturdier. Every trip. You never know when you might have to fix something or clear a stuck branch. It is not polite to go borrowing ladders..... IMHO. BTW, all the lock washers and flat washers were in place, the knobs just were not tight enough. John Davies Spokane WA

First of all, it is 8 feet wide and the Ollies are 7 feet wide, so..... this one won't work. A narrower one might possibly. Your stuff inside the drawers would get really trashed if you towed in inclement weather or on unpaved roads. The "sturdy steel frame" will rust quickly due to road debris and rock strikes, and it will be a seriously horrible PITA to keep it nice. If you want extra space consider the rear cargo platform that is an unlisted option. It is engineered for your trailer and is made of the same high quality aluminum. Or add a cargo pod of some sort on your tow vehicle's roof. Did that help? John Davies Spokane WA

Here's a pic from the ground, showing a tie: John Davies Spokane WA

Three days after we took delivery of Mouse, I climbed up my ladder for a check of the roof. Everything looked fine, except for the solar panels. Three knobs were slightly loose, perhaps a 1/16th of a turn. One was a full half turn loose. This is dangerous since a loose or lost knob could wreck the panel and possibly the vent and AC unit behind it, especially if you are towing into a stiff and gusting headwind. I got out my Dewalt driver drill and modified the knobs so that I could secure them tight. I can't recall the hole size, probably 1/4 inch, big enough for a standard sized nylon wire tie. This is just like safety wiring a bolt using steel wire, but the advantage is that the big white ties are highly visible from the ground, so you can include a visual check of all four as you do your final walk around before leaving. You must route the tie so that all the forces are acting to tighten the knob. I think this should be done at the factory, but in the meantime I strongly recommend that everyone with panels on the roof secure the knobs. A better fix would be to drill out the threaded inserts and install through bolts with self locking nuts, but this would make it very hard to reposition the panels for cleaning the roof underneath.... Here is a question: have you ever checked them? If not, then please do so before your next trip. They may be loose.... Be safe. Here is my Werner convertible ladder in action. It is good to have access to your roof, always. John Davies Spokane WA

Hey Karen, I for one am not mad at you, I agree 110%. Some folks at Oliver are obviously upset at the public responses here about QC, but they should knuckle down, hire capable workers, train them well, and just fix the darned issues without delaying too long. Not fixing the fresh water problem for a decade is crazy bad PR IMHO. I plan on keeping Mouse indefinitely since there is nothing out there that is better, but I don't like having to fix the factory mistakes and goofs. No way. John Davies Spokane WA

Do you mind telling us how you adjust the N2 pressure? Do you carry a small high pressure bottle, and do you think that is safe? Could you use regular 140 psi compressed air from your OBA system through a dryer, and an aviation strut pump? https://bogertaviation.com/products/15x-strut-pump I'm having a really hard time imagining how this adjustment could be done away from your shop..... Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

I hope at the very least they add up-to-date pictures, not ones showing obsolete equipment, and also rename the Twin to Two Bed, since the beds are not actually Twins. They are Bunk sized, but calling it an Elite Bunk would really confuse people. Which I am still pissed off about, BTW. (Note my signature.) John Davies Spokane WA

Bill, what were the environmental conditions when you were painting? Hot and dry? Humid?h The fast drying problem may be related to the weather as much as the product itself ....? Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

I'll post some inside pics and info in another thread, it will take a long time to pay back the investment in an RV bay. This was fully insulated, sheetrocked and is 16x43x16 tall .... but it cost $30K. But I got the garage insulated and sheet rocked free as part of the package, so that helps. OTH: Having the Ollie close by and completely out of the weather is priceless.... If you plan to live in the house a long time, not die too early, and continue to own an RV, then go for it! They are becoming extremely popular with older folks who are downsizing as the kids move away. John Davies Spokane WA

I will be interested to see your follow up reports. But I have to ask, why not just have it sprayed professionally with permanent white bed liner material? John Davies Spokane WA

I have no direct experience, but the Land Cruiser guys really like the SOFT Timbrens, read here. https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/timbren-front-and-rear-bump-stops.478192/ Good luck. I am hoping I don't need airbags since I love the soft cushy OEM ride of my 2013 LC and don't want to mess it up (or the wonderful rear articulation) ... why are Timbrens so darned expensive? There is about $5 worth of material in a $300 kit! John Davies Spokane WA

I will put any tow vehicle info and pictures here in this new thread as I get my new 2013 Land Cruiser 200 sorted and adjusted. Today I mounted the Tekonsha P3 from my old Ram onto the dash, below the wiper stalk. It is the best spot that I could find. I popped out the switch panel that has four dummy unused switch plates and mounted my P3 bracket through the top two plates, using 8-32 x 1 inch stainless machine screws with 1/2 inch long nylon spacers and nylock nuts on the back. If I decide to remove the controller, all I have to do is buy two new plates and pop them into place. I used a Tekonsha Toyota wiring adapter and ran the cable out from under the dash to the right of the OBD connector. The unit is blocked by the wheel when steering straight ahead but is easily seen if the wheel is turned a few degrees, and it is super easy to reach the buttons and, most importantly, the Emergency Lever. I tow tested the Ollie for about 30 minutes and it is definitely in need of an Anderson hitch, which I ordered today. It tows well on smooth roads but the butt end of the truck pogos badly over large undulations and dips. It never felt out of control, but the steering feels light and it definitely does not feel settled and comfortable. Here is Mouse hooked up the the Cruiser, butt low in my driveway, in front of the RV bay, AKA "The Hanger Deck". Tongue weighs 575 pounds with one gas can full and the other three empty, using my nifty new hydraulic tongue weight scale. The truck settled almost 2.5 inches under the dead weight. More to come, my hitch arrives in three days. John Davies Spokane WA

Self adhesive shelf paper, trim around the perimeter and hinges afterwards with a hobby knife. You could use plain white, or be bold with a less orthodox choice: https://www.amazon.com/Duck-Brand-Smooth-Shelf-Liner/dp/B00OES7YS0 I suggest that you dress (bevel slightly) the very sharp edges with a emory paper and water first. I haven't done it yet, but it is on my Honey Do List for winter. I also plan to install restraining lanyards so they can be left open 8 or 10 inches for ventilation (drying damp clothing), without risk of scalp lacerations. John Davies Spokane WA

I didn't think the Pikes Peak drive was scary at all. Exhilerating, for sure. No guard rails except for the outside of the tight turns, but it is wide, striped and very well maintained, paved clear to the top now, and no sheer cliffs. I would be very reluctant to tow Mouse up to the top, but without a trailer it isn't especially spooky. Unless you have never driven in mountains before.... on a scale of 1 - 10 it is maybe a 3. If I recall correctly RVs are discouraged, so it is just cars and pickups... going 25 mph. The elevation near the top is a big factor if your vehicle does not have forced induction and you are heavily loaded. Going down you have to use your very lowest gears and go slow. Just like any other serious High Country mountain pass. The average grade is less than 7%. http://www.pikespeak.us.com/Essentials/driving-tips.html http://roadtreking.com/climbing-pikes-peak-rv/ John Davies Spokane WA

It's not outside, it is inside the cabin, on my trailer (Hull 218).... In the top pic, one of the water pump fittings is barely visible to the left (forward) of the board. It is hidden by a yellowish plastic splash cover, remove two philips screws after unplugging the igniter cable and low voltage connector. The board is stuck down with tape. Guard the screws with your life, they want to roll down and vanish into the dark recesses, and you can't retrieve them with a magnet. I suggest that you buy the aftermarket board mentioned above, unless you can find a free one. I don't know why they put the board there. Right next to a water system component that needs regular servicing (filter cleaning) is NOT a good location. I would have selected a much drier spot in the aft compartment. There is no reason for it to be in a quick access compartment... John Davies Spokane WA

Great pics! I agree that the night shot with the sunset is gorgeous. Are those from a cell phone or something fancier like a DSLR? I used to carry a Nikon D40 on all our trips, but my iPhone SE takes such darned nice pics that lately I don't bother, but it would be better for landscapes, definitely. Tell us about your bear .... uhm, dog, please. He's a big guy. Does he sleep in the trailer or the truck? John Davies Spokane WA

This paper booklet comes in the box with the scale, and I think it is one of the best and most complete guides to safe trailer towing that I have encountered. I am confident that even the crusty old farts with 40+ years on the road will learn a few things. Download it, read it, and save it for future reference. http://sherline.com/Wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/lm_book2.pdf When I have tried out my new 1000 pound scale I will post a review in a new thread. I did set it on the ground and I stood on the post. The gauge read 150 and I weigh about 155, so that is a good sign. https://smile.amazon.com/Sherline-LM-1000-Trailer-Tongue/dp/B007REJTGI/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1499310528&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=Sherline+tongueweight+cale John Davies Spokane WA

Good news on the customer service. I wonder if heat would help free up a stuck liner? If you cooked the ball mount in boiling water for five minutes I bet it would pop free from expansion. Wear heavy leather gloves! Aluminum expands like crazy when heated. Did you try a big dead blow mallet on the sides of the mount when the truck was in the air? That's how you get tapered ball joints and tie rod ends loose, by smacking the sides of the part with the hole. John Davies Spokane WA

Here, I am sorry for drifting away from the thread subject. I have only owned the 200 for 24 hrs. I have already removed the rear jump seats, rigged a cargo barrier net in back, and a pet hammock for the dogs in the middle. I am waiting on my adapter harness so I can mount my P3 and then see how the truck works towing.... The Ram is in the background. I got a heck of a good trad- in value for it - the non-emissions diesel trucks are in VERY high demand. More pics in a new thread, later. John Davies Spokane WA

John, wow, that was a great and detailed post. Thank you. It is easy but a little unusual to add pics from your computer. You do not need a web host. Look below the text box at "Attachments". Click "Select File". A popup window will open. Navigate to the folder where your image is (I move mine to the Desktop for quick access) If you are using a notebook you will need to navigate to your pictures app. Select the image and then hit "Choose". Your pic will upload and appear at the bottom there. You can add more pics by selecting "Add another file" You can delete a pic by using "Remove this file" If you want your pic to appear in the text box with your description , click a location and then drop back down and click "Insert into content". It's a little odd but the method works great and if you put your pics in with your commentary it does look very nice. Please upload some pics of your Anderson setup! PS, you should NOT list your email address on public forums. It is asking for it to be hacked. You can edit your post to delete it. Always use a Private Message for sensitive stuff. Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA