John E Davies

I do the same. I tried renaming them, so as to group them by title: "RV - 2017 Oliver Elite II Owners Manual". "RV - Trailer wiring harness schematic" Works well within my iPad, but the name change is NOT saved when you sync with iTunes, so the value is pretty much lost. The only way to make the name change permanent is to move the files to a separate folder on your computer, rename them there, delete all the original files from iTunes, then move the renamed ones back in. My iPad is really crippled compared to my iMac. I love Apple products, but sometimes their stupid software "features" makes me spit flame.... iTunes (and iBooks) especially. John Davies Spokane WA

While I haven't been there yet, my plan is to spend just the first night there with all systems plugged in and running, to make sure it all works. Then move on to a hookup-free site to test the solar and water systems in a "primitive" setting. As other threads here indicate, if you don't test _everything_ how can you be certain it will work when you need it in a week or a month? Meriweather Lewis is FREE and a short distance away but is heavily shaded, so I hear, so it wouldn't be a good place to test solar, but you can do that anywhere the sun shines..... Another option is to explore the surrounding area for a few nights, staying at different places and putting some miles on the Ollie, to make sure it tows as it should. That's my plan. BTW I dislike paying $30+ for a site, especially for one with lots of amenities that I neither need nor want. There are a very few non-commercial places to stay, but they are hard to find in TN and sorely lacking in numbers compared to ours West. All the state parks are heavily commercialized. I guess the government quit spending on them? John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks for all the pics. I understand the syphon setup. Please explain to me why you have two slightly different lengths of hose. I just brought home six feet of clear 3/4 reinforced hose to make a suction hose for filling from a bucket. If I attach the other end to my water bandit, shouldn't I be able to use the one hose for non threaded faucets too? I am new at this since I have been tenting for so long..... I see you like those nifty ball bungees. I have so many lying around.... they really are versatile and you don't get grabbed by a sharp hook. Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

Great comments! This forum is great. I want to caution folks to not buy too many lumens. If you need to project a beam hundreds of yards (hunting, or on a boat) then a really high intensity beam, over 1000 lm, is desirable. But using one for poking around your campsite is a mistake, unless you can lower the intensity in increments. When it is pitch dark out, 200 lumens up close is _bright_. If you shine it onto a reflective surface like a window on your truck, you will dazzle yourself momentarily, and your night vision will be gone for minutes. If you reflect several thousand lumens into your eyes you will be saying lots of bad words. Pick a light with multiple levels, and don't try to burn up the night, unless you are deliberately trying to blind or dazzle a large animal or a crook. My bedside tactical light is an older Gerber that is only 90 lumens, and it is plenty bright for walking around inside in the pitch dark. But it is no good at all outside if I need to throw a beam very far. My daily carry flashlight is an older Fenix TK16, I think, with a Turbo setting of about 500 lm, and I rarely need that much juice. These lights keep getting more and more powerful, and you don't usually need that much. Plus the really powerful lights can set fires and burn hands! Also, you want a good beam spread, or scatter, so that more of the surroundings are lighted, with a defined bright spot in the middle. When mounted on a firearm, that bright central spot is where your shots will go, at close range. John Davies Spokane WA

Yes, traveling with firearms has some problems, you need to be very aware of what is legal, and stay out of the Hell Hole areas that are simply not gun friendly, like DC, NJ, and NYC. A full sized 12 gauge shotgun is OK just about anywhere, but whether or not you can travel with it loaded varies by state. Handguns are way more complicated. I plan to keep my shottie in a police type quick access vertical mount, with a remote release button switch. I will start a thread on this when I get my trailer and have time to install the rack. Can we keep this thread on topic about security lights for bears, bad guys, and trips to the potty? Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

Those are great suggestions. I have considered a large lay flat hose, but I was under the impression that they were intended for waste water or irrigation pumps and that they needed considerable pressure to keep them "inflated", rigid and unkinked. Wouldn't one just stay fairly flat and perhaps buckle when hooked to a gray tank? Maybe the initial surge would keep it open, but it seems as if it would close up fairly tighty when the flow rate dropped. I haven't ever used one, so maybe these assumptions are faulty? I do like how compactly they store.... "This hose is recommended for open-ended discharge; connect it to the discharge side of a pump system only." ... https://www.amazon.com/Apache-98138015-Lay-Flat-Discharge-Aluminum/dp/B000PDO3NM John Davies Spokane WA

and for Things That Go Bump in the Night? I've been looking at various lights and have pretty much decided on the very highly rated Fenix PD35 1000 lumen tactical light. It is compact and powerful with a 1 inch diameter housing, so it will clip into one (or two) of the stick-on "broom holders" close to the doorway, where it will be very quick to access. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DR9GWX0/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1X5H11EH41351&coliid=I1AYROSZRRV96L Great info here, full review at the bottom. .... https://www.yourbestdigs.com/reviews/the-best-rechargeable-flashlight/ Comments? Do you have a dedicated security light or do you just use a small pocket one? If you do have a light attached to a wall, where did you mount it? I have two different smaller Fenix lights and I am a huge fan. They really are great lights. I plan to keep my shotgun stored in the closet, so a good tactical light clipped nearby would be a great companion to it. Thanks for any suggestions or pictures. I leave in three weeks for Hole-in-the-Wall TN to pick up my Ollie and I am getting really psyched up! John Davies Spokane WA

Close! But it is only 1/2 inch which is definitely too small for gravity discharge. John Davies Spokane WA

That's what I am looking for, I guess if I order four the cost is not horrible ($5.29 each). I wonder why these are so darned hard to find compared to the other end (which are $0.65 each)? I did find this source for plugs and they are $0.32 each plus shipping, unfortunately they have a $25 minimum, so I may see if my local hose supplier has something similar "off the shelf". https://www.industrialspec.com/shop/ghp-n.html I don't have an old garden hose to use, that is big enough - I want 3/4" or larger, so I am trying to not buy an expensive new large diameter garden hose when I can build it custom for less with a more suitable material. For some reason large diameter hoses are pricier than the 5/8 inch size, I think because they are sort of commercial grade and are made a lot heavier and thicker, the exact opposite of what I am looking for. Thanks for the comments. John Davies Spokane WA

Well, yes the slowness isn't an issue for me, as I will not have a usable black tank. I want to leave the big hose at home and utilize the extra bumper storage space for other stuff. Is there a cause for the slowness of the gray tank draining? It does not make sense - it should gush out of there. There is plenty of venting from the sinks and it's a 1 1/2 inch pipe system, correct? Are you sure you don't have a restriction in your gray drain pipes, or the sink stoppers are in place? Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

Everybody carries the cheap plastic end caps, like Home Depot: two for $1.20. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Orbit-3-4-in-Threaded-Hose-Caps-2-Pack-27902/100659301 I am looking for some inexpensive male plugs to block the other end of the hoses for transport and to keep dirt and critters out. (I don't want to just plug both ends of the hoses together.) Also, I want to make a gray water drain hose. I already have a clear 3 inch waste cap with hose fitting, I need to come up with the correct bulk hose that will be light, kink free, compact when coiled, and large enough internal diameter for free flow of the gray water. Ideally translucent so I could see a blockage. How about this? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TMTFV3G/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1X5H11EH41351&coliid=I2RFELJWY671XO&psc=1 I could also use three feet of it to make a hose for suction filling the Ollie's tank from a jerry can. I would probably source the hose locally so I can get a custom length and save on shipping. Suggestions are most welcome. Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

I am glad that those of you with low hanging front receivers like them, but it amuses me to look at your locations. For travel east of the Rockies these will work great. But as soon as you venture onto an undeveloped forest road you would likely bury the receiver or rack into the ground or a rock. There just aren't that many situations like this in Alabama or Florida or Texas ... at least, not where you could get a full sized tow vehicle. I am not trying to being negative. I am glad they work for your intended purpose. For the western mountain states, these simply do not work, unless you stay on paved roads all the time. The Bodiak version that I posted on page 1 is an exception that might work, depending on the height of your truck. For a stock height (i.e., low riding) GM, even that can be too low. It is not about the ground clearance so much as the greatly reduced approach angle. Are there any problems seeing past your bike(s) when parking or maneuvering? Blocking the lights for night driving? Distracting reflections? How hard is it to get the insect debris out of all the moving parts, after going through say a swarm of fat junebugs or grasshoppers? I have always understood carrying a gear basket with a low covered load on the front, but I never could get carrying a bike or motorcycle there... I have transported motorcycles and bicycles many tens of thousands of miles, but never in that location. Comments? John Davies Spokane WA

LOL, you got me. I did think for a minute that it was posed, but posing didn't make sense. Good one. Keep them coming, and now we know about your twisted sense of humor. John Davies Spokane WA

That is a gorgeous combo. I am sure that engine is a beast, and it has great brakes. But is there sufficient tow rating at the back? I know nothing about the AMG vehicles other than they are of better than average build quality and horrifically expensive to fix when they break. Good luck finding somebody who can work on it if it has a problem out in the hinterlands. But I guess the owner could have his chopper fly out to whisk him away and leave a hired drone behind to deal with the repairs.... If I wanted that kind of power and luxury I would be shopping for a new Land Cruiser and put a supercharger on it. Then I would pay cash for my new Ollie and have an extra $100k left over for fuel. But no Cruiser says Wretched Excess to the neighbors as well as that Merc does.... and it looks very cool with the trailer. I hope the owner keeps the rig below 75 mph. Maybe he has upgraded the Oliver's brakes to Brembos. Did it have red calipers showing? LOL. John Davies Spokane WA

In regards to disabling all three of the jacks, yes, I did not realize that there are three separate circuits. That complicates the solution but it would be a really easy mod. These folks will build any custom relay setup that you can think of, or you can easily find the parts to do something similar with a minimum of tools and skills. https://ceautoelectricsupply.com/custom-relay-panels/ Since you have an Oliver, money is no object ;) so you could go Bluetooth and enable or disable the jack system from your phone....: http://relaypros.com/Relay/Relay/CAT_RELAY4_BLUETOOTH I think the first idea would be fine and reliable with 30 amp relays, the latter is definitely overkill. John Davies Spokane WA

Wow, that is remarkably low to the ground. Do you not see this as a problem? There is at least one other option that won't destroy your ground clearance and approach angle. At least it will tell you when you get too close to a concrete curb..... Please post an update on how this has worked for you. JohnDavies Spokane WA

Buy a 2 inch steel ball here: ... https://www.amazon.com/Inch-Chrome-Steel-Bearing-Ball/dp/B0074VCP8S/ref=pd_sbs_328_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0074VCP8S&pd_rd_r=3M8VRMDXW2QG0GNP4A8A&pd_rd_w=86Cm8&pd_rd_wg=vvVu4&psc=1&refRID=3M8VRMDXW2QG0GNP4A8A Insert the ball into your coupler, then close and lock it. Ta DA! Talk about layers of protection. Nobody would see that coming.... BTW I love your idea about anchoring the break-away lanyard to a fixed object. I would love to see the expression on a thief's face when the trailer brakes lock up hard. I'll take your "switch in the front jack wire" idea to the next level. Install a hidden unlabeled toggle switch in the main power wire coming off the fuse for the entire jack circuit, inside the cabin. Run all the jacks down and flip the switch. Or just remove the fuse. All three jacks will be disabled in the extended position. I am adding all this cool MacGyver stuff to my Oliver Honey Do List. John Davies Spokane WA

I have to say that this is one of the more extravagant designs I have ever seen. It defies logic and basic engineering principles to have that much mass swinging around so far above the single mounting point. If it fails, you will wreck both bikes and the front of your Ollie..... I would not risk using this Rube Goldburg device. Can't you use a roof rack on your tow vehicle? Is the problem with mounting a rack on the back of the trailer due to sloppy fit in the receiver? That is super easy to fix. This works great and totally eliminates all movement due to clearance between the two parts. It might make sense to try this first, before getting too concerned about other mounting locations... https://www.amazon.com/Hitch-Clamp-Anti-Rattle-coupling-Tightener/dp/B013J6O5H0/ref=sr_1_cc_9?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1491877791&sr=1-9-catcorr&keywords=Trailer+hitch+stabilizer John Davies Spokane WA

John, I am becoming a fan of the newer 20 volt lithium tools but I hesitate to fill up my garage or trailer with lithium batteries, due to fire risk. I already have that 110v saber saw, I would like to be able to use it from the Oliver's 110 volt inverter circuit. John Davies Spokane WA

Love the installation, but tell me about your hose hanger. It is an elegant solution. What did you use for the eyelet fittings? Did you consider using conventional rubber strap exhaust hangers? I really like your neat and tidy brake lines. Can you post a few more pics of the plumbing, and closeups of the installed actuator and brakes? You really should start a dedicated thread on this! It is so cool! Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

It will be expensive, since the Oliver service shop will retrofit it. I got disillusioned by the prices I was quoted for simple mods. I decided to to all this stuff myself. They told me they would not do disc brakes, I wonder what changed? I love the idea and think it should be STANDARD equipment on every one of these fine trailers. Drum brakes are so primitive, unreliable, and definitely a major PITA to maintain. I would love to hear a road report on the brakes after some miles. Don't forget to include three year fluid changes into your service schedule.... John Davies Spokane WA

Well, three if you include the spare. Even if unused and continually covered, it has degraded considerably through oxidation. If you don't change it, then understand that it should only be used as a "get us to the tire store" remedy, not as a permanent replacement for one that got damaged. I think rotating the spare makes lots of sense, especially if you tow a lot of miles, and then buy all new tires when the need arises. John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks, that helps. An electric motor starting up draws way more than the running current, but I think that 3000 watt max rating should cover it. I have ordered the 4 battery AGM option as well as solar. I don't see myself cutting firewood with the saw, just a stray branch or two... John Davies Spokane WA

Compared to an All Season LT: Better resistence to sidewall damage, better resistance to flats from rocks and road debris, better braking on loose surfaces, MUCH better handling on twisty gravel roads. Possibly better braking on snow if snowflake rated. The downsides are significantly higher rolling resistance. Weight isn't always higher, but it tends to be. Tread life isn't usually a problem since they will "time out" before they wear out. They will be noisier. Some trailers with marginal stability will get spooky. If all you tow on is paved roads, go with a ribbed or regular All Season LT or ST tire. Rabidly hard core offroaders use matching tires and wheels on both trailer and TV, so a spare can be used on either... I love the look of All Terrains on a trailer of any kind... most Ollie owners would not see much benefit. John Davies Spokane WA

Has anyone thought about other brands and types? Michelins are good tires but I don't think they are worth the extra expense for any trailer. I had the LTX tires on a Land Cruiser and they were simply awful in winter and just OK on gravel. You can save a significant amount with say BFG All Terrain K/O 2 or General Grabber. Having had Michelins of different types on a number of vehicles, I never replaced them with that brand when they wore out. I think they are over rated. Comments? Here are some All Terrains from Tire Rack. https://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?zip-code=99208&width=225/&ratio=75&diameter=16&rearWidth=255/&rearRatio=40&rearDiameter=17 A set of the BFGs with the spare tire exposed on the back would look terrific IMHO. But I am a little weird.... John Davies Spokane WA