John E Davies

I don't have my Ollie yet, but I will also be towing it with a Ram 3500, at least initially. Mine is a 2006 5.9l, 4wd, and it rides rougher than the newest models. It really beats you up on choppy or broken roads, even with the Corbeau racing suspension seats I installed. Towing a 6500 pound car hauler/ car combination is without fault. As the other John mentioned, climbing mountain passes is effortless and low stress. My truck will stay in high gear, torque converter locked, down to 45 mph. This means climbing moderate freeway grades at 1300 to 1800 rpm. On really steep grades it does kick down but the engine never races. I do not have an exhaust brake but it isn't needed for a trailer of this weight IMHO. The truck has massive disc brakes. MPG towing that trailer was about 15 at 65 mph (at 3000 ft to sea level). I normally get 19.5 cruising empty at 70 mph, and 22 to 23 at 60mph. I do have a cab height Leer canopy installed, which improves the aerodynamics measurably! With a 36 gallon tank, cruising range is stellar. We are hoping to downsize to a used Land Cruiser 200 to get a better ride and to be able to explore rough mountain passes without rupturing our internal organs, but I will really miss the economy and easy towing nature of the turbo diesel with 600 ft lbs of torque. BTW, the newest Ram 2500 model with rear coil springs rides MUCH softer than my leaf sprung truck. A Power Wagon would be a great choice, if you could live with the lower mileage of the big Hemi gas engine. It has even softer springs, for offroad use. You lose a lot of bed payload but gain wonderful articulation, travel and a super plush ride. If I didn't want a Land Cruiser so badly, I would look for a nice used PW 6.4 liter, without the Boy Racer graphics. http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a30282/the-dodge-power-wagon-is-an-irrationally-wonderful-tow-vehicle/ John Davies, Spokane WA

I haven't heard anything more from Jason about mudflaps (or the suspension lift!) so it looks as if flaps will be my first summer project after I get it back to Spokane, at the beginning of June. I plan to do some measuring and thinking about the Stone Stomper. I will probably mock one up using some 1 inch pvc pipe and a blue tarp, to see how everything looks and fits. I have some ideas about securing the back corners without drilling into the fiberglass hull, but until I can get my hands on the trailer, and take off the doghouse, they are just ideas. Their pic shows a cross tube down low, but my idea is to get it six inches higher by bolting it on TOP of the frame. The cover would have to be drilled or notched in two places for clearance. Also, the tube should be three pieces, a center support with two removable wings. They would be stowed away when not in use and you could carry a couple of spares in case they got damaged.... Access would be through the two big rectangular access doors Oliver is installing for me on the sides of the doghouse. After using it a while, there will probably be some obvious places that need extra protection, like the front of the steps and the low-hanging fiberglass near the frame. Any small "sand blasted" areas I would get covered with white or gray Rhino Liner. I will start a Stone Stomper thread then, and we can talk about the design of the attach points and possibly combining shipping. You can pick yours up at my house ;) I don't plan to tow on gravel to any large degree this year, so I would probably do the SS over the winter. Here in Eastern WA you can't tow until late March anyway, due to all the deicer crap and sand on the roads... Four weeks until my wife and I leave for Hole-in-the-Wall to pick her up....! Hey, can you edit your profile so that we know here you live? John Davies Spokane Wa

Hmm, the Trace is closed at Meriweather State Park. I hope it is still accessible from TN Hwy 20 for camping. They would have mentioned that, if it were not. One would hope. Maybe having the Trace closed there will give me a better choice of campsites. It is on my list. I don't mind the "rough pavement", that sounds like Spokane roads. LOL. John Davies Spokane WA

An unregulated panel gives you close to full panel voltage at the other end of its extension cable. A regulated panel starts out at a lower value and then there is the voltage drop through the wires. You should be able to get measureably more amps out of an unregulated one going through the Oliver house controller, correct? Why wouldn't you choose this setup? Pardon my ignorance if there is an obvious answer..... it seems as if you should be doing the regulating as close to the batteries as possible, not somewhere out in the back yard, using undersized wires. John Davies Spokane WA

? The regular app has military campgrounds, is there another one? BTW you can filter with great results, for example selecting only places below 3000 feet in winter to avoid all those high altitude Rockie Mountain places, then re-enable them in Summer when the snow is gone. Cool and very user friendly. John Davies Spokane WA

Hey, I emailed Jason, but maybe you can find tell me, or find out.... Will the supplied controller handle one extra unregulated panel, and what would it cost to get the trailer prewired for this with a weatherproof outside receptacle near the batteries? I am interested in your quest for massive power but I think the standard setup will be fine for me if I can set one extra panel out in a sunny spot when I am under trees... but I would really like it to be plug and play with the factory system. Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

Here is a great option- the Dill kits use OEM style sensors mounted internally, and they have a 5+ year service life. No worries about water corrosion, failed seals, theft or pranks. Unlike some generic kits for cars, they are available with sensors of various stem diameters to fit trailer wheels (measure yours!). They come with a cute magnetic roof receiving antenna that can replace the stubby one, and a trailer signal booster is available at extra cost. http://trailertpms.com/home.html I will pass .... I really like their internal sensors but the rigid aluminum stems are too vulnerable to curb or offroad damage. I want rubber stems so they can flex instead of break. Also, being able to swap external sensors from trailer to trailer or to remove them entirely when not needed is a big plus for me. I am still set on the excellent Doran kit. John Davies Spokane WA

Wow, that is amazing. I bought the bundle that includes Canada. Thanks very much for the tip. John Davies Spokane WA

The FJ is adequate for pulling the smaller trailer. The white "Highlander" in the Elite II pictures is in fact a 5.7 liter Sequoia and those will pull about 7500 pounds, I believe. You can't realy make out the badging.... I zoomed in. There have been few comments from forum members about Oliver's misleading advertising. It is common enough in the RV industry, but disheartening. I suspect that if they showed a 3500 turbo-diesel pulling an Ollie it would confuse a lot of potential buyers. Numbers do not lie, make your own educated decision based on real world weights and capacities, not pictures. While many owners with compact tow vehicles are happy towing an Elite II, there is no doubt whatsoever that bigger TVs do it more easily and safely, without any added wear and tear, or risk of catastrophic failure along some lonely highway. A larger truck also makes for a relaxed towing experience, intead of a worrisome one. Which is the whole point of travelling with a trailer. The last thing you want is to be constantly worrying if you are too heavy, or it's too hot, or too steep a grade, or that your transmission is going to overheat, or your axle will fall out ;)... In spite of their compact size, these are actually heavy trailers when fully optioned and loaded down with fluids and your gear. You could always buy one without any options, and tow it dry. John Davies Spokane WA

May I suggest that you consider renting a light travel trailer? Will your existing Tacoma pull much? Here is a "3100 pound" rental in your area. Loaded weight will be over 4000 unless you travel really light with empty tanks. You would need to have an electric brake controller installed, and possibly have to rent a weight distributing hitch. Better yet, borrow a bigger truck from a friend, one that is already set up.... https://www.outdoorsy.co/rv-rental/show/6187 A week long trip around Florida with a "stick and staple" trailer will definitely be very educational. Getting your first RV can be intimidating. BTW thanks for your service. Having access to military campgrounds is a great bonus. John Davies Spokane WA

Wow, was this due to the infamous Tundra/ Tacoma/ Sequoia frame rust problem? I am trying to understand how an entire rear axle could end up in the road. And how it could be repairable.... Disturbing pictures: .... https://www.google.com/search?q=toyota+frame+rust&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjU_bzs2YPTAhUN32MKHVL3ARoQ_AUICCgB&biw=1261&bih=973 I am glad you were not hurt. John Davies Spokane WA

I am intimately familiar with the precipitous backroads in North Idaho. Good brakes are imperative. Before I wrecked my 1996 LX450, I would use 4wd Low range both climbing and descending those steep roads with a trailer in tow. Unfortunately many modern vehicles will not allow use of Low on pavement. Having a viscous center differential like in a Land Crusier makes it possible. In 4 Low you won't need to use the brakes while descending AT ALL except for slowing down for hairpin turns. Note, don't try this on busy roads with fast moving traffic.... John Davies Spokane WA

I see by your profile that you are in Florida and wanting to escape. Do you ever plan to go to the Rockies or Sierras? Towing up a 12% grade in 100 degree heat at 10,000 feet is another world completely compared to the Southeast! What are your payload requirements? Love makes us all do things that don't necessarily make sense. Buying a very marginal tow vehicle like a Tacoma will be a very expensive mistake if it doesn't work. Risky! My goal in the next year is to downsize to a Series 200 Land Cruiser. I won't go lighter than that. Have you considered a five year old LC? Bulletproof and not that big - more like a Highlander in dimensions, but with the Tundra's brute power, and a build quality second to none. No wife would turn down a ride in a late model Land Cruiser! Ride and interior are excellent. http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/towing-elite-ii-with-a-land-cruiser-200-v8/ John Davies Spokane WA

FYI Anita told me yesterday that a good deal of the confusion is due to the Sales office moving half a mile from the main production facility and setting up a new computer system. A lot of bogus emails got sent out erroneously and I also received a call from Heather Oliver asking if I could show my Ollie to an interested customer in Coeur d'Alene ID. If I actually owned one, I would have been delighted. Anita also said that it is going to be much harder to just go out onto the production floor and snap "baby pictures". I am a little disappointed since my trailer is more than half way through the build. But I guess I could just collect any old pics from the production line to use for my album. How would anyone tell that it wasn't mine, other than obvious external clues like maybe lack of panels? Anyway, I am eager to experience a new, better, fast running forum. John Davies Spokane WA

Great news, thank you. I hope it is not too late for those who got so frustrated that they quit trying. I am really, REALLy close to that point but I will hang around to see if the new one works like 99.99% of other websites, i.e.: normally! John Davies Spokane WA

Cool, but I discourage the use of wood here. It will absorb water and discolor, maybe even mildew. How about a section of aluminum or stainless tubing instead, or a fiberglass driveway reflector rod? John Davies Spokane WA

Sherry, thanks. Please just post a pic here in this thread, with dimensions, if not obvious. John Davies Spokane WA

These guys got 8.4 mpg towing 5600 pounds at 70mph and felt that it was working too hard. Admitedly their trailer has more wind resistance than an Ollie. It did not appear to be a relaxing driving experience. http://www.tfltruck.com/2015/12/2016-toyota-tacoma-real-world-mpg-towing-test-video/ John Davies Spokane WA

My answer is, yes maybe for flat land. Definitely 100% no for high altitude and steep grades. It really is a poor choice. Why buy a new TV that will only be marginally acceptable? It does not compute. You ideally need 20% reserve towing capacity, and the Taco gives you essentially zero reserve. You should be shopping trucks that will pull 8000 pounds or more. You also need to consider the truck payload and whether or not you will be able to bring all the stuff you need in the TV in addition to the 600 + or - pound tongue weight of an Ollie. A new 4wd Taco has a payload of around 1200 pounds. That only gives you 600 for driver, passengers and your stuff. IMHO that number is really too low, unless you travel alone with no heavy gear. With four normal sized people you would have no reserve capacity whatsoever....! Why don't you like a Tundra? Or a Sequoia? Either would be a highly satisfactory choice for the bigger Oliver. If you are determined to tow with a mid-sized truck, then you might consider the Elite instead of the heavier Elite II. John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks for the comments. I am actually pretty wide open in terms of stuff to do, but OTH I hate developed campgrounds. It seems as if most places have slabs, playgrounds and full hookups for $30 per night. I am hoping to stay at COE or low cost commercial sites, or at free state forest or WMA campgrounds. Unfortunately there seems to be a serious lack of the latter in Tennessee. I moved away in 1981 to seek less populated regions on the west. Camping in a crowded part of the country will be a very different experience for me. John Davies Spokane WA

Oh, thanks that is a great thread. I can do fiberglass work but it doesn't look really good. Gelcoat is a mystery to me. One thing that would be good to have in the repair kit is white Marine Tex. It is great for temporary or permanent repairs, can be sanded and polished. But it does not look like gel coat. Close .... but no cigar. https://www.amazon.com/Marine-Tex-Might-Repair-Ounce/dp/B001446LKO John Davies Spokane WA

Well, honestly neither of your responses helps, but I do appreciate that you replied. I plan to occasionally take my Ollie on surfaces that most owners would avoid. I need to be mentally prepared for damaging it myself, or for getting nailed by another vehicle, and I would like to know my repair options if that did happen. I don't think that is paranoid - anal certainly - but then again, everybody here in this thread is against me! LOL! If I started a thread about attaching forged steel tow hooks to the frame, and techniques for getting the trailer unstuck without a tow truck, would you think that paranoid? Hooks are on my To Do list, at the very bottom. John Davies Spokane WA

Here is a very nice map showing the north part of the Trace and attractions along the way. https://www.nps.gov/natr/planyourvisit/upload/NATRmap_336_444_web-2.pdf We plan to collect our new Ollie on Monday morning, May 15, stay the night at nearby Fall Hollow, and explore the immediate area over the next two days, testing out all the systems and putting some miles on the trailer. If we need any fixes we will be close to Hohenwald. We will try to get a spot at Merriweather Lewis one night, and I do want to revisit Shiloh battlefield. It has been 45 years since I was there. Otherwise we are wide open to suggestions. What is good? What should we avoid? We won't need or want hookups other than the first night. Tishomingo State Park, just over the MS border, looks very cool. Has anyone stayed there? We have to head north to Nashville to pick up our kids at the airport on Thursday afternoon, for a weekend family reunion at Fall Creek Falls. It would be nice to follow the Trace to Nashville, my old home town. Thnks for your suggestions. John Davies Spokane WA

I am pretty sure that the factory is able to repair moderate crash damage. In the event that somebody smashes into the back end, or I skid off into a deep culvert, is it possible, and will they: Unbolt the hull from the frame? Separate the bonded upper and lower sections of the hull? Cut out and weld in new sections of frame with the hull in place? (I am doubtful.) If I wrecked my Ollie would it be cost effective to ship it by truck to the factory for repairs or would it need to go to a local RV repair center? Yuck! Would a marine shop (boats) be a viable option for extensive fiberglass repair? Would they even touch it? I am not paranoid but I do want to understand what would happen if the unthinkable did occur. WARNING! Sad pictures at this link, do not view if you cry easily... http://www.fiberglass-rv-4sale.com/for-sale/2000-wrecked-casita-camper-newalla-ok-on-ebay-ends-april-4 Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

Thank you, that was most helpful! I doubt that I would tilt them unless I were staying in one spot for a long time, or if there simply wasn't enough day-long exposure. John Davies Spokane WA