John E Davies

Well, your photo shows an 80 degree turn, not a 180, but it still looks like you would smash the unit if you reverse the TV just a few more inches. Did you actually check to see what finally hits when you reach the very end of jackknifing? Have you thought about installing a ball mount that extends to the rear about 4 more inches? That would probably eliminate the clearance issue entirely, at the sway control. I'm not trying to be a PITA, I just think you might be risking expensive damage that can easily be avoided. But I am still completely in the dark on what hits what.... something has to touch, eventually John Davies Spokane wA

Since the unit uses a GPS receiver to determine trailer speed, do you have any concerns about it working correctly when the sky is obscured, say by heavy tree cover or terrain (cliffs or steep mountains). It seems as if the unit would be great on Interstates and wide open highways, but maybe no so great in the mountains or forests. All my GPS devices work great in Eastern WA but they can get confused when I go to the west side of the state, where there are lots of pesky trees and very heavy cloud cover. Is there a built in way of showing you that the system is actually online and working? I think that relying on GPS for a critical safety device to work correctly is a little bogus. Why not a simple speed sensor that uses magnets mounted at a wheel hub? John Davies Spokane WA

I am unclear - did the unit clear your bumper before any other part of the trailer touched? If not, you are 3 inches from possibly expensive damage to the sway control. Can it be relocated to the top of the A frame? It would be much better protected there, and you could even make a spray/ rock guard for it. I have "hard jackknifed" a trailer a few times over the decades and it inevitably happens when you find yourself in a tricky, unexpected situation and you are either in danger, in a hurry or just tired. It is very important to minimize the damage to both trailer and TV that occurs when this happens. John Davies Spokane WA

Do you have and pictures, or better yet, video you can share? This is the scenario I am most interested in: how well the trailer performs when the road goes away. Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

This has nothing to do with Olivers, or trailers, but it has everything to do with boondocking in its ultimate meaning. Here is a wonderful article describing the Turtle V expedition vehicle, arguably the finest rig ever built for exploring the most remote regions of the world. Even if you don't care about the technical aspects, the scenery in the pictures is stunning. http://expeditionportal.com/world-nomad-the-turtle-v/ John Davies Spokane WA

Those are indeed cool, but I really don't want to turn this thread into a coupler discussion, we could start a new one, I guess. I did start one here, and maybe some useful info will appear. .... http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/164062-Where-to-buy-a-Treg-Poly-Block-coupler-Max-questions? John Davies Spokane WA

This is excellent and has a great summary of GVWR, CVWR, GAWR, payload, hitches, controllers etc etc. http://rvsafety.com/rv-education/matching-trucks-to-trailers The only thing I dispute is that he says the GVWR includes a 150 lb driver and full fluids and gas. Not all manufacturers include a driver, you must research this if you are flirting with overloading your truck. He does mention that for all types of trailers, over half of all rigs exceed at least one of these ratings. One thing to understand about towing the bigger Ollie is that not only does your receiver need to be rated over 7000 lbs, the mount and ball must also be that strong. You can't expect a 2 inch 3500 lb ball to be as strong as a 7500 or higher rated ball. Check the info stamped on the parts. You do not want something to break when you hit a bump at speed.... Finally, they did not address one factor that most RVers never need to worry about: articulation. If you think you might one day take your rig off-road, meaning off of a graded surface, and through sharp dips or gullies, consider an off-road coupling that will allow the truck and trailer to move to more extreme angles without binding or breaking parts. A typical ball coupler (even the excellent Bulldog that comes on the Ollies) is hopeless and even dangerous in these situations. John Davies Spokane WA

Be aware that while the Oliver frame is overbuilt and very strong, aluminum can and does crack when subjected to lots of stress. Steel is much more tolerant of abuse and is easier to repair when it does fail. Very few welders are capable of doing quality work with aluminum - it takes a good deal of experience and a certain amount of artistry to "run a pretty bead" in aluminum. Oliver frames are beautiful and hell for strong. One reason I wish that they would offer a much better suspension is to reduce the likelihood of cracks developing due to rough usage twenty or thirty years after they are delivered. The rubber EZ Flex equalizers should help in this respect, but it is not ideal. Can anyone comment? Have any owners seen frame failures due to other factors than collision or mishap? BTW I have had a marine grade aluminum utility trailer that has seen hard use for thirteen years, but when not bouncing around on forest roads it leads a sheltered indoor life. I have yet to see any cracks. I have never overloaded it. Another BTW a friend has a new Jayco TT and it has had countless issues in the few months since he bought it. It amazes me that consumers put up with the garbage construction and horrible engineering that goes into nearly every RV on the road. Why do they keep buying this stick and staple junk without rebelling? Rant over. Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

Please take a hard look at the Petloader. It is unique in that it provides steps for your dog rather than a steep ramp. Dogs have no problems with steps but sometimes a steep slope can be very hard for an older or injured dog. We do not use ours routinely, since I have to carry it in the bed and it takes a little time to retrieve it and then store it away. Setup is quick and easy, the huge negative is that you need six+ feet of clear space on the side of the truck. Sometimes it is hard to find a parking spot that has room, and that you know will have room when you return to the truck. An end space in a parking lot that is adjacent to a flat grassy area is ideal. It is not a problem for our dogs to climb up - mine is the longer version that has five steps. It is easy to add even more steps but the device would start to be a little unsteady. You can remove one or two steps to use it on a low vehicle. Here is a guy loading his sled dogs into crates on top off the truck bed rails. http://www.petloader.com/faq It's an impressive and well built accessory that your dogs may love. I carry a handful of brochures to hand out to dog owners who see it in operation. BTW it is made in the USA by a small family business. John Davies Spokane WA

The net is a little slack in that pic, it does normally ride a little higher. We have been doing this in two vehicles for six years now and never had a dog end up in the front seats, but these are very laid back travelers and they usually sleep. They wake up when we enter a town and the speed drops below 30 mph - "Maybe there is a PARK AHEAD!!!!????" We usually lower the window six inches to give them some new smells. The headliner in my Ram is higher above the dogs - it steps down forward where a sunroof would be, if we had one. So they would have a really difficult time jumping the gap. But they are well behaved, low energy dogs and we don't have to deal with hyper activity. If you wanted the net to ride much higher you would need to get creative. I fabricated replacement passenger assist handles out of rectangular aluminum bar stock to raise the outer ends, but a piece of tubing from side to side might be needed if you want the net to be way up close to the headliner - you would need something to strap the upper part to. It is just a simple engineering problem.... I had several goals, and they make my solution a little unusual. I needed a significant amount of inside secure (locked or out of sight) storage plus a stout flat area to mount my fridge. I would have preferred 16 inches of platform height but settled on 12 due to the headroom factor. I had to be able to remove the left platform and install the smaller of the rear seats there, if needed, without disturbing the larger right one. I could not use a crate because one large enough for both animals would not fit through the doorway with the platform installed. I did not want to carry the equipment in back, since we sleep back there under the Leer canopy, and will continue to have that option after we get the Ollie, for trips up into the high mountain passes where no Ollie can tread. We tested the design for four years with just one dog in my LX450 and it worked perfectly. The only unknown was having two dogs in a space that was only 30% bigger. They sleep in a tangle and do not fight, so it turned out to be a good choice. This setup would not work at all for a significantly larger dog due to lack of headroom. Everybody needs to come up with a solution that works for their own dog(s) and needs. The main thing is to ensure that he is safe and happy, and cannot be hurled forward into the front compartment in the event of a collision. We have tested the effectiveness of the cargo net several times, though we have never actually hit anything, and the dogs just slid forward a little ways and bounced back, startled but unharmed. A crate ultimately gives more protection, IF STRAPPED DOWN, but the downside is that it restricts his movements significantly. John Davies Spokane WA

Some pics up: More pics here: ... http://www.spokanister.net/images_web/RAM_3500/Ram_Dog_Platform_Fridge/ I'll get some dog pics in a while. John Davies Spokane WA

My preference is a good cargo barrier, and leave the dog loose behind it. In my experience the animal will be much happier on really long road trips. He can look at the scenery, sniff the smells out the window, commune with his master in the front seat and most importantly, not be bored to death! It is hard to pet your dog or give him a treat when he is confined in a cage. Check out the Raingler nylon cargo nets. I have used several and they are excellent. Cost is minimal and workmanship and customer service is excellent. I currently have a production one in my Ram 3500. They will build a custom for any application, but it is $$. Here is one for the F150: http://www.raingler.com/_p/prd1/2790788331/product/ford-f150-crew-cab-barrier Depending on the application you may need to install additional anchors for some of the side straps (they are called footman loops and are available from Raingler). I highly recommend the incredibly overbuilt Milford Cargo Barrier, but there is currently no importer and you will pay a huge amount ($750+) for the unit plus oversized shipping from Australia. I paid $450 for mine in 2003 from a USA source. I am baffled as to why nobody makes these steel barriers here. I removed the rear seats entirely of my Quad Cab and built two removable platforms from Baltic Birch plywood. The one behind the drivers seat is low and has adjustable tie down rails for my DC powered ARB fridge. I also added a dedicated HD power outlet in the back for it. I carry a soft cooler on top of the fridge to act as a pantry for lunch fixings. This keeps the dogs off of the fridge where they do not have secure footing. I carry a big Rubber Maid bin there when not using the fridge or cooler. Or I can install just the left rear seat for an unexpected passenger (10 minutes to swap). The other platform is wider (40 inches side to side) and built up 12 inches above the existing floor. Underneath is bolted an aluminum tool box, where I can lock away valuables (especially when we are away from the truck on a hike), and between that and the rear wall is ample room for truck spares like coolant, oil, air pump, jumper cables etc etc. The lid is hinged at the back edge for easy access (after the dogs are out) and I can reach some of the more important stuff like diesel fuel treatment, glass cleaner, towels and first aid trauma kit, without having to disturb the dogs at all. Both platforms have outdoor carpet glued on top. On top of the carpet is a section of 1/2 inch high density foam cut from a Coleman camping pad to cut road vibrations. On top of that is a pet hammock ... http://www.hunterk9.com/site/870877/product/DLX2500 .... to provide a layer of waterproof, vomit proof protection (and to make it very easy to launder). It also protects the back surfaces of my bucket seats from drool. On top of that is a 40 inch foam pet bed, to give them some extra softness and warmth. If they are going to get dirty I toss a large beach towel on top of the bed, so I can just remove it after they have deposited their dirt into it. Both Australian Labradoodles are about 40 pounds and their heads are about six inches below the headliner when standing normally. They are free to move around and they can stick their noses out the right window when we are stopped or moving slowly. They are 100% restrained from entering the front section of the cabin, even in an accident. After two years I have seen no damage to the headliner. Your dog may be different! Loading is a little challenging since the new floor is 50 inches off the ground (I have a tall truck). I can easily load them by grabbing their travel harness and scruff, and up they go. If they are wet, I try to dry them off and I will use a Pet Loader that they just walk up. That keeps me from getting soaked and smelling like dog. Their Spiffy Dog harnesses are excellent and stay on them all the time they are away from the house (their collars are also great): https://www.amazon.com/Comfortable-Dog-Harness-Red-Air-Spiffy/dp/B005AW8FA0/ref=lp_8988966011_1_1?srs=8988966011&ie=UTF8&qid=1475510496&sr=8-1 http://www.petloader.com I am sorry that I have no pics to share. I will take some soon and post them here. Maybe this afternoon since they are headed to the groomer and will look more presentable. ;) John Davies Spokane WA

Yeah, and the coast is predicted to have 50+ mph winds and an inch or more rain..... unless Matthew drifts further west. Hunker down folks, and get the awning and camp chairs stowed away. John Davies Spokane WA

In case somebody wants to converse about the rally: ... http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/156300-overland-expo-east-at-the-Biltmore/page55?highlight=Overland+expo+east+2016 2015 Overland Expo East was darned rainy and windy, but perhaps this one will be worse, depending on Matthew's course. I do suggest bringing heavy duty rain gear with hood and high rubber boots, and do NOT try to drive into a wet field (parking/ camping area) if you have a 2wd vehicle, or street tires on your 4wd..... The nearby French Broad River could flood, but I believe the camping venue is on a slight slope. I haven't been there so this is all second hand info. Here are a couple of videos of the 2015 mud fest: My recommendation is if the storm appears to be coming directly ashore into NC, just bail out entirely and go to Expo another year. Or plan on going to the one in Arizona in May 2017 ;) This type of event can be miserable in nasty conditions. Stay safe, above all. 2016 Overland Expo (west) drone video: John Davies Spokane WA

I hope you guys don't have to cancel due to the hurricane, please stay safe. In the event that you do cancel, it is 442 miles (6:36 hrs) due west from Nags Head to the Overland Expo East rally in Asheville ;) It might be rainy as heck, but it is on high ground and you won't get washed into the sea.... Please post Ollie pics, regardless. John Davies Spokane WA

Trip planning is half the fun of traveling. Printed National Forest maps are stellar, but the cost can really add up in states like Idaho that have many different forests. Plus your map collection may soon become out of date. Who wants to buy new maps every few years, as they get torn or borrowed or lost? Who wants to carry around a huge stack of maps? My truck stash is six inches thick, and that is just for a couple of states close to Spokane. I have a big plastic box full of NFS and other visitor/recreation maps for further "destination states" like Utah and Colorado.... http://www.nationalforestmapstore.com/category-s/1830.htm .... The last time I bought paper maps I was uncomfortable paying $6.50 for them.... This new interactive site has all the detail of the paper maps, plus you can save to PDF (reportedly, I have not tested this). I plan to spend a lot of time checking out the features. The BIG benefit is that the road types are shown accurately, as well as the name (forest number). Typically your GPS will not show the road type correctly and often the name is wrong. Federal Interactive Visitor Map: .... http://www.fs.fed.us/ivm/ I am hoping that I can save PDF maps and view them on my iPad mini, which will be a great companion to the MotionX HD GPS app and my Benchmark Atlases. BTW the site is "Beta" and a little slow. I am sure it will get better as they work out the kinks. Please try out the map and comment here. Combined with Google Earth, it should be a great way to digitally explore an area far from your location. John Davies Spokane WA

Well, the Oliver is all about labor costs and high quality components. The size of the egg and the number of axles makes for a relatively small difference in the total cost at the factory level,. They do not pay retail for axles or aluminum or glass or resin - they are buying in tractor trailer loads if not larger, due to their other business. It still takes about the same amount of hours and the appliances and expensive stuff are the same. I think a 5K difference is realistic. The only way they could offer an Elite at 40K is if they jacked the price on the other model way up to compensate. I don't think they are willing to offer a bare bones stripped model like Airstream does with the Sport. Oliver's target audience does not want that, nor do I. John Davies Spokane WA

LOL, The estate is something else. If you are into over the top Robber Baron "wretched excess" mansions it should be grand...... I personally would prefer to hang out at the Expo pastures, or go on a group trail run in the forest, or get three crowns replaced without anesthesia than go inside that monster. "Living in one or another of his family residences well into adulthood, George [Vanderbilt II] decided to construct his own country mansion and estate in 1888. For this purpose he acquired 130,000 acres of woodland in North Carolina, employing the architect Richard Morris Hunt to design a limestone house modeled on the Chateau de Blois, with a frontage of 780 feet. With up to five acres of floor space this is believed to be the largest domestic dwelling ever constructed in the United States.[2] At Biltmore, George led the life of a country gentleman. Having a great interest in horticulture and agriscience, he oversaw experiments in scientific farming, animal bloodline breeding, and silviculture (forestry). His goal was to run Biltmore as a self-sustaining estate. In 1892, Olmsted suggested that Vanderbilt hire Gifford Pinchot to manage the forests on the estate. According to Pinchot, who went on to be the first Chief of the United States Forest Service, Biltmore was the first professionally managed forest in the U.S; it was also the site of the Biltmore School of Forestry, the first such school in North America, established in 1898 by Dr. Carl A. Schenck." My labradoodles would love to run free on that vast lawn and jump in the fountain, but there are probably silly rules. John Davies Spokane WA

I am a huge believer in having too much truck for the load. I don't have an Ollie yet but it will be pulled by my 2006 Ram 3500 Cummins QC SB 4wd. Too many people struggle with insufficient power, marginal load capacity, weak drivetrain and inadequate mass for the TV to balance and control the trailer. It makes me feel good to see owners and future owners using trucks that are well above what is considered adequate. In the long run it saves worries, hassles, breakdowns, and frustration. A full sized truck with a big turbo diesel is a joy to drive in stressful conditions, at high altitude especially. It is a very relaxing experience for driver and passengers. A gas engine screaming at 5000 rpm while climbing a long 6% grade is a PITA, to put it bluntly. I have to take exception to your description of the Oliver's suspension. The base version is very poor! With the EZ-Flex option, it can be considered acceptable at best. A conventional (tandem) leaf spring suspension is not good long term on rough roads ... it is far too complex and fragile. In this day and age we can do so much better than a primitive suspension design dating back to the 1700s: John Davies Spokane WA

Overland Expo is a wonderful experience if you are at all interested in getting (completely) off-grid. If your idea of a great campsite includes wifi and hookups, you should just stay away. There is an amazing amount of two- and four- (and more) wheeled vehicles and equipment to examine, as well as live demonstrations (winching, bridging, etc), Range Rover offroad drive opportunities, and classes on everything from motorcycle gear to cooking to first aid to photography. I have been to two already in Arizona. I HIGHLY recommend this event if you are anywhere close to Asheville. The only downside as far as I can tell is that this one does not offer back-door access to countless square miles of National Forest, as does the one near Flagstaff. EDIT: it is close though, about three miles by road to the edge of the NantahalaNF. It has been 45 years since I was there but I expect it is still very pretty. Also Great Smoky NP is not far. http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recarea/?recid=48634 Do not expect to see many travel trailers. The ones you do see tend to be small single axle, lifted tent campers and teardrops. Some are very hardcore. Here is a rare-in-this-country T-Van from the 2012 event. (Note his solar panel.) Here's a Mitsubishi FUSO based EarthCruiser from Oz, by way of their new factory in Bend Oregon. The interior has a very similar feel to the Ollie: And the folks that started the modern craze for a fully self contained overlanding vehicle: An Adrenaline Camper's tongue: "Farkles" for your tow vehicle from Equipt: Don't miss the outlying camping areas, which have as many neat visitor vehicles as are officially on display. That is where you would park your Ollie, should you choose to stay overnight. I can guarantee that you will receive a heavy amount of interest from these folks! The visiting rigs are not officially open for inspections as are the cleaned-up show ones, but if the owner is around you can always chat and perhaps ask if you can poke your head inside for a look. http://www.overlandexpo.com/east/ Ticket info: http://www.overlandexpo.com/weekend-pass-east NOTE !!!! No tickets sold at the gate, all tickets including day passes must be purchased online. They do offer a discount on the last day for a day pass, but be aware that some vehicles may depart early that day, so you may miss a few of them. This is truly a very cool event, even for a non-believer ;). John Davies Spokane WA

Those of you without the solar option should have a battery isolator installed, to prevent the truck battery from being accidentally depleted. Or you can just remember to always unplug the trailer connector at each overnight stop. If you have solar, have you taken advantage of the extra capacity to maintain the charge in your truck battery by leaving the cord plugged in during the day while parked? I run a DC powered ARB fridge in my Ram, which draws about 3 amps while the compressor is going. It would be nice to know that the Ollie is keeping the truck batteries topped up during the hottest part of the day, when the fridge is running most. Does anyone use their solar charging for other stuff besides just charging and running the Ollie's systems? John Davies Spokane WA

Have you considered a portable panel with a 50+ ft cable so you can park in the shade on a blistering day and still have some charging? I really do like the benefits of the two big rooftop panels but I have some reservations due to the situation you describe, and also possible damage to them from low hanging branches or hail. I will still order that option, and learn to deal with the negative aspects. The hail I can't do anything about, but I always carry a chainsaw and will buy a folding stepladder for any wayward branches ;) I still might consider a 100 watt portable panel, for extra versatility. John Davies Spokane WA.

John, Welcome to the forum. I will be most interested to read your posts. I have read a few of your articles. I have not ridden seriously in a few years due to joint issues, but I still like to read Adventure bike travel stories, especially those with great camerawork and water crossings ;) You need to seriously rethink your tow vehicle. For dirt roads you need AWD or better yet real 4wd with a low range. No 2wd van like the Transit, no matter how capable, is going to be safe and satisfactory for any extended off pavement towing, especially if you pick the heavier tandem Ollie, which is really the best choice for full timing. You need the extra capabilities for those times when conditions are less than clear, dry and flat. Is the Sprinter's new 4wd version rated at 7000+ pounds? That might prove to be a great TV with it's superb 4wd system and raised suspension. Or a Quigley converted Nissan NV3500, or a used 4wd Econoline. There are not many van bodied choices that drive all four wheels, unfortunately. There are tons of choices if you are willing to consider a long bed pickup with a tall canopy, or a cab and chassis with a utility body. Again, welcome. John Davies Spokane WA

Found a big gallery of a refit: The water chute is fantastic, as long as you stand to the side. It keeps the water off the trailer. Full Trailer Life article: no mention of servicing or maintenance issues. http://www.trailerlife.com/trailer-how-to/trailer-tech/truma-aquago/ My impression from watching videos and reading reviews is that if you want to take long hot showers and have full hookups, including a waste drain, this will be great. But it comes at the expense of using up lots of propane, since it does not have an electric element. The burner is 60,000 btus. It also is a little finicky at low flow rates. Not a great choice for a boondocker! John Davies Spokane WA

For quite a while my larger (taller) images have been showing up smashed vertically. I cannot figure out how to correct this. "Constrain proportions" has no effect. I am using an up to date iMac with Safari. The images are ones I have uploaded to my personal server and am trying to link to. They look ugly! Here is the latest: http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/water-heater-anode-replacement-guidelines-suburban-service-bulletin/ Thanks for any help. John Davies Spokane WA