John E Davies

This is probably way off topic, but I am hoping Buzzy or another member can help me out. I just got back into canoeing after a 35 year hiatus. I bought a used Wenonah 17 ft canoe (59 lbs) and need some advice. My Ram 3500 Quad Cab has a Leer topper, so I have been using a cab mounted Yakima Q Tower system with a Boat Loader attachment . I really really loath this rack, though it seems to work OK. Getting the canoe up there is a real chore and while I have the bow tied down to the front tow hooks, I have no way to tie the stern without damaging the paint on the canopy or blocking access to the hatch. The Q clips grab the rain gutter on top of the weather seals. This compresses the seals and traps water in the gutter. Replacement seals are $100 so I really don't like to think about replacing them. I have a ton of wind noise, and I cannot use a fairing because my truck has running lights across the front that interfere. I am unwilling to bolt a rack directly on the canopy, because it has a ridiculously low load rating, plus going off pavement would really stress the connections. I think an "outside the canopy" ladder rack would work well, but I will not get one made out of steel (rust and staining) and the really nice aluminum ones are serious $$$. Being able to load from the back with a crossbar near the tailgate should be much easier. I would be able to tie down the stern. I am afraid that it would still be loud as heck, both empty and with the canoe up top, and I would not be able to remove it easily, like the roof rack (it's one positive feature). With a long ladder rack like this, I could carry the boat pretty far forward, so I don't think there would be any clearance issues with an Ollie in tow. Any comments? Grit my teeth and keep using the roof rack? Buy a folding boat? There is still the problem with how to transport it. An inflatable is out of the question - I hate those for paddling. Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

So, did you get much chipping around the edges of your guards? Have you considered getting the vulnerable areas sprayed with a commercial quality bed liner instead? Your choice of a soft material has the benefit of dampening the ricochet effect of stones, so they don't bounce off quite so hard. How did the frame and axles hold up to all that gravel? I have thought about hanging two or more 1/8 inch rubber (mudflap material) strips right across the width of the frame, in several locations, to knock down airborne stones. I have not heard of non-residue duct tape, can you elaborate? How do you think a Stone Stomper tongue net would have worked in your situation? Did you get much damage to the back of your truck, or see much gravel on top of the bumper? Sorry for all the questions. I am on a never ending quest to reduce gravel damage to both TV and trailer..... Thanks for the commentary. John Davies Spokane WA

I like to hear this. I hope it was a big bore hand cannon.... Did you stop by the firearms museum in Cody? It will use up an entire day, if you are anything like me. https://centerofthewest.org/explore/firearms/ Thanks for the report. You can post as many pictures as you like. John Davies Spokane WA

FYI Delorme and SPOT are competitors the same market and in no way are they connected to each other. If you have not seen this thread, it has lots of info. http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/bullnose-hitch-lock/ I have been using a SPOT Satellite Messenger as a hiking/ motorcycling companion since its inception and really like it. The Trace should be good for security, but I have no first hand experience with the device itself. I currently have a SPOT Gen3 tracker. I like everything about the company except that the billing is automatic and annual; and the website is clunky and needs to be made user friendly. They also offer a SPOT Connect model which I would really liked to have succeed - it interfaces with a smart phone to allow you to send short custom messages (45 characters) using the phone's keypad, unlike the current Gen 3 which only sends whatever messages you have stored on their website. Unfortunately, nobody at SPOT realized that relying on two different battery powered devices in the wilderness was not a great idea and the reviews are very mixed, mostly with people having problems with it not staying paired to their phone. Stay away from this particular product... Oh yeah, welcome to OllieLand. John Davies Spokane WA

I do not want to convert my generator to propane since I want to be able to use it anywhere away from a propane supply. I like an independent power source. What if I run out of propane? Thanks for the suggestions. John Davies Spokane WA

I use a couple of steel NATO cans and they are great. I think the guys that use the plastic jugs do so because their $60 jerry cans would disappear from the fuel truck. I lock mine with steel cables (filler cap to cable, then cable to trailer). I think these cans are way too big for an Ollie, though they would look cool. I think a couple of 2 or 2.5 gallon Rotopax would be very OK. They can be locked, using a Rotopax adapter. John Davies Spokane WA

This is fine news. That installation is neat, tidy, and very pleasing to the eye. I like it. John Davies Spokane WA

Would you mind telling us how many $ were credited? Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

Coy, how long is the tongue, removed? John E Davies Spokane WA

What kind of nuts are they? A regular nylock nut can be reused many, many, times. Can you elaborate please? http://www.raa.ca/magazine_pdf/tech%20articles/Self%20Locking%20Nuts%20and%20Bolts.pdf I agree that it is a great idea to remove and store the tongue assembly. How long is the Oliver unit, removed? Do the safety cables come off with the tongue? If not, could somebody just attach the cables and drag your rig off that way? Ouch! It hurts to imagine that scenario.... BTW here is the removable tongue on my little utility trailer ( the chains come off with the tongue) Another way to reduce the chance of a drive-off theft is to discard the ball coupler and install a unit that is very uncommon, like the Treg Offroad coupler in my pic. I don't worry too much about thieves, unless they are very determined and creative. Maybe he could rig up a temporary attachment using big 1 inch recovery shackles, screwed together, but I like to think that a thief would just swear and drive on to find a better target, one with a ball coupler..... John E Davies Spokane WA

Pete, thanks for the three posts. I see that you too are having problems posting, sometimes. Did you bother carrying a spare macerator impeller and seals? How hard is it to swap out broken pieces? And how stinky a job is it? John Davies Spokane WA

Do the others types crack/ fail/ rust or what? If so, why are they even approved and used? Cheaper? John Davies Spokane WA

Randy, I hope the Oliver head honchos copy your workmanship. That is just what I was talking about. Have you re-done any other areas of the plumbing? I think we all would like to see some more pictures. Perhaps start a new thread? Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

That is interesting, thanks. I personally do like elbows since they keep the piping close to walls and floors (they save space), but using wider sweeping curves instead would probably be smart in areas that are hard to access after the build. You can safely make a 5 inch radius bend with a half inch PEX tube, and use a "bend support" bracket. You risk crimping though, if you are not careful. I have never tried tight bends with his stuff before. I think it is a little risky in an RV application where equipment and appliances get moved around during the build, and later during repairs. A sweeping bend might collapse and not be noticed. I think for houses they would be great. "Minimum recommended bending radius is 8 times the outside diameter of PEX (8 x OD). For 1/2" PEX with OD of 5/8", minimum bending radius is 8 x 5/8" = 5". Over-bending the PEX pipe, deforms its’ round shape, restricts flow and over-stresses the pipe." http://www.pexuniverse.com/pex-tubing-technical-specs I agree that copper fittings would be more welcome than plastic.... however, I am more worried about easy access for repairs, years from now, than I am about the material choice. While we are dreaming, let's imagine these trailers have a manifold design with NO buried fittings other than at the appliances/ taps/ service valves (and notice the bend braces): I don't see that happening any time. John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks for posting this thread. I was going to Google the event location since NOWHERE on the flyer does it say the city or state. By default, I figured that it was in Tennessee, but I have to say that not telling everyone exactly where it is to be held is less than stellar planning. The last time I was in the South was 1980..... and I haven't a clue what is there any more. I do remember the Trace, vaguely... ;) John Davies Spokane WA

I have another comment on this pic. The plumbing routing could be greatly improved with just a little forethought. In this pic the red line starts out on top then dives down under the blue, for no reason other than to put the blue one in a bind and make it impossible to service the red elbow without disturbing the blue connection. Plus it looks very unprofessional. Correct routing would eliminate the awkward bind in both the hoses going under that section of 'glass panel. Water, gas and electrical runs should be straight and parallel wherever possible, and not have wierd routing as illustrated here... It generally takes no more time or expense on the production line; it just takes a worker who cares about doing a better than adequate job. John Davies Spokane WA

Matt, Does Oliver have a standarized quality control program in place? Regular inspections would catch stuff like this long before the trailer goes out the door. If not, then the owners need to rethink their production line procedures. These unfortunate problems may be a result of too rapid growth. Have there been a lot of new hires recently? It is never smart to rely solely on the floor worker to do a job correctly without oversight. I think everyone would like to hear an official comment. Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

LOL, I don't have a clue what janky means, but I agree anyway.... I would have used the word disgusting. There is no reason to leave frayed and nasty edges anywhere in a nice trailer of this apparent quality. Running soft plastic and copper hard up against a sharp, abrasive, janky edge like that is a serious engineering mistake that will give nothing but trouble for the owner in the years to come! While the situation in the area pictured can probably be fixed without too much trouble, what about the truly hidden areas that cannot be seen or worked on? Also, the construction dust and debris should have been removed before delivery. I think Oliver needs to spend some extra time adding clamps and wire ties to their plumbing and electrical bundles. So I don't have to .... Come on Oliver! Sweat the details! Owners do NOT want to see this stuff. However, it is educational. **** My suggestion to owners taking delivery .... Look in all the dark and narrow spaces using a strong flashlight and a mechanic's inspection mirror for janky stuff like this and insist that Oliver correct any problems, before you tow it away! https://www.amazon.com/Titan-Tools-11185-Telescoping-Inspection/dp/B00TO7NHBY overland, have you every crawled around in an XP Camper ver 1? You won't see ugly shortcuts like this in one, they are truly stunning. And way more $$$ than an Ollie. Maybe that partly explains their extra cost, I dunno. John Davies Spokane WA

May I suggest plastic split loom, like you see over your wires? It is more durable and will also allow moisture (condensation) to dry. You can buy it by the foot at NAPA. John Davies Spokanes

RobertH, Don't get your panties in a bunch. I in no way meant to make you angry, but I guess it happened anyway. It doesn't change my opinion about taking extra time to manually edit html code one bit, especially for a site that is so darned slow in the first place... John E Davies Spokane WA

If you can find a used small aircraft tug it will do the job without any problems, but you would obviously have to modify the attach point to accept a trailer ball: ... http://www.redboxaviation.com/specs-new/tugs/specs-tug-702.pdf Check with industrial surplus sites and craigslist (use Search Tempest) and you might find a warehouse "load mover" that would work: .... However, a BIG word of warning: Never try to maneuver a trailer up or down a slope with any brand of electric dolly or tug. That is asking for a serious accident. Level ground only! That way if something messes up, everything will roll to a stop. John Davies Spokane WA

Sorry, I have to make my say here. This is pure BS. Nobody wants to spend the time manually entering html code into their posts. This is not the 20th Century. I routinely "Open in New Tab" for every single link I run across, even when using my iPad. It is not rocket science... Any iPad user knows this after a few minutes use. Fix the forum, don't put the burden on those who post often! BTW, I do appreciate all the effort that the moderators put towards maintaining this site. I still hate how painfully slow it is. It is by far the laziest of any site I visit, anywhere. John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks for your great post, you brought up a few things that I had in the back of my mind, but have not really studied yet. I would never install this system without also installing a long, strong steel longitudinal mount that ties into all the existing suspension bracket bolts. It would indeed be foolish to concentrate all the twisting forces on just the small area of the Timbren bracket. I would incorporate a small lift while I was at it using spacers, plus side to side reinforcing bars of some sort. Their Axle-Less suspension for smaller trailers has a built-in receptacle so you can slide in a rectangular steel crossbar for strength. The tandem version omits this, but does provide a pair of heavy inside brackets for the same purpose. Timbren seems to understand that this bracing is necessary. It would be risky to do this mod locally .... however, a factory R&D effort would work out the kinks in design and specifications, without the worry of us owners screwing up our trailers..... Aluminum frames are very cool, but they are NOT so good off pavement because they do not like to flex the way steel does. The metal will eventually fatigue and crack if abused for too long. I am not aware of any offroad trailers in Australia that use aluminum frames, correct me if I am wrong. Steel just holds up to constant hammering from horrible roads way, way better than aluminum. This is why I want to upgrade the suspension, to reduce as much as possible the forces on the frame. Maybe a Hover Suspension would be worthwhile. ;) John Davies Spokane WA

PEX parts and crimp pliers are not that expensive, plus they can be used around your home if it is a newer build. It is quite simple and affordable to build a comprehensive repair kit with 1/2 inch straight couplings, tees and elbows, some crimp rings and the pliers that sets them. Plus some short sections of hose (blue and red) for emergency repairs.... Shark Bites are way cool but they are extremely costly in comparison. John E Davies Spokane WA

This is off topic, I hope nobody minds. I have that same exact truck and wonder if you see any black soot on your Ollie? I have towed trailers before and never noticed any, but none were a glistening, pure white egg. My 5.9 is bone stock, but it still smokes a big puff when you put your foot down after a lot of low speed cruising.... And I get a black stain on the rear fender after many hundreds of highway miles. Thanks, John E Davies Spokane WA