John E Davies

This is from an Australian vendor: "The static angle of the flaps can be increased up to 35 degrees from the vertical. This will enhance the performance of the flaps and help eliminate the chance of stones re-bounding back onto the tow vehicle. When traveling the flaps need to be sitting at about 45 degrees to be effective. Adjusting the static angle will help achieve this." If the flaps are vertical as seen on 99% of the trucks that have them, rocks will bounce back up and impact the rear of the truck. You can seal the gap between bumper and support rods, which helps some, but setting the angle as described helps a lot. The idea is to get stones to zing back down, not back! If there are rocks piling up on your bumper, you need to tweak the angle. I marked the angle with silver Sharpie on the brackets and rods so I can easily set them correctly after removing the rod/ flaps for storage. I leave the big cast bracket attached to my ball mount all the time. http://rvtowingsolutions.com.au/product-details/rock-tamers-instruction-manual While I do like the Rock Tamers, I will most likely order a Stone Stomper for my future Ollie. BTW I stopped excess movement by using two of these .... https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Accessories/Roadmaster/RM-061.html ..... One just forward of the R. T. bracket to keep it from twisting on the ball mount, and one between the ball mount and receiver, to keep the ball mount still. Pricey, but they work most excellently. Without the clamps the whole assembly moves around a lot. John Davies Spokane WA

I don't have any first hand experience with that kit (though I have installed the tandem one years ago, without the EZ-flex thing). I did find this: ... https://www.etrailer.com/question-147503.html So it looks as if eTrailer believes that you don't need brass bushings for the upper end of the shackle, since "it won't wear out fast enough". I assume it was Dexter's decision, since they don't supply the extra parts in the kit. That sounds slightly bogus to me, but I suggest you just install the two bolts this way, keep them well lubed and keep a close eye on them during tire or brake service. If after many miles you start to see some play in those upper eyes, you can carefully ream them out to take repair bushings and new bolts. Since your Ollie has an aluminum frame there should not be any welding performed on that hanger without removing the entire bracket assembly from the frame, IMHO. The heat would destroy the bedding compound and galvanizing, which should be renewed afterwards, before reassembling it to the frame... It is a little strange, isn't it? Maybe give Dexter a call and see what the pros say about it. Good luck and keep us updated please. John Davies Spokane WA

I've used these in the past with good success, but I have always thought that they look plain stupid, flopping and swaying and wiggling as you drive along. They do seem to stop a lot of debris, so you can probably live with stupid. They are rather hard to clean, and they will eventually get very nasty looking. A pressure washer is about the only way to get most of the muck off, and it is awkward. Be aware that any flap system has to be low to the ground to be effective. Unfortunately, when you venture off pavement, those low hanging flaps _may_ also kick up big rooster tails of rocks on poorly maintained roads, if they contact the gravel. An advantage of the curtain style guards is that they remain high off of the gravel at all times. John Davies Spokane WA

Well, that is good news indeed if it comes to fruition. I really don't see any serious engineering issues with getting more fresh water in place of black glop. This goes to show that Oliver is willing to go the extra mile, even if initial emails meet with disturbing negativity. We can keep hammering away (very politely) and they will hopefully give us the goodies we want. ;) I might wait a while longer before ordering and see how this develops. Please keep us all updated. John Davies Spokane WA

I don't have any first hand experience with that kit (though I have installed the tandem one years ago, without the EZ-flex thing). I did find this: https://www.etrailer.com/question-147503.html So it looks as if eTrailer believes that you don't need brass bushings for the upper end of the shackle, since "it won't wear out fast enough". I assume it was Dexter's decision, since they don't supply the extra parts in the kit. That sounds bogus to me, but I suggest you just install the two bolts this way, keep them lubed and keep a close eye on them. If after many miles you start to see some play in those upper eyes, you can carefully ream them out to take repair bushings and new bolts. Since your Ollie has an aluminum frame there should not be any welding performed on that hanger without removing the entire bracket assembly from the frame, IMHO. The heat would destroy the bedding compound and galvanizing, which should be renewed afterwards, before reassembling it to the frame... It is a little strange, isn't it? Maybe give Dexter a call and see what the pros say about it. Good luck and keep us updated please. PS, you could always install a Timbren Axle-Less suspension ;) Those are very stout, lightweight (88 pounds), long lasting and zero maintenance. ... plus you can get them in various drop or lift configurations. These are about $600. http://timbren.com/axle-less/ John Davies Spokane WA

I haven't used one of these Doran systems, but from information online this is the brand I will choose for my new Ollie. It apparently will hold up on rough and off pavement roads where many of the others do not. Note that the batteries are NOT replaceable, by design, so that water and dust entry becomes a non-issue. This is a common failure mode for other types. https://www.rvupgradestore.com/Doran-360RV-Tire-Pressure-Monitor-4-Sensor-p/360rv4.htm http://www.exploroz.com/Members/33714/5/2014/Tyre_Pressure_Monitor___Doran___360__Review_.aspx If you don't drive much in the rain or off pavement you should have good luck with the other type of sensor. John Davies Spokane WA

That is a gorgeous area ... is it buggy this time of year? The bear spray is for the other 10% of the time, or for that chance encounter with momma, which is not always a predictable occurrence. Around here I worry just a little about grizzlies wandering west from Montana, but I worry a lot about moose, which are common in the Idaho Panhandle, and they are big, stupidly aggressive and just plain dangerous At least with your Ollie you are buttoned up pretty tight at night with a solid structure around you. That is really tempting to this old tent camper. John Davies Spokane WA

Do you need that many watts? Do you have the solar package? What is the intended use of the generator? This 2400 watt Yamaha is on my wish list - it gets really excellent reviews and has a very high initial surge capacity, which is useful for starting an AC. From one of the reviews: "More watts and amps than the Honda [2000]. The Yamaha is "rated" at 16.7 amps with "rated" surge capability to 20 amps. Very useful when trying to start electric motors such as a freezer compressor or and A/C unit. Hayes Equipment Company tested the Yamaha 2400 on a load bank and it held a 30 amp (not a typo, 30 amp) surge for 10 seconds, this is how the unit is advertised to start newer 13,500 BTU A/C units in RV's. The 10 second surge is enough power to start the compressor until the running wattage drops to below the rated amps when the unit is running. Give serious consideration to the Yamaha if you are going to run anything with a compressor such as a A/C unit. Honda Amps are 13.3 rated and 16.7 surge." https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00AYUWDZG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1X5H11EH41351&coliid=I2JD9IQIOTZ9EY I've had a little Honda 1000eui for many years and it is stellar, but I no longer believe that Honda is the best choice in terms of best bang for the buck. I think they are all overpriced, even at Internet pricing. Anyway, have loads of fun and post pictures... where are you headed? If into the Cascades, then bear spray or a large caliber firearm will let you sleep much better at night. John Davies Spokane WA

Forgot this .... See Grayson's Attacment 2 pic. If you plan to cover your bikes you must relocate your license plate so that is visible. This would probably be advisable even for uncovered bikes, in those states that have stricter enforcement. http://www.bikeforums.net/general-cycling-discussion/638859-hitch-bike-carriers-legality-blocking-license-plate.html John Davies Spokane WA

Scotty, can you please start a new thread about your electric bikes? I've been researching but would like your feedback. Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

For Scotty, and anyone else wanting to build structural stuff out of aluminum, here are some cautions: Be sure that you understand the different alloys and their uses. Here is a good basic reference: http://alcobrametals.com/guides/aluminum Never never ever build a critical weight bearing structure (that will be subjected to repeated shock loads) out of the dead soft stuff available at the box store, you need a good strong weldable alloy like the tried and true 6061 T6. Think "airplane" rather than "greenhouse". Look for a material supplier who specializes in non- ferrous metals like the link above, which will cut and ship small quantities. I get stuff from them regularly since they are ten minutes from my residence. Aluminum is nowhere as strong as steel so everything has to be upsized to compensate, which means thicker walls and larger diameters. Just take a look at the Oliver frame for reference. It's relatively expensive compared to plain steel, so buy no more than you need. But by paying more now you are rewarded with years of low maintenance use. Aluminum can be welded but to do it correctly (and beautifully) is something of an art. The local trailer hitch guy most likely will not want to do it, if he even has the right equipment, and he may botch the job. You need to find a local specialty welding shop, not Uhaul, that can do this. I am lucky enough to know a guy who will do walk-in jobs for cash-in-hand. I never asked him if he reports the income. His work is gorgeous. He specializes in aluminum boat repair and race car fabrication. Your metal supplier will probably be able to refer you to this kind of shop. I suggest modifying Grayson's design to include a new cross member parallel and right next to the bumper. That gives you two beams to mount your bike crossbars to. Include a second 2inch square tube at each receiver hole, welded at 90 degrees straight up. Now you can remove the rack when not being used and remount it sticking straight up for transport. Allow enough clearance so you can open the bumper! You could use locking trailer hitch pins instead of bolts, though they don't hold as tight as big bolts. This last suggestion depends on your bike rack design, you may not have room to clear the spare cover. You could use a minimalist rack like my favorite the Yakima Boa and have no clearance worries, though it does require removing the front wheel. One thing I really like is that when they are removed from the bars, two pairs will fit in a big ziplock bag. Regular racks take up a ton of space in your garage. Finally, use stainless fasteners. Just like your Oliver. Aluminum trailers are great. Scotty, if you are going to use the rack on your truck, you must stick with a single receiver tube design. This is going to be inherently unstable, but you can deal with that by adding a clamp on brace to the tubes, to keep them locked together and prevent wiggling. However, I am not sure I would trust a lot of weight to a single aluminum receiver. The twin setup is way stronger. How heavy are your bikes? John Davies Spokane WA

One of the main features I love about the Oliver is its solid double hull construction and great crash safety. I have been a long time hater of slide outs since they are constant maintenance hogs and they can be so darned deadly in an accident. https://axleaddict.com/rvs/RV-Slide-Out-Dangers Scarey stuff indeed. I have never owned anything with a slide out and never will. I will never buy anything that uses wood as a structural member. I wonder when the design of RVs will start to become regulated to improve occupant safety? If you have never googled "RV wreck images" then you need to go look at what can happen to "non-Oliver's" ... Comments? John Davies Spokane WA

But I do not own one. The closest one to me is a two hour drive. John Davies Spokane WA

Yah, I did research this. Many front grill guards are junk, but the Warn units are very impressively strong, with huge reinforcing brackets that tie into the frame at multiple points. The receiver is indeed intended for a plug in winch, but it is rated for a 12,000 lb winch, so with a double line pull that is 24K. No way is that going to be distressed by moving a loaded Oliver around at 5 mph. I did talk to the guys at my favorite 4x4 fabricating shop, and the were very adamant that the Warn guards are darned good and would be fine for what I intend. My objection to most of the other choices of receivers is that they are so darned low down that they make the truck unusable offroad. There is one brand - I can't recall the name this second - that clamps over the front recovery hooks. That is a very stout unit and is high up, but I like the look of the full grill guard better and I need to protect the expensive intercooler and radiator of my Cummins from deer and such. The Trans4mer guard is used on a lot of forest service and other government vehicles, they would not use them if they had any weaknesses. The receiver crossbar would replace the winch mount shown in this (poor) pic: It's item E in the following diagram, shown next to the portable winch tray that can go into it.... John Davies Spokane WA

Short answer, no. There will always be a time when your TV throws up a shard of metal and you will never know your trailer is in distress until the tire goes. Regular pressure checks were fine back in the Olde Days when TPMS did not exist, but now they are cheap and reliable, so just do it and don't worry any more. John Davies Spokane WA

Very nice. I like it. Have you considered adding some reflectors on the back beam for when the bikes are not there? John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks for the link, I missed that stuff somehow. I think a front receiver makes the most sense for me since it will always be there and there are no weight limitations or extra batteries to be concerned with. Warn makes a very nice Trans4mer grill guard for my Gen 3 Ram and one option is a receiver, mounted nicely high off the pavement. I will probably get one of those. http://www.truckstuffusa.com/transformergrilleguardbywarn.html John Davies Spokane WA

That is a pretty wierd concept. Tow ratings are all about weight, frontal area, brakes and cooling. Length of the trailer really has zero effect other than to make turning more difficult. But the wheelbase of the TOW vehicle has a huge effect on stability. Here's a tow chart for the Explorer https://www.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/15RV&TT_Ford_Explorer_Sep30.pdf Assuming yours is AWD and has the HD tow stuff you should be OK with a 5000 lb GVWR aerodynamic trailer, but it will never be really stable due to the short wheelbase. It will do the job, but it won't be ideal. While you could theoretically tow a loaded down Elite single axle trailer behind your trucklet I personally would recommend getting a better tow vehicle like an F150 crew cab with that same 3.5 turbo engine. Then you could tow either model without worries, and it won't be maxed out. You couldn't safely tow the Elite II with your current truck because of the weight. http://www.ford.com/trucks/f150/specifications/towing/ Too many folks attempt to put too much trailer behind their trucks and it is neither safe nor sensible. It is generally recommended that folks in the market for a trailer pick the RV first, then choose a suitable TV..... Good luck. John Davies Spokane WA

Thank you , I know all that. What is your point? Are you worried about resale value? UV is a non-issue since it will be stored indoors. Rear view camera is a non-issue since I would either not use one or I would use a magnetic mount on the wheel bracket. Art work .... you are kidding, correct? Is there not enough blank surface area on this trailer for all kinds of graphics that don't involve the tire cover? Whether or not it enhances the appearance is a personal opinion. I personally think it looks dorky. Security of the spare is a small worry so a lock will take care of that. I'm not at all afraid to modify my purchases, and I enjoy the process. Anyway, this is all in my head at the moment, so we can all worry about it when I get a trailer..... John Davies Spokane WA

The Ollie is a heavy trailer for its size. Has anyone tried other methods for maneuvering and backing it into a garage or tight parking area? http://www.ebay.com/itm/TRAILER-MOVER-PLANS-12V-Electric-Power-Dolly-Caster-/232026859532 Harbor Freight sells a dinky little hand dolly rated at 600 pounds tongue weight but there is no way short of using a football team that you could push the larger Ollie with that unit. Maybe the smaller one, on a hard flat surface. I may add a front 2 inch receiver to my truck, so I could use it anywhere, I am just exploring options. Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

Long discussion here. IMHO a Stone Stomper from Australia will work great, and I would recommend them over the Rock Tamers which are marginal. http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/gravel-roads-protecting-the-front-of-the-oliver/ I emailed Oliver asking for the three critical dimensions required for ordering and I never got an answer. So you would need to do some measuring. You will need to figure out a solid way to anchor the two rear corners of the fabric guard. I think a long piece of thick wall square aluminum tubing bolted across the top of the A frame, just forward of the cabin, would work, but this is conjecture from photos. You would have to make slots in the back of the propane bottle blister for clearance. You can't just screw the supplied steel brackets into the fiberglass of the cabin. That would be asking for major problems. Depending on what tires you are using on your TV, you can _dramatically_ reduce the number of thrown stones by switching to an aggressive offroad tire with large voids, like a BFG Mud Terrain or Cooper Discoverer STT. They do not grip and toss gravel nearly as much as do All-Terrains and street tires. Plus they offer much more secure and predictable handling and braking on those pesky pea gravel forest roads. This is very important when you are pulling three tons of trailer.... Your Ollie needs mudflaps also, to protect the glass, jacks and water valves behind the rear wheels. If you haven't upgraded your suspension, you really should do so, soon! The regular Dexter suspension bushings and shackles are minimal at best. They will deteriorate very quickly when subjected to the dust and washboard of a typical forest or ranch road. Also, travel trailer leaf spring suspensions are notoriously unreliable when beaten on by potholes and severe sideways loading during maneuvering on uneven terrain. You should consider carrying a spare leaf spring and hardware at the very least, and the tools to change it in the boonies. I hope to install a Timbren tandem suspension on my future Oliver.... If we complain enough to Oliver they might eventually respond with an upgraded "severe duty" suspension option for those of us in the arid western states. I don't think they really understand how different the road conditions can be here from those in Tennessee. BTW, three to four hours of gravel per day is not at all uncommon on my vacation trips. This kind of travel will absolutely eat up unprotected trailers. This is SW Montana somewhere near Bannack ghost town .... Lovely and very, very remote. Please keep us informed if you do get a Stone Stomper, and give us some pics! John Davies Spokane WA

Cool, thanks. I think it would look very nifty with the spare flipped so you can see the pretty side of the wheel. You could easily move the license plate to the bumper. How about putting one of these back there...? I'm fooling! ... ... But there has to be a better use for the back of the trailer than that silly alloy bike rack holder that Oliver offers as an option. I have some vague ideas for this area, including a beefy steel skid plate, but that means re-engineering the flip down Ollie bumper.... If I put the hinges on the top, then the bumper could flip up and there would be room for a steel plate underneath the bumper and frame rails. Your pics shows me that there is room for the bumper on top, with the fiberglass cover removed. Those Rotopax will easily go inside the bumper in place of the big nasty hose (I would get the composting toilet). Add a big recovery shackle on each side of the frame close to the bumper..... Lots of fun possibilities here. Thanks again Buzzy. John Davies Spokane WA

Fixed your link. You need to use the hyperlink button in the toolbar (third from the right) to get the link to be clickable.

Cool write-up, but how come you installed the grease fittings on the outside? It makes it hard to grease all the fittings with the wheels and tires in place. With them facing inward, all are 100% accessible plus they stay a little bit cleaner.. John Davies Spokane WA

I can't recall the brand, it is pretty old and there are a ton of new brands with screwy names I have never heard of, all from the Orient. I would not recommend any unit less than $30, on principle. I suggest one with common inexpensive batteries, 9v or AA. Look for a decent warranty from a name brand. Look for robust construction (hard to do unless you can handle one), since it will get dropped once in a while. This might help. http://www.galttech.com/research/household-diy-tools/infrared-thermometer.php I'm sorry I can't recommend a particular unit, but you cannot go wrong with any instrument made by Fluke. If you work on cars or other vehicles, buy a good one, since you will find lots of uses for it there.... John Davies Spokane WA