John E Davies

That PVC hose will take up a lot more storage room than a flat hose, if that matters to you. It does look very well made but it is WAY too short by itself. I feel that 50 ft is the minimum you should have, longer is better, or have the ability to easily join shorter lengths. John Davies Spokane WA

That flat hose gets conflicting reviews, https://smile.amazon.com/American-Speciality-RT50-Handi-Hose-Reel/dp/B009IJQ8HS/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466132873&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=American+Specialty+Flat+Handi-Hose+%26+Reel+5%2F8+%22+x+50+%27 Is there a better type, perhaps a commercial 1" waste water discharge hose? Can these be found with standard garden hose fittings? http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200660986_200660986 John Davies Spokane WA

Worth reading IMHO - the discussion is really about what is realistic to expect from a manufacturer in the way of expensive options that not many buyers would choose... http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f96/cassette-toilet-in-oliver-tt-75073.html John Davies Spokane WA

I don't understand how a properly adjusted chain could come loose while being used for towing, under any circumstances. I do think that a nut could get out of adjustment, or even spin completely off, when the hitch was disconnected and you were moving the parts around. Regardless, the solution is simple and 100% reliable: Replace the free running nuts with nylock (self-locking) ones and call it good. You might have to put new ones on after a few years if you adjust them often, since their self locking action will weaken as the nylon insert wears, so buy an extra pair and throw them in your spares kit. Any nut and bolt supplier or a commercial supply company like McMasters will have nylock nuts. Maybe even Amazon. Install them with a light coating of anti-seize if you use stainless steel, since it can gall (seize) if run down too quickly. I don't have a clue what the thread size is, maybe a member can do this mod and post that information. I have another suggestion: if your Ollie's Anderson bracket bolts show that much thread sticking out, install shorter bolts, turn them around, or at least slide some pieces of rubber hose over the threads, so you do not open up your shin one day.... John Davies Spokane WA

Do you mean the big nut and urethane cushion disappeared? If that is the case you must not have tightened the nuts enough. There is no way they could turn with lots of compression force from the cushions. If they were indeed tight, then maybe there needs to be holes drilled in the threaded parts so you can drop in quick release safety pins. There is a 170 page thread on the hitch at the Airstream forum, maybe those folks could help. I have never used one, so my advice is only vague at best. http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464/the-andersen-wd-hitch-user-thread-92131.html John Davies Spokane WA

I think that you would have to have a _really_ strong interest in, and commitment to, the environment to use one. They require a lot of fussy maintenance. You do know that you have to dump the urine tank regularly, then dump or spread the compost, and recharge the holding tank with peat? While not not nearly as nasty as dealing with raw wet sewerage, neither task is pleasant or mess free. While it may be OK to dump a large container of concentrated pee on the ground it will stink and you should do it well away from any campsite. Maybe combine it with a gallon or two of gray water.... It's not something I would be happy to do in a busy campground, but you could carry it to an outhouse. I would love to be able to order a cassette toilet installation, to be able to roll the cassette over to and dump into an outhouse, but Oliver simply won't do it. When I get an Ollie I will probably use a portable macerator. Busy or closed dump stations are THE worst thing about owning an RV. I wonder if Oliver would be willing to design and offer a built in macerator dump system in place of the big gravity drain hose everybody hates. http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/all-composting-toilet John Davies Spokane WA

Bill, be glad you don't have them! They are not an "upgrade". If you venture far from help the cartridge NVR Lube bearings are a horrible idea. You need a big hydraulic press to replace them and they are uber expensive. If you don't mind servicing them, the old kind make so much more sense. You can fix a blown bearing at the side of the road in an hour using hand tools and the cheap bearings, seals, and grease that are in your spares kit. Do some research on the RV forums. You will see that the sealed bearings are fine until the fail, then they are an extremely expensive PITA to deal with. A bearing kit and a pound tub of grease is less than $20 and you can find the parts at ANY auto parts department or store. The cartridge bearings may have to be ordered and one set is $140. Scroll to the bottom here: https://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Trailer_Bearings_and_Races-pc-3500_lbs_Axle.aspx It's the same with your pickup truck - the front cartridge bearings are fast and easy to install at the factory, which is why they are used, but they put all the load over a very narrow distance compared to conventional bearings. They are convenient as heck for the builder but they are a very poor design for longevity. I'm sure there are videos about trailer hubs, but I don't have a link. I do have a link to a pickup front spindle conversion kit that is very informative, and much of it applies to trailers. If I can specify the old style axles when I order, I will do so and be very glad to have them! John Davies Spokane WA

Here is a great article on this subject. http://www.technomadia.com/2015/02/the-almost-fantasy-of-solar-powered-rv-air-conditioning/ It would be great if Oliver would offer a cutting edge 48 volt dc split air conditioning system, mounted in the wall. But they can't, for a number of reasons. Getting rid of the horribly inefficient roof top location would make a tremendous difference in cooling. The roof is very hot to start with and all those black solar panels just make the heat worse. How could you expect a primitive, inefficient roof A/C to be happy in those oven-like conditions? What is the temperature near the panels on a blistering day? 140 degrees or more? Making the operating voltage 48 volts drops the required amperage to 25% of a 12 volt unit. It can use wiring of very small gauge. That is the major reason bigger aircraft use 28 volt systems, to reduce wire size and weight. It's time rv cooling system design entered the 21st century. The cost would be very high.... http://kingtecsolar.com/a-split-ductless-ac-marvel-unveiled-to-the-world/ "Kingtec Solar’s unique PV-powered air conditioners are designed with simplicity and economy in mind, and are built to run using free and abundant solar renewable energy. We deliver 100% zero energy consumption for up to 7 1/2 hours on as little as 1000 watts of solar panels for a 16000 BTU AC. These air conditioners feature tri-energy inputs from any combination of solar, grid or batteries and can run in three modes: Energy Saving, Off Grid, or Hybrid." http://kingtecsolar.com Have you tried orienting your Ollie east-west and tilting the panels? What effect did it have on your experiment? Besides increasing their output, it gets their considerable heat away from the top of the roof and the air conditioner. John Davies Spokane WA

Tuaregs are solid trucks, but like any German vehicle they will absolutely kill you with extremely high repair costs once the warranty is gone. The 3.0 TDI engine uses FOUR timing chains and the chains are not known for their longevity. Early engines (around 2005) also had issues with tensioner failures. All the chains are at the BACK of the engine, so you are looking at complete engine remove just to gain access, at say $125 per hour at your stealership. Read this: http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/V6-TDI-engine-FAQ.htm If you tow your Ollie into remote regions you run the risk of having a breakdown and not being within half a state of a VW or Audi dealer. Local repair shops will have little experience with these vehicles, nor will they have the expensive specialized tooling needed to diagnose and work on them. Having owned three German cars over the years, I am at the "never again" stage and will not buy a vehicle that cannot be worked on in just about any town large enough to have a car dealer of some kind. If you never venture into the remote Western states, you may be fine with a Tuareg. Just don't try to get a blown trannee or broken timing chain fixed in say Wyoming or Nevada. For example there is ONE VW dealer (and no Audi dealers) in Wyoming, and three in Nevada, and they are located in the cesspools of Las Vegas and Reno. If you travel the boonies you are out of luck. Will AAA tow your car 300 miles for free? I don't think so. The new Titan is intriguing, and the new Cummins 5.0 V8 may in time prove to be a wonder, but being brand new, it is completely unproven and parts availability will be difficult and the parts will be expensive, until it becomes used in more vehicles. I think this would be a killer engine for towing in a light duty Ram pickup., either in a 1500 4x4, as an option in place of the 3.0 EcoDiesel) or in a 2500 Power Wagon. The PW is a superbly capable offroad truck hampered by horrible fuel economy ... the only thing preventing me from running to the dealer to buy one.... If you tow lots of miles into remote areas, buy one of the Big Three for ease of repairs and service. If you plan to be up high more than occasionally (say the Colorado Plateau, or even the very steep back roads of Idaho), get a diesel for the low end torque. Diesels are preferred for towing not just because they get good fuel economy, but because the driving experience is so darned relaxed. You don't worry about climbing or passing, and the greatly extended range between fill-ups is just a nice bonus. Being able to calmly climb a steep pass at 12,000 feet with your engine at 1800 rpm is wonderful. Gas engines have to work in the upper end of their rpm range and having the motor screaming just does not make for a relaxing drive. The only way you know a diesel is working hard is the boost and temperatures go up. Otherwise, it's smooth relaxed sailing. I have a 2006 Ram with the Cummins 5.9 (the last year before all the emissions junk) and I could never go back to gas. John Davies Spokane WA

The bushings are not rocket science, they are not really stressed, nor do they require expensive grease. If you are religious about lubing, any cheap chassis grease from Walmart will be fine. If you tend to neglect the lubrication, or tow in severe wet conditions, then by all means use a super high grade synthetic, since it will resist washout and deterioration better. In my dry climate I choose to use the cheap stuff and grease often. Any grease is better than dry plastic bushings.... John Davies SPOKANE WA

Yes, I specifically requested that option by email about six months ago, and they told me they would not do it. I hate carrying around large quantities of sewerage, looking for a dump station in the off season. Around here many campgrounds are not open until Memorial Day, months after the weather has gotten nice enough for primitive camping in a four season camper like an Ollie. Conventional RV black water systems suck. John Davies Spokane WA

Several truck campers offer a cassette toilet option, including Hallmark and Northern Lite. Check out the stunning XPCampers - they are all diesel/ solar and have huge fresh water tanks and cassette toilets and greatly surpass Olivers in build design and quality. The FUSO based Earth Cruiser is getting up in cost with a stripped, used EarthRoamer, but it has similar systems and will fit in a shipping container....you have lots of choices for a cassette toilet, you just need a pickup to put the truck camper on or seriously deep pockets to pay for a dedicated expedition vehicle. I think Oliver's unwillingness to offer one is a marketing mistake. John Davies Spokane WA

There is a TON of information at the Dexter website, you will see more than you could possibly want. To start with, FAQ: Applications Manual (general information mostly): Resource Library - detailed owner, installation and parts manuals for specific axles, brakes, etc. This one (from the above page) is the complete parts catalog with "exploded" photos of all the component parts. It is a great reference. Please remember that the MSRP for Dexter parts is very VERY high and if you cannot find parts at a 40% or greater discount, you just haven't tried. Sometimes it is way cheaper to buy an assembly, such as a complete electric brake with backing plate, than it is to buy individual parts. Plus it saves labor time. Ten or so minutes researching the part online can save you a ton of cash when it comes to any part made by Dexter. John Davies Spokane WA

Oliver has told me that they will not install a spring-over axle conversion on an Elite II, which is a great disappointment since I would have to get it done locally and at much extra cost and wasted time. Plus no warranty. I may just install this bolt-on Lippart alignment kit which will give an extra 2 inches of lift plus the ability to adjust the axle angles for reduced tire wear and better stability. http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/double-axle-alignment/57763 I asked for a cassette toilet system and was also politely and firmly rebuffed. Rats. John Davies Spokane WA

The HD shackle kit that comes with the bigger greaseable bolts has been around for decades and is well with the money. You cannot use the bigger bolts with your old rinky-dink shackle plates because they are way too long. You cannot use the new bolts with the old plastic bushings since they are larger in diameter. The addition of the rubber flex equalizers is simply icing on the cake, at minimal extra cost. Especially important if you are paying a shop $100 per hour to do the work, the extra labor for installing the new equalizers is zero since they would have to spend extra time removing the old plastic bushings from the original ones and pressing in the new brass bushings. The new equalizers come ready to install. It really is a no-brainer to install all the parts at once. I am still holding off on ordering a new Ollie Elie II and it is killing me. We have sold our big echoing house and we are living in a rental duplex while a much smaller new home is being built. They broke ground yesterday and we move in in mid-September. There will be a 16 x 47 x 16 ft RV bay (AKA "The Hanger Deck") waiting for the Ollie. It will be long enough that I can store it and my Ram short bed in it, coupled together and ready to go. I canNOT wait. Well, I guess I have to..... John Davies Spokane WA

Pete, That is a nifty bike rack but can you actually make a tight reverse turn without contract? It would be a shame to prang up both parts. The slightest grade (the trailer angled up) might make it impossible avoid damage, even with minimal stuff in the basket..... Has anyone figured out a way to fabricate a vertical bike rack mounted on top of the trailer A frame, where your cargo basket is now? That might be a good alternative for a couple of bikes and it would allow full access to to the truck bed.. Thanks, John Davies, Spokane WA

There appears to be no way to edit a post (?), so I will add a new one. An offset hole on a front receiver, as far as possible to the right, will help you to see around one side of the trailer while maneuvering. The Ollie is narrow enough at 7 feet to not be a huge blind spot. I would still use a backup camera on the trailer! Bodiak will not add an extra receiver bracket - I asked - but I think a local experienced welding shop could do this for less than $75 for almost any stock unit. It will however void the receiver warranty and ruin the factory powder coating. Please note that I haven't yet ordered an Elite II but have decades of trailer towing experience. Don't sell that low miles diesel, but if it does turn out to be too long and awkward, keep the longer trailer and trade the truck for a short bed model like a Ram Eco Diesel Crew Cab (not the Mega Cab). Don't get a gas truck or you will hate yourself every time you go up a long high altitude grade. Fuel prices will not stay cheap much longer. John Davies Spokane WA

With a front receiver the maneuvering will be vastly improved, especially for a long wheel base truck. I wouldn't get rid of a truck I really liked until I knew for certain that it just wasn't going to work. There are a number of front receivers available; my favorite is the excellent and very strong Warn Trans4mer (original model) grill guard, which is a modular system with an available 2inch receiver bar. This one fits your truck.... http://www.amazon.com/WARN-68162-Trans4mer-Grille-Guard/dp/B000BQN20S The latest version for the newer trucks does not offer a receiver, which is a shame. I am going to get one of these for my 2006 Ram. This is another great choice, lots cheaper and it is more stealthy .... Whatever brand you pick, make sure it does not hang really low and destroy your approach angle. Many like the Curt are a disaster in this respect. John Davies Spokane WA

What a pretty frame. Looking at the axles, I have to say that it is a shame that Oliver does not install the Dexter heavy duty greaseable shackle kit on every single trailer they build. The undersized shackle bolts and fragile plastic bushings are a seriously weak link in the standard suspension. It will be on mine, eventually, if I ever get into a financial state where I can order one. ;( If owners insist, I suspect they could one day be standard. John Davies Spokane WA

Unless you plan on towing often in the Rockies in 100 degree temps, you will have NO worries with that truck, as long as everything is in good shape (drivetrain, steering, shocks and brakes). There are plenty of Oliver owners happily towing with lesser vehicles. Your body on frame truck is a good choice. The only limiting factor might be the short wheelbase, by I doubt that you will have any issues. If you do get a new tow vehicle consider a longer wheel base SUV or pickup., something like a Ram 1500 Ecodiesel would be dandy. John Davies Spokane WA

Here is the full article.... https://www.trailerlife.com/rv-trailer-news/olivers-twist/ John Davies Spokane WA

A macerator can be a wonderful thing when the dump station is too far away/ closed for the season/ too crowded/ too expensive/ too much of a PITA to hook up for. But it is not as good as a cassette system ... but you can't get one in an Ollie, so a Macerator is as good as it gets. It still requires handling a stinky fecal hose. It's just smaller and it will pump uphill. John Davies Spokane WA USA

So, by the lack of comments, my guess is that either nobody tows in thick dust, or the Ollie is reasonably well sealed. Any opinions? John Davies Spokane WA USA

This sub-forum just received 48 spam posts in Chinese (?) from member jnrtan8196. I notified a moderator, but I have to ask how the forum filters allow a brand new member to post so much junk in a non-English language. Maybe some changes to settings are in order. I think a "Flag as Spam" button should be available for every post so we can take quick action. John Davies Spokane WA USA

I think if it were me, I'd have installed a mounting channel across the frame first and then mounted the stabilizers to that. That way, I wouldn't be limited by the width of the frame member in how I attached the stabilizer, and I'd also have more options in where to drill into the frame. Using just two bolts per stabilizer seems like it would allow for a lot of flex, and I'd think I'd want to drill as close to the center of the frame as possible, rather than near the corner. I agree entirely. A stabilizer jack can experience severe side loads on uneven ground and the upper mount needs to be considerably stronger than yours to be safe. I am sure that simple repetitive jarring from rough pavement and potholes will cause failure eventually. Do you want your frame to bend or break? IMHO you need a stout crossmember with welded on 1/4" plates at each jack that allow for through bolting of at least four stainless bolts per jack, with locknuts and heavy flat washers on the back side. Self tapping bolts in aluminum are ENTIRELY inappropriate for this application. The strength of the cut threads is marginal and the act of installing the bolts induces stresses in the holes which will cause radial cracks to form. A proper bracket will have a reinforcing gusset or support welded on each end. A flat plate that is unsupported on the ends, that is allowed to flex repeatedly, will eventually fail. Aluminum is a great material for trailers but you need to take great care in how you distribute the stresses, or it will fail. Getting a cracked or broken aluminum frame repaired correctly in a small town might be next to impossible, compared to steel, which any hitch shop can put back together.... Aluminum trailers have a poor street reputation because poorly designed and fabricated ones will crack, eventually. But well built ones do not have these issues. Hopefully this includes Oliver, but time and many towing miles will tell... Read the first couple of pages here.... http://www.adhocmarinedesigns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/ProBoat-June-July-2012-Aluminum-Welds.pdf While your jacks work great, that is unfortunately not a good design in terms of the the engineering. If you have any doubts about my advice or that of Overland, talk to Oliver or any A&P mechanic that does aircraft sheet metal work. BTW that was me for about 20 years.... John Davies Spokane WA USA