John E Davies

That was a great post, thanks! I do suggest that you add some white cable covers (hiders) in the areas where they might get pinched or cut, for example in the pantry and this will also disguise the black color. I have not used this brand before. There are lots of variations. Yecaye Medium Cord Hider on Wall Cable Management John Davies Spokane WA

Part of my “ready to depart” walk around is a visual inspection of the roof, to look for branches, to check the solar knobs (nylon ties are in place), and to make sure I remembered to close the two vents. If in doubt I stand on a picnic table for a better angle 😬. My wife gives me “The Look” whenever I do that. John Davies Spokane WA

If it is fully opened it might work at slow speeds as long as there is no strong wind. But it really was never designed to survive 65 mph towing plus gusty 20 mph headwinds. That is equivalent to a hurricane. The ONLY positions where the rain shroud is not loose are at full closed or full open. At ANY intermediate position, the entire assembly will flop around in the wind. Never leave your fan part way open using the black knob, especially in gusty winds or when towing. Video - 2017 MaxxFan 7000K sloppy at part open John Davies Spokane WA

Will you be happy in a stripped work interior? The higher trim levels give you so much more comfort and emotional support on long road trips. Make sure the seats are very good, you will be spending lots of days in them, staring at the bland interior and hating the sound system. Resale value will be very poor, I once had a new 1988 Chevy 1500 Scottsdale, with very basic interior with rubber mats and cloth seat. I traded it in later and the dealer didn’t like it “Nobody wants a Scottie!” John Davies Spokane WA

Weather radios work OK, but only if you can receive the signal. I have one for at home, but many of the places I visit have no radio reception, for example, almost any mountain valley away from a town, and much of the NW Pacific Coast. If your phone isn’t working out West, it is very unlikely that your weather radio will work. Just like a cell signal, a NOAA weather radio is short range (40 miles max) and “line of sight” only. https://www.weather.gov/cae/reception.html Satellite communicators work as long as the unit can “see” some of the sky. If there isn’t a satellite in view, it tries again. Usually the message goes out in one to three minutes. My inReach works well through the roof of the Ollie, from its charging cradle. Plus I can send routine messages to family so they know where I am and that I am still healthy and safe. And of course, it goes on hikes or bike rides too. https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/outdoor/favorite-inreach-stories/ John Davies Spokane WA

Here is a picture of the older design, no top pickup tube. Yellow shows where the new fitting and line are located. FYI my “no spin weld” version is doing fine, I can use all but maybe three gallons without tilting the tongue. For draining, you must still tilt a little. John Davies Spokane WA

No need to call, it takes a few seconds to look and see. The older trailers have two lines coming out of the rear (vertical) end of the tank. The pickup tube mod added a third suction line at the TOP corner. Without that mod the tank only supplies 2/3 of its rated capacity, meaning 10 gallons is unusable - the pump sucks air. If the tank is full or the tongue is raised, it should work fine otherwise… From an old thread: EDIT 11/02/21. Oliver will do the spin weld mod free if you visit the factory. IMHO they should issue a Technical Bulletin and just fix all the ones in the field, at no charge to the owners. Instead they just changed the technical specs from “32 gallons” to “32 gallons design capacity”. LOL…. How lame is that? Matt Duncan posted this on Page 2 here in this thread: "I have talked to the service department and management. We will take care of the tank modification for free if you can bring it to our service center in Tennessee. You will need to call 1-888-526-3978 to schedule the tank modification. Let me know if you have any questions!" https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2261-how-to-fresh-water-tank-suction-tube-mod-no-spin-welding-required/ John Davies Spokane WA

It does take a lot of skill to “freehand” sealers. I can’t do it. Period. My method involves taping both sides of the joint, injecting sealant, wiping it smooth and deep with a finger, then removing the tape. This works beautifully but is so time intensive that they can’t do it during production. The clay window caulk on Hull 218 looked OK, but it oozes out over time and collects dirt (turns black). I scraped off all the ooze using a plastic scraper and cleaned the dirt away, but the dirt returns. The only solution for a clay type window/ door/ hatch sealant is don’t use it at all.😬 At some point I will reseal the outside of all my windows. These are RVs, assembled by people. I don’t expect perfection, but Quality Control appears to be slipping badly. It was like this in 2017, there were a bunch of mistakes and sloppy work on “Mouse” and the hulls produced then, but I thought they had figured out how to do these basic assembly tasks. I think owners need to do more that submit tickets. Call, leave a message and ask for someone from Management to call you back. In 2018 I spent nearly an hour on the phone with one, talking about QC. They need to get rid of the cell phones, a worker cannot focus if he is listening to music or chatting with her husband. That cr@p is for break time. John Davies Spokane

I never actually use this, but a Garmin inReach will receive either basic forecasts or detailed one. Frequently Asked Questions on Weather for inReach SE/SE+/Explorer/Explorer+/Mini Series It is prudent to have SOME sort of communicator when there is no cell signal, especially we older folks who might have a medical emergency. I am not worried about a tornado - what is that, anyway? 😃 - than I am a wildfire. I try to camp at locations with more than one way out, and yes I do try to stay hitched and ready to go at short notice. John Davies Spokane WA

Do they use bear proof trash containers there? Whenever I see those I don’t leave the Ollie without my spray. Those three were headed for the fire ring, most likely some fool camper cooked food or burned trash in it. If they become habituated to humans they will have to be relocated. Black bears are unpredictable, I dislike them, but I fear the big brown ones more😳 I used to ride my KTM along the ID/MT border and saw many small black bear butts as they disappeared into the trees a hundred yards in front of the bike. But once we stopped for a break (always ride with others!) and saw fresh grizzly tracks in the thick dust, the edges of those huge paw prints were still crumbling. I always carried spray and a big revolver, but I am not sure I would have ever had time to deploy either. I did remove both one time, when a moose and her baby blocked the forest road and we were not able to proceed for twenty minutes. They finally ambled away. I hate moose too… I have never had to use my spray or the gun, fingers crossed. The rangers at Glacier had to drive away two grizzlies from the campground with rifle shots when I was there.😳 My personal observations make me believe that 99% of campers are clueless about the dangers of large wild animals. John Davies Spokane WA

The screws should be sealed as well as the flange. That screw shows no sign of sealant around its head, water can and will go down around them. Oliver has been known to mess up here. I had to remove and reseal my roof vent because the installer did it wrong. Since you have NO idea what the actual condition of the sealant is, you should remove that vent entirely, clean off the old sealant underneath, and reinstall it properly. Or have Oliver do it for you under warranty. FYI, lack of sealant shows as dirt on an older trailer. Water and dirt was traveling down those three screws and then into the ceiling below. Adding more sealant around the outside would have done nothing to correct the root cause. John Davies Spokane WA

I agree with FrankC. I would remove the chrome tip and install a short angled (downturned) tip. Or a 90 degree one exiting to the side. Problem solved. Don’t over-think this. Rather than trying to correct the problem (melted rubber), eliminate the root cause of it. John Davies Spokane WA

Have you studyied the Plumbing section in your owners manual? It clearly shows all a the hot and cold lines and vents, and the shape of the tanks. Knowing where all those parts are located is important, for one thing, it will help with tracing the origin of a leak like yours. Of course it also depends on whether your trailer s dead level or angled just a little. You need to search “uphill” in case the trailer has a slope to it in either axis. John Davies Spokane WA

Testing the water system on a brand new trailer means using ALL of it, including your fresh tank and the water pump. And all the distribution valves under the curb side hatch. If you have never used it, how do you know it will work when you need it? There will be some residual water in the tank from when it was installed, does your level gauge show any? John Davies Spokane WA

You mentioned “we have plans”. How many people will be traveling? Each additional person doubles the personal stuff and camping items like chairs that you have to store and it reduces your TV payload dramatically. The LE2 is fine for a couple, but barely adequate for a couple plus a bigger dog in terms of storage and being able to maneuver in the very narrow center aisle. If traveling solo, the LE2 is wonderful for storage, but has a bunch of negatives otherwise. I would not have bought the bigger trailer if I were single. I keep coming back to trailer choice because it is so important and you may not have considered certain limitations. These Ollies are wonderful, but VERY compact and heavy. A typical LE2 has a tongue weight of 650 pounds, trailer weight depends on the options and fluid load, mine is around 6000. For loooong trips into north Canada, and normal travel into the desert back country for BLM primitive camping on dirt roads, you need a high payload because you cannot “travel light” in those situations. You must have enough capacity to bring emergency gear, basic recovery gear (there could be no cell signal where you get stuck) tools, extra water, extra fuel for generator and TV (the latter depends on your towing range), chains for the TV and trailer for mountain passes in the shoulder seasons, heavy All Terrain or mud tires, and two sets of clothes for everybody. A pickup needs a tonneau or canopy, the latter is 200 pounds or more. People pull trailers to these places all the time without enough of this gear, but a prudent long distance boondocker will carry it, because unfortunate events occur when you are far from any help. A satellite communicator is valuable, but calling a tow for help could be very costly to recover a truck and a trailer. John Davies Spokane WA

It could easily travel there, you would have to add tie downs of some kind, however there is very minimal floor space to play it and still be able to move around. I just want you to fully understand the details of an LE2, because if it doesn’t work for you, you might have bought the wrong tow vehicle. “Not enough truck” is really common, the truck should be bought after the trailer is bought, or at least after the final trailer decision has been made. John Davies Spokane WA

Hi and welcome. We can’t make serious recommendations until you tell us what model trailer, and how you plan to spend your travels - hooked up, State Parks, boondocking - and where. Since you are wanting dark skies, and by your forum name, you probably will need the boondocking options.., I know nothing about GMs but you do most definitely need 4wd. Why would you even consider dragging a 250 pound generator all over the place? You would have to mount it onto a heavy steel slide tray to be able to operate it, and it will suck an awful lot of gas. You would need to carry extra fuel, unless you have a propane kit on it. Even that is going to seriously compromise your limited propane supply, especially in cold weather with the furnace running.. Trade it in on a new EU3000iS that weighs about 60 pounds dry. That will do anything you want with either Ollie. The weight savings will allow you to install a fiberglass canopy and bed liner or rug with no additional weight penalty. How big is your piano? Just the keyboard or full sized with pedals? If the latter, it won’t fit in either model. How big is the scope and tripod, ready to travel? FYI the smaller Elite is not in production, pending a redesign. That might be worth waiting for…. These are small trailers, you need to See an Ollie in person before you commit. They don’t have very much storage space compared to a big square boxy one. Have you considered a big truck camper on a 3500 SRW 4wd truck? That will get you to a lot more dark sky campgrounds than any trailer. Have you seen the big Cirrus camper? John Davies Spokane WA

FYI: … https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/6722-how-to-replace-the-120-vac-refrigerator-outlet-under-the-galley-sink-water-lines-with-a-waterproof-junction-box/ John Davies Spokane WA

Either of those products is temporary, a permanent gelcoat repair should be done by a skilled fiberglass specialist, for example a local marine/ boat repair shop. OTH a small rock chip (crater) can be patched with a white epoxy like Marine Tex, but your crack must be ground away to see if there is any damage underneath. Where do you live, if you are near Tennessee the factory would be the very best choice for this. John Davies Spokane WA

FYI, don’t leave your Andersen chains and whaletail lying on the ground, eventually they will rust as the finish gets scratched up. Two short bungee cords, one hooked to the middle of each chain, and one hooked to the ends of the whaletail, will support them neatly off the ground. You can leave the middle one attached while towing. The front one can then be used to secure your wiring to keep it off the ground. This method protects your big investment and makes you look like a pro; the parts never touch the ground, unless you have to lower the tongue way past the normal position at a steep campsite. The same applies to your three jacks, put a block of wood underneath each, or they will rust and leave nasty stains on the pavement. They are also more stable when they are not fully extended, and it reduces wear and tear on the motors and gears. And saves battery power. How do you like your new trailer? John Davies Spokane WA

Your kind of leak is normally just a small nuisance. Be very thankful that you have an Ollie, because if it was a stick and staple brand, there might be wet wall insulation and mold/ dry rot to deal with. In an Ollie, you say, “Oh a water leak, I’ll fix it” and you go camping. In another brand it might be, “Oh a leak, my ceiling, wall and floor have to be replaced by the dealer, and they are backlogged three months!” If you had a defective tank, that would be a pretty big deal, but they are designed to be removed from the back through the sewer opening, but this is highly unlikely. Roof leaks will usually travel down between the two hull parts and drain out the bottom, but since yours has been dry for a month, it is a plumbing related issue. The only place you DO have to worry about with any Ollie is under the galley cabinets, if you get a sink faucet leak, it can eventually destroy the bottom plywood. So it is prudent to never let a leak go for very long without fixing it. John Davies Spokane WA

How long have you had the trailer? Have you learned the tricks for hitching, like not reversing the truck at an angle? Or was this a maiden voyage? Please add your trailer type and hull number and tow vehicle info to your signature, that is very helpful. I can’t imagine any part of the Andersen that could slip and render BOTH chains too tight. If the “whaletail” is misaligned, one chain will be slack and the other too short. We need more information, pictures help too. John Davies Spokane WA

These are excellent, though for only those owners who are very mechanically inclined. He discusses servicing all the parts, such as testing the gas supply pressure, cleaning the jet and burner flue, adjusted ignitor gap, troubleshooting the sensors with a meter, etc etc. If you have been thinking about adding a better fan, watch video 12. Here is that particular one: 12 volt RV Fan Facts Main webpage: https://www.arprv.com/norcold-dometic-troubleshooting.php BTW, I received a Fridge Defend full kit and will post a thread about the install, it requires removing the fridge entirely for my early Dometic unit. The outside access openings are too small! 😤 John Davies Spokane WA

“Should” does not mean “will”, you could certainly get it in vertically, but will it go in with a bike inside, horizontally (make the turn into the center aisle), without jamming or scratching any gelcoat? Maybe some owners would be OK with loading the bin and the ebike separately, but that method is not appealing to me. Can you try sliding it in, and then turning it, as if it were full? John Davies Spokane WA

Yours may still be in warranty, check to see. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t change it yourself if it is going to take two months to get it through normal warranty channels. Sometimes it makes more sense to just buy it and do it yourself, if you are comfortable doing that. John Davies Spokane WA