John E Davies

Well, I missed that entirely - my bad, I did not interpret her description as saying that they have already been replaced. But new batteries should NOT take any time to function normally, they come mostly charged. Margaret, my apologies, and please fill out your Signature with trailer and tow vehicle information. John Davies Spokane WA

I’m very sorry, but that really is not good news, it is very probable that they are ruined and will have to replaced. Do you know what kind and how old they are? Did you have the trailer inspected before you bought it? Is there a maintenance history or service records? If not, it would be very prudent to get a mobile RV service to come and give it a thorough inspection, including the electrical parts and appliances, and brakes and wheel bearings. If the batteries are sealed (AGM) then a load test must be done on each one individually to determine their health. Some campgrounds won’t allow that sort of work (disassembling the axle hubs), so you would need to check with the office. They would probably be OK with fixing the batteries, if it comes down to that. John Davies Spokane WA .

3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner, Quart, 08984 If you have a local Automotive Paint supply store, buy it there, I pay about $14 per quart locally. It is voodoo magic for stuff like this, and for road tar on the gelcoat or your TV. Wear gloves and have some ventilation,, it has all sorts of unpleasant solvents. It won’t hurt gelcoat or paint but it does completely strip off the wax. Body shops use it a lot for prepping the paint. John Davies Spokane WA

Abracadrabra! Kazaaaam! Go out and recheck, maybe it is fixed now. John Davies Spokane WA

That is out a lot further than normal. If you want to move it forward, it would be very easy to cut out a section of the black pipe inside the hull and reconnect it with a glued ABS coupling. Access is fine underneath the false floor in the cargo area, which is held down by a few small screws.. Also, make sure the big rubber grommet is in place, mine was never installed right and the waste pipe flopped around and a very large amount of dust entered the cabin there. There should be almost no motion at all. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2821-how-to-waste-pipe-plastic-dust-grommet-not-secured-pipe-moves-around/ I recall that a member cut a great big hole in the bottom aluminum plate and used a 90 degree elbow so the hose would exit out straight down, and the bumper could then be closed while connected. I prefer not to have a hole there. A full timer who spends months connected might prefer that mod. John Davies Spokane WA

The Andersen and Bulldog parts have a street value of about $700 if bought online and IMHO they are worth at least $350 on Craigslist or another classifieds website like the one here. I hope that was a simple mistake, because otherwise it is quite unethical that Oliver kept them. They should have credited you the difference or at least given you some store credit. I would complain to your sales rep about it. Ask for some Ollie bits like camp chairs or hats. John Davies Spokane WA

FYI $1.00 in $2017 had a 2022 buying power of $1.16. So that is a 16% difference. My 2017 $63,000 Hull 218 would cost $66,780 in 2022 dollars. John Davies Spokane WA

Another member posted these showing current LE2 prices. If somebody has better quality ones, please PM me and I will replace them. Click Open in new tab (or window) to see full sized versions.) Out of curiosity I specced out a fully loaded model. 2023 Oliver Legacy Elite 2 Build Sheet - MAXXED OUT (most expensive options chosen) Twin bed w/ couch $73,800 TB w/ 2 upgraded foam cushions $1750 TB w/ 2 upgraded mattresses Ultrafabric $450 Hypervent $200 Omni-directioinal and portable satellite antenna $1400 Powered streets side awning $2300 Convection microwave $500 Composting toilet $1350 Truma AquaGo WH, Truma Aventra AC and Electric antifreeze kit $3850 Lithium Platinum Package 640 AH $15,900 Electronics Pro Package $2100 Outdoor Pro Package $2350 2 5/16” Andersen hitch with 2 5/16” Bulldog coupler $1200 Ligun table $500 Shower track $275 TOTAL $107,925 Here is mine: DAVIES Oliver Legacy Elite II “Mouse” Hull 218 FACTORY OPTIONS, delivered 04/26/2017: Note - Oliver was doing custom options at this time, some were done on the production line, some were done by Service at Delivery. EDIT 08/10/22 The base price is wrong in my description, it should be $48,500. Here is the actual build sheet for 2017 for my trailer: It is really hard to compare model years because so much of the optional stuff is now included in the base trailer. But the cost of a brand new one is maybe one reason the used trailers are selling at or near their original purchase prices 😉 For anyone buying used, try to find the original build sheet or ask Oliver Sales to send you one, it will give you a much better idea of how that pre-loved Ollie is equipped. The huge cost increases associated with the pandemic obviously are at work here. My $800 Natures Head option is now $1350. I am sure similar increases affect the cost of gelcoat and resin, structural aluminum, copper wires, wheels and axles, and of course the appliances. John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks for posting, I haven’t done it yet, but if you check all the expensive options, what is the total price for a fully specced out LE2? Mine was “moderately” equipped five years ago for $62k 😳 John Davies Spokane WA

How has it worked at 10,000 feet and a 12% climb? Or a 30 mph headwind? Or do you always stay low and in the East? What is your max tow rating, about 6500? It doesn’t take much very power to drive around on flat terrain near sea level😬 John Davies Spokane WA

https://gabriel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Gabriel-HD-Tech-Bulletin-Shock-Installation.pdf I think somebody at Oliver is overdoing it…..BTW the shocks on my trailer are Monroe Gas Magnums. It is interesting, the Oliver warranty is just one year, but if you buy and install them yourself it is lifetime. Something to consider if you have one or more blown ones. https://www.carid.com/monroe/gas-magnum-rv-driver-or-passenger-side-shock-absorber-mpn-555001.html And if you do experience blown seals, it may be due to running way too much air in the tires. Two of mine blew in the first season (60 psi!). I replaced them and since then all have been fine at 42 psi. You are “supposed to” replace both on the same axle, but I suspect that recommendation is more for cars and trucks than for an RV. John Davies Spokane WA

1 and 3 are normal. The green circle is your shock bushings. Ideally they should not look like that, but it is actually very common, even in a nearly new truck. I think over tightening the nuts may cause this. I would inspect them annually, if they start to lose chunks of rubber, then you should change all eight pairs. You should also look at your shocks to make sure they are not leaking oil from the top of the lower cylinder (blown seal). I have never heard of spring maintenance on a trailer. That website is talking about trucks IMHO. I have never done anything except lube the grease zerk fittings, and check the hardware for tightness. Springs can and do fail, I am not sure you would be able to see a crack before it actually broke. As far as cleaning goes, one half hour run down the highway in heavy rain will clean them pretty well…. they get pressure washed by the water shooting out from under your TV. It would not hurt to spray a little penetrating oil on the rusty ubolts, right at the nuts, that will make it easier to check the torque and might help to prevent more rust in the future. It is unsightly but will remain purely cosmetic, unless you start towing in winter. The amount of threads showing past each nut should be the same. I am not sure why one ubolt is uneven. You could try to adjust it, but I don’t think is is a big deal, as long as it is clamped down tightly. Here is my 2017 LE2 Hull 218, I just now took a pic: Please add your trailer and tow vehicle info to a signature, so it will appear after all your posts so we will know what you have. There have been a lot of changes over the years. PS, my axles may look nicer than others this age because I have protective rubber flaps which keep the rocks and water from striking them directly. John Davies Spokane WA

Wow, this is an old thread, I had sort of lost track of it. You should grease the ball, but you also should add a can of spray brake cleaner and paper towels to your tow kit, because you will have to clean off the ball every time you unhitch, otherwise it will soil your pants or bare leg. Bad words will follow! It doesn't matter what type of grease, but a product that comes in a tube is much easier to store and to apply. It only takes a small amount, where the shiny spots and wear are positioned. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Park-Tool-Polylube-1000-Grease-Tube/33294585 It does attract dirt, so clean out the cavity in the coupler every now and then, or it will just turn into valve grinding compound 😉 John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks, what is the cost? Do they charge anything extra for the matching Andersen? And it is about time! Where is that disk brake option? 😀 Can you scan that build sheet and post it? John Davies Spokane WA

The 3.0 Duramax is a powerful and efficient motor but it has some pretty significant design faults that are enraging some owners, a redesign is coming that will hopefully fix them. I personally would not keep any modern diesel beyond the warranty period, and I would accept the idea that the entire cab (or body on an SUV) of your 3.0 truck might have to come off at a GM dealer to fix it. If it won’t start part way through your dream vacation, you might regret your purchase decision… especially if you are completely stranded in northern British Columbia with NO cell connectivity, no dealer within 300 miles and no way to get to your destination in Alaska or to return home. Think about that for a while 😳😳 https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2022/01/3-0l-duramax-diesel-long-crank-issues-continue-to-confound-dealers-frustrate-owners/ https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2022/04/replaced-already-new-gm-3-0l-duramax-diesel-lz0-coming/ OTH I do love how the turbo is mounted up top where it is super easy to service. Unlike the new Tundra/ Sequoia gas V6 and all V8 turbodiesels… John Davies Spokane WA

The wear on the Andersen hitch ball may be significantly reduced; it depends on how well the under side of the coupler was manufactured, and how tight the chains are adjusted…. My 2” Bulldog was pretty rough, and even the brand new replacement had blobs of weld splatter too! I towed “Mouse” about 5000 miles with a dead weight hitch behind a HD Ram and the 2” ball still looked OK. I switched TVs and installed an Andersen setup. My small Andersen ball was pretty much wrecked (and the very deep groove occasionally locked up and made a loud banging noise) after just a thousand miles. After installing the large ball and coupler it took about 18,000 before I started seeing similar wear. The ball does indeed need to be lubricated, even though it is advertised as grease free, or you will end up with a rusty mess. Plus the larger safety margin makes sense to me. I don’t overload but do tow on rough back roads. Even if I had a dead weight hitch the bigger ball would make me worry less about something happening in the boonies. A replacement Andersen ball and friction sleeve retails for about $80. The coupler itself is less than $100. Plus labor charges if you are not comfortable going the job. So $250 installed by Oliver seems fair to me, IF they give you back your smaller unused parts to resell! https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2139-bulldog-coupler-destroys-anderson-ball/ John Davies Spokane WA

It depends partly on how far extended the jacks are. If you are not using any blocks under them, then yes, there can be some motion, because the inside parts are not very well supported when far out. The easy way to eliminate it is to stack wood or “Lego” blocks underneath all three so that they only have to extend a few inches. That also conserves electrical power, and reduces wear and tear on the motors and gearboxes. Also, FYI the hardware that holds the jacks to the frame may be LOOSE, check all nuts and bolts for tightness, if any are loose, tightening them to the correct torque will firm things up. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/6812-check-your-rear-jack-mount-hardware-bottom-frame-bolts-were-1-turn-loose/ John Davies Spokane WA

No worries, you won’t hurt your solar charging system, it cooperates nicely with the other charging systems on your Ollie. What generator do you have? If it is a little 1000 watt unit you will have to trip (disconnect) the AC circuit breakers for all the other circuits except the converter (charger) or might not carry the load. John Davies Spokane WA

You need a 30 amp RV female to 15 amp male adapter, this is the one I use. It is high quality and won’t melt: You can plug its male end into your generator and then plug the big 30 amp shore power cable into the female end. But it works much better if you plug a heavy duty (12 or 10 AWG) 15 amp extension cord into your generator, then in to the adaptor, and attach the adapter to the side of the trailer using the threaded collar. That way you don’t have a massive cord dangling off the fragile generator socket. The grounding plug is needed, it has to plug into one unused socket on the generator in order for the onboard surge suppressor to “see” the generator and then allow it to connect properly. If you don’t use that plug it won’t work right. Another option if your generator has a 12 volt DC connection, use the supplied cord with aligator clips and hook those to (any of) your battery positive and negative posts. But this is a a VERY slow way to charge and also little risky for a few reasons. It should look like this: Maybe you could just tell us what equipment/ adapters, etc you have at hand, hopefully you won’t have to make a trip to an RV supplier…. And I will say this, you are supposed to figure this stuff out in your driveway, not out in the remote woods 😀 John Davies Spokane WA

The ball has to match the size stamped in the Bulldog coupler. The normal one used is 2”, but Oliver has been installing some larger customer supplied 2 5/16” couplers prior to delivery. Yours is probably 2” but you should visually verify. Welcome to the forum. John Davies Spokane WA

Good catch, you have to be really careful about cheap hoses and connectors. Most are plated aluminum, once that plating is disturbed by normal use, you get dissimilar metal corrosion and white powder, and they can freeze solid to a steel part like your house hose bibb. Most of the $25 “contractor grade” hoses sold at box stores is actually garbage grade. Brass metal prices have really gone up in the last couple of years, so if it seems too good a deal it probably is not real brass. These ones are the real deal, I use them around my house but not on the Ollie. They are superior quality, massive, rebuildable, and have a 10 year no-questions-asked warranty, like their hose reels. I have two of those😬 and some of their nozzles and manifolds. https://www.eleyhosereels.com/products/garden-hose-quick-connect-system John Davies Spokane WA

And it might obscure the license plate if centered. I bet the build and material quality will be very disappointing after using the 1-Up products😬 The Camco one is painted steel and non-stainless hardware. John Davies Spokane WA

I haven’t actually seen that one in person, it looks simple enough to bolt on using big stainless steel bolts and locking nuts. Be sure to put a plastic pad under it to prevent dissimilar metal corrosion. One of the members here recently said he was going to do this, search the threads here. John Davies Spokane WA

Have you seen this rack? If you have a Camco tank, this might be usable on your Ollie bike rack cross bar. You might have to remove the receiver from it. https://www.camco.net/tote-tanks/bumper-mount-tote-tank-holder-39010 John Davies Spokane WA

We were at the RV park due west of Whitehorse nearly a year ago. I took this pic there: That is a great town, be sure to go on the steamer tour. How are gas prices? Are you finding premium gas for your boosted Tundra? John Davies Spokane WA