John E Davies

I would be very reluctant to weld on that subframe, I bet the factory would not approve. it destroys the galvanizing and probably compromises the sealer between it and the aluminum frame. I don’t see any reason why one or two 1/4” stainless roll pins driven through holes in both washer and subframe would not work well. Alternatively, weld a piece of steel 90 degree angle to the washer facing inward, to engage the bottom lip of that suspension hanger. That might be a simpler method, you could take the two washers to a local shop to be welded, then install them at your leisure after painting them. John Davies Spokane WA

No worries, I am sure a very helpful moderator can move it to the general discussion one. Next time you start a thread, and I hope you will, try to pick an appropriate section, it simplifies things. But nobody is going to get mad. John Davies Spokane WA

Air Tags are also used to track people, for example slip one into a woman’s purse at a bar. There are some bad people out there. I use the early version Tile but not for nefarious purposes! John Davies Spokane WA

You still need to check those mounting bolts! John Davies Spokane WA

https://taskandpurpose.com/news/coast-guard-helicopter-rv-camper/ Pretty long spread between coupler and axles, I wonder what the TW is? John Davies Spokane WA

I don’t recall if they are stainless steel or plain steel, but if you have a telescoping magnet retriever tool, try fishing around down in that deep recess where all things disappear. You might just recover them. This might help. …https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/6781-how-to-service-your-rear-electric-jacks/ John Davies Spokane WA

Then the switch may be physically dragging on its cover or the opening, you may have to remove it and perhaps file a bit of extra clearance where it hits. Or maybe just try loosening the screws and shifting the switches a little. The technical term is “fuss with it”. John Davies Spokane WA

Your front toggle switches will free up if you spray some silicone lube and work them a little, they get dirt buildup. Get a 3/4” 1/2” drive socket and torque wrench and check the mounting bolts of both rear ones. They should be 43 ft lbs. Recently my right jack seized and I found the bolts that go vertically down through the frame rail to be super loose, like one full turn. Both jacks were this way. They worked fine after retorquing. I suspect the housing was tilting under load and binding the main shaft. The horizontal bolts inside the trailer were fine. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/6812-check-your-rear-jack-mount-hardware-bottom-frame-bolts-were-1-turn-loose/ IF they are loose, please file a followup to your service ticket! John Davies Spokane WA

Video test drive reviews videos have hit the Internet, big time, just pick one: Google “2023 Toyota Sequoia review video” Here is a test of the TRD Pro that includes some offroad stuff, fast forward to the 20:00 minute mark if you want the skip the intro. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j3Zomv68MFU I think it would be great for towing the LE2, I have small reservations about third “fixed” row seats, I am sure there will be a way to get them out, make a flat platform for cargo, fool the electronic warnings, and maybe lose 100 pounds of dead weight. The last year model of the Land Cruiser 200 offered a special edition with no third row, no side steps and AT tires, maybe that is in the future for the Sequoia. I also don’t like the part time 4wd, but I know why they did it, better fuel economy. And the interior design would take some getting used to. And the placement of those twin turbos, so far down and buried under other parts. 😳😳😳😳😳 John Davies Spokane WA

Another big caution about cheap power adapters and high amp circuits. They are cheap for a couple of reasons, they use smaller gauge poor quality wire (sometimes copper plated aluminum) and the pins in the socket and plug are substandard - they are undersized and weak, so they bend and you get a poor contact. Poof! Camco makes decent RV accessories and I have bought a lot of them, but I won't buy anything electrical. Look for a good marine part like Marinco, and expect to pay double or more. Kristie, you probably don’t want that to happen to your Ford inverter connection… John Davies Spokane WA

Forgot this, if you are running the AC and also another light load inside the trailer, be sure to use a super heavy gauge cord, not any old 14AWG cord. I have been using this 10 AWG one almost continuously for five seasons, I only hook up my heavy 30 amp cord if it is stinky hot and I am stuck at a hook up site with 30 amp power. This cord won’t even get warm with peaks of 18 amps running from my Yamaha generator. It is holding up really well. Write your name on it with a sharpie on it a few spots as a theft deterrent! Polar/Solar 1787 10/3 15-Amp SJEO Outdoor Extension Cord with Lighted End, 25-Foot the lighted ends are a nice touch, they tell at a glance if the other end is “hot”. Did you look at your truck owners manual about adapters? John Davies Spokane WA

This is beyond my skill set, but I know you will only be able to use half that rated current per “leg” if you spilt it into two 120 volt legs. You can’t pull 30 amps like from a proper RV socket. But you could plug a second cord into that second leg for some other load like a chainsaw while the trailer was getting power. https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/anyone-figure-out-how-to-convert-240v-outlet-to-120v-and-still-use-all-7-2kw.3148/ Doesn’t Ford offer the necessary 240 to 120 adapters? I would definitely go with OEM parts in this situation. If you use a no name China made cord and damage the inverter, Ford won’t be happy. I bet that unit is a couple of thousand $ at least. I am guessing that this is appropriate. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Champion-Power-Equipment-3-ft-240-Volt-Y-Adapter-48035/203501783 John Davies Spokane WA

You haven’t provided enough info for anyone to help. How long did you run the microwave? How long and what quality sun exposure? “Nearly 13 volts” reading on what device? Under load? Charging? Resting? What batteries do you have? John Davies Spokane WA

What grease have you been using? Was there any excess play in the hub? Any unusual sounds when you spun the tire? You lucked out by catching that early enough. Nobody likes to deal with a smoking hot seized hub in the middle of nowhere. Thanks for posting the pics. John Davies Spokane WA

I do too 😁 A good double pane glass panel is maybe R5. Which is pretty good compared to a single pane, but not much more can be said about that. Just stick your hand on your home window when it is bitter outside. John Davies Spokane WA

I think doing a walk around with a thermal camera would show where the heat is going. It might provide some interesting pictures and start some “heated” discussions. In the event if a fire I am not going to hang around inside. There are plenty of other sources of toxic chemicals in there like the tanks, plumbing, cushion foam, and appliances, not to mention the VAST amounts of fiberglass and gelcoat. My small addition of DC foam is not a serious concern to me. But I wouldn’t want unprotected DC foam in my house, it needs a fire barrier like 5/8” drywall.. “Aggressive marketing” 😄 That is a great euphemism for a lie. Like “up to”. My truck gets about 12 to 14 mpg normally, but it got “up to” 50 mpg once descending into the Hells Canyon gorge right after filling up. John Davies Spokane WA

Welcome to the forum, I'll let others answer your questions. I would like to comment that I think you will miss the ease of maneuvering and finding a campsite if you buy the bigger trailer. Since you want to stay "primitive" it really does make things harder. We just spent two weeks in the Basin and Range area of NV and there were MANY times I wished for a smaller footprint! We also had to pass up a lot of great spots, because we just couldn't fit. Including in Great Basin National Park. This one at Steens Mountain OR (BLM) worked: You are correct, your LC200 will tow the LE2, but it will definitely work much harder, especially on long grades, and you must use the Andersen hitch. The LC200 has a short 120 inch wheelbase, and IMHO it really is better matched with a lighter trailer and perhaps an off-road coupler. Plus the towing mpgs are horrendous, especially if you add tougher LT tires and some accessories. The smaller trailer will not require so much wasted fuel and it will extend your cruising range a little. My truck with mud tires, snorkel, roof rack and cargo carrier rarely gets 10 mpg in the West, towing 6000 pounds. We paid an enormous amount for gas on this short trip.Fortunately, free stays in public lands and Harvest Host/ Boondockers Welcome sites helped to offset that. I can't imagine how costly it would be to tow with a Land Cruiser and stay at resorts ;( Oliver has suspended production of the LE for a major redesign, it will be interesting to see if they do some really cool stuff like independent suspension and disk brakes. We can only hope. We need more Land Cruisers! John Davies Spokane WA

I was perusing the FAQ section here: ... https://olivertraveltrailers.com/travel-trailers/frequently-asked-questions/. and read their "What kind of insulation" statement ( I added the bold: "There are three ways to transfer heat: Conduction (through a solid material), Convection (through air space) and Radiant (reflective heat transmission.) The Oliver uses materials and construction techniques to take advantage of all three. The fiberglass hulls provide conductive insulation while the built in air gap between the inner and outer hull provide convective protection just like you would find in a double sided insulated cup. The Oliver is fully insulated between the exterior and interior shells with an insulated double-sided radiant barrier, which is best described as follows: "Reflective aluminum foil on each side of a 5mm (13/64 inch) polyethylene bubble center." "*Polyethylene Bubble + Radiant barrier + Vapor Barrier + Air Gap Barrier". This unique material provides a combination of radiant, convective and conductive protection. The foil radiates heat back into the camper in the winter or away from the camper in the summer. The foam insulation is infused with billions of tiny air bubbles that provide convective protection while the foam itself provides conductive protection. At only 13/64" thick this powerful product provides an R16 insulation rating. You would need approximately 4 3/4" of standard fiberglass batt insulation to equal this performance. The insulation we use serves as a radiant, vapor and air barrier making camping in any temperature a pleasurable experience." I don't know the brand they use, but I searched for that description, which seems to be cut and pasted directly with quotes from here, which states R8: ... https://www.usenergyproducts.com/collections/reflective-sealer-foam-core-1 Oliver says it has an R16 value, that manufacturer says R8, and I have a really hard time accepting either figure, since Reflectix has this VERY confusing chart: That chart says you need 9.5" gap to get to R16! And a thin Cathedral ceiling with 0.75" gap in a Northern winter is just R1. Basically a single layer of Reflectix with NO air gap has an R1 value. ;( and sticking another layer directly on top of an existing one doesn't do anything at all to increase it. The physical gap is the key, and the bigger the better. I think the Oliver description is misleading in the extreme, I hesitate to call it BS, but I really doubt the combined R16 value for the little 1 inch gap between inner and outer hulls. And they don't mention all the areas that do NOT have a protective gap against extreme temperatures, like the over and under storage cabinets, battery box and rear cargo area. Those spaces ARE the gap, they do keep the heat or cold out of the cabin, sort of, but it is also why they get so darned cold or hot inside. So your water valves freeze or your batteries overheat. I have been adding 1 inch slabs of Dow Corning R5 rigid foam board ... The Pink Stuff ... into those areas wherever I can reach, especially near water lines that run along the inside of the outer wall.. Any comments? John Davies Spokane WA

My wife took this with her iPhone 11, no retouching at all except a very slight adjustment of the Brilliance. South central Washington Palouse wheat fields on a WA 127 pass between Dayton and Dusty, the day after a bunch of rain. We had a delayed cold and dry Spring, then it got warm and very wet and the fields just exploded. I have lived here for nearly two decades, have driven through this area many times, and have never seen it so lush and vibrant. The stems are about four feet high and no irrigation is used. Look closely for a couple of cool “Easter eggs”. John Davies Spokane WA

Pump failures are not uncommon, and if yours is defective from the factory, the failure could be right away. Mine quit unexpectedly but it took five years…. Do you have a volt meter (VOM tester) and do you know how to do very basic electrical troubleshooting? If not, maybe this would be a good starting point for you to learn how. John Davies Spokane WA

Forgot… the smaller trailer will save you approximately 250 pounds for payload, the TW is “about” 200 less, and the Andersen is a little over 50. Plus you could install an off-road coupler, a ball hitch is very limited for uneven terrain. John Davies Spokane WA

FYI the Tundra comes with much better axle ring and pinions for towing, 4.30 ratio. The Land Cruisers and Sequoias have taller gears (my 2013 LC200 is 3.90, later ones are 3.03 😳) and they will struggle more in the mountains. Your Tundra will do fine in that respect. I would love to put two sets of Tundra gears in my truck, but $$$$$. John Davies Spokane WA

Are you going to be by yourself? and what tow vehicle? If solo, I suggest the smaller Elite since it is easier and cheaper to lift, much MUCH easier and cheaper to add disk brakes to (there are no bolt on, plug and play kits for the LE2, you have to install heavier axles), has stouter axle and bearings, and is significantly more maneuverable. The 4.5 feet shorter length will fit into lots more primitive campsites. The wheels are strong. The tires that come are adequate high mileage LT Load E Cooper somethings. Earlier trailers had Michelin LTX. Neither will be a problem with typical groomed gravel roads, but a more robust tread has better sidewall cut resistance for sharp ballast roads like the drive to Kennecott. I would install a set of slightly larger 30” outside diameter robust off road tires, including the spare, and then not worry about it again. A bigger tire will not fit under that spare cover, but you can remove that entirely if you like. You would have to relocate the license plate bracket and light. The suspension is OK on either, but both definitely could be improved. The LE2 suspension flexes nicely but has around an inch of up travel before the axle ubolts hit the frame. BANG. 😳 I haven’t made it to AK yet, but have been through western BC and YT as far as White Horse, and driven the Stewart/ Cassiar in the rain. These trailers need significant rock protection unless you just don’t care about gelcoat damage and blasted frame and axles. There are a lot of threads on this subject. If I were flying solo, I definitely would prefer the LE over the LE2! It would be a great match for my Land Cruiser 200, which is a little overwhelmed by the bigger trailer, and I could eliminate that pesky PITA Andersen hitch. BTW, I used to occasionally do engine work on Turbo Beavers and Twin Otters in Seattle. I really hated working on float planes! Especially outside. Cool aircraft tho. I used to live near Lake Union and enjoyed watching them take off through the horde of sailboats and paddlers. Balls of steel! 😬 John Davies Spokane WA

Andersen Customer Service replied promptly, he first asked if the turnbuckles were going to be used for adjusting chain tension. I replied, no, they were just for adding slack to ease getting the whaletail installed, then the turnbuckles would be reset to the previous position(s) before lowering the tongue back down. The NUTS would be used for setting tension. He replied: “The minimum weight rating would be 2,100 lbs ” And he did not say, “Don’t do this”, which is encouraging. And he did not mention adding a safety pin of any kind. So a smaller one would be technically OK but the bigger one would fit better because of the large size of the Andersen chain links. That open ended one I showed earlier has a 3/8” diameter bolt at each end and very long “jaws”, it should work fine. I ordered two for $30 and will see how they work out. With a 3500 pound working load limit, they will give a 50% safety factor over the minimum stated by Andersen. I will add to this helpful thread with pics if they do, or if they don’t😬 Indusco 93900241 Hot Dipped Drop Forged Galvanized Steel Jaw and Jaw Turnbuckle, 3500 lbs Working Load Limit, 5/8" Threaded Diameter x 6" Take Up, 15-1/2" Length Buyer beware - the price for a two pack was higher than selecting one and adding two of those to the Amazon cart. A good reason to buy these over no name China made ones: Support your local sailing ship supplier. These may be fabricated overseas, but the QC is probably a lot better. “In the early 1900's, Indusco Wire Rope & Fittings was in the Port of Baltimore. No matter the season, when the square-riggers, coastal traders and bay boats of the day arrived in the harbor, Indusco Wire Rope & Fittings would be there to greet them. Indusco brings the same commitment of dependability and service years later. In addition to serving the marine industry, Indusco Wire Rope & Fittings also supplies high quality products to industrial suppliers, contractors, mining companies, logging operations, transportation companies, farms and military operations throughout the world. Indusco Wire Rope & Fittings has become America's fabricator and supplier of wire rope and rigging gear.“ John Davies Spokane WA

As long as you pour a gallon of fresh water into the tank after emptying it, that will be fine. But urine does in fact do gross things as it dries, it turns to hard yellow crusty deposits which are not super easy to remove. I use hot water with a strong dose of laundry detergent, and let the tank sit. Cleaning out that yellow gunk from a small PEX line will be a lot harder. Rinsing each time with a couple of squirts of vinegar will help. I was an A & P tech for many years, if I encountered a mess in a pilot relief tube or the outside venturi, where it dumps urine (hopefully) into the air, I told the owner/ pilot to deal with it, or an unfortunate minimum wage line boy. Urine deposits can mess up an airplane skin. This has been discussed several times, go over those older threads and then go ahead if you still want to. Just don’t do anything that can’t easily be reversed in case you or a future owner doesn’t like the results. John Davies Spokane WA