John E Davies

That is a neat and tidy job, did you add some drain holes underneath the support bars? One reason I left mine open was so water couldn’t pool inside and I could inspect them easily. John Davies Spokane WA

I would like to point out one important factor! If you normally use the city water connection, the leak under the sink could go on for a very long time before it was discovered. OTH, If you normally use the 12 volt water pump, it would immediately be obvious that the system was not holding pressure, because the pump would cycle rapidly. I have never looked under my sink (though I plan to ASAP) but I know that the pressure hoses are OK, but there still could be leakage from the sink drain and trap. This should probably be added to your annual maintenance checklist. I am going to investigate, and think about installing a stainless drip tray with a drain hose going out the bottom of the cabinet. John Davies Spokane WA

Replace the warped, delaminated, blackened wood, that is mold! You don’t want to keep that inside your trailer. I can’t tell you how to remove that entire cabinet, but that is what I would do. If you can’t do the woodwork repair yourself, find a woodworker shop to do it correctly. You must use the blue plastic clip to hold those two sprayer hose parts together, did you find that, and is it broken? It won’t stay together without that clip. You should also put a new oring on that upper part, the old one could be damaged. Now it’s time to look under my sink…..😳 John Davies Spokane WA

If you have to recaulk, just seal the gap between the window frame and the gutter. I intentionally left that 1/8” gap there, for this reason. No big deal IMHO. John Davies Spokane WA

Hill Descent is used at a walking pace, it uses the ABS as a sort of low speed cruise control, for going down really steep hills. It won’t work at highway speeds. I much prefer to just engage 4 Low and shift manually, it is much less chaotic for the passengers that way. I suggest that you research the Ford HD trucks with the 7.3 liter “Godzilla” gas motor. It has almost diesel power characteristics, is super simple and cheap to maintain, and will pull either Ollie easily. https://www.drivingline.com/articles/godzilla-truck-is-the-73-liter-v8-ford-f-250-a-throwback-big-block-muscle-pickup/ John Davies Spokane WA

Fixed it for you. 😀 You need to upload as a Photo, not a File; in this case it is an Apple HEIC file. On an iPad or iPhone, the source should be your Photo Library. Read this: …. https://backlightblog.com/iphone-heic-to-jpg John Davies Spokane WA

Well, yes, you aren’t telling me anything I didn’t know, I want the kit, I need the big batteries, all mine are 2 AH and smaller, and the yellow storage bag is so cool! I made a $370 offer on an open box kit on eBay, free shipping. Amazon has a couple of vendors but they want $600😳 I don’t care if I get an extra charger, I can sell that on Craigslist for $30. John Davies Spokane WA

You need either a bigger hammer and a big fat drift (punch), or else a tool, like this: https://www.harborfreight.com/ball-joint-service-kit-for-2wd-and-4wd-vehicles-63279.html You can rent one at many auto parts stores. You are correct, the bolt should slide out, it should not be turned because of those splines. Some heat from a propane torch might help, but that will get messy and stinky in a hurry. Because its has not been taking grease, it may be rusted or frozen in place. If the bushing is rusted solid to the bolt, uh oh, you might have to take it to a pro trailer repair shop. Sometimes this works: put the press onto the bolt end, really tight (be sure to lubricate the threads with grease). Spray a bunch of penetrating oil (Kroil or PB Blaster) inside, whack the tool end a few times (not the rented one!), leave it there for an hour or three. Go take a long break. If you are really lucky you will hear a "BANG crash" and find the tool lying on the garage floor. If not, let it sit overnight and try tomorrow. Good luck, take pics. John Davies Spokane WA

I don’t think it is the same one, (DCM848P2), I can't even find that item listed at Lowes. Dewalt has a gazillion kits. That is how I ended up with so many tools that I haven’t even used yet John Davies Spokane WA

Speaking of refrigerator plug, since your plumbing has been leaking a lot, unplug shore power so that the outlet, which may be full of water, won’t zap you. I doubt if that location meets code, I was pretty amazed when I discovered this setup years ago. Normally you don’t put 120 volt AC electricity directly below plumbing connections. If it can’t go in a dry spot, it needs to be installed in a waterproof enclosure. Bill, I borrowed your pic….. John Davies Spokane WA

Sure, I ordered one already. I also decided to buy a random orbit polisher, so I went ahead and bought another $175 worth of pads and potions from Griot's Garage. 😉 Now I just have to find a Dewalt 20-Volt MAX XR Cordless Brushless 5 in. Variable Speed Random Orbit Polisher with (2) 20-Volt 5.0Ah Batteries & Charger that is in stock somewhere ... I did find a couple of "open box" ones on eBay for less than $380, but everybody else seems to be Not Available or full MSRP ($600). John Davies Spokane WA

I normally use a degreaser to get off sap and other stubborn crud on the gelcoat. Has anyone tried this clay bar substitute? https://www.griotsgarage.com/brilliant-finish-synthetic-clay/ Here is a great review: https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/product-reviews-by-mike-phillips/106302-review-how-griots-garage-brilliant-finish-synthetic-clay.html I use a real clay bar on my cars, but when you drop it on the ground, you are screwed, you have to throw that piece away because it traps grit. With the Synthetic Clay you just rinse it and continue on. I may order one to try. Any comments? John Davies Spokane WA

Can a fifth sensor be installed on the spare, and will that show correctly with the other four on the TV screen? John Davies Spokane WA

Poor water pressure and flow means either gunked up faucets and aerators (hard water deposits), or possibly plastic shards from the manufacture of the fresh tank. You are going to have to do some exploratory surgery, open up some fixtures and water line connections to see what is going on. Start by removing the plastic bowl under the water pump to see if there is debris in the screen. Hard water deposits can be helped by flushing with a vinegar water mix, to dissolve them. Be sure to treat the hot water heater too. It is the hot lines that create the problem. Blocked lines require disconnecting at both ends and back flushing with water or compressed air. Either method will be messy, wear safety glasses and try not to shoot water where it should not go (electrical stuff!). Good luck. John Davies Spokane WA

Still no actual wiring diagrams, even though the TOC calls them diagrams, just those lame “Layouts”. Grrrrrr. John Davies Spokane WA

That is mine, I like the design and features, it gets good ratings. John Davies Spokane WA

That is a great idea, as long as you are adjusting the support bracket. You aren't supposed to adjust the actual rod vertically, that is for fine tuning the SWR (maximizing the signal). If you have one mounted to use as a curb feeler, that wouldn’t matter. I still carry a CB, it’s a portable one with magnetic base, all of which is broken down and stored in my emergency box. I think the last time I actually used one was about 1980 😳 I bought it in case I ever ended up in a 4wd convoy, but that has never happened. I suppose I should donate it to charity. Do CBs have any cash value now? John Davies Spokane WA

I agree, plus from my direct experience, towing in the Seattle/ Puget Sound area is MUCH more stressful and traumatic than towing in most other locations, it would be a lot easier for you to learn on the trip back. Just bypass the major urban areas. The topography makes that impossible in Seattle. John Davies Spokane WA

I love those naked Ollies. How are you adjusting to the RV? Have a great trip, what route are you planning? Every time a member posts a pic of the factory campground it looks more scruffy….😳 John Davies Spokane WA

Maybe you should mention those apps, because we don’t know which threads you are referring to….. John Davies Spokane WA

Most commercial recycling companies will accept lead acid batteries, for example (price per pound): It’s up to you to decide if you are willing to drive to one for maybe $35+ cash back, depending on how heavy they are. There is a company that is pretty close to me, but I just let my local Batteries Plus Bulbs store take my four dead AGMs at no cost. I am amused by places that charge you to recycle them, because they make money twice that way. It seems to be a little unethical. FYI, gun ranges have lead removal companies come to harvest the bullets from the berm or traps, and those companies pay the range about $70% of their scrap value. It is a big money maker on both sides. John Davies Spokane WA

John, Is there a cable disconnect at the camera so you can remove the spare tire cover and set it aside? Or is that the purpose for the coil of extra cable in the bumper compartment? Bill, how far away are those reference lines from the bumper, for example the red STOP one? Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

Yes, “charge to 100% and disconnect”.: read that page…. https://battlebornbatteries.com/faq-how-to-winterize-your-batteries/ Cell equalization (balancing the voltages) in a BB happens as the battery reaches full charge, It is performed by the onboard battery management system (BMS). I do not know details about the other brands. If you never charged a BB past say 95%, it would not equalize the cells. So charging fully is good, but you should NOT keep it cooking at 100% for long periods, for example, plugged into shore power through an entire winter... That is stressful and is needlessly hard on the cells. FYI, if I had to winter store my Ollie outside, I would definitely remove the batteries and bring them to the garage. John Davies Spokane WA

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/6629-how-to-find-happiness-with-lifepo4-lithium-ion-batteries-solacity-article/ Always follow the battery manufacturers recommendations, storage requirements do vary wildly. John Davies Spokane WA

Different battery manufacturers have different storage requirements. If they are disconnected from ALL loads they won’t discharge significantly and they do NOT need a constant trickle charge like a lead acid battery. That is so very primitive…..😬 My Battle Borns get charged to 100% and then disconnected (I installed a master cutoff switch). https://battlebornbatteries.com/faq-how-to-winterize-your-batteries/ I use my VictronConnect app to check them every now and then, this is the latest screen capture. The batteries have been offline since December. John Davies Spokane WA