John E Davies

That is a great point, and even if you could get Truma repair parts, for example from Australia, those prices will make your eyes explode. The standard heater is stone age primitive, and very inefficient in terms of gas usage, but it certainly is user friendly and cheap. These prices are Australian dollars: https://www.caravanrvcamping.com.au/search?kw=truma+water+heater#/sort:price:asc John Davies Spokane WA

https://travelnevada.com/cities/jarbidge/ It's officially Pacific Time, like all of Nevada, but the town uses Mountain Time because the only way in year round is through Idaho, the pass south to Elko is plowed for their July 4 celebrations, and gets snowed in again in October... 😉 The route from Boise to Jarbidge is about 70 miles of smooth gravel ranch roads, with random water ditches across it, to keep you on your toes. What fun. The route there from the east is all paved, with several campgrounds. You should check it out: "For many anglers, catching a wily bull trout is the final leg of the IGFA’s “Trout Royal Slam”, and if you find yourself in the spectacular Jarbidge Wilderness during summer and fall, you may just hook into one of these olive-green beauties in one of the best fishing spots in the Silver State." https://travelnevada.com/fishing/jarbidge-river-trail/ John Davies Spokane WA

If your used Ollie has any solar equipment on it, that credit has probably already been used, by the first owner, but if it never had any, then I think you could install a complete system and claim the credit for panels, controller, new batteries, inverter (if it doesn’t already have one) and associated parts and equipment, like cables and a monitor. I am not a tax advisor! But it is logical….. A second owner of a pre-existing solar setup cannot claim it. For one thing, you have to have all the receipts, and they all have to be in the same calendar year. That means, no long winter project, you need to finish the job completely by the end of the current year. John Davies Spokane WA

In theory it does, but that last 6 gallons is not normally usable, because when your fresh tank runs dry, your water pump aerates, and you cannot pump the water heater tank dry. In a true water emergency you could remove the anode and catch the tank contents in a bucket, bypass the water heater (using the winterization ball valve) and then suck the water into the fresh tank, but that extra water volume is normally just dead weight. If I were trapped in the desert, I would be very glad for that extra supply, but only if I had a big breaker bar and the correct socket. Which I normally do NOT carry with me. Hmmmmm. But I do carry a cordless drill and bits, so I could just drill a hole in the bottom of the tank. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a regular hand operated drain valve at the bottom, beside the anode? John Davies Spokane WA

I am planning to head for the “less travelled” regions in late Spring, south Idaho and north Nevada, from May 24 to June 4. I was just looking at Great Basin National Park, to see if I could grab a site. It says to check back after April 29 for availability. I guess that means there won’t be a terrific scramble for those sites. John Davies Spokane WA

Wow, how things have changed. FYI here is a 2016 build sheet for a floor model that was for sale, with a base price of $48,500. 2016-Oliver-Legacy-Elite-II-Twin-Model ORDER SHEET WITH PRICING.pdf Of course, the options and standard features items are way different today. "Mouse" hull 218 was delivered in May 2017, and the base price was $49,900, with options amounting to $11,695, for a total of $61,595. John Davies Spokane WA

Police Chief of Alabama Town That Was Getting Fat on Fines Steps Down Amid Bipartisan Outrage I like a happy ending.... John Davies Spokane WA

Where would you put your coats/ hats/ clothes? There really are not any good alternatives, unless you put up a line and leave them all hanging in the middle of the cabin. I do that with wet towels, but I would never consider it to be a permanent solution! John Davies Spokane WA

I was confused in a big way about the rear suspension in the Tundra and the Sequoia. For some reason I thought it was IRS, like the previous model Sequoia. It is NOT, it is a multi-link solid rear axle. Is the ALL NEW 2023 Toyota Sequoia A Worthy Land Cruiser Replacement? It is the same setup as the Tundra, which looks like this. I am really glad about that, but I am not sure why I thought it was independent in back. 😳 Senior brain fart, I guess. John Davies Spokane WA

Video: 2023 Toyota Sequoia Overview | Toyota John Davies Spokane WA

Mike, that looks like a Tiiley hat? I won’t wear anything else, I used to wear ball caps, but Tilleys are WAY better. I got another this Christmas, now I have four. See my avitar picture 😁 That is my Airflow in 2002…. My hats: T5 Cotton Duck, (looks like yours, good for spring and fall), Montana (wool with drop down ear flaps), Rainproof Bucket (for really wet days), and a LTM6 Airflow for those really hot summer days. https://www.tilley.com/collections/hats BEST hats EVER! My only complaint with the Airflow is that I get burned through the mesh crown, I have to wear a Coolmax SPF50 biker “doo rag” when working outside for long periods. John Davies Spokane WA

“Of all places, in the camp area of the Abenteuer Allrad fair, which is more or less the European equivalent of the Overland Expo. It had been raining a lot, and we needed to turn the truck around. I backed the rear wheels onto a wet, muddy piece of grass, and that was that. The front wheels were still on the pavement. The ground was as even as can be, but the truck would not move. There were plenty of four-wheel drive vehicles at the camp area to pull us out, but it was a bit embarrassing.” – Joerg Walzenbach, 2008 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD, two-wheel drive truck, 2011 Outfitter Apex 8 LB https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/question-of-the-week/four-wheel-drive-while-truck-camping-part-1/ https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/question-of-the-week/the-four-wheel-drive-low-down-part-2/ That is a whole lot of feedback. Mostly positive. One guy said he brought home his new Ford pickup and was disappointed to find out when he got there that it was NOT 4WD. I think most folks would check that before signing. 😳 John Davies Spokane WA

There are times when 4wd will save your @ss, pardon my language, the alternative being getting a tow. Would you rather engage 4 Low and drive out, or have your day ruined by having to wait for a recovery? (Assuming you even have a cell signal to call for help.) And obviously, if you get caught in inclement weather, it means being able to drive over a mountain pass without having to chain up. John Davies Spokane WA

My 2006 Ram Cummins ate ball joints, and there was only about two inches up up travel because of that huge oil pan. The engine weighs 600 pounds more than a gas Hemi. That is one reason they don’t offer the Cummins in the Power Wagon, all that extra weight hanging over the front end would destroys the off road capability. The power steering and hydraulically boosted brakes are tied together intimately, when the pump fails, it spreads metal particles through all those components. So you need new pump, new brake booster, new steering rack, and new lines. This happened right after delivery of my Ollie, repairs were over $4000. It really put a damper the excitement of having a new trailer. Oil changes, fuel filters, injectors, DEF, fuel additives, emission devices …. big pickup diesels have an awful lot of negatives to go with their lovely brute power. The new Sequoia has as much torque as my Cummins 5.9 did…. with SIX extra gears and 2500 pounds less curb weight. It is really hard to justify old tech trucks for towing a light trailer. John Davies Spokane WA

This is impressive……. https://pressroom.toyota.com/standing-tall-all-new-2023-sequoia-full-size-suv-is-ready-to-make-its-mark/, There are still a few things I don't care for, and they haven’t published the payload specs, but if my LC 200 died, I would look very hard at a Sequoia TRD Pro. Remove the heavy third row seats and put drawers underneath the adjustable platform: Add the taller springs from a Tundra TRD Pro. Go have fun….. It should be a great match for the big Ollie. John Davies Spokane WA

If you want more comfort, a recent 3/4 ton Ram 6.4 Hemi with air or coil rear suspension will ride a lot more comfortably than your Ford. I personally will not buy another diesel. The gas engines are good enough and won’t eat you alive with long term maintenance costs. If you want to stick with Ford, the new “Godzilla” 7.4 liter gas engine is great choice for low operating cost and good towing ability. My 2006 Ram 3500 Cummins diesel towed the Ollie without stress, but the ride was brutal, the seats were horrible, and the reliability was not there. My Land Cruiser 5.7 tows just adequately, but everything else about it is way way better. In this weird car and truck market it would be foolhardy to trade for the reasons you mentioned. Wait a couple of years. John Davies Spokane WA

I am looking for a nicer looking double “back to back” stainless or chrome handle. The current one in Hull 218 is cheap looking and very sharp, I laid open my forehead on the top corner and bled all over the floor the last time I showered. My original plan was to round the sharp edges, but I would rather install a more elegant handle. The problem is that most bath handles are too large for that compact space. A smaller version of this one would work….. BlueNatHxRPR 6" Glass Door Handle Shower Door Handle Made of Back to Back Stainless Steel Has anyone replaced their handle, and are you aware of a mini version of this one? I think the one pictured might not fit properly on that narrow door frame (and the inner part might hang up on the frame/ opening). Here is the door: Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

OK, it’s not an Ollie, but it certainly is special….. I really like the air intake and odd random holes and grooves behind the wheel wells. It must be reeeeeealy fast. https://expeditionportal.com/weird-whale-camper-trailer-design/ I would like to see the floor plan, would it be at all usable with all the parts collapsed? How about inclement or windy weather? Water leaks? The renderings do not show any appliances or rooftop equipment, where are they? John Davies Spokane WA

You can write anything you want in the Comments section near the bottom.. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/surveys/future-model-features-and-options EDIT, this is for current owners, not the general public. John Davies Spokane WA

Entered in error. John Davies Spokane WA

I haven't installed my system yet, but will soon, I like the app option. Rather than using my iPhone, I will use the iPad Mini 2 that I installed in place of the Zamp solar controller. I can view two apps simultaneously, for example Garmin Earthmate (to send text messages through my inReach communicator) and the Victron Connect battery monitor app. . I will post a new thread about the Mopeka sensors, eventually. John Davies Spokane WA

“Months of research and dozens of interviews by AL.comfound that Brookside’s finances are rocket-fueled by tickets and aggressive policing. In a two-year period between 2018 and 2020 Brookside revenues from fines and forfeitures soared more than 640 percent and now make up half the city’s total income. And the police chief has called for more. The town of 1,253 just north of Birmingham reported just 55 serious crimes to the state in the entire eight year period between 2011 and 2018 – none of them homicide or rape. But in 2018 it began building a police empire, hiring more and more officers to blanket its six miles of roads and mile-and-a-half jurisdiction on Interstate 22.“ https://www.al.com/news/2022/01/police-in-this-tiny-alabama-town-suck-drivers-into-legal-black-hole.html It’s been forty years since I set foot in Alabama, and I don’t plan to go there, but for all you Southern Ollie owners, just say no to Brookside. John Davies Spokane WA

In your shoes I would get those leaks corrected. If you drive with one bag completely empty it will probably damage it. My “professional” Firestone bag installation was poorly done, the tech did not leak test the connections with soapy water. One side leaked down from 20 to 0 psi in a couple of hours. I replaced the faulty fill valve myself. I do check them monthly, and adjust the pressure according to outside air temperature and whether or not the trailer is hooked up, but they do not actually leak at all. If yours are plumbed correctly, without a tee, then you might notice that one corner of the truck has a slight list. It is obvious on mine if one side has less pressure than the other. If yours are teed together, change that, because a leak on one side will deflate both bags, and you might never notice that the back of the truck has dropped. That situation could trash both bags….. John Davies Spokane WA

This is a little worrisome, and I don’t understand the reasoning: “Note: When servicing your truck with Air Lift air springs installed, if the truck is lifted by the frame, the air must be let out of the springs. And if the rear of the truck is lifted during service, then it must be supported by jack stands to avoid damage to the air springs.” What would get damaged, and would that void the lifetime warranty? I have Firestone “inside the coil” bags and they require a minimum of 5 psi to prevent pinch damage, but I have never seen that one before. Are you planning to install an onboard air system with inside the cockpit controls? Because if you plan to use a manual pump, that chore will get old pretty fast. John Davies Spokane WA

That is why you should ALWAYS place blocks under all jack feet, even the back ones. If you drive away with them lowered, the jacks will slide off the blocks and hopefully not get trashed. If they are resting on the ground, as yours was, they have no chance at all. I have a red safety flag that I keep in the truck, for any situation like this, I loop it over the gear shift handle, as a reminder that I can’t drive away yet. As I get older, I need to pay a lot more attention to routine stuff. John Davies Spokane WA