John E Davies

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

That is a very cool specialty tool. I have used torque multipliers in the past, big ones, for really heavy applications. The problem with this one is that it only does one thing, wheel nuts. I much prefer carrying a battery powered impact gun, it will zip off the lug nuts easily, and has lots of other uses, like those pesky rusted suspension bolts…. I also carry a drill/ driver, and the two tools fit neatly into the plastic Dewalt box, with room for extra batteries, bits and so on. John Davies Spokane WA

I think this would be OK, but verify the wire sizes visually! As I mentioned in another thread, I found an undersized wire inside the hull. If I had not discovered and fixed that, there could have been an electrical melt down. Mine definitely were not 10 AWG! https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5271-how-to-junction-box-for-the-7-wire-trailer-harness-under-the-front-dinette-seat/ I am a little concerned about the Victron environmental specs, specifically the “Humidity - Max 95% Non-condensing”. Depending on your location, that may be exceeded often. If you are in the arid West, it wouldn’t be a big deal. I have seen these chargers installed in high end expedition campers, so it may not matter. One thing I like about the Redarc one is that it is fully waterproof, you could even hang it below the hull. Maybe an email to Victron USA about the humidity limit might be advisable. You also need to consider waste heat management, can you find a spot where there will be adequate airflow? As delivered, all the Ollie electronics bays are very poorly vented. You should plan on adding vent holes. Take a look here: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5301-how-to-lithium-battery-powered-vent-system/ If you proceed with this project, please start a new thread with pictures. We all love pics. John Davies Spokane WA

Is your Ollie level or just a little nose high when towing? If it is nose down, that makes things a lot harder, all the time. Most dump stations that I encounter have a distinct grade down and to the left, so you can position the trailer so it drains naturally. I have a big ball level on the front of the hull, I can watch it in the rear view mirror to see if the trailer is leaning properly. And of course, it works great for getting the trailer as level as possibly on the campsite slab. I highly recommend this mod: … https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2082-how-to-install-a-big-bubble-level-no-drilling/ John Davies Spokane WA

Reflectix is weird stuff, the R value is only 1 for a thin layer. Doubling it only increases the R value to 1.1. If you can make a space between the layers, the value will be higher. That is why it works when applied to the two Ollie hull halves, with the big gap between them. OTH a 1” piece of the pink rigid foam board is R5. https://www.reflectixinc.com/about-reflectix/what-about-r-values/ If you want better insulation for the basement you should put rigid foam on the outside door, and also put something in the shower cavity, A nice “future Ollie feature” would be vacuum molded insulated access and battery doors, with an inch of foam sandwiched by fiberglass panels. It would intrude very slightly into the cargo area, but would greatly reduce cold air infiltration. And it would not be butt ugly like my battery door mod. John Davies Spokane WA

The electric element in the standard water heater cannot be operated by the inverter, at least in my trailer, Hull 218. In regards to leaving the outside 120 volt switch on all the time, and using the inside circuit breaker instead….. that will work fine, until the day you drain the tank and in a senior moment you flip on that breaker. Without water around it, the heating element will burn out in seconds. I keep the HWH switch off at all times, unless I am actually using that mode. I would rather go outside in the weather than disable the unit through a brain fart. If you do operate your unit this way, then I suggest that you buy a spare element and the tool to replace it. John Davies Spokane WA

I think your Ascent will be just adequate for your Ollie if you are very careful about how much stuff you carry, Car and Driver was not impressed with it, the engine struggled and gave single digit mileage on flat terrain. Do you already own the Ascent? Have you researched these issues? “We previously put the Ascent's 5000-pound towing capacity to work hauling a girthy enclosed snowmobile trailer. More recently, staff editor Drew Dorian tugged an Airstream Caravel travel trailer to Michigan's beachy west coast. Though the Subaru towed the luxurious tin can without much drama, pulling the bluff-faced Airstream on the highway worked the Ascent's turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four like a pack mule. With the continuously variable transmission unable to employ its higher virtual ratios, the Ascent guzzled premium gasoline to the tune of 9 mpg. Nevertheless, Dorian commended the Subaru's highway stability with a trailer in tow, but only after disabling the hyperactive lane-keeping assist. When that system is activated, the Ascent has a tendency to stray between the lines, causing the Airstream to wag behind the ute like a dog's tail. Dorian also complimented the cargo hold's ample space and its ability to swallow a weekend's worth of camping supplies. “ https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a25735016/2019-subaru-ascent-reliability-maintenance/ I hope I don’t sound too negative, but IMHO the Ascent and the LE is not a good match for low altitude, and will probably be downright unpleasant in the high mountains.. John Davies Spokane WA

If you love mountains but don’t want to beat up your body….. this is spectacular. Route of the Hiawatha Turns 20 (News story 2018) https://www.ridethehiawatha.com/the-trail Class 1 pedal assist ebikes are now allowed, but none with a hand throttle. I rode the trail once on a mountain bike, but spent six summers on a dual sport motorcycle exploring this wonderful area. I am a sucker for trestles, tunnels, and steam history. John Davies Spokane WA

I can’t answer your question, but I do suggest that you calculate how much energy is consumed over a week or more at home, then you can calculate an average daily figure. Once you have that number, somebody here can help you figure out how long the Ollie’s lithiums will last. There are endless choices for an energy/ watt meter, I have this one and it works fine. Poniie PN2000 Plug-in Kilowatt Electricity Usage Monitor Electrical Power Consumption Watt Meter Tester w/Extension Cord https://truckersinsider.com/how-many-watts-does-a-cpap-use/ John Davies Spokane WA

https://pjammcycling.com/climb/227.Beartooth%20Pass%20South GTTS is steeper, but a mile lower in elevation, so that is probably the biggest factor. If I were to attempt to cycle any of these roads, which ain’t EVER going to happen, it would be with electric assist and really good hydraulic disk brakes. And an oxygen cylinder. 😳 How long is your upcoming tour? You must be pretty fit. John Davies Spokane WA