John E Davies

My trailer #218 does that when climbing really steep mountain grades, such as 5000 feet in half an hour, the sudden pressure change burps the grey water odor out the kitchen sink trap. I started using a little Camco TST and that is no longer a problem, it kills the nasty odor and adds a bit of lemon scent.There may be something wrong under the sink, in looking at my plumbing diagrams, there is another vent for the grey tank other than the one in the bathroom, mine may be dysfunctional since the sink burps and the grey tank is really slow to drain if the travel valve is closed..... Does anyone know if it is a TWO way valve, or just for either negative or positive pressure? You don't need to add the full recommended dose of 4 ounces of TST unless you know the tank will get completely full, I usually dribble in a couple of ounces max. One reason I like it is that every Walmart has it in the RV section for around $7. I save the bottles for other uses, like carrying bleach (water treatment), vinegar (composting toilet) or mineral oil (drain valve lubricant). The bottles store neatly in the pantry without taking up as much space as the big round bottles. Be sure to relabel them! The original labels come off easily. JohnDavies Spokane WA

Well, I am glad you resolved it, but OTH I am a little horrified at the idea of a hydraulic jack. If the parts had exploded with a mighty crash, any and repair all costs would rest entirely on your shoulders. I think you should have waited for Jason to comment before bringing in the heavy artillery. Please post his response. This is getting more and more interesting. I would put stainless bolts there, but that is up to you. John Davies Spokane WA

This is my 2017 Hull 218, looking forward toward the dinette, the wheel well is on the left. There is a significant gap there. OTH there is no insulation on the bottom of the tray as in your pic, so maybe that is deceptive. You can easily see the diamond texture of the inner plate. l On mine, that top bolt was in place and tight, but the bottom one was missing (the holes were drilled and lined up). I am guessing that your tray has settled down. Your support is not good news: I think Oliver needs to get involved in this, to make sure there are no other related issues. What batteries do you have? If they are the AGMs, there is about 300 pounds of dead weight there, that load really really needs to go straight down to the frame main structural member, not rest on other fiberglass parts! Imagine the severe intermittent stresses when you hit a freeway dip or big pothole....those are big G loads! Good luck, open a service ticket ASAP, keep us informed please. John Davies Spokane WA

My trailer had only one bolt installed, I added a second one in the empty holes. Yes, it supports the battery floor, they definitely need to be in there, and tight…. .Look around with a mirror and flashlight or stick your phone in there and take some pics, make sure the floor is not settled or cracked around its perimeter. The floor is a piece of 1/8” diamond plate aluminum, with 1/8” fiberglass at the top and bottom. Open a support ticket, Oliver Service needs to be notified. Yours is probably not the only one with improper assembly 😳 John Davies Spokane WA

I suspect assembly problems at the factory, if the pilot holes are drilled too large, the screw threads will not hold. Mine are doing fine after five camping seasons. I used the same material in a 1” thickness to add additional mounting plates, I bonded the HDPE to the fiberglass with JB Weld, then screwed 6061 T6 aluminum to that with stainless sheet metal screws. As an ex A&P tech, structural aluminum is my material of choice, I won’t add any more wood to my Ollie, no way. John Davies Spokane WA

Chris, just go to your local industrial bearing supplier, ask for genuine Timken seals and bearing SETS (bearing and race matched pairs) for a standard Dexter 3500 pound trailer axle, they know exactly what is needed. Buy four extra inner seals to carry as spares. buy some extra cotter pins. Then you are good to go. This is not rocket science, these parts are ubiquitous, but finding high quality parts is the real problem, not Chinese crap with zero quality control, or worse yet, Timken branded counterfeits. The bearing store will have the genuine ones. A bearing or seal with Dexter stamped on it is crap too. Use Redline CV2 and repack every 12K to 15K miles. There is NO need to repack more often if you keep an eye on bearing temperatures. IMHO. Boat trailers need that frequent servicing because they get dunked into deep water while the hubs are warm, and the sudden drop in pressure sucks water in past the seal, contaminating the grease. I don’t think this is an issue with your Ollie. Use high quality parts, and a high quality lubricant, no worries. You do need to recheck your hub bearing play after say 1000 miles, the new races can shift ever so slightly and you may need to tighten one more slot on the adjuster nut. I rechecked mine and three of the four needed a little extra tweak. FYI you can remove and drive in races and seals with a big hammer and an old screwdriver, but proper tools make the job SO much easier, and you will not swear nearly as much. A seal puller, bushing driver set and an axle cap tool are great to have, if you have room to carry them. Buy this for sure, check prices because they vary wildly: … If you also buy a water heater pressure relief valve removal socket, you can nest the two parts, wrap them in movers stretch wrap (U-Haul), and they don’t take up much space at all. John Davies Spokane WA

I am a big fan of Klein tools 😁. I am glad you are up and running, is there a fuse in the positive line? Mine did not have one, it should be “about” 10 amps, my Furrion port is rated at that. I am not sure what the Zamp one requires. John Davies Spokane WA

In regards to fur clogging vents, you could buy some inexpensive furnace filters or bulk filter material in rolls, cut out pieces and tape them over any openings at floor level, such as the furnace inlet grill and its outlets. Use a high quality blue masking tape like 3M, or even no residue gaffers tape, it won’t be hard to remove later and won’t leave residue. The masking tape should be fine for a season, since it will be out of direct sunlight, which tends to cook the glue…. Don’t forget to cover the propane CO detector too, it needs free airflow to its sensors. We used to travel with our two 40 pound Australian Labradoodles (99% non shedding) and it was fine except in wet weather, or when one found a mud puddle. But the older dog has gotten neurotic about traveling long distances, which freaks out the younger one, so we have stopped bringing them at all. My daughter house sits them for $25 per day, cheap compared to a kennel, which the dogs and their owners would hate. We and the dogs are happier with this arrangement. If we had to start over we would have only one animal, a mini Australian doodle of 20 pounds less. Non shedding, hypoalergenic, super easy to take care of, very people oriented. Great dogs! John Davies Spokane WA

Yes, that wire should go into an unused socket in the ground bus. Strip off some insulation, somebody just forgot that one, and it was not caught before delivery!!! Check all the other screws, there may be loose ones. John Davies Spokane WA

This has been mentioned in passing in a couple of threads, buy for those who missed it….. I would not wait a second, this has been going on for a while, there is no telling when the price will go back up. They are terrific batteries with an excellent warranty and inexpensive shipping if you do need service . Read this: …. Spec sheet, Installation John Davies Spokane WA

I personally won’t tow in winter because of all the corrosive chemicals (mag chloride 😳) the DOT uses, but if your brightwork, frame and suspension are already corroded, go for it. Just try to wash the hull and frame after every trip if the roads are caustic. That can be very hard to do in sub freezing temps, when many self serve car washes are closed. I am not sure how those who use there Ollies as ski lodging manage it. If they even bother…. maybe they don’t care how they look. John Davies Spokane WA

I set mine at 60. Normally it read lower at most campgrounds, but OTH I have seen it showing 60 at a few, so there are indeed campgrounds with higher pressure. Be aware that a place with 40 psi can still have extreme pressure spikes, which an old fashioned RV "regulator" (flow restrictor) can't stop. Your adjustable one with gauge can handle those. I have a test gauge for home use, it has a red needle that stays at the maximum value, it can be eye opening to leave that on your faucet for a few weeks. My house pressure is pretty low, normally about 40-45, but that needle has been much higher . John Davies Spokane WA

Yep, I pulled mine off the day after getting home from delivery. It is a pretty lame design. The trailer looks much better without it, and it certainly stays 100 times cleaner up above the awning. Install rain gutters over the windows and the upper fridge vent, then no worries. Also, removing said gasket gives you a place to lash tight a padded ladder (so it doesn't fall over and leave you stranded up there). John Davies Spokane WA

Chris, read all of that thread, you need to build up the frame rail at least 2" to clear wires and provide a level platform. That gets it above the height of the big waste water pipe. John Davies Spokane WA

What Hull number? The earlier ones like mine (#218) have no easy way to disconnect the panels, they used a self resetting automotive circuit breaker. You could replace it very easily with one of these: Push the red button to disconnect power, reset it by moving the yellow lever back into position. Easy. I don't understand why Oliver cheaped out and used an inappropriate breaker, when they used that exact same part for the main DC bus, underneath the streetside bed.... Your fat black pair of solar wires should be visible coming down (from the Zamp controller in the overhead cabinet) to meet at that location. Just remove the existing $2 breaker and throw it far away, mount the Blue Sea one in its place. Here is a pic showing the one I installed when I changed controllers: John Davies Spokane WA

How lovely for Oliver to just lay wire bundles over the frame right where you need to store items..... This has been working fine for one camping season. You could substitute materials, but the foam board is SUPER light weight, inexpensive, fire retardant, won't absorb water, and is easy to find at any box store. The big problem is what do you do with the unused material...? https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5272-how-to-flat-foam-storage-tray-for-the-front-dinette-seat-compartment/ John Davies Spokane WA

LC200, no worries. Turn Assist shortens the turning radius, plus you have cameras all around for seeing where the cliff edge starts.. FLT- Turn Assist FYI Crawl Control is not “lurchy” at all if you turn up the speed, he had the Crawl knob turned to Rocks which is FAR too slow for even terrain. I have played around with Turn Assist in deep sand when I was testing the self recovery ability of CC, which is truly jaw dropping. The truck will dig itself out of powder sand, unless it is well and truly high centered. This is the main reason I am content to explore the back country with no winch, just recovery tracks and a shovel…. John Davies Spokane WA

Oooops. Not the right tires. “Deputies have learned that the women were driving up Bridal Veil Road and entered the one-way Black Bear Pass going the wrong way. The passenger told Deputies they did not see the sign indicating the beginning of the one way pass. After a couple of switchbacks they decided it was best to turn around. The passenger then stepped of the vehicle to help the driver navigate, and while backing up, two of the wheels went high enough on the embankment to cause the vehicle to begin to roll. The 2021 Ford Bronco rolled off the cliff an estimated 400 feet, ejecting the driver, the dog, and the vehicle’s engine before coming to a stop.” The young driver has serious injuries, the dog is OK. Black Bear is very dangerous if you are inexperienced, in the wrong vehicle, and/or your head is not screwed on straight. These folks were all three….. Here's How A Ford Bronco Sport Looks After Rolling 400 Feet Down A Mountain Here is the top of the pass, they were nowhere near this section. You can see why it is one way, down hill. Not my Land Cruiser….😬 John Davies Spokane WA

I don’t see the need for one for the trailer, I treat the system with 50/50 mix of vinegar every few years. All the taps remain free flowing and clean. I do wipe down the sinks after they get wet to prevent spotting. I had one at my last house and enjoyed it, I would like to self-install one in this one. I had the builder rough in the plumbing there and also install a 120 outlet close by. I hate spots on the cars. Can anyone recommend a good brand/ model for a household of two adults? Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

While I won’t change my feelings about that mod, please keep everybody informed in the long term, if it works out, that would be great. My concern is the up and down torque loads, they can be tremendous, for example hitting the two whoopdedoos of a poorly graded Interstate highway bridge at 70 mph. That bottoms out the trailer suspension and transfers most of that energy to the frame and rack. It happens as you hit the bridge, and then again as you depart it. Most unnerving! I hope you have a rear camera that can be adjusted low enough to see the bikes, you can modify the power wires to operate it when driving forward. Good luck. John Davies Spokane WA

I always clay bar if tar remover won’t get it baby butt smooth, it looks fantastic afterwards, but boy is it slippery! As the old cop used to say on Hill Street Blues “ Be careful out there!” John Davies Spokane WA

That is great customer service, and a little unexpected IMHO; take him a some doughnuts the next time you go there. A positive review on Yelp would also be appreciated, I am sure…. John Davies Spokane WA

How long have you used it this way? Any sign of cracks around the corners? 1/4” of aluminum is too thin to support that load for a long period of time. That is one reason Oliver engineers doubled up the thickness (they really do understand aluminum structural properties). 1 Up uses a very cool anti-rattle design but it is meant for steel, and it applies a very heavy point load at just one location.. Have they commented about its suitability for use in a much softer material? As an ex-A&P technician that mod really worries me. I think you risk having the rack and bikes drop down onto the road, or worse yet, come off completely, causing an accident. At the very least you should install a stout cable lock through the bike frames, rack AND around the bumper.I am not trying to sound hysterical, I truly think that is unsafe. John Davies Spokane wA

One of the retaining ears broke on my curly cables, I ordered a new set from Amazon; Jason in Service told me he could not supply me an OEM type, since they no longer install them. He did say that he personally prefers the cables….😀 These are the correct rating and general dimensions, but the hook opening is slightly smaller. They are a little fussy to get clipped into the two holes, on my LC200 hitch, which is perfect IMHO. The old ones had larger hooks, and the one with the busted retainer could fall off. These might not work at all on your TV. Tie Down Engineering 36” safety cables I am keeping the one serviceable old cable as an emergency spare. Normally I like chains, but on my Ollie I prefer the cables, they stay neatly up and out of the way above the Stone Stomper fabric . Chains would dangle down and interfere more. John Davies Spokane WA

3 M Adhesive Cleaner is voodoo magic, and it works for sap and other nasties. A quart goes a really long way, but in looking at your pic, buy two quarts…. A local auto paint supplier will sell it to you for a lot less, I pay about $15. Body shops use it for prepping prior to spraying. Old tee shirts or 100% cotton rags work great, they must left OUTSIDE a few days until all the stink is gone, then tossed…. It has some pretty agressive solvents, use it outdoors or set up a strong fan, wear rubber gloves too. Mudflaps behind your Ollie’s wheels will stop that from happening, and will keep stones from damaging those water fittings, and bouncing off the rear bumper onto the hull and tail lights, but they won’t help the front any, you need extra protection all over….. I hope you got a good deal on your Ollie, I would not even consider selling a vehicle with tar all over the body, it shows a distinct lack of care by the previous owner. John Davies Spokane WA