John E Davies
-
Posts
5,759 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
243
Posts posted by John E Davies
-
-
8 hours ago, jd1923 said:
It amazes me, the pictures I've seen, how newer OTT models have a 12V DC sub-panel in the attic. Love to know what all the 12V fuses connect to. Ours does not have this sub-panel.
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
1
-
-
Your suspension has at most 2” of upward travel before the ubolts smash into the subframe. Your early hull did not come with upgraded suspension, was that added at any time? Rock hard tires and no EZ Flex will really stress the frame, hull and your belongings. The first line of defense against road vibrations and impacts is flexible compliant sidewalls! Try 45 psi.
John Davie
Spokane WA
-
1
-
4
-
-
What were the tire pressures when you first checked them?
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
2
-
-
I think it is very good that the sagging crossmember did not break the gas line. If you haven’t already, take a very close look at all the propane lines you can get to inside the trailer. Was there any damage to the fiberglass belly from hanging down unsupported?
Even Ollies can have bad problems. I am glad yours was relatively easy to correct.
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
1
-
4
-
-
Did you measure to the top of the Bulldog? Actually to the top, inside, where the ball rests. Your measurements are so far off that I have to think there is a basic human error. Those Andersen instructions are very ballpark, don’t be afraid to play with nut tightness and ball height. Your tundra should be loaded for travel, with moderate tension on the chains, the Ollie should ideally be close to level.
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
1
-
-
Chris, the Emergency Exit sticker(s) definitely should remain, and should be highly visible, otherwise you risk a lawsuit if the worst happens and a guest doesn’t understand that that is the only way out in the event of a galley fire.
Speaking of which, have you tried crawling out the back? Do you have a second extinguisher in the rear of the cabin, for when you can’t reach the front one?
You can easily run those sound tests using your phone or load them directly onto a USB memory stick. Just select the track and hit Play. Try them out on your home system, then the Ollie. It might be entertaining and educational.
Thanks very much for the kind words.
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
2
-
-
Nice and clean! Finish up with a new pair of “turn handle” stickers, one on each side so they are visible to all sleepers.
How are the acoustics, echoy? Is the bass acceptable? Did you disconnect the main speakers? They are good for paper weights, they sound pretty awful. Maybe OK for an AM talk show…
Have you tested your new soundbar?
https://www.audiocheck.net/testtones_index.php
Thanks,
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
2
-
-
Don’t know about screens, but I am sure there is a solution. You should be very sure to clean off ALL the mud, the fan blades are balanced and any concentrated mass like that mud will throw that off. It will eventually make noise and maybe damage the bearings. I bet the fan assembly is pricy! A simple dust accumulation may affect airflow a little , but it won’t affect the balance.
John Davies
spokane WA
-
3
-
-
It is a Dometic factory job. If it gets screechy you will either have to remove the fridge to reach it, or disconnect its power wire from the control board. It is completely inaccessible from the outside except by tiny mice. It is controlled by a nearby temp sensor. Removing both vent covers might help with airflow .
John Davies
Spokane WS
-
1
-
3
-
-
I highly recommend this compact $50 heater, I can’t comment on longevity but my Vornado fan failed right after the warranty ended with a bad bearing.
It is silent, has a remote, and most importantly a digital thermostat, so once you find a temp you like, you can easily repeat the setting you prefer, and it has very precise heat regulation (narrow dead band) unlike the heaters that have knobs. It provides gentle wide-area heat without drafts.
I think you will love it. “Park” the fan in the center position by unplugging while it is oscillating, and store it in the cardboard box it shipped in when you don’t need it.
If you get a Clam shelter, buy the wind panels and the heater works beautifully inside there. I like the smallest Clam.
Good luck on the gas leak!
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
2
-
1
-
-
Is that the lower reservoir? That is a glorious location for boondocking, we stayed at the Upper one few years back. How are the ticks? Do you plan to visit Cody?
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
20 minutes ago, MAX Burner said:
What's the most expeditious procedure to remedy the flipped shackle? Jack it up?
Uhmmm, maybe you should read the posts on the first page? Had your morning coffee yet?
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
I agree with Frank C, but I will go further and say you have a broken spring. The flipped shackle would never get so high as to touch the subframe! In fact, towing with it flipped is normally fine. Here is mine the last time both sides flipped:
You need to find a NEARBY trailer repair shop and have them install a full set of four 3500 pound rated springs. Don’t tow it any further that necessary. If the roads to the shop are smooth, no worries, if you have to drive on rough pavement … in your shoes I would find a mobile tech or get it transported on a truck bed. They also need to inspect the frame for any possible damage.
They also need to check the shocks.
What tire pressure in your trailer? If you are running 80 psi, that could have caused this. On truly nasty roads set them to 45 at the most. Mine runs 42 psi all the time.
Good luck, please start a new thread with this.
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
1
-
1
-
-
My ‘06 Laramie 3500 leather seats were OK for short trips, but not for cross country when combined with the harsh ride on choppy surfaces, But nether my wife nor I are at all tolerant of bad rides, we have always owned premium vehicles with great seats. These helped a lot, but did not help fix a lot of faults with the truck..
PS, in a full sized HD truck they are incredibly @#$&*! difficult to get into to get into, they have really deep side bolsters. But they are ohhhh so comfy on a ten hour trip.
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
1
-
2
-
-
Before you start messing with springs, make sure the front end is tight. I am not sure about the 2001 models, but my 2006 3500 5.9 was notorious for destroying ball joints. I replaced mine with OEM ones at 90,000 miles. There are much better aftermarket ones that will last forever if you plan to keep the truck forever. They are expensive.
If the shocks are tired, replace all four.
What tire pressure are you running? I hope not 80 psi F/R. That will make the ride really hard and squirrelly. Try 55/60 depending on the bed load. If you are towing with ammo or anvils in the bed, you will need more air in the back. Let tire temperatures be your guide. What is your payload?
You do NOT need the Andersen with that truck! A $50 fixed dead weight mount and ball is fine. Try to find a 7500 rated ball with extra long 1” diameter shank, made for mounting through fixed truck bumpers. I got mine from eTrailer. You can fine trim the coupler height to level the trailer if necessary using hardened 1/8” fender washers from a bolt supplier.
If the truck still feels odd, go with aftermarket lifted springs front and back, my truck only had 2” of up travel in front before the axle hit the stops!
You do definitely need better seats. Take a look at the excellent Corbeau suspension seats with adjustable backs.
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
1
-
2
-
-
https://spokane.craigslist.org/tro/d/mead-1947-aero-flite-falcon/7643654086.html
Oh my oh my!!!!
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
1
-
1
-
-
Larger wheels are purely for looks on a truck, they give a harsher ride, are more prone to rim damage (less sidewall to cushion the impact), and replacement tires (and wheels) are more expensive. So unless you love the look of bigger wheels, stick with the base ones. You can always install aftermarket wheels in the future.
Bigger wheels are heavier, so the extra rotating mass can add up to a significant amount, that will slow your accelaration very slightly, but won’t measurably affect your fuel economy.
Get the 4WD now or regret it later. Some trucks offer shift in the fly 4WD which is as convenient as full time All Wheel Drive (and it is a lot more effective). You just have to push a button when things start to look messy. The Bad Olde Days when you had to stop, get out, and manually engage the two front freewheel hubs is very thankfully long gone.
Where do you live? Please add that info to your signature.
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
5
-
-
1 hour ago, MAX Burner said:
FYI: I've noticed that the Bull Dog rotates UP slightly when raising the front of the trailer while attached to the TV hitch. I've torqued the nuts to 93ft-lbs, but it still literally "pops" up about 3/16" when raising. Not a good sign. I'm planning to remove the Bull Dog this afternoon to inspect the holes as you've shown here....
When you fix it, be sure to put an upwards load on the front using a jack stand or the hitch ball, to take out the slack. Then tighten.
Post pics of what you find please!.
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
1
-
-
FYI, this is about a firearms company, not about firearms per se.
I am sure we could perhaps maybe draw some comparisons.
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
5
-
-
Install 1/2” ? stainless bolts with nylocks in three places, and a short locking hitch pin in the fourth. I am assumng they are 1/2”, you need to measure..
Post a close up picture so we know what it looks like please.
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
3
-
-
Jim, the external contacts are the limiting factor for amperage, 10AWG wire is up to 40 amp. You should upgrade the connectors to Anderson Power Poles, they are rated at 45 amps and they make a round weather tight panel mount that will work. SAE connectors suck big time, pardon my grammer….
https://powerwerx.com/anderson-power-powerpole-sb-connectors
The controller must be rated at well over the maximum possible amps coming from the panels.
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
1
-
1
-
-
13 minutes ago, Steve Morris said:
John, I know that you are not a Facebook fan, but there is a group specifically for Oliver Trailers for sale. I was on there last summer before we ordered our trailer, and there was a lot of activity from buyers and sellers. I don't know if that's still the case.
Thanks. My wife has already posted an ad there for me, it has not received a lot of attention except for a couple of idiotic snide comments about the inward facing zerk fittings.
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
3
-
-
I need a reality price check, I have had four responses to my RV Trader and Craigslist ads, but none at all here, just best wishes, so thank you from my heart for those....,. In spite of posting "SERIOUS ENQUIRIES ONLY", all the responses were basically tire kickers. One guy was local and came by promptly and I spent 90 minutes showing it, he loved the frame, loved the NH toilet, loved the interior, loved everything about it, then he ghosted me. One guy connected just to tell me that the price was "full tilt".
I just now dropped the price by 5% to $$71,250 and now offer free delivery within 300 miles. I thought $75K was good, was I wrong? Please comment. This is a more than little frustrating. I wish the Ollie For Sale ads here showed the actual FINAL sale price, that would be EXTREMELY helpful! Are sellers actually getting what they originally ask?
Thank you,
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
If you use a water softener at home, and always fill the trailer tank from that source, especially for long term storage, those white hard water deposits will clear out on their own throughout the entire system, in a few months, and never return. When you are on the road, you must use whatever sources are available, just drain and refill the tank with the good stuff when you get back home, and flush out the pipes and water heater. Otherwise you need to do vinegar flushes every two years.
This is a great reason to invest in a softener at home, it cleans out your home pipes and gets rid of spots in your shower, plus you can tee into that supply and wash the Ollie and your cars with it. It’s a win win win …. win situation. 😉
John Davies
Spokane WA
-
1
-
5
-
Comments? Folks who have moved from an Airstream to Oliver, and why?
in General Discussion
Posted
Aluminum trailers were practical and profitable to manufacture before fiberglass resins were invented, mostly because the skilled WW2 work force was ready and waiting for new jobs other than production line fighters and bombers, and there were vast quantities of surplus aircraft grade sheet aluminum gathering dust in warehouses... remember that this was a time when tens of thousands of lovely “useless” warbirds were being shredded to make pots and pans. ;( I used to work with an old guy who was one of those WW2 riveters, his sheet metal skills were pure magic and a delight to watch. He always got assigned the tough repair jobs because of his speed and quality workmanship. All those old craftsmen have long left the workforce. Bless their souls…
I am actually amazed that thin fragile aluminum trailer shells remain acceptable to consumers and to insurance companies. Other than classy looks they have ZERO practical benefits. How -/:;()$&@ loud it must be inside during a serious hailstorm!
https://beantrailer.com/read-this-before-you-buy-an-aluminum-trailer/
Sledgehammer vs Bean trailer and a stick and staple trailer
Let’s not get into how AS management screwed up a wonderful glass trailer…
https://www.rvtravel.com/the-airstream-nest-failure-a-closer-look/
I hope AS doesn’t buy the struggling Escape company. It is probably not very wise for me to say this, since there are a fair number of ex-AS owners here, but whenever I see a shiny new one I think to myself, “that guy has way more money than sense.”
God bless Olivers, long may they reign!
MAX burner, how about starting an Oliver hail damage poll in a new thread?
John Davies
Spokane WA