John E Davies

I wonder how long his slide-out will stay working, that has to be a very rough ride, even if he reworked the suspension. I am a little surprised to see that rig parked on a concrete slab next to manicured grass. It would be very tough to extract from the swamp if he got bogged down. OTH it would be perfect for a loose sandy beach. Are any of the Hatteras beaches open to vehicles? Never mind….. Beach ORV Access Map You can tow a boat or utility trailer on the beach, but not an Ollie. 🙁 John Davies Spokane WA

Jeff, the sales info and actual documentation are not 100% accurate. Nor would I expect them to be. But you can complain to Oliver Sales, tell them to correct the error and ask if they will send you one as an apology or at least sell you one at cost... then sell your old one online. There are a couple of errors in their LE2 pages that continue to bug me, especially the claim that it is built for off-road. That is highly deceptive, though the term is very common sales hyperbole with other RV manufacturer’s packages that are mostly cosmetic. Though I can’t imagine them saying “you must tow it down a potholed road at no more than 5 mph to keep from beating the cr@p out of the frame and your gear.” BTW Hull 218 came with a mechanical “furnace only” stat, because it has a non-Dometic AC and they could not figure out how to make a digital one work. I replaced it with a $22 battery powered non-programmable furnace- only one …. Cheap Stat …. when that one died when the points burned up. It is much more satisfactory than the old one, it doesn’t have a 4 degree dead band. I would have a hard time paying $250 for a smart one😬. But if it came standard, I might appreciate it…. As Ralph commented, a First World problem! We do seem to expect a lot from a camper. Good luck. I personally would not just let this stat issue drop. John Davies Spokane WA

And some more. This is my house, under construction in late Fall 2016, with the standard GAIA Satellite view. And the Google Satellite Hybrid version, It is about three years more recent, but still nowhere near current. And yes I have two dogs, that is obvious from the back yard…. So the Google images get you more recent data. I’ll stop now. John Davies Spokane WA

Pennie, do plan to boondock much? The AGMs are perfectly fine, they just don’t have a lot of reserve for days spent unhooked in gloomy weather. Lithiums are better but they have their own issues, such as heat intolerance. You could try the AGMs for a couple of years, and when they inevitably fail 🙄you can decide if you want to go with a drop-in lithium solution. I can’t comment on the shower track, but the Cradle Point sounds like very expensive snake oil… I do recommend the Natures Head. All the other electronics and doodads are a personal choice. As a full timer your choices may not mesh with those owners who spend a few weeks each year inside that small space. Get a good large TV, one with plenty of secure room for your stuff. John Davies Spokane WA

Cool, have you decided on all the options yet? That will be a wonderful time for a road trip, mountain passes excepted. What route do you plan to take returning home? Do you already have a truck? John Davies Spokane WA

A couple of more, this is Kettle River CG, a Corps of Engineers facility, sort of, maybe….. You sure can’t see anything. There is a boat dock, at the bottom right. In theory. Google Satellite Hybrid shows lots of detail, even through fairly heavy tree cover. You can see foot trails easily, and small vegetation. John Davies Spokane WA

This is pretty cool. Google does not allow GAIA to access their data, so you have to use some less than ideal sources. This is for the premium membership only, and I use an iPad Mini 4 with all IOS updates…. https://www.rokslide.com/forums/threads/gaia-gps-adding-google-earth-imagery.158189/ I was able to get the Google Earth layer to load and function, then it mysteriously vanished a couple of minutes later. The same with Google Terrain. However there are a several sources that do work correctly, Google Roads, Google Terrain Hybrid (won’t zoom in very far) and Google Satellite Hybrid. So it is worth trying this with your device to see what happens. I had to restart the app to see the new layers. Here is the default Mapbox satellite image: And the Google Satellite Hybrid one, which adds lables. There is a pretty obvious difference in sharpness. Here is a shot of some remote logging roads. Satellite default: And Google Satellite Hybrid: Interesting. I know which image I would rather use if I were trying to see small details, like a camp site…. John Davies Spokane WA

Maybe because if it fails you will say very bad words and have to fix it by the side of the highway, or in a rainstorm…..? That is assuming you even carry a spare one. If you don’t have one, then you have to limp along and find a hardware store and hope they have one. Like electrical fuses, who cares? Until you need one…. John Davies Spokane WA

Those repair links are great and I would definitely use them on trailer SAFETY chains, but I would be reluctant to put them on the Andersen chains. IMHO each of those chains needs an inexpensive mechanical “fuse” that will fail before the actual chain does. If you drive over a really severe dip, like a 20 degree driveway approach ramp, the chains get super tight. The red bushings are supposed to take care of that situation, but if you already have your tension set tight, which I personally don’t, then the chains can get extremely loaded, especially if your speed is too high. I would rather pop one of those than split the red spring bushings. IMHO….! It is too bad that Andersen does not talk about this. I think they chose these for a valid reason, but they are not used at all with the standard length kits…. How confusing. BTW I think the cost of Andersen spare parts is obscene…. Like ONE red urethane spring for $35. These are no different than the suspension bushings or bump stops that you can buy for $10 a pair… https://andersenhitches.com/collections/weight-distribution-hitch-parts-accessories I don’t use loctite and I do use a wrench to tighten them. So far neither of mine has showed any sign of distress, with very light chain tension. John Davies Spokane WA

Update on ball wear, after 3000 miles of towing, with a greased ball, it is very minor, quite unlike the 2” ball which was trashed in under 1000. . I am happy with the upgrade. John Davies Spokane WA

Hmmm, I wonder why I did not add that in the first post….? Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I ordered from Amazon, but there are plenty of sources, just look for the best deal. https://www.amazon.com/Bulldog-028462-Trailer-Rectangular-Straight/dp/B00ZRVQPVK Good luck, post pics when you are done! John Davies Spokane WA

I hope you enjoy your new rig, the suspension and height adjustment is crazy cool…. Can the hydraulics be adjusted while moving or do you have to get out and flip a switch at the power pack? How do you get the spares down, a winch? Would you mind summarizing what kind of issues you had with your BS trailer? I have to admit that I love the design, but many production and quality control issues stood out to me just from looking at pictures….. John Davies Spokane WA

I saw that a member appears to be towing an LE2 with a Ranger, and it got me thinking, which is always dangerous.…. I never saw this in print before. The Ranger 2.3 Ecoboost can tow 7500 pounds when properly equipped, but the tow guide is pretty explicit about not having a lot of exposed surface area on the trailer. “Exceeding these limitations may significantly reduce the performance of your towing vehicle.” They show one towing a small boat, which should be perfectly fine. I wouldn’t worry so much with an LE1 because of its much lower weight, but a loaded down LE2 would make me think long and hard before heading out West. The frontal area of that one is about 70 sq ft, and additional rooftop equipment like solar panels will make the drag far worse . Comments? Has anyone seen these published frontal area limits for other TVs? John Davies Spokane WA

For those who might not know: …https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/tir-na-nog-legend-eternal-youth.amp I love seeing reflections off a perfectly clean Ollie. What a great name for a great trailer. Good luck on your first adventures. Just don’t touch the ground when you get back home. 😬 Please tell us how your Ranger does as a tow vehicle. John Davies Spokane WA

A big stone or piece of tire carcass thrown up by your trailer tires onto a QD fitting might break the whole thing clean off. Those three side connections are quite vulnerable, the rear winterization one is not. Install mudflaps on your Ollie and TV, they will completely protect those areas, and prevent stuff from ricocheting off the front of the bumper and onto your tail lights. John Davies Spokane WA

The black tank and plumbing, including the toilet flush and black tank flush lines, are always installed on the production line, even if they are not needed. A future owner might want to install a regular toilet. Some owners take out the unused parts, but the factory will not do that. There have been many threads here about repurposing those parts…. So far nobody has announced that they turned that empty 18 gallon tank into either grey or fresh water storage. John Davies Spokane WA

Even if Starlink gets it’s act together quickly to get the RV program operational, it will still be crippled by interference from trees and buildings, and it is extremely power hungry (100 watts) so it isn’t suitable for a whole lot of places I would normally choose. My wife needs to be able to do teleconferences, so minutes-long blackouts are unacceptable. If you just want to download Netflix videos to watch later, it would be fine. As much as I love the concept, I still hate seeing many thousands of satellites in low orbit. That is going to come back and bite them one day when there is a collision with a manned spacecraft. We have too much space junk and we should not be putting up more. First we should create an efficient way to dispose of what is already there. John Davies Space Nut, WA

Those specs are listed in the brochure, I don’t recall the numbers, they were in kg. John Davies Spokane WA

Email reply: “Thank you for your interest in Wingamm! We intend to have showrooms in Los Angeles and New Jersey with pop-ups around the country over the next 12 months. We are now close to having our first model, the Wingamm Oasi 540, available in the fall of 2021 to purchase in America. Other models will follow in 2022. If you’re interested in purchasing a Wingamm, we have created a formal interest list for the Oasi 540. We expect the sales price to be in the range of $120,000 to $125,000. To be added to the waiting list, please click on this link and complete the form: Oasi 540 Waiting List. We expect to have limited production in 2021 so don’t wait to sign up! “ Here is the brochure they sent me. Water tanks are insulated and heated. House battery is a single lithium 100 AH. John Davies Spokane WA Wingamm540Manual.pdf

Maybe you should post a link? This is the very first I have heard of this, it isn’t even shown in the website Options page. It isn’t WIFI but rather cellular based. Is it 5G and does it include a proper roof antenna (the Weeboost stubby antenna is junk). For nearly $2000 I would just wait and get a Starlink system…. Or use a portable hotspot and a good external antenna on a TALL pole. Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

An important caution about 3M 4200 from the manufacturer “Note: Alcohol will interfere with the curing process and extra care must be taken when using alcohol as a cleaning solvent to prevent any contact with the sealant.” https://3m.citrination.com/pif/000890?locale=en-US I continue to use and like this stuff, maybe some issues result from misapplication by people using isopropyl alcohol to prep the surfaces…? 3M Adhesive Cleaner (08984), $15 per quart at your local automotive paint supplier, is a great choice and it won’t hinder the cure. It is really important to read these product labels carefully, don’t proceed blindly. John Davies Spokane WA

Nope: John Davies Spokane WA

I saw that too, and I requested a brochure and USA price list. Unfortunately the FWD Promaster chassis is pretty lame IMHO, possibly picked to lower the out-the-door price. If they started building on the Transit with its excellent safety features, available AWD and powerful engine, that would be way better for US customers. But a driven rear axle really complicates the layout of all the stuff underneath. I wonder how high the bed is, it seems like a bit of a climb when it is dropped down. That is a very complete video tour, unfortunately they don’t talk about winter capability, the tanks hang off the truck frame and appear to be fully exposed. However on the company website they do show a camper covered in snow. But all its tanks may be dry 😜 One thing I definitely hate is the rear fiberglass storage compartment in place of a bumper. That would get trashed within a month, and it would be a very expensive repair. A stout bumper like on an Ollie is needed. John Davies Spokane WA

These valves all need some sort of regular lubrication. You don’t have to spend a bunch on branded lubricants. A few ounces of mineral oil very few dumps is helpful, to keep the seals soft and pliable. The oil will float on top of the water in the tanks and slosh around while towing. While you have them disconnected at the valves, remove the three inner wires entirely, clean, lube and reinstall. If they look nasty or rusted the entire assemblies should be replaced at some point. Take a look at this thread, your handles may be fine or they may be like mine were…. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2577-how-to-fix-your-waste-tee-handles-so-they-won039t-break-off/ Good luck, I hope nothing unexpected pops up… John Davies Spokane WA

I am researching Great Basin and ran across this Elite pic, at Baker Creek Campground. Does anybody recognize it? I camped at Upper Lehman Creek a few years ago, very late in the camping season, it sucked. It was overgrown, dark and close to traffic on the main road. I really want to return to this wonderful park and stay at the 10,000 ft Wheeler Peak CG, but it is closed for the year, for reconstruction. Can anyone comment on the Baker Creek CG (reservable) or the primitive campgrounds along Snake Creek (first come first serve)? Any suggestions for scenic boondocking spots outside the park? Those southern sites are on rough roads. “Snake Creek may be closed due to snow in winter months, check our current conditions page for uptodate infomation. High clearance vehicles are recommended for these rough, dirt roads. RVs and trailers are not recommended at any time.” Are they in fact too nasty for an Ollie and a 4wd TV? There are high clearance 4wd roads on the east edge of the park (dashed grey lines), has anybody driven them without a trailer? Comments? It looks as if my planned Alaska trip is on hold, so I will head south instead, or stick around my neighborhood - MT, WY, and ID…. weather and fire smoke permitting. Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA