John E Davies

There is no reason you can’t test it, just don’t plug in. You don’t need shore power as long as you don’t require the AC. I never plug in unless I am forced to by excessive heat or low batteries. John Davies Spokane WA

LOL, that is interesting information, thanks. I updated this thread with some weight numbers. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5542-has-anyone-considered-down-sizing-the-le2-wheels-and-tires-to-15”-with-5-on-45”-lug-bolt-pattern/?tab=comments#comment-58171 I don't think I would get rid of a perfectly good pair of big axles, since putting disks onto them would be plug and play with the factory wheels, but they are definitely heavier. John Davies Spokane WA

As a Who Cares update, I did some researching of weights for different configurations. BRAKES Electric drum 10 x 2 1/4” Drum with bearings 48 lbs pair Brake assembly manual adjust 22 lbs pr 70 lbs per axle, 140 lbs total Electric drum 12x2” Drum with bearings 60 lbs pr Brake assembly manual adjust 32 lbs pr 92 pounds per axle, 184 pounds total Disk brake 10” slip on 5 on 4.5” Kodiak 38 lbs pr Idler hub (Dexter) with bearings 22 lbs pr 60 lbs per axle, 120 lbs total Plus actuator, etc 137 lbs Disk brake kit 12” slip on 6 on 5.5” Kodiak 58 lbs pr Idler hub (Dexter) with bearings 26 lbs pr 84 lbs per axle, 168 lbs total Plus actuator, etc 185 lbs Hydrastar electric over hydraulic actuator 12 lbs Wiring, plumbing, hoses, fluid, mounting plate 5 lbs (guess) 17 lbs total AXLES 3500 ? lbs each 5200 ? lbs each GUESS 10 lbs each heavier, 20 lbs total TIRES Michelin LTX M&S 225/75R16 Load E Discontinued 29.4” OD, section width 8.8”, max load 2680 lbs at 80 psi, 6-7” rim, 38 lbs, 5 tires 190 lbs Generic 235/75R15 Load D, 34 lbs, 5 tires 170 lbs WHEELS aluminum generic 16x6, 6 on 5.5” 20 lbs, 5 wheels 100 lbs 15x7, 5 on 4.5” 18 lbs, 5 wheels 90 lbs, 10 lbs lighter So there you go, bigger is heavier.... a 10inch disk setup would be about the same weight as a 10 inch drum setup (it is actually a lot lighter but the weight of the actuator and hydraulic parts brings it back up), and it is about 60 pounds lighter than a 12 inch disk one. Not counting the weight of wheels and tires. Note that this is unsprung weight, which should be kept as low as possible. Going from 10" drums to 10' disks would remove 10 pounds of unsprung weight, per axle, and the lighter wheels/ tires would reduce that by another 12 pounds. A 22 pound total reduction in moving mass per axle would really reduce stresses on the spindles, bearings and shocks, and allow the tires to deal with holes and bumps more easily. (Plus you won't have the same problem trying to avoid brake lockup because your 12" system is really way too big for the load carried.) FYI I once had a 4 x 6 foot aluminum offroad utility trailer, I had it built with a 3500 pound axle with 10"electric brakes. Under a full load of mulch or lumber they were fine, but when it was lightly loaded with a few hundred pounds of camping gear they always were problematic, so I normally did not use them at all. Big brakes on a light trailer are not great. John Davies Spokane WA

? Unless he upgraded them to install disks, the LE2 has always had 3500 pound axles, to the best of my knowledge. I don't know the actual bare axle weights, but the brake parts and hubs alone are 44 pounds heavier (all four) for the big axles. I am sure the bigger axles are quite a bit heavier, maybe add another 20 pounds for two of those. Overkill indeed. John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks, my many iPhones bend the image some but have never taken pics with that fish bowl look and I was confused. I thought maybe my converting the original files did something to them John Davies Spokane WA

I reposted your pictures. They look very distorted, were the originals like this? John Davies Spokane WA

I had a stunning 2000 9-5 Aero Wagon in black, I loved that car even though it was totally useless in winter, even with great Nokian winter tires. I kept it until my wife shut off the engine at 70 mph on the highway by reaching around behind the seat and dragging her purse strap across the center console, turning off the ignition! I got it restarted in a few seconds but I nearly soiled myself. “Saab Safety” is a complete illusion. I do agree with Overland’s comment about too many buttons, the Saab was nifty and a pure joy to operate on dry pavement, but the eventual replacement for the 9-5 was a 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD 6 speed with vast arrays of identical small buttons in rows. At least it had voice control, sort of, that was neither intuitive nor effective. My Land Cruiser has buttons all over, some are blocked by the gear shift when you are driving (though they are perfectly fine when you in Park), so you have to crane your head to see if you are punching the Power button or the seat heater. Six are on the far LEFT side, completely hidden by the steering wheel. “Why did my mirrors retract, I was trying to engage the diff lock. Darn it I hit the headlight washers, there is water all over the windshield! Oh wait, no I turned off the airbags, or was that the proximity sensor switch???” For the best built vehicle on the planet, the ergos of the cockpit are horrible… and the gauges have chrome trim rings that reflect in the side glass at night. I will keep it until it dies or I die, regardless. Maybe a glass screen is the answer, do they reflect sunlight and stuff inside the truck, and show all the fingerprints? At least with a portable nav screen you can point it to where it doesn’t reflect your passenger’s brightly colored shirt…. I would really hate to be stuck with factory navigation, but I guess I could use CarPlay to stream my good apps. Gee! I wish cars still used hand cranks to start the engine, those were great times🤪 John Davies Spokane WA

Just checking, I was talking about the huge flat glass display, not the actual truck….. which I think looks as attractive as any recent F150. If you do love that display, well, OK. No worries. John Davies Spokane WA

I am not so sure about the frunk; gas and diesel engines are designed to do weird stuff during frontal collisions, to keep the driver and front sear passengers alive. I would not feel warm and fuzzy about having a loose heavy mass in there, like tools, ammo or cast iron pots. There is no telling where it might end up, but maybe Ford has figured that out? Maybe there is a Frunk Airbag in that “firewall” to stop any penetrations that might amputate your legs. Never mind, in looking at the cutaway, there is a big e motor there. John Davies Spokane WA

I am not a fan of vast vertical glass displays, maybe I could get used to it, I think this is beyond ugly…. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/cars/article-9598583/Ford-unveils-40-000-F-150-Lightning-electric-pick-truck.html John Davies Spokane WA

Wow, that is pretty cool. Can the camera itself be adjusted vertically? Never mind, found a pic: John Davies Spokane WA

Earlier hulls did have this problem, eventually the factory started added an extra latch at the back of each drawer. This mod will keep your drawers solidly in place regardless of how choppy the road gets. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2151-how-to-galley-drawer-travel-straps John Davies Spokane WA

I’m not following you about the “no storage under the dinette”. The LE2 has ample space, the rear cover is screwed down and says not for storage, that is very simple to fix. Remove the screws, throw them far away, and use that area carefully for storage of DRY bath towels and similar soft non conducting items, and keep them away from any electronics. This is not Oliver Approved. That decal is there because there is 120 volts AC wiring. The front area has ample space. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5272-how-to-flat-foam-storage-tray-for-the-front-dinette-seat-compartment/ For the LE2 you do need to get the mattress out of the way to access the water valves, but you can simply rotate a Twin one up 90 degrees and leave it propped against the window. We have 10” tall ones and this does work. Or you can cut a hole in the wall underneath the bed and install a swing open marine hatch, and leave the bedding undisturbed. Keep in mind, those valves are normally not needed in any way when travelling, except if you want to refill your tank using the rear boondocking port. At all other times, you won’t need to get under there. There is no easier method to transfer water, the below floor tank has no high-up fill opening like your Casita and most stick and staple ones. Water has to be sucked in using the pump. It sounds as if you have a lot of deposits, the vinegar flush with several hours sit time should fix that. Don’t forget to include the hot water heater, it really gets crusty. Don’t do this over concrete, it will etch the surface and leave a bright area It is harmless but unsightly. Please clarify your model, add that info and your tow vehicle as a signature to appear after your posts, to prevent confusion. John Davies Spokane WA

I don’t understand all the hate for 3M 4000 UV, I use it by preference and don’t find it too hard to get off. You do need to shear it with a thin FLEXIBLE stainless putty knife and hammer, once that is broken free the rest comes off fine with plastic scrapers and a good solvent. I OTH do hate butyl tape. So there. John Davies Spokane WA

I don’t recall an Oliver bulletin about this, but there was a short video, it basically said remove the top and daub some more grease inside. It really needs a little more attention than that. My “grease” was more akin to chilled Play-Doh, and it was contaminated with steel particles from the dry gears: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/4094-how-to-vip-3000-electric-stabilizer-jack-service/ I do recommend that you buy several new gaskets to have on hand, BEFORE you start, one of mine tore. And be sure to check the attach bolts at the frame, they do loosen. John Davies Spokane WA

Bill, forced induction on a small 4 or 6 cylinder gas engine gives you the power of a big V8 gas engine, but you can’t fight physics. Work out (dragging that big load) requires the same work in (burning the same amount of fuel). Only a turbo diesel engine gets better mileage than an equivalent gas one, because the fuel has more energy and also because a diesel will happily run under a heavy load all day long at under 2000 rpm. High rpms kill fuel mileage. What rpms do you see with your truck when towing, and when cruising empty? FYI I read a road test of the Ram TRX which has a supercharged 6.4 liter Hellcat engine, detuned to “only” 650 ft lbs of torque... They got single digit mileage, and their very best was around 11 mph on the freeway, both with the bed empty😜 Here is an interesting article on the Godzilla 7.3 gas engine, and how it was built for best fuel economy in a big truck doing heavy work. It makes great power at low rpm, right off idle, very like a diesel, with a flat torque curve, but without turbos. Or overhead camshafts …. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-technology/amp26306469/ford-super-duty-73-v8-engine-details-specs/ John Davies Spokane WA

With just two people and a small dog, you can bring along a fair amount of gear in the truck. You do need a generator, not necessarily to run the air conditioner, but to recharge those batteries when you can’t plug into “shore power”. Unfortunately, as delivered they will NOT charge off your truck while you are towing. I believe that you are in Colorado? There are lots of terrific spots in your area that have no hookups at all, like most National Parks and Monuments. Your solar panels can do a lot, but on some grey days or in a shaded site they won’t be nearly enough. And on a blistering July day you will want to run the A/C off the generator, NOT the batteries, or they will be quickly drained. John Davies Spokane WA

A lot of LE2 owners are quite happy with this model of F150, it has good power but you will very limited in payload. Figure out how much “stuff” you want to bring along. subtract off the weight of the Andersen hitch and the trailer tongue weight, about 700 pounds together (the tongue weight varies a lot depending on trailer options). What is left is available for passengers and their gear. So with that 1555 pounds of payload, you have around 855 left. That is not a lot, but it is OK, especially for just one person or a couple. BUT if you want to bring along two more people plus their gear, it is not going to be very good at all. Any optional equipment bolted onto the truck takes away from the available payload, a canopy could be 200 pounds, for example. Offroad accessories like steel bumpers are realllly heavy. This is why people buy Heavy Duty trucks, so they can pretty much not worry at all about weight. If it fits in the bed, you can bring it. Almost…. John Davies Spokane WA

Here it is. I am not sure what that "doc" is but my iMac could open it.... I made a screen capture. The OP is mixing apples and oranges (pounds and kilograms). John Davies Spokane WA

There is no way the twin air mattress will fit, the hall width is about 2 feet. A narrow camping pad would fit perfectly. But nobody would be able to move around it, to get to the toilet for example. For scale, the “Twin” mattress shown is actually a bunk size, it is just 30” wide. It overlaps the floor by maybe 3”. Your Grand Cherokee might be OK, depending on the payload, but for four people I suspect that you will be carrying WAY too much stuff. There are a couple of young families with LE2s, but they have the little kids sleep in a tent. Take a look at one in person, that will tell you immediately if it is going to work. Or wait for the much rumored but never substantiated Legacy Elite 3. John Davies Spokane WA

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/1978-nature039s-head-composting-toilet-installation-in-an-oliver-big-thread/ There are a few other ones, but that one seems to be hanging on as the main one, as was my intention when I named it. 😬 John Davies Spokane WA

Overland, is the core of the floor fiberglass or wood (like the partition wall)? If the latter, it must be sealed very well, or it will get wrecked by water intrusion from showers. I like the storage space, I never though about storing the “media” underneath. I would feel a little more comfortable with a flush fitting hatch, does water get down there, or is that even a concern? After showering I usually sluice that area pretty heavily. Thanks John Davies Spokane WA

Welcome to the forums. It depends what year 4Runner, the engine and towing specs change over time. If you think you might “hold out” for a LE2, then buy the bigger trailer and trade in the Runner on a more suitable tow vehicle, because it sounds like you might not really want the smaller one. If you had the 4.7 liter V8 in your trucklet, it would be a great tow vehicle for the smaller trailer, but NOT for an LE2. Both trailers are quite heavy for their size. John Davies Spokane WA

I have not looked at mine under the floor, but you definitely need some reinforcement - if there is not already a metal plate underneath for the regular toilet, use a couple of thick pieces of aircraft aluminum (6061 T6 is a good choice) and either big self tapping screws or machine screws and self locking nuts. Use epoxy to bond the plates to the fiberglass, but make sure any fasteners don’t get stuck too! An inline fuse would be acceptable but it needs to be in a easy to access location like under the front dinette seat, not buried behind a sealed screwed down panel. Make sure you install a big enough one, they recommend 2.5 amps. The toilet fan uses way less, but it could pop a 1 amp fuse, which is what came in my trailer. While you are at it, you can remove all the black tank flush parts (cap off the hull fitting!!!) to gain a fair amount of extra storage space in that compartment. Look here: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5272-how-to-flat-foam-storage-tray-for-the-front-dinette-seat-compartment/ Please post pics here when you do this. It will be helpful for those considering the change. John Davies Spokane WA

For those of us with older trailers can somebody please explain these new ones and post a picture, or link to a source other than Oliver? Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA