John E Davies

OTH, I had a mobile tech come to inspect my inverter chassis (second) ground wire for the recall a couple of years ago, and Oliver sent me a check, no hassles. But for a safety recall, their policy is probably more lenient toward the owner. John Davies Spokane WA

I use a light three season (35 degree) poly mummy bag with a microfiber liner. https://www.rei.com/product/850235/cocoon-microfiber-mummy-liner It is really really hard to get in and out of, but I SLEEP much better, mainly because with the narrow bunk mattress and regular cotton bedding I cannot simply roll onto my side, I have to wake up and heave my body to its new position. This slippery bag conforms to my body and I can change position much easier, so that often I don’t wake up at all. I do use both a mattress cover and a decorative cover under the bag. I wash the liner at home after every trip, or it could easily be hand washed in the sink, and I wash the bag at the end of the season. My wife OTH much prefers sheets and blankets.... I normally set the cabin furnace temp to about 60 degrees, but when I am alone it goes down to 50. I try to supercool it in very hot weather and turn off the AC at bedtime. John Davies Spokane WA

I have been here over five years and I never felt that I could not post a less than rosy comment or thread, in fact I continue to be quite critical of a few factory design and build issues, ones that do not appear to be much improved year after year (and also of an occasional owner modification that I felt was dangerous or unsafe.) The Mods have never censored me. Personal attacks or nasty comments OTH are never tolerated. There have been a very few unhappy new owners that go away and never return, leaving unanswered questions - “Where did he go???” I don’t think there is anything that can be done about it in any forum. I participate in many, and this by FAR is the only one that feels to me like close family. As it grows, I really hope that it stays that way. Thank you Members and especially thank you Mods! FYI, after several horrific ownership experiences with boats and RVs, I swore I would never own another one. This forum convinced me to get “Mouse” and I have zero regrets about that investment. It is an excellent product, without a doubt the best RV for its price range, produced by a stellar company that prides itself on trying to make us all happy. Not everyone will be happy, but that IMHO is to be expected. John Davies Spokane WA

He will need something that will stay on when he washes the cover, before taking it to get altered. That is the main reason I suggested a Sharpie. John Davies Spokane WA

A plastic scraper works well, they are used for getting off stuff like window decals. They are also great for removing sealant without scratching the gelcoat. FOSHIO 2PCS Plastic Razor Scrapers Knife with Contoured Grip + 100 PCS 1.5 inch Refillable Double Edge Plastic Razor Blades John Davies Spokane WA

I would be pretty distracted by strippers too...... John Davies Spokane WA

Did you just get the one quote? You need three, at a minimum. That will give you enough info to tell what bid is a realistic figure. Make sure each specifies the same product, and breaks down labor and materials separately. I just got a bid on an installed gas shop heater and it just was a flat price, which sucks. I asked them again twice for a breakdown, no response, so that contractor gets crossed out. Once you know the material cost and how many man hours it will take, you should know better. John Davies Spokane WA

That is a fairly major design flaw, have you mentioned it to their customer service? A local tent/ awning or upholstery shop should be able to fix that for not too much cash. You would need to accurately mark the location with a Sharpie, so there is no chance of cutting the wrong spot. John Davies Spokane WA

Feasible, but undesirable IMHO. Rust, mainly. It will be very hard to keep looking nice. You could get the parts plated after drilling and cutting. I strongly recommend 6061-T6 aluminum. It is very easy to work with and will always look great unless you tow in winter (salt/ mag chloride). Plus it matches the main frame material perfectly. If you don’t have a nearby non-ferrous metals supplier you can order online, for example: https://alcobrametals.com/aluminum/tube-rectangular/6061-t6-rectangular-tube Thanks for the kind words, they are greatly appreciated. Post some pics when you are done. FYI, Stone Stomper uses square steel for their front skirt arms, those and the hardware are yellow cad plated, it seems to be quite durable and looks fine. No signs of rust after four years. I ordered extra parts in case the got pranged up or started looking bad, but so far they have not been needed. John Davies Spokane WA

The 7 wire cable is totally separate from any solar circuits. It is standard equipment on all trailers, while the rooftop solar and side solar ports are add-on options. The only place where they interesect at all, is at the battery terminals. John Davies Spokane WA

Ditto, but you would also need to choose three way valves and also install a drain hose leading out the belly. Otherwise the water in the vertical lines and the faucet would be trapped there. If you decide to go to all that trouble, install them on the curb side near the fresh tank drain, so the outside shower water lines going through the back wall of the trailer can also be emptied, using a blast of compressed air. John Davies Spokane WA

Are these the mounts? Do you intend to remove the bikes every time you stop for the night, or if you want to take a nap? There will be no way to get around them otherwise, the center isle is really narrow even without a dirty, greasy bike or two in the way. The risk of scratching the interior gelcoat and wood drawers, and soiling the cushions, will be very high, especially when you maneuver them past that turn from the entryway to the main hallway.The entry door itself is pretty narrow too. Removing the pedals (or installing folding ones) would help a lot. You need to figure out a way to solidly anchor the plywood to the walls, otherwise during a panic stop or a collision, the whole thing will launch into and through your bathroom glass door. And 1/2” Baltic birch is not strong enough, especially since the bike mount hardware will have to be recessed underneath, 3/4” would be my choice.... There are tanks directly under the floor center, so you can NOT drill through it! Do you really want to deal with all those hassles and risks? FYI I can see this working with just one clean ROAD bike, placed off center to the street side with the handlebar angled and the gears facing the outside, and just ONE person using the trailer. You could still access the free bed, probably, and get underneath to access the valves. You could remove and store the mattress for the other side, and use that big space for storage (with some tie down tracks and anchors). The street side compartment is electronics, so you do not need routine access there. John Davies Spokane WA

Too right! Certain tread patterns act like slingshots, but a whole lot depends on the size of the gravel. The typical 3/4” Minus’ crushed rock used for driveways and most unpaved county roads is bad for slinging from most snow and A/T tires. OTH mud tires do not do this, since the gaps are so big the stones cannot get grabbed and released. Plus they grip a whole lot better in turns. For intensive gravel driving, use those mud tires. Or better yet, install proper trailer protection and don’t fret about it. John Davies Spokane WA

You can try a vinegar flush, to dissolve any deposits; use the winterization port to suck in a weak vinegar mix (1 gal per 5 gal water) through the plumbing and also into the (regular) water heater. Let it sit for a day, drain and flush well. Be aware that the vinegar water going onto concrete will etch it slightly (leave a very clean area). It won’t hurt, but if you don’t want to look at it for a year or two, do this where it won’t matter, or where it will hurt your lawn. John Davies Spokane WA

Please post an update, many of us are concerned and very interested to learn how this turned out. Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

I am sorry, I have to completely disagree with everybody else! After a hard freeze with multiple failures, get the water out first thing! Drain the tanks and lines. Open all the faucets (and toilet flush) at once and blow out the system completely (all four ports) with compressed air set at 20 psi, then after you start to see air at the faucets, gradually increasing to no more than 60 psi. Blow out adapter Starting at a low pressure with all the faucets turned on means you won’t be blasting a lot of water underneath the floor.... Then you can close the taps and start looking for air leakage using soapy water from a spray bottle. Bigger leaks like a ruptured check valve, elbow or flex hose will be audible (hissing or roaring) or you may even be able to feel the leak with your hand. Once you have found and repaired ALL the big leaks, you can connect to your water source and pressurize the lines without worrying about a flood. You really do NOT want to spray a jet of water onto any 120 volt AC equipment, that could blow breakers or electrocute you, so do NOT connect to shore power or turn on the inverter. For an LE2, the rear street side plumbing (shower and ports) and the area around the hot water tank, are the risky spots, they are so very close to the 120 VAC wires. Once you have fixed the big ones you will notice your compressor does not cycle constantly, indicating that it is safe to fill the system with water. Scott blue paper towels are really useful for spotting VERY small water seeps. Unlike a regular one, a blue piece folded and placed under a suspected leak shows it by turning dark blue, it is very obvious. FYI, read this, essentially you are doing the same thing, and you could actually use a leak down gauge set to do the troubleshooting, if you have access to one. Compression Testing vs Leak-Down Testing ..... https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Cylinder-Detector-Engine-Compression/dp/B079P6JJSQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=leak+down+tester+gauge&qid=1614696102&sr=8-12 Good luck, take pics and please post a follow up thread about your experience. I really hope none of your water tanks are cracked.... that would mean a factory repair. 😢 John Davies Spokane WA

An external port positive wire goes through a 10 amp fuse, then directly to the batteries, no controller is installed there. It is not connected to the roof panel circuit in any way. So you need to use a portable panel with its own onboard controller, then plug it directly into the outside port, or onto the battery terminals using clips. This is from an earlier manual, I don’t think the current one shows the port wires. The inline fuse is not shown here. If you wanted to use an unregulated panel, so that you can place it further away (less voltage drop), you would need to install a controller inside the trailer, between the port and the batteries. John Davies Spokane WA

I suggest a larger panel, so it can also be used when camping. A 20 watt panel is equivalent to a little 120 VAC battery tender, and it has zero usefulness at other times. Of course, theft is a risk so you need to factor that in. Your trailer has phantom electrical draws, that occur all the time unless you disconnect the batteries. The propane detector, for example, uses about 0.3 amps, day in, day out. So if you do get a small panel, disconnect the negative cables to eliminate those loads. I think Bill’s method, using the trailer 7 wire harness, is simple and will work OK, it requires very minimal skill at wiring. However, there is a very long wire run from there to the batteries, so the voltage drop means you don’t get the maximum amount of current. For simply maintaining the batteries, that doesn’t matter, but at other times, the leads should be connected as close to them as possible, and always use large wires... A small panel does not need any kind of charge controller, but a larger one does, so that adds a little expense. Here is a Furion adapter, it requires cutting and soldering wires. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M4RQ3X1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/3247-how-to-external-solar-dc-power-cable-using-factory-furrion-port/ John Davies Spokane WA

Those high numbers are the fuse and wire ratings, not the operating ones, to account for the initial start up surge as the motor gets going. That is a VERY brief surge. And that current is momentary and it varies with the time and load (brake hydraulic pressure), so in normal driving you will have intermittent pulses of much lower current. The no load current should be close to zero. There is probably a published figure for “stopped and waiting for a red light” current, it should not be very high, the amount probably varies with the brand of brake controller you have. FYI my Land Cruiser 200 Aux (charge) circuit is protected by a 40 amp fuse, I have no clue about the wire gauge but it should be appropriate for that rating. That does not apply to your Ollie 7 wire harness - you should definitely inspect them to make sure those wires are big enough. Trust, but verify! John Davies Spokane WA

You should have used something more dense 😬, I tried that today, I used two pieces of Coleman 1/2” eggcrate foam sleeping bag pad. I jammed them hard onto the intake opening (with the grill removed) and the sound definitely became deeper and more muffled. I launched my sound measuring app ..... https://apps.apple.com/us/app/decibel-meter-sound-detector/id1254994873.... and took some readings with the iPhone sitting on top of the curb side mattress, near the edge. With the grill open it was about 58 dBa. With it covered it was 52 dBa. That is a significant improvement! And that doesn’t include any inside sound insulating tiles or a tight fitting rubber gasket around a cover.... I think you might get close to a 10 dBa reduction, which is huge (half as loud). I had the front dinette cushion and hatch lifted and did not note any signs of straining from the fan motor. I found the specs on the return air for MY furnace (Suburban NT20SQ), they require 55 square inches located immediately in front of the unit. Oliver cut a 5”x10.5” hole. I know why they did that, but the furnace instructions are written for the typical stick and staple installation, where there is no huge volume of free air between hull sections to take advantage of... I did some more looking and thinking, and decided to leave the thing alone for now. If I replace the fridge with a DC compressor one I will consider adding the return opening there by the front door, with a custom insulated duct going down into the floor. I decided against cutting a big hole under the front dinette seat because I would lose too much valuable storage volume. John Davies Spokane WA

I have not had a reason to go back to Hohenwald, but if they would offer a disk axle upgrade with some extra travel, that could be retrofitted easily, I would probably hit the road ASAP. Any idea on when there will be an announcement? I have been waiting anxiously for five years...! Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

Here is an earlier thread. 2021 F150 John Davies Spokane WA

I don't get it. ?? John Davies Spokane WA

Does the fuel door open by hand, or must a remote release be operated? Is it possible for somebody to syphon out fuel with the factory setup ? That cap is a nice piece of equipment and I think the price is more than reasonable. Even if it is never actually stops vandalism, it will make you sleep better. You have so many other things to worry about with a modern diesel ☹️ John Davies Spokane WA

LOL, I did not mention that you should wait long enough for everything to come back up to room temperature. On a hot day four hours would be enough. I kinda thought that was obvious. But maybe not..l.. John Davies Spokane WA