John E Davies

A different roof bracket spacing is very possible, but be aware that my arm hole spacing is 18” center to center. And the arms could be shorter if the upper bracket holes are used. I wanted them in lower ones, since the brackets are stiffer there when the nuts are fully tight, than they would be at the top holes. It was an intentional engineering choice. Well, mostly....it was a little bit accidental. The bottom hole, or the one above it, is easier to use than the upper holes, there is room to have the arm lay down along the side of the panel with the panel knob in place. You could even leave it lying there for a short trip if the nut was fully tight ( I do not recommend it, the gelcoat could be scarred). This position is not possible using the upper holes. You would not be able to easily operate the knob. If you just buy some metal you can make it any way you like. Structural aluminum is affordable and very easy to work with. Just don’t choose the dead-soft ornamental kind typically found at the hardware store. This size is about $1 per foot. This vendor will ship, but a local non- ferrous metal supplier will have it. John Davies Spokane WA

Here you go. Be careful working with those stainless steel clips, they can draw blood, especially if you use a power driver on the screws. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2202-how-to-fix-and-flip-your-blinds/ A couple of mine were falling off every trip. After fixing, there have been no worries for four camping seasons. John Davies Spokane WA

Frank, those bar covers will work fine, and they will also keep bugs off.... One overlooked source for water entry is the seat post, water will trickle down and into the frame, and when you turn the bike over, to change a flat or lube the chain for example, it runs all over and even into the headset. I would suggest that your routinely remove the seat and post on each bike and rubber band a heavy zip bag over the opening . It will also eliminate the possibility of somebody flipping the quick releases and walking away with your seats..... You can mark the posts with a Sharpie so you can get them positioned correctly again. You can drill a tiny weep hole (1/16”) in the middle of the bottom bracket (at the very lowest point) so any trapped moisture has a place to go. Some bikes have a drain, but many do not. The bottom bearings are a sealed assembly, so they are usually no worries. John Davies Spokane WA

I really like your setup. Those minimalist Yakima Boa mounts are my favorite. Your picture reminds me of my trailer setup from about 20 years ago, when I could still ride a bike.... there is a kid’s Trek in that pic. Do you worry about high velocity water getting blasted into your headset bearings if you should encounter a thunderstorm? Are they pretty well sealed? I like Trek bikes, they usually know how to make them attractive. I have a neat older Trek hybrid with Nexus 8 speed internal hub, which is very slick, but that geared hub is super high maintenance. I dare not get it wet.... which is not a problem around here. 😬 What model are yours? John Davies Spokane WA

Sit. Stay. Good dog! 😊 Get more cell data so you won’t feel cut off. Cancel your TX reservation. Stay where you are until the weather settles and the roads dry entirely. They are predicting an inch of snow in the Cumberland Plateau, which is laughable from my persective, but people in TN do not know how to drive on it and don’t have the proper tires or mindset. You certainly need to stay off it. Do not rush - relax, take a deep breath, get your Ollie looked at by Service when the roads dry out. Ask them to walk you through some of the things you are most worried about. When people are tired, or overly anxious, or simply in a brand new situation, they make mistakes, so just chill out, do not rush ANYTHING. We are here to advise and answer questions, but you need to do your part to remain cool. John Davies Spokane WA

I have submitted a Service Ticket and will follow up with any new information. John Davies Spokane WA

Found the weight, according to the narrator the additional frame and structure add 75 pounds to the tailgate weight. https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=55&v=mLWRPOKae9g&feature=emb_logo IMHO that is way too much of a penalty for a 1500 with limited payload. For a HD truck, it wouldn’t bother me. John Davies Spokane WA

Climbing in and out gets to be a really big deal as you age. If you were to install a minimalist camper like this, the MF Tailgate would be wonderful for access. You wouldn’t even need a little step ladder. Review and interesting comments below..... It sounds as if the weight carrying capacity has been misrepresented in the press. It is 300 pounds static, not 2000 pounds! And the latch mechanism in the bottom of the bed might be prone to getting jammed with sand or grit. https://5thgenrams.com/first-drive-2020-ram-1500-ecodiesel-lineup/ John Davies Spokane WA

This is about a $1000 option, it seems like it could be quite useful. If you have one, do you like it, and when do you open them sideways? How about the optional center step? Worth it? It is only for the 1500 but I would be very surprised if it were not a HD option soon, depending on sales numbers I suppose. I could see carrying a generator on the right side, mounted on a slide out tray. Pull out the slide, close the opposite door, close and lock the canopy hatch. Run the generator while the bed contents are hidden and mostly locked up. Neat. Downsides are initial expense, extra weight reduces payload, future maintenance issues, theft risk, repair cost. Do the advantges outweigh the negatives? There is already a big tailgate recall for late model Rams, for the standard gate latch breaking and allowing stuff to fall out on the highway. This gate would most likely be harder to keep “running” correctly. Comments? John Davies Spokane WA

Very nice night shot, are you using an iPhone? If so, which one? My wife bought an 11 Pro with the new triple lens camera. Night Mode takes some jaw dropping images. I am glad you are happy. John Davies Spokane WA

Yes, a few times long ago when I lived in the area, and I have visited by boat too. The Sound of Freedom, they call that. That’s a spectacularly lovely area, but I much prefer visiting the many old WWI fortifications around the Sound like Forts Casey and Worden. Deception Pass SP camping is deep in the gloomy trees, I prefer a more open near-shore exposure. The park is just too insanely busy, especially on warm weekends when everybody from Seattle and north with a motorcycle or sports car heads there. It wasn’t so bad forty years ago...... things do change. The traffic is a weird modern phenomenon, and it even happens in remote places like Glacier NP with locals streaming out en-masse from Kalispell on a sunny Saturday morning, choking the roads.. John Davies Spokane WA

Well, making that from two pieces and then bolting them together with recessed cap screws is even more impressive, I can barely see the parting line. Do you have a big milling machine? Loooong ago I had access to such tools, I wish I still did.... I find it very satisfying to work with aluminum. I suspect that applies to you too. John Davies Spokane WA

“Washington state has approved a request to use multiple Washington state parks to train Navy SEALs. But the move Thursday came with significant amendments to what the Navy requested. The permits would expand the five parks previously used for Navy SEAL training to 16 or 17.” “At night, around eight SEAL trainees would likely dive out of a submersible vessel. They’d then swim onto a beach and head into the park to disappear. The trainees would carry simulated weapons that cannot fire live ammunition but would appear real. Over the course of a year, there could be 50-75 training exercises, spread out over all the permitted areas, State Parks staff said” ”The Navy says they’ve never had complaints about their previous training in Washington’s state parks. But if a park guest happened upon their training exercises, they would tell the recreationalist what they’re doing and leave. Commissioner Mike Latimer, of Yakima, a veteran Navy officer, said in the Navy’s 30-year history of using Washington state parks as training grounds, there has never been a complaint about seeing trainees. He said they’re trying to be covert.” https://www.knkx.org/post/washington-approves-more-seal-training-state-parks-not-much-navy-requested I have the greatest respect for the Navy, but I have to admit that the idea of a Seal Team in training doing a night time submarine landing, cliff scaling and skulking in full camo through the forest with full gear (but no ammo), 1000 feet away from my campsite, might possibly disrupt my sense of serenity. It reminds me of an old Scottish saying, to use before putting kids to sleep at night. From ghoulies and ghosties, And long-leggedy beasties, And things that go bump in the night, Good Lord deliver us! John Davies Spokane WA

Woohoo! How many tries was that? That is pretty much perfect. Obviously further back whacks the parts together. That is why the wheel chocks are there, but go super slow to minimize any impact. Add this to your Honey Do list. A Magnetic bubble level, stick it on the side of your Bulldog coupler. When you DISCONNECT the hitch (it is raised up enough to clear your ball) move the level until it is horizontal ... the next time you get ready to hitch up, like in those pictures, you raise the tongue with the jack until you see the bubble where it is level. Then you know you have enough room for the ball to clear, with no bangs. Without the bubble it is a matter of trial and error. Once the BD is aligned pretty close to the ball, you can use a little brute force with your foot to kick the Andersen left to right, since there is play where it connects, or even kick the trailer tongue. It will wobble a bit too (sways as the tires shift against the pavement ). Sometimes if the coupler seems reluctant to drop in place, a little kick is the best option. Keep hands clear!!! Having the small trailer makes this part of hitching up a lot easier. The tandem is more difficult to shift sideways. John Davies Spokane WA

Propane goes fast in below freezing temps if you are not using electric heat as a secondary method. You should definitely take advantage of shore power when it is there! I rarely camp in cold weather so my supply is not usually a worry, you are full timer, so you should get some sort of monitor. This is well regarded ... https://www.amazon.com/AP-Products-024-1001-Propane-Indicator/dp/B01C5RQJHS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=AP+Products+024-1001+Propane+Tank+Gas+Level+Indicator&qid=1611919630&sr=8-3 You might maybe have to raise the tanks up a little to make room to install the transmitter(s) under the bottle(s)... https://www.amazon.com/Mopeka-Tank-Check-024-5002-Halo/dp/B07HQZRR9F/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Mopeka+024-5002+LP+Check+Tank+Halo&qid=1611919707&sr=8-1 Some people complain of poor battery life. That is probably from using crap counterfeit cells which infect the Internet. If the price is just way too good to be true, it is FAKE. Buy a name brand multi-pack of CR2032 cells at a local hardware store so you know it is genuine! I have no personal comments about how well the sensor actually works. I would definitely not install the butt ugly display unit they have available. Instead I would install just ONE sensor underneath ONE tank; call that your Secondary tank and write that on the tank near the shutoff valve. Label the other tank Main. Set the little movable arrow to point at Main. When your gas supply has been used up in Main, the regulator will automatically switch to Secondary. (The green indicator window for Main turns red.) At this point you can monitor the gas level in Secondary using the electronic sensor and your phone app. When that drops to say 1/2, take out both bottles and get them both refilled. There is no need to have two sensors, just check the app daily to get an idea of your gas usage. Once the valve switches itself, you will start to see the level go down. Make a habit of checking it daily first thing in the morning, so if you need to buy more gas, you will have a full day to deal with that.... That would be my setup.... right now I leave Secondary turned off; when Main runs out, my fridge, furnace and hot water quit working and I freak out and go outside to open the other valve. Then I have to reset the fridge and water heater; sometimes it is the middle of the night. But at least I do not completely run out and then start to freeze my butt off or lose food..... Maybe I should install one of those gauge doohickeys! When you remove the tanks for servicing, you should remove the sensor so it is not damaged in transit (setting it down on a rock!). Some owners carry a third propane tank in the bed of the truck as a backup, that sounds awkward and just a little dangerous to me. I would strap one to a rack on the Ollie if I were to do this. When transporting for service do NOT lay them on their sides, upright only! Hang in there. Some days of worry will get better, to be replaced by many days of pleasure and new experiences. John Davies Spokane WA

Beautiful, I really like it. Thanks for posting. As an ex A&P I can appreciate the fine craftsmanship. But you gotta take off the steel watch and band. Please. It doesn’t belong around potentially very high DC current. When I became an aircraft tech I gave up a necklace and a wedding ring.... Too many stories of guys with burns or missing fingers.... and screwed up equipment. And don’t leave conducting tools just lying close by. On top of the open battery door would be better.... John Davies Spokane WA

The Bulldog collar lock and padlock is 99.9% fine. The only issue is, somebody theoretically could drop your coupler onto a smaller (1 7/8”) ball and drive off. The yellow lock is designed to insert up into the coupler before you close it and install the other one. I personally would not bother with the yellow one, ever. Well, possibly, if leaving it in long term storage or in a really sketchy location, like an inner city RV park in Detroit.... Normal commercial or park campgrounds, or even remote BLM ones, do not attract felons, they tend to hang around the neighborhoods where they live. In your shoes, I would store it away for now and only pull it out when the situation warrants a little extra security. Everything is fine. Go shop. Don’t worry about people walking up to you, they just want to chat about that cool trailer..... or the cool truck😬 John Davies Spokane WA

Google “rv appliance load chart” images, take your pick, print it out and study it. If you have the built in surge suppressor, you can relocate the “remote” display to a location that is easily viewed from inside. The display will tell you how many amps are being consumed through the shore power circuit. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2337-how-to-relocate-the-surge-suppressor-remote-display/ If your AC does not have the Soft Start kit, install one, that helps with the big surge when the motor first starts up. John Davies Spokane WA

It sounds as if you are in need of a big hug, I would give you one if I could. Consider this to be a virtual one. John Davies Spokane WA

It is always smart to keep them in mind, but OTH I have never heard of any vehicle that had a bag located close to the center.... Reflections interfering with the driver’s vision is my biggest gripe, especially at night... I will shut down a gps or TPMS monitor completely (and turn down the dash lighting), if necessary when conditions are challenging. John Davies Spokane WA

Lots of best wishes. You got the Andersen, that makes your life quite a bit harder. Here is my big suggestion, if you don’t want to just use a simple $40 ball mount and ball: Adjust the chains loosely using the two big nuts under the tongue, the ones that are at the red plastic bushings. The big socket they gave you fits on a standard 1/2” drive ratchet handle, and also on the wheel lug nut handle they gave you, but a smaller ratchet is way more convenient to use. If you don’t have a ratchet handle, Walmart has them cheap or or go here: .... 1/2” drive ratchet Measure the amount of threads sticking out past the nut on each adjuster, make them fairly close to equal, so the front “whale tail” will be straight. Use a tape measure or just count the threads. Make the chains just tight enough that there is no slack in them when the front jack is off the ground when truck and trailer are level - kick one chain lightly with your foot to check - but they should not be “bar tight”. Just a little compression on those red things... You do NOT need them to be really tight with your full sized truck and small trailer. Having the trailer weight off the hitch makes adjusting them easier, but they can be moved with the full weight on them, it is just harder work... This should make hitching up a little less traumatic, and the chains will still give excellent control over bounces that happen, such as encountering the big dip at some bridge approaches, or simply an undulating concrete highway. Remember, if you don’t need to unhitch and the site is level, you can leave all those parts connected, but please do not drive off with the trailer jacks extended.... Hang in there. Try to enjoy it. YouTube is your best friend, if you can connect. Once the adrenaline wears off, maybe you can rest. Pictures, or it never happened! Of your doggie too. John Davies Spokane WA

That is gorgeous, can you tell me how you did it? I have seen a similar one but it was welded up from four pieces of 1/2” plate. I am guessing you have a background in metal fabrication? You just can’t find a heavy wall aluminum receiver extrusion with the correct inside dimensions for a regular 2” ball mount or bike rack. I am sure that is why Oliver makes their own 1.5” receivers “in house”. I am really blown away, I have to complement you on your skills. I would like to shake your hand. 😬 The only thing that would bother me would be ramming that pretty part into a boulder while backing into a campsite. I found the material..... https://alcobrametals.com/product/3-6061-t6-extruded-square-bar/ .... I wonder what a machine shop would charge to remove all that inside metal....? Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

That is very slick. Is the 2” receiver aluminum? If so, can you share a link? It looks like this but with a much heavier wall thickness.....https://www.fayettedistribution.com/Andersen-2-1-2-to-2-Aluminum-Hitch-Reducer-p/3800.htm It is REALLY hard to locate a 2” bolt on receiver that isn’t steel. I would like to see a closeup of how it is attached please. I can’t figure out how you did it.... Do you have a pic of the unaltered Ollie hitch? I haven’t actually seen one. Does the receiver still clear the ground when going over a dip? It looks as if the crossmember underneath would drag first. Thanks, John Davies Spokane WA

never mind

I’m sorry you used that page as a reference, it is so VERY wrong. I posted a comment about the price down at the Comments section, long ago. The page has still not been corrected. Used Olivers hold their value extremely well, especially in this very strange Covid situation, you won’t find a cheap used one. Maybe after everybody is well again, the economy recovers and people are not so frantic to buy an RV, the used price will drop. But it won’t be by a lot. John Davies Spokane WA