csevel

Thanks guys! I'm 5 hours into my trip and lug nuts are staying tight at 90# Checked at 50 miles and 100.

In another thread I posted that I discovered three or four cracked lug nuts on the Sendel aluminum wheels I have on my '17 Oliver. The new set of bulge acorn lug nuts came today and I just want to make sure that they look ok/correct. They seat farther down into the hole than the originals and the threads are not as deep.(about a quarter inch difference) I have zero trouble sending them back, safety first! https://amzn.to/3FzxMFB If you look close you can see the crack in the overlay. The plan is to change them all out, torque to 90# and then again after 50 miles or so. Thanks for any input!

Awesome work! My microwave in my '17 ILOVHER is a Contoure RV-950S. I'm hoping I can find, like you, an off the shelf replacement that will fit that space. Right now there's a coupled induction between the internal speaker and some other internal component which makes subtle crackling noises. (This coming from the manufacturer who never got back to us on a new board) The microwave works fine despite the noise, so in the interim, I've put a switch to turn it off when not being used. I don't really use it much and wish I just had a cupboard there but woodworking isn't in my wheelhouse.

Today was the day I got to do the fun messy job of replacing the China Bomb wheel bearings/seals on the ILOVHER on over to USA made Timkens. This was quite the all day project as we also changed out the shocks and lubed the EZ Flex suspension. We beat the rain by a mere ten minutes! My only experience prior to this, was replacing entire preloaded hubs and manual brakes on my Casita which was easy compared to this. After figuring out the best way to jack the side of the trailer up. (Yes, we used multiple floor jacks, and safety jacks stands, chocks and wood cribbing all while being attached to my truck) All I can say is, Thank God my son was here to teach me and to remove the seals in those hubs! (His father owns an excavating company so he knows a bit about trailers/brakes) There is no way on Gods green earth I would have been able to remove them by myself. We had a puller and they would not budge. I think they were permatex'd in there. He somehow was able to use his strength, ingenuity and multiple tools to get them out without scoring. Here are some observations and or questions we had: 1. My son thinks that the shocks look too large for the application. We used the exact replacement that Oliver uses (Monroe 555025) He says they're nearly all the way compressed with the way the suspension sits and that is why potentially two of them were blown. His opinion is that they'd do more if they were just a bit smaller. I have no idea or opinion but it was the one job I was able to complete by myself so I'm good with it. 2. It was quite the surprise to see that the axle spindle did not have the Dexter EZ lube feature. My understanding is that this was not an option on an LE2 in 2017? I did not know this and bought new grease caps with the rubber insert. As much as I learned today, this was sort of disconcerting. Even my Casita had EZ lube axle and it was a 2007. I greased my bearings every year and it made it easy. All those great suspension features like shocks and a EZ Flex but no way to easily grease bearings?? What gives? I sort of dread doing this again. 3. What's with grease guns? OMG..I wanted to throw and shoot them with a real rifle like skeet. I used two separate guns and they both were being unruly and messy. I could have bought stock today in rubber gloves and shop towels! LOL 4. Bearing grease packer seemed like a great idea. Who knew you'd have to use all 200# of human body weight to press down in order for the thing to squeeze grease into the bearings? 4. I took the advice on the forum and replaced a few zerks with 90s and 45s and used plastic cap covers but OMG.. crawling under the trailer is not for the faint of heart or my elderly bones! I think I want/need a creeper. 5. Thank God for Harbor Freight! I now have all kinds of fun new cheap tools, like impact driver and a torque wrench which I properly learned how to use! I now can afford to go to the Rally. 6. The Nev-r-Adjust Brakes looked good but I think I'm going to go with manual brakes next time. I don't feel confident about what I learned about them today and how they actually DO need adjustment. We greased the important parts with a good brake grease. At least we didn't find any loose parts. springs or worn pads floating about. 7. Found four cracked lug nuts. Son says the sheath on the outside is cracked and I should consider solid replacements. Any recommendations? 8. Beer never tasted so good. Thank you for all of the forum help I've received, without you guys, I'd be dead in the water. See y'all safely at the Rally !

I read through all of that and must have missed the core removal. That could be an option to explore. I guess I didn't entirely see how the receiver was built.

Thank you.. And no.. My payload is pretty low because of some extra suspension on my Tundra so I'm trying to reduce that some.

I'm very close to finalizing my decision on the rear receiver install on my ILOVHER when I visit the Mothership in May. I've read through all the posts regarding the 150# weight limit and the 1.25" receiver limitations for decent bike racks. I don't want to rehash those threads because I'm aware how rear weight can be dangerous and the reasons Oliver chose to do it. I had a custom 2" receiver on the back of my Casita. I stayed within the weight limits, it offered an offset of tongue weight and the cargo space was super useful to me. I DO NOT in any way intend on carrying excessive weight as my primary use will be for a much smaller poly utility chest that weighs about 70# (if that) The aluminum cargo carrier itself is only 30# but has a 2" hitch mount. I have found that it's difficult for me to access my tools and various camping supplies from the box in bed of my truck since I'm so short. I'm always in that chest for something or another and it's heavy for me to slide forward on to the tailgate. This is an expensive upgrade for me and I would like opinions on whether I should have Oliver leave off the 1.25" aluminum receiver piece and bolt on an 2" aftermarket receiver to that rear cross channel OR, should I just buy an adapter? I'm sure it voids any warranty.. If I ever would carry a bicycle, I would probably only have one back there on a rack I already own...again a 2" mount. I realize this is also going to add a couple feet more to the back of my trailer, harder access to sewer and probably something else I'm forgetting. Thanks in advance for your replys.

My plan is to replace the curbside Maxxair vent because it's failing after ten years. I have two installed now (curbside and dinette) and you're correct in needing more than one for multidirectional air flow. I'm waiting to test my new vent for any tweaks before I attempt to make another one. I would consider window vents as one of my most loved and needed mods as I've lived in my trailer for up to four and a half months at a time in all kinds of weather! One of the things that's nice is hearing the rain, having a breeze and not using that foghorn of an air conditioner! Lol

I may someday attempt to remove and re-apply new gutters and move them further down the sides of the windows...and thanks for your assistance in the repositioning of the pix!!

Yes, you are correct. It was a bittersweet transition for Char Rimer as this was to be their retirement. The good news is (and I told her this) that she couldn't have sold the trailer to someone more passionate about fiberglass and that I would do everything to keep ILOVHER in the best shape and send her photos of my travels!

I'm not sure what you're referring to as the 'EZ' RV gutter was installed prior to my ownership. I haven't yet affixed the rubber edging to the vent as I want to see how it drains. The vent freely sits in the same channel as the stationary window so I imagine the water will go through the weep holes in the same way (as long as they've been cleared). There is nothing it's secured to besides the pressure of the window against the edge. It installs the same way the screen does..just upwards into the upper track and then down into the lower.

BTW, I did add some rubber edging to the inner part of the vent as well. This way if you're too zealous in shutting the stationary window, you'll have a bit of bumper. Also, the vent can be kept inside a cabinet and is easily installed from the inside where you'll stay dry. Here is a video of it in action. I will be at the rally in May if anyone wants to see it in person! Thank you all for your kind words! I've been dreaming of this mod for a long time. 20220418_110002.mp4

Thank you! My new phone (Samsung S21 Ultra) has some pretty powerful editing and a strong camera. I'm pretty computer and phone savvy but had no idea you have to edit or enhance before upload here! Good to know!!

I have no idea how to rotate these photos for better viewing... they came from my Android phone ..so I apologize!

A list of the items I bought to complete the project. 1. https://amzn.to/3JVHMJU 2. https://amzn.to/3MdT8dT 3. https://amzn.to/3uQgyjC I also used some Duck Nano Tape from Walmart to hold the vent in place and to be waterproof. I used these Dremel cutoff wheels https://amzn.to/3vjIjju, but you can use whatever tool necessary to cut the plexiglass. Some people use a jigsaw for plexi, but I don't own one. The Dremel with a long flexible shaft made the work easy, especially for the center cutout. It did take some time to get the measurements correct but I went with 16.5" for the height. I imagine you could make the width any size you want. Please wear safety goggles and a mask as the plastic gets everywhere! Good Luck.. I'm super excited in any interest. Hopefully with the rain we're getting today, I can report back with positive results.

I tried unsuccessfully to rotate the pix! Hopefully a moderator will step in and help me out!

I don’t even know when Airxcel (makers of the Maxxair Window/Maxx Louvered Window Vent) stopped production (maybe 2015) but I was one of the lucky ones who purchased a couple from Little House Customs for use on my Casita. Right before putting OCD for sale, I removed them for use on the ILOVHER. I consider myself lucky as there are still current threads about owners with radius style sliding windows who want the ability to open the windows in the rain for that much needed airflow. The company apparently doesn’t see the need to start production and maybe our fiberglass market is just too small to justify a rebirth. Occasionally, I’ll see a couple pop up on Ebay but they go for a mint..sometimes upwards of $150 plus shipping! I have followed the topic with interest because one of my vents is spider cracking..probably from UV exposure and vibration over ten years. It’s still hanging in there with a bit of FlexSeal tape! I stumbled across a gentleman on Fiberglassrv who was 3D printing a drop-in two piece vent in three colors and sent me info on his prototype. Here is the link to the discussion and a picture of his 3D design: https://bit.ly/3JNotT5 I was emailing him back and forth in September of 2020 but my understanding is that he’s dropped off the planet. He was charging right around $80 for one. I’m not sure how many people were able to purchase one but I never did. I decided to put my mod brain to work and came up with the design below. I will eventually make another one for the curbside. I really enjoyed the process and it wasn’t terribly expensive to do! (about $50) in materials. PM me if you’re interested in the material list.. The vent is made out of a black boat louvered ventilator. I got the idea from a friend who had something similar on the hood of his ATV. I used a piece of ⅛” smoked plexiglass and the window screen as a template. The plexi was cut with a standard Dremel tool cutting wheel. The edges were trimmed with rubber edge trim and the vent is seated with a waterproof nanotape. The only downside is having to install the vent when it’s raining outside and removing it before travel…that’s where the Maxxair vent had the edge! You simply slide the whole thing upwards into the upper track and it fits snug and water-tight. The other bonus was that I didn’t have to add screening as the current screen still closes with it in place. This was really fun to do and I’m super stoked to test it out!

That's impressive! My understanding is that treated lumber isn't what it used to be and I've actually had some split. We had part of our deck replaced last summer and it's already showing signs of warping!

Weighs 9#

Just wanted to share an item that I've found recently that I'm pretty impressed with. I have used various pieces of treated lumber in the past and will still carry a few for sloped sites where I need to lower the bow more, but I recently was looking for a better (and safer) option for the front jack post while parked in my driveway or at level sites. It's called an Ox Blox. They can be purchased in a pack (4) for the rear stabilizers as well. I only ordered one for now to test it out as it's a little pricey for a hunk of 9# plastic, but so far, I really like it. It can support up to 10K pounds. I added the knotted red rope handles for ease of use. I know there are other options like Andersen but I'm liking it's low profile and the recycled plastic. https://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Camper-Blocks-stabilizer-Supports/dp/B09DMM51FP/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2QDUHSRGXH4DQ&keywords=Ox+blox&qid=1649865895&sprefix=ox+blox%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A2VI3MSVP5BC79&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzR0dXVTcwMUFBVFJDJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzg3NTkzMjk4MVVISThCUE1WRCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDgwODAwMklGNEtXWTNDVzRLTSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

This is one of my worst nightmares! I am so happy you and your loved ones are alive! I have noticed in recent years how many people are distracted and crossing the centerline. I see it and am on the lookout all the time, even within five miles of my house! I can't even imagine the terror of rolling with camper in tow. Blessings to you and your search for a new Ollie 🙂 ♥️

Well then! Back to the drawing board as I DO have the Dexter E-Z flex Suspension! Now I'm completely confused! My goodness..does it have to be this hard??

I did receive a timely response from Jason Essary: "The preferred method for a dual axle camper is to use an EZ Jack tire chock. If you do not have an EZ jack chock then locate the closest frame point, to the wheel that will be removed, and place cribbing between the frame & jack so that the pressure is spread across the cribbing" I do in fact have the Andersen Rapid Jack from my Casita days in addition to the smaller Andersen leveler which I use for the front tire for side to side leveling on the ILOVHER. I guess I was NOT thinking! Makes perfect sense for roadside flats or bearing failures (which I hope doesn't ever happen to me)..DUH!

Yeah, you're right! My Dad simply left me out of the mechanical stuff and reserved his knowledge for my brothers. He died when I was 21 so I never got to ask him these things now that they are important. The brothers..well, they live in other states.

I didn't mean to revive the beaten topic as I've noticed this has come up time and time again through searching and I know there are a number of variables that would predicate different jacking methods, but since I'm a girl with limited knowledge, I'd like to feel confident lifting the trailer in the right spot whether on the side of the road or in my driveway. I have a 3 ton floor jack to use for in-driveway maintenance or rotations, but obviously wouldn't have that available on the side of the road. I have a 2 ton bottle jack that I could use roadside if the onboard jacks shouldn't be used for flat tires.. So the question is the spring plate the right spot if I don't have the steel subframe? Thanks for all of your help!