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Raspy

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Everything posted by Raspy

  1. I still haven't got it! But we will have it at the end of the week, or next week at the latest. A gave it a very close inspection last week and found it to be very air tight. All openings sealed where pipes pass through, all outside compartment covers gasketed, water fill ports sealed, etc. The windows are the swing out type and close with multiple latches against a soft gasket. The only opening I found was near the bottom of the door, where there is a louver. I was all over it underneath looking at the insulation and running a new PEX pipe for the water system mod I'm doing. This will give it instant hot water back at the shower and reduce the risk of freezing. It is also getting more insulation as part of a winter package and also tank heaters which are designed to protect it down to 10 degrees. I'm also preparing the new McHitch for it. It is very easy to work on underneath with it's high ground clearance and independent suspension. I can fly along on a creeper like I'm in a hallway.
  2. The Black Series HQ19 has a beautiful outside kitchen. It is under the awning, but there is also a complete kitchen inside with three burner stove, oven, and vent hood. Who wants to cook outside in blowing rain or a dust storm? And who wants to cook inside when deep frying, or trying to barbecue, or on a hot day, or for a large crowd?. And who wants to try to cook outside with a stove-top oven, when there is a very nice oven inside? The outside kitchen makes a lot of sense. We used to carry a separate stove, and gas line, and cooking table, just for that purpose. Liye's famous spring rolls are best cooked outside and they are a huge hit at the pot luck dinners. BTW, there are videos of a Black Series outside stove being used. Go to Youtube and look for RVs of America videos of the Black Series trailers in action.
  3. John, I don't know where it is, but someone posted a picture of a system that was simply a 1960's style automotive air cleaner from a big V8, from a Chevy or something, that was mounted to the side of their trailer. I think there was a fan behind it. These are very low profile and have an easily replaceable filter with lots of surface area. They re made of durable steel, light weight, easy to get, and have a nice air horn on the front. Easily adaptable to this purpose. One might be mounted on the roof, with a fan below in a cabinet or some place out of the way. Or maybe the forward facing horn would be enough to make it work. Simpler is better! Lots of exterior plumbing running around is definitely out of the question in a clean design.
  4. One nice feature in the Romotow, is the narrow hallway on one side, with a large bath separating the front and rear. This makes sense to me instead of the typical center hall and all of the areas along the exterior walls.
  5. The suspension and the cabin pressure systems are very nice features on the Bruder. That suspension may be the best there is. I've been considering how to make a cabin pressure system for the HQ19 too.
  6. Don, Looks good. Are you planning to make it to the Oliver Rally? I'd love to see your trailer in person.
  7. I've had a couple of trailers that I thought were going to be fine for mild off-roading. One was a 24' toy hauler and one was our beloved Oliver. They have identical suspension, but I upgraded the Oliver to the heavy duty kit to make it last longer and be greasable. One of my favorite places to go is Death Valley, and in particular, the hot springs. This requires a trek of about 60 miles each way on a gravel road and pretty much off road in one area. The toy hauler made it one trip before I realized I would kill it if I did to a few more times. It was trying to disassemble itself. With the Oliver, I aired down and went very slow. But it too, didn't like it. Cushions everywhere, window frames falling off, and overhead cabinets opening, lead to chaos. The microwave tried to escape twice from its cabinet. But the body was fine and it is quite maneuverable with it's long tongue and good ground clearance. I've had it up other rocky roads where I was spinning all for of our truck's tires to pull it through and carefully walked it over rocks and around tight corners. The primary limiting factor, in my view, is the suspension. I don't want to race across the desert, but I want to find a reasonable speed that the suspension can absorb without pounding the trailer to pieces. The Oliver has very little suspension travel and hits metal to metal as a stop when the axle bangs into the frame. While carefully looking for it, I cannot find a speed, other than dead slow walking speed, that will not cause problems. So, we will see, but the HQ19 has larger tires and independent suspension with two real shocks per wheel and urethane stops. It will get the test before long and I'm optimistic it will be better. Not a racer, but better. Plus, none of the cabinet doors will ever open while being held with their secure latching mechanisms. The Oliver is very streamlined and stable while towing. These features make is excellent for highway travel. The brakes seem somewhat temperamental and require adjusting to keep them working well. I'm hoping the larger 12' brakes on the HQ work better, as they have on a couple of other utility trailers I have. One of my favorite features on the Oliver is the long tongue and jack location. This allows the truck tailgate to be opened anytime and allows for tight maneuvering. It is actually a little longer than the one on the HQ.
  8. I bought a Black Series HQ19 and have been waiting for it to arrive in Salt Lake City. It finally came in last Monday and we went to see it. There have been a lot of modifications/upgrades for 2020 and I am really impressed. Also, there has been some chatter on various sites about these, over the last couple of years, but not too much from people that actually have one, or have even seen one in person. They are currently selling more than they can make and are having a hard time keeping up with orders. These trailers are a game changer here in the US. If you look around on-line, look for videos from RVs of America on YouTube. These are current videos and not several years old, or from Australia. A bunch of these videos were removed because they were using drones in National Parks and on BLM lands to show the capability and practicality of these trailers in real use by people who love to camp and go off-road. They got into trouble for doing this, but there are still enough of them to really get a feel for how they are made and their advantages. One of the issues that has come up is the suitability for "all-season" cold weather camping. They are not as well suited for very cold weather as an Oliver, but this issue id being addressed. The 2020 models have floor insulation, insulated piping and tank heaters. There is also a winter package being developed by Black Series and a winter package that can be installed by RVs of America in Salt Lake. I am getting this and have also designed a couple of mods to improve it further. I am comfortable that this trailer will be fine in any weather I want to camp in. Even the Oliver must be kept warm in cold weather to prevent it from freezing up. The first of the 2020 models are now showing up and they are impressive! Heavy duty swing arm suspension, full bathroom with porcelain sink and toilet, large fiberglass shower, washing machine, lots of storage, luxurious interior with oven, vent hood, beautiful wood trim, queen size bed st solar system as standard equipment, AGM batteries mounted over the axle, enclosed propane and storage lockers in front, heavy aluminum body and roof with hot dip galvanized frame, dual spare tires, large fridge with separate freezer compartment, beautiful dinette table that is very rugged and can be used outside as an additional table, full stainless steel outside kitchen with sink and preparation area, dual water system with triple filtered drinking water and separate 50 gallon general water tanks. The charging system uses an inverter/charger combination that does away with the traditional converter and transfer switch for an inverter. The 12 volt system has a marine style master switch and heavy duty circuit breakers at the batteries. Then it has a full 12 volt panel with 12 volt circuit breakers, digital tank readouts and monitoring system. All at eye level over the stove for easy access. No more automotive fuses down by the floor. The incoming 120 volt power goes through a Square D residential electrical panel with breakers that are available everywhere for about $7.00 if needed. The bed is a queen size with what looks like a memory foam top. They include six pillows, sheets, and mattress cover. There are four perimeter outside LED flood light and an LED automatic porch light. The screen door is an Australian design that is very robust and far from the conventional trailer doors. It has a triple locking system and integrates with the exterior door in a very nice and secure way. The exterior door has a large clear window with curtains. The rest of the windows are double pane polycarbonate that swing out. The kitchen sink is stainless with a stainless faucet that has two outlets. One for the general water and one for the filtered drinking water. All cabinets have a positive locking catch that will not open when driving. All exterior doors have stainless steel catches that positively latch and lock, with full rubber gaskets. All hinges are stainless steel piano hinges. Al drawers are soft close with latching catches to keep them closed while driving. These trailers are very heavy duty and corrosion resistant, while being extremely comfortable inside. They are designed to withstand heavy off-road use and are covered by a five year structural warrantee. Warrantee work can be handled by any RV shop and Black Series has a full stock of parts ready to ship if needed. The appliances are Dometic brand. The awning can be either a legless electric design, or a manual design with legs. I ordered the manual one. I plan to pick it up next weekend and do a shakedown cruise in Utah, and then, probably a coastal trip to N CA and Oregon as winter sets in. We'll be in Quartzsite in January and Guntersville in May for the Oliver Rally. I'm expecting a few raised eyebrows as we pull in without our Oliver. Liye's pot luck spring rolls will be produced outside on the marvelous outdoor kitchen, along with some spectacular breakfasts! Then, the large tires and off-road friendly suspension will be perfect for the long trek into Death Valley on the gravel road to the hot springs.
  9. Lanham, Don't say "crash"! Sheesh, once is enough! ? Good luck on your trip.
  10. Putting weight on the rear of an Ollie, in the form of tongue weight from a rear trailer is just not a good idea regardless of how one might stiffen the frame. This because the frame is not designed for that kind of load, and because of the way it and the body work together. Plus, making Ollie light in the front, as a result, would likely introduce a severe handling problem. But, it's not all bad news. When flat towing a vehicle, like a Wrangler, for instance, or a small car, a tow bar is used and they add almost no tongue weight. And if set up correctly, they apply their fore and aft load during acceleration and braking in a horizontal direction parallel to the ground. The frame is good with fore and aft forces, just not with a lot of weight on the rear. But I still think it is a very bad idea to tow another trailer behind an Ollie. Then we have the braking issues associated with the whole setup. And the resistance to cornering that flat towed vehicles bring to the party, which add more unfair forces to the frame. The negatives begin to add up to a long list. All must be addressed to be successful. And the reward is simply to have a Wrangler to make side trips in, instead of an F-350. The cost/benefit ratio is extremely biased toward don't do it, or, bad idea.
  11. John, Take a breath! Nobody is trying to argue that an F-350 is better than a Wrangler off road. Alex was just asking about towing two trailers, one a Wrangler. Given the legal, structural and logistical problems with that, it seems it's better to use the F-350 to make runs to the store or for sightseeing when disconnected from the trailer, and leave the Wrangler at home. This is not about extreme four wheeling in Moab, it's about not having to take the trailer everywhere.
  12. Looking at it in a simpler way, one of the big advantages of traveling and camping with a trailer is that you can disconnect. This leaves the tow free to wander with no trailer. So, the only benefit I see here is the difference between exploring in an F-350 vs exploring in a Wrangler, once disconnected. Then factor in all the legal restrictions, safety issues, inability to back up, special planning for everything, worse mileage, much more stress, and I would never consider a double tow. Why is it so bad exploring in an F-350, that you must have a Wrangler instead, to go somewhere? But if you do decide to do it, make your rear tow bar such that it does not apply any tongue weight to the rear of the Oliver. The Oliver frame is bolted to the body in such a way that they work together to form a unit. A straight fore and aft push/pull would probably be fine. But no up and down load. Of course, if you ask Oliver about how to do it, they will very likely say, don't! They have a discontinued 2" receiver for the rear of an LE2 that was for bicycles. It was not for a rear tow. And there were some failures while carrying bicycles. So, I think you are on your own if you decide to go for it. If so, you'll have to design the hardware, install it, and take full responsibility for the results. Then you'll have to wire for it too, but you won't have brakes on the Wrangler unless you really go all out with the hardware.
  13. John. All I can say about the rock sliders is that they are better than nothing. But they are not as strong as they could be, or should be, from what I can see.
  14. ahattar, You and I are pretty much on the same page. All trailers are a compromise. Some years ago I finished out a 42' fiberglass ketch, from a mere hull and deck, to a finished sailing yacht that I sailed to Mexico and back, among other places. The electrical plan that I devised turns out to be just what Black Series did and it worked very well for me while being simple. I've had three "stickies" and the electrical systems were all disappointing. The Oliver has been trouble free, with the exception of a couple of bad connections and a missing grounding cable to the frame, but I think the inverter/charger design is the way to go and should probably be standard equipment. The biggest drawback with the Black Series is freeze protection. I spotted that right off and had to resolve how to fix it sufficiently before committing to the trailer. Fixing it requires some work and expense, but I think it will be fine when I'm finished. Here is how I plan to do it. 1. The dealer, RVs of America in Lindon Utah, is installing a "winter package". This includes all insulated piping underneath, tank heaters and tank insulation. This is not the ultimate answer and would certainly not be sufficient for very cold weather, but it will help with what we do. 2. I am going to install a recirculating hot water system that will provide two benefits, while being very simple. The first thing it does is give instant hot water at the rear shower and sink, to save on water usage. The second thing it does, when turned on, is provide just enough heat to the lines, both hot and cold, to keep them from freezing. This draws about .5 amp of DC and will recirc water from the water heater to fight the cold. It will cause the water heater to fire up occasionally, but that's fine as the main energy source will be propane and not electrical. I also plan to put low point drains on wherever needed so I can leave it parked at home in the winter. Previously, with my stickies, I would simply hook up a compressor to the shore tie water port and blow out the lines. Then leave an oil radiator style heater set low inside. This worked for years. My Oliver spent winters in the garage which has radiant heating, so winter freeze protection for it was not a problem, but the HQ will not fit through the door. I'm towing with a Ram 3500/Cummins. Having enough power and weight in the tow vehicle is not a problem, but the HQ will be significantly harder to pull than an Oliver. I know it will cause a mileage hit with it's higher profile and 1,400 lbs more weight. The thing that really caught my eye with the HQ was the suspension. I will not be tearing across the desert at speed, but I have not been able to make a conventional leaf spring, equalizer setup do what it seems they should do, that is ride smoothly with little vibration. Going 60 miles or so into Death Valley on gravel rutted roads is not friendly to this arrangement. Every trip out there is painfully slow, or causes stuff to go flying, cabinets to open, screws to back out, window coverings and cushions to go adrift, and the microwave to try and escape. If I never strayed off the highway and paved roads, The HQ would seem like severe overkill. On roads, I'm sure the Oliver would be a much more friendly partner. Compromises, compromises. I'm sort of a restless type, I guess, and I also like the engineering aspect of designing and dialing things in. It's so much fun to be out there, have everything I need, and have everything working well. So we'll see how it goes. The whole Australian trailer concept seems like it will be a game changer over here. For years, I've been sorry we could not get stuff like that here. All the way through, there are differences in the trailers that make sense. It seems like every American sticky is just a variation on the basic theme, that are all built in Indiana with the same parts and at the lowest quality they can get away with. It's about time there were more options. Oliver has been a wonderful addition to the whole scene. Their frame and fiberglass work are outstanding. They are artists with fiberglass. Now, Black Series is a third option that is not a cheap sticky, and has game changing features. It's aluminum, but not fragile like an Airstream. Fiberglass is undeniably a fine material for trailers. And it has the advantage of being produced in such a streamlined shape. Me deciding on one, doesn't mean the other is bad. Thanks for your thoughts.
  15. I agree with this completely. Used to be, Oliver advertised the stabilizers as OK for jacking. And even now, I'll find one tire off the ground when I'm leveling. But I would never pull a tire off and climb under while supported by the "stabilizer" I also carry a small aluminum floor jack for tire changing. They slip right in under the axle next to the tire. I also see no reason why you can't run one tire up on a rock, or stack of boards to lift the other one off the ground. The shackle flipping around seems very unlikely. That uneven position happens a lot while driving on rough roads.
  16. ahattar, One of the reasons I went to the HQ19 (which I don't actually have yet do to a delay in production), is the suspension. If you thumb through various posts you'll find some of us wish the suspension was better on the Oliver. It has very limited travel and hits metal to metal as a stop. The vibration while traveling on rough roads seems to be something very hard to tame in all trailers with conventional equalizer/leaf spring suspension. HQ uses independent swing arm and coil suspension with large dual shocks on each wheel. It also has larger 265/16 LT tires with twin spares. Another point that figured into the decision was the outside kitchen. We do a lot of cooking outside, to help keep the interior clean, and because there is much more room to prepare the ingredients outside. So I always carried a table, a stove and a quick disconnect hose for this purpose. Not with the HQ. It has a large preparation area, a sink, drawers and stove. The whole thing pulls out like a large drawer, with no setup time. The Oliver is extremely easy and efficient to tow. The HQ15s don't tow as well (unstable), they have a very small refrigerator, and no counter space in the kitchen. The HQ19s tow well (stable), but have more wind resistance than an Ollie. The HQ19 really shines on interior comfort, so it will be very comfortable to live in for longer trips. The Oliver is much better in cold weather as it comes from the factory. Ducted heat, interior piping and interior tanks make the difference. The ducted heat is not so useful for interior comfort as it is for freeze protection. The HQ series have external plumbing and need a winter upgrade to do well in the cold. Mine will have that before I pick it up. The HQ trailers all have excellent ground clearance. They use standard 5200 lb axle bearings and 12" brakes. They have dual heavy duty off-road shocks on each wheel and they come with a parking brake. Olivers use 3500 lb axles and 10"brakes on the LE2. The heavy duty jockey wheel on the HQ is another plus off-road. It enables the trailer to be towed out when disconnected from the truck and it allows the trailer to be turned around in it's own length if you get trapped at the end of a one-lane road. Having rock sliders and two spares are also nice features for off-road. So, for traveling efficiently on the highway, using the toilet and shower mainly at campgrounds, and cooking mostly light meals, (with no oven or hood), the Oliver is an excellent choice. For living in the trailer comfortably, cooking larger meals, or cooking in an oven, traveling rougher roads where excellent suspension and ground clearance really count, and for unexpected recovery situations, the HQ is the better choice. The HQ17 is an interesting choice because it has bunk beds in the rear and a large fridge. This might be better for traveling with kids or to bring along a couple of buddies. One other interesting feature for off-road use, is the dual water system. 16 gallons of drinking water with a triple filtering system as standard equipment. Plus, a 50 gallon general water system for washing dishes doing laundry, showering and general cleaning. This can be filled with lake or stream water while keeping the drinking water entirely separate. The HQ19 also has a washing machine! Either one seems structurally superior to others with similar design. The double fiberglass body, with insulation, on the Oliver is excellent. The HQ uses a structural aluminum tubing frame for the body and composite aluminum walls that are very tough. It has a diamond plate lower area all the way around for even more strength, and rock rails. The frame is heavy steel box members and is hot dip galvanized for absolute rust protection. Then the whole underside is coated with a bedliner like material. Olivers have their famous aluminum frames that are also very nice. Both have long tongues that allow the truck gate to be opened while connected. The HQ has a front propane locker built into the body and the Oliver has a nice fiberglass shroud over the bottles. The HQ has a nice equipment and jerry can storage locker on the other side of the front, next to the propane locker. Very handy for wheel chocks, hoses, power cords, a shovel, fuel cans, ropes, etc. All the miscellaneous stuff that always goes along. The electrical system in the Oliver is a standard type system used across the RV industry. An inverter is optional and needs a transfer switch to tie it in. It has automotive type fuses on the 12v side. The HQ uses an inverter/charger combination that is very nice as standard equipment. Much more up to date in design. And it uses circuit breakers for the electrical, serviceable tank monitor sensors and Square D residential circuit breakers on the 120 volt system. These breakers are readily available at Home Depot or any hardware store. The HQ comes standard with 300 watts of solar. Oliver offers their solar as an option. Both have all LED lighting, but the HQ also has LED flood lights on the front and rear, as well as both sides. Oliver uses the high quality and very well proven Bulldog hitch coupler. The HQ uses a fully articulating hitch that is better for off road use. The movement of the trailer can never get to the extreme limit of hitch with the articulating system, as it can with a ball hitch. But again, for normal use with a ball system, the Bulldog is the best there is. Over the years, with Oliver, there has been some trouble with cabinet doors, and drawers, not staying closed. Various things have been done to fix this. The HQ series uses locking catches that will not open. I think either brand is the best in their areas. Molded fiberglass, Oliver. Non-molded, Black Series. Towing efficiency, Oliver. Ease of towing, Oliver. Living conditions, HQ. Off-road, HQ. Modern design, HQ Long term durability, ? Factory commitment to the customer and proven reputation over time, Oliver.
  17. John, I like your way of adding two extra bolts. It is better than only one on top and you avoided the pinching problem on the tongue by using two short bolts instead of one long through bolt. Nice job.
  18. I found that when replacing my Bulldog coupler with the 2 5/16" model, that the bolts as installed from Oliver had bottomed out in the nuts before clamping sufficiently. This meant that almost all of the torque was going into twisting the bolt, rather than tensioning it. With insufficient clamping force, the holes in the Bulldog coupler had begun to elongate. A couple of grade 8 washers added to each bolt,fixed that problem. Lubing the bolt thread with either grease or anti-seize increases the tension on the bolt with any given torque value on the nut. In the case of engine head studs, for instance, the bolts are clamping the head to the engine, and bolt stretch is the best way of arriving at the design clamping force. Nut torque is just an easy way to get there without special tools, but not exact. In the case of the bulldog coupler, we need bolt tension and we need shear strength. The shear is more determined by the bolt hardness and diameter, while the tension is determined by the nut torque. In a perfect world, we'd get the bolt stretch specs and go for that by adjusting the nut torque. But in the real world, we use nut torque. It never is clear how much we should reduce the torque based on the affect of the thread lubrication. But it is clear that lubing the threads increases the tension. It may be that John had a defective bolt. It may also be that any problem with the bolt was made more obvious by lubing the threads, which increased the tension while torquing. It may also be that there was an unfair percentage of torque going into twisting the bolt because of the threads bottoming, or nearing the end of the threaded section. Since those bolts are not designed to be removed frequently, and since they are plated for corrosion, and since they may have been defective, I'd replace them and install them with no lube, while making sure the threads are not bottoming. We want the unthreaded shank to carry the shear load, so get bolts that have a long enough unthreaded length. Then add grade 8 flat washers to make sure the nut does not bottom before reaching full torque. If you have two torque wrenches, work them against each other on a nut and bolt, to see if they agree on their torque values. If not, get the best one calibrated or replace one of them. But really, the torque should not have to be very precise to work properly in this case. If the bolt is near it's full capacity, upsize it. It seems grade 8 is a good choice for the bolts because they are primarily in shear, but I'm not an expert on the differences between grade 5 and grade 8 in that regard. The torque is just a way to keep things from moving around while under load.
  19. Mine is the 12.5' one as shown in the description. It is the only one I found rated for 330 lbs, so it will be less flexible. And it's long enough that it doesn't have to be extended all the way to easily reach the roof of the trailer. I have one of the folding type ladders too, but it is much more bulky and heavier. I wouldn't bring a ladder at all if it wasn't for the solar.
  20. Here's the ladder I recently got. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LAHCOQ4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  21. Taylor, Until recently, I was using a small 120 volt Senco compressor/tank unit that is for nail guns and quite portable I ran it on an inverter when out traveling. But now, I've upgraded to a Viair 400-P-RV. This has a shutoff and lots of hose options. It actually has higher CFM than the 120 volt model I mentioned. I also carry a pretty thorough tire kit so I can plug leaks, and fix bike tires. I'd really like to have an on-board system built around the Viair, but I never seem to get around to it. The new HQ19 has a set of high-amp wires and an Anderson plug that runs from the tongue to the batteries. I plan to run a set of large conductors to the rear of the truck for this, and then may install the compressor in the nose of the trailer, where it has closed compartments for the propane tanks, jerry cans, leveling blocks, etc.
  22. Good plan. But be aware that the tire charts list the maximum weight that can be carried at a given pressure, not the recommended pressure for that weight. Then, as a safety factor, consider the situation, such as towing at high speed in the hot summer. Or remember, that at the lowest acceptable pressure there is no safety margin for a slow leak as you go along. It seems Oliver installs their tires with 80 PSI because that is what the tires have when they com from the supplier. I would never run that much pressure because the tires are rock hard. I used to run 60 PSI on my Oliver and it worked fine. Then I needed to run them at 45 for a few miles once after leaving a dirt road in the desert, and that worked fine too, but a little warmer. I went to 55 PSI and it worked very well. A bit softer than 60 and no heating up. Then I went to 50 as an experiment, and found the tires were warmer than at 60, but not dangerously so. And I like them to be a bit soft to absorb impacts. As far as tire temp goes, if you can hold your fingers on them, they are fine. They would have to be quite a bit hotter than that before they might get into trouble. Bottom line: A warm tire is OK. A softer tire than one at full rated pressure is a good idea to reduce impacts. Pressures can be lowered when off road, and should be. 30-35 is a reasonable place to start on rough surfaces. This helps to reduce cuts from sharp rocks, reduce the pounding from the rough surface, and the trailer, or the truck, will skate around less since the tire can conform to the surface and absorb the irregularities better. 60 PSI is a good default pressure on the highway in summer, and as high as you'll ever need to go. 50 PSI will run slightly warmer, but will ride smoother, and still will not heat up. The minimum pressure that will carry the load, may be too low for practical use, in fact I think it is quite low. On tandem axle suspension systems, it seems both axles would carry the same weight, when the trailer is near level. But they don't. Side to side will also vary according to the layout of the trailer and the gear on-board. So, if you just weigh the trailer and divide by four to get each tire's load, you could easily be 100 lbs off. Start out at 50-55 PSI and adjust from there as you see fit on the highway. This gives you a safety margin if you get a slow leak, will ride well, and will run cool. By "cool", I mean, you can probably hold your fingers on it without getting burned. This pressure assumes you will set it when "cold". Make adjustments as you see fit, but use the cold inflation pressure as your standard.
  23. Taylor, If you think you'll get it to where you can't detect that it is back there, forget it. Putting an approximately 5,500 lb weight behind your truck and then going over bumps and through dips WILL cause some pulling and pushing. Nothing wrong with that and no way around it. It will always jar you a bit when hitting bumps, and it will always push or pull depending on the road. A favorite way for so many guys to describe how well Olivers or others tow is to say "I can't even tell it's back there" It's a cute saying, but the reality is, yes you can tell it's back there. And so can the truck as it pulls 2 1/2 -3 tons along over grades, bumps, driveways, pot holes, speed bumps, dips and corners. When on a perfectly smooth and level highway, and cruising along at speed, yes, you might forget it's back there, or it's impact on the driving experience will become minimal and unimportant. But in any other conditions, it will keep reminding you it's there by tugging, jarring the suspension, pushing and pulling a bit. Not violently, but noticeably. How could it not? And again, that is not a problem. The simple physics of the trailer weight, compared to the truck weight, the uneven surfaces, and corners, all mean, yes, you can detect it back there. You've done all that you can do to fine tune the entire setup, short of maybe a final tire pressure adjustment. Now go out and enjoy it. After a while you won't be troubled by how your truck drives differently while towing. It should and it will.
  24. Anderson has said to shut off the Ford stability system when it conflicts with the Anderson hitch. There are a few serious problems with this that must be considered. First, what makes anyone think that Anderson knows more about stability control in Ford trucks, than Ford? Second, if you get out of control because of a swaying trailer, or a skid on a slick surface, and have an accident, after you turned off the system, are you going to try and blame Anderson? I think Anderson just came up with a knee-jerk response to the problem and is being extremely irresponsible in just telling people to turn off their stability control system. Third, having a hitch system that tries to do both weight distribution and sway control in one unit, has a particular problem here. Weight distribution is a real need and the need for it is easily measured. That type of hitch is even recommended by Ford when the tongue weight is over 500 lbs, as I understand it. Fine. Use a WDH. But what about sway control? Nobody knows if they need it until they experience uncontrolled sway. Nobody that I know of has ever had a stability problem with an Oliver. So why do people want to buy an Anderson hitch? It's only because the Anderson fits the Oliver without fiberglass cutting, and because Oliver offers them as an option. And since the sway control comes along for the ride, it seems like a good idea. The devil is in the details. Now, the sway control issue is driving the discussion and the problems are showing up. If you need weight distribution, you get sway control whether you want it or not. And the sway control friction is not adjustable. Who know if it is too much, or not enough? Evidently, it is too much, because there is no stability problem anyway and the truck detects that something is going on that is causing instability, and throws a warning. The hitch is causing the instability. And the sway function is not adjustable. Bottom line: Modern tow vehicles have stability systems that re very good. Olivers are very stable trailers that don't need sway control, as far as I know. By trying to get weight distribution, you get anti-sway that interferes with the truck's system. People think they need anti-sway, but have no evidence that they do. My conclusion is that people are buying something they don't need, and then are being told to turn off an important safety system because of the problem it causes. And the people telling them to turn it off have an interest in selling them the very thing that requires them to turn it off, while accepting no responsibility for that recommendation. And there is no history of instability that would require it in the first place. People are buying this for insurance or out of fear or because they think there is no alternative. I bought my Oliver used and it came with an Anderson. It was so obviously a suspect design, that I have never used it even once. After towing in all kinds of conditions, high and low speeds, cross winds, passing trucks, severe weather, etc. There has never been the slightest instability of the trailer. In Texas one night, there were violent winds and tornado warnings as we went east. Extremely hard rain and hail. Semi trucks and other cars were pulling off the highway to park and to duck under overpasses, to get out of it. We cruised along and I wondered if Ollie might get blown over on it's side, or how much it would sway from he cross winds. It followed us along just fine. We've covered many miles at higher speeds and have never seen any sign of a sway problem. We have some good friends that tow with an F-150 and they do not use one either. This, even though they are above the 500 lb tongue weight point where Ford says to use a WDH. They have been all over the country and have never had the slightest problem either. Nobody has that I know of. Think twice before buying a sway control hitch. Especially when there seems to be no evidence that one is needed, and that they can upset the truck's system. Later, if you do decide you need it, you could always add a simple friction system that is adjustable and cheap, or you can add an electronic aftermarket system. If you ever do happen to have a sway problem, with any trailer that has electric brakes, the immediate fix is to simply apply the trailer brakes at the controller on the dash. This stops sway by making the trailer pull back while reducing speed. Some brands of fiberglass trailers are less stable than others and weight distribution can affect their stability further. But Olivers have proven themselves to be very stable. Overland had a great suggestion. If you need the weight distribution, but don't want the sway control, grease the cone clutch to make it ineffective. Then you could leave the stability system turned on.
  25. Greg, Interesting. I have never seen that discussion. The telescoping tongue went out of production before hull 200. This lead to some grumbling by those that wanted it, and some who were surprised on delivery day to find it missing. Mine is Hull 92 and has it, but the cross bolt is a 3/4" grade eight bolt with nylock nut and large washers. I've had it out and it looks fine. The trailer being discussed in the link was hull#32 (don't know if it was an Elite, or Elite ll). And that was nearly 9 1/2 years ago. Oliver continues to make small incremental changes over time and this must have been one of them. Yikes! The issue is certainly not a problem now, with the non-telescoping tongue that looks incredibly strong.
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