jd1923
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Posts posted by jd1923
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4 hours ago, Gliddenwoods said:
Any thoughts, advice...
The Dexter EZ Flex always comes with two Zerk grease fittings (by design, one for each lever)! Also, your left and right side equalizers must be the same!
This is NOT an OTT Service issue, no reason for a Service Ticket or warranty claim.
Instead of thought spent in how this might have happened, you merely need to purchase the two missing fittings ($10 +/-) and screw them into place! 😎
I have recently removed the OEM suspension from our Oliver and have these parts, EX Flex Equalizers included, in my shed. If you'd like I would measure the thread size and pitch of the required grease fittings and let you know the correct parts to purchase.
Just let me know. Best wishes, JD
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24 minutes ago, CRM said:
Got one on the way, and it was free shipping too!.
Good for you! My shopping cart is $1,202 (AZ sales tax is higher). Didn’t pull the trigger yet…
Thanksgiving will be here soon enough! 😂
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17 minutes ago, CRM said:
Now it's just getting too hard not to buy one. I think I'm going to be extra nice to the wife today!
I chatted, then emailed with Turbro Customer Service. They were quite responsive, with same-day replies. I tried to get them to price-match the white one to the price on the black model, but to NO-avail! They were nice about it though.
They have a "12th Anniversary" sale with a day counter, now showing 14 days ('til Sunday Nov 2nd?). The $400-off promo could end at anytime, but is likely part of their anniversary sale.
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On 10/2/2025 at 4:11 PM, Ollie-Haus said:
I think she and you will love it in multiple applications. Very quick and responsive and a cinch to clean and stow.
We do! Chris has used it at home several times and we took it on our recent trip.
First time out, I kept it in it's retail packaging sitting on the rear bench seat of the TV. We setup a cooking table near the AC power outlet on the side of the Oliver. Cooking takes very little SOC on inverter and LiFePO4 batteries.
I decided to get waterproof case for it. Not like me to spend so much on a case (just this one time)! This case fits the single-burner Duxtop Induction Cooktop nicely. With this case, we can load it anywhere in the back of our open truck bed or it can be left out at the campsite overnight in the rain. This is one high-quality case:
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On 8/11/2025 at 3:29 PM, jd1923 said:
They just changed the Promo Code to 20% OFF!
The Turbro Greenland is now $1,200 plus tax.
The Turbro Greenland now has a $400 promo code. This brings the model down to $1,099!
If you select the model with the black outside cover, it's priced $100 lower! Total price comes to $999!
How would a black one look up top? Too bad the white one isn't priced the same! 🤣
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2 hours ago, Mike and Carol said:
except for the chips on the lower front
Ours has chips on the upper front too!
But it's not really too bad upper or lower after all these years.
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14 hours ago, Snackchaser said:
requires monitoring for an “energized ground.”
Not being a theory guy, can somebody give a real example of this? (an Energized Ground) Maybe Geoff?
Also, I’ve never heard of retroactive code enforcement. My home was to code in 1980, not today! And unless I file permitting to remodel something it can exist as built grand-fathered.
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3 hours ago, CRM said:
where power is on the ground wire.
I’m trying to think of a scenario where this is possible. The possibility of power to ground is the reason why circuits are protected by fuses or breakers!
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Not sure, we have the Fiamma awning. Given you have a new crank, it must be the gearing on the awning, that the crank connects to is damaged in some way. Suggest you remove the crank again and inspect inside.
With the crank off, can the awning be pull out manually? Something is keeping it from coming out.
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2 hours ago, topgun2 said:
During the 2008 recession when Oliver stopped producing travel trailers, Oliver was the only company (that I know of) that never laid off any of its employees.
Sign of a good family-oriented company! (Motorola did the same during the Great Depression! They cut hours, not family members.) 😂
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5 minutes ago, Ollie-Haus said:
If anyone else is considering buying one of these, you need to be diligent in watching for availability as they sell out quickly.
I just looked. Amazon is "Currently Unavailable" and the AIRPLUS Store only shows large home units. Walmart search did not come up. If anybody finds it available online at some point, please post here! Are there other viable models, small with this compressor design?
After 130 overnights in our Oliver, when I first read this, I thought bottom of the list! The humidity created within the Oliver hulls is generally welcome most places west!
But after hurricane rains actually settled over Durango CO last week and rain during our June trip to the upper Midwest, I now see the occasional need for a small dehumidifier! A no-brainer for those traveling in humid climates. 🤣
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8 hours ago, taylor.coyote said:
JD 1923, I purchased this direct from Little Giant factory direct sale for about $130 at the time. the other Little giant item that I love is the plank to walk between two ladders.
For a working platform, I went with MetalTech last year when @Ronbrink showed it in his Atmos A/C install. At the time, The Home Depot had them on a Special Buy for only $160 ($298 today). Little Giant came up at the time but to buy the minimum of 2 ladders and one plank it added up to a lot more. With two sets, it will make installing a new A/C (this task coming soon!), replacing solar panels, washing/waxing the top... a simple matter. But thanks again, I know we're going to love the Jumbo Step!
I bought MetalTech two sets, the attached tool shelf and outriggers for greater stability. I like how this scaffold can stay setup in my garage and rolled out quickly to the Oliver when needed. No carrying and building of the scaffold each time, but you need the floor space to do so (see pics)!
I'm forgetting who today, but another Oliver forum brought this product to my our attention earlier this year. Chris uses it often too since on the passenger side of the bed we have a tools box full of Lodge Cast Iron and other outdoor cooking tools. Perhaps less useful for most of you who have truck caps. I also use it working in the engine compartment:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002Q8TWI?ref=fed_asin_title
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2 hours ago, taylor.coyote said:
We also travel with very stable platform that folds supper flat (Little Giant Jumbo) to reach gear on top of the truck.
Thank you Taylor, now you helped me!
I really like the design of this Jumbo Step and had not seen it before. I have a platform like Steve’s but this one with steps to climb up and the railing gives you something to hold onto.
Not cheap, Amazon has them for $170. But they had one “Like New” for $123 and I just got it! 😎
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On 10/3/2025 at 7:05 PM, jd1923 said:
If you replaced your wet-bolts, purchased the HD shackles and wet-bolt setup from Alcan, the Zerk thread size is 1/4"-28. I purchased this 50-pack, zinc-plated steel like OEM (could not easily find brass or SS in this size). Nice longer threads on this product:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQBPTK3Y?ref=fed_asin_title&th=1Update: I installed these grease fittings before our trip, but had not greased them since that was just done. Today, I got under the trailer to re-torque the new suspension and then to grease the wet-bolts after our 1000-mile trip. These aftermarket "Zerks" must be of poor quality! When greasing with a power grease gun, using the LockNLube fitting, grease was leaking at the entry point. These must be substandard in size or shape as the LockNLube generally connects tight without leaking. Amazon is getting another return! Good thing it's only a 10-min job to change them out!
So, back to the drawing board on these. Thinking I will order two Dorman 852-703 (6-packs). Hopefully the Dorman brand is still good quality today. They market them as "Automotive Grade." These are zinc-plated. I would be leery of stainless steel fittings as they will certainly be off-brand (zinc being what’s standard in SAE automotive hardware).
BTW, after torquing at 30, 60, 240 and 1020 miles, the last time tightening required was negligible! I'll check them again next summer after several winter and spring outings. All done, all good! 😎
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9 hours ago, taylor.coyote said:
Are other people being required to fill tanks on the ground?
Yes, I buy at our local Ford dealership. A few years ago, they changed their rules where they would not fill LP tanks on RVs or trailers directly.
The answer I got was it was causing accidents in RVs backing out of the small lot and the fact that large rigs were blocking deliveries to their parts department and traffic to their showroom.
So at home I back up our truck on an angle to get as close as possible, stand up on the tailgate so I can lift the tank(s) straight up. Easier to do so for those of us without truck caps. I tie the tanks in the rear of the bed.
Aluminum tanks will not reduce weight significantly, expect they’re some lighter when empty and they’re very expensive.
If you’re not able to lift your tanks, you could replace them with 20# tanks. Or you could add a hoist:
I’ve got this item on my long list. I also have a very heavy fire ring in the front Oliver basket. Much heavier due to the steel surround I built and for the solid lava rocks. It would be great to hoist this item to my tailgate where I could get a good grab on it!
@Ronbrink has a crane hoist mounted to the front of his Oliver to unload his van (see his Van post in Towing). I’m not sure if his is positioned to also lift the LP tanks. I would mount mine rear of my open truck bed, close enough to reach the LP tanks and being truck mounted I could use it to load the truck when not towing too.
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4 minutes ago, Cort said:
Thanks. Unfortunately, I don't have the handle.
For those of us without Truma products, can you post a picture of the valve post without the handle.
Is this a hardware store item, or something Truma proprietary?
Is the post a 1/4" square or is it D-shaped, or...?You would also need the set screw to keep it mounted, but not necessary to turn the valve. Maybe forget the screw and when you get a new handle, and are done using it, keep it in the kitchen junk drawer or somewhere not to lose another!
Keep your furnace running!
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7 hours ago, Ronbrink said:
I suspect the latter!
Agreed! Atmos was first, advertised as "German Engineered." The German company made the mistake of so many global manufacturing companies. They decided to maximize profits (short-term) by manufacturing in China, where the CCP has no qualms re patent infringement!
(This happened to EVERYTHING Motorola manufactured in China during the 90s, and a significant factor to the demise of Motorola, one of the great 20th-century American companies in communications electronics.)
GREE is a Chinese appliance co: https://global.gree.com/ They built the original Atmos and go figure once they had they had the manufacturing technology in-house they "re-branded" the appliance in their Tosot name.
They built both products, so likely they are equal in design and manufacturing, or did they cut corners which can be true with knockoffs? @mountainoliver Ken and I both observed Ron's Atmos at the 2024 Texas Rally. The Atmos A/C in Ron's hull was SUPER quiet and efficient, dropping 10 points in both temp and humidity in just 40 minutes, midday Texas weather on the lakes at 85F and humid, while you could hardly notice it's running!
Ken, recently had SDG install the Tosot (would like to get Kevin's (of SDG) gossip on Atmos vs. Tosot!). Ken created a post on his Tosot and I believe he now knows his Tosot is equivalent to Ron's Atmos.
If we were ones to visit FHU campsites often, I would purchased the GREE product today hands-down. Since we more often dry-camp and rarely summer camp, I'm still waiting, running the awful Dometic P2 when forced to by unexpected heat in our travels!
More often our A/C is running during August while parked outside at home, thermostat set to 85F so that the AZ sun doesn't cook the hull interior! I can hear the friggin' thing running 100 ft away! But the only good feature of the P2 is it turns off completely in AUTO mode. Ours will run in the heat of the afternoon and turn itself OFF from sun down 'til about noon the next day on a hot summer day. It's truly too bad all these new RV A/C products are designed to run the fan continuously!
More often off-grid? It appears an Inverter A/C will run on near half the power, Ah consumption. Inverter A/C products for the 14x14" RV rooftop installation are new technology and limited in product offerings. Dometic has one, but not in the US market. Houghton likely the same. Current offerings are the Turbro Greenland and Pioneer (again the same thing rebranded) and we have a few threads on these products.
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On 10/11/2025 at 12:43 AM, taylor.coyote said:
Any wisdom on how this is possible?
Residual gas in the trailer LP plumbing would NOT be enough to start a flame on the stovetop at all, or if it did so it would burn out in seconds.
I believe one/or both of your tank valves is/are either open or bad. If you can truly run the cooktop for any length of time, the tank valve is OPEN. We always run gas through the cooktop for a few seconds (lit or not) before turning the fridge to LP, turning on the HWH, or furnace, to bleed the lines with pure gas up to that point.
However, for gas to flow from an LP tank, both the internal valve has to be open and the LP line with the correct connector needs to be attached. Both the valve open AND the line connected is necessary for LP gas to be released from the tank (redundancy for safety).
Either it's something as simple as your tanks valve(s) are NOT closed (righty-tighty), or you valve is bad, failed in an open position and it's not apparent until the line is connected that the valve is actually open. Hope this helps!
This Q&A on this website explains:
https://www.propane101.com/valveopennopropane.htm-
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15 minutes ago, taylor.coyote said:
thank you this is great information..
You’re welcome! Why many of us are here.
You know with your hull #124, you’re in a good group of fine ol’ 2016 hulls, soon reaching our 10-year anniversaries! Our #113 was being built this time of year in 2015 (can tell from the dates I’ve seen on parts in the basement).
It was Bill, @topgun2 hull #117, who wrote me 2+ years ago, just after our purchase, that our hulls are “cousins!” And there’s @Mike and Carol with #135, and I’m sure I’m missing others.
Literally TONS of experience in this group! These older hulls have nicely matured, and are reliable in their lifelong experiences! 😎
Good to hear from you cousin! Good to know you’re fixing up the old girl!
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Camp without Wi-Fi in the year 2025? “Don’t leave home without it!” 🤣
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6 hours ago, CRM said:
Though anyone who doesn't have this sort of protection is crazy not to have it added to their RV.
Yep, agreed! OTT did not install one on our older hull, so after asking Forum members, as to "Why?" I installed the same PI EMS shortly after purchasing our Oliver. We had the same EMS model in a Class C, and the 50A version in a Class A we had in the past. They are standard and code compliant.
As far as electrical installations, it's relatively simple and I also agree with CRM, that pedestal protection has the issue he cited and others.
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1 hour ago, taylor.coyote said:
How can I confirm we have 3,500 lb axles?
Simple answer is to get under your trailer and take a picture of your axle label. If it states D35 then 3500 lbs or D52 for 5200.
If no label, look at the back of the braking plates for the drums/wheels. If you see the heads of a 4-bolt pattern, you have 3500 lb axles and if it's a 5-bolt pattern then 5200 lb axles.
I purchased and self-installed Alcan HD springs (including their HD shackles and wet-bolts), Dexter D52 axles and new Dexter EZ Flex equalizers. Given your considering this important investment you may want to read through my thread, even if you plan to have the installation done by Alcan or others. Also read through the first few pages of this long thread (but after a few pages it gets repetitive)! 🤣
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Unfortunately, Oliver #113 is in Gallup NM!
I say this… only because we had 2 weeks to camp in SW Colorado, but hurricane weather (really?) has brought serious RAINS to the area, now cutting our time away in half!
Never happened to us before, as rain is a luxury down here in the SW. Next 5-day outlook for Durango is rain, rain and more rain. Locals were in line at the County maintenance facility filling sandbags!
If we had more time, we’d wait it out, but we don’t. We had earmarked a half dozen Forest Service entrance roads, just east of Mancos CO, just beautiful! But given this rain, threat of flash floods and MUD which doesn’t play well with our trailers.
Towed Durango to Gallup today, where after an hour on the road the rain stopped. Just started raining good down here by 6PM.
So where’s Ollie? Camped at Walmart-Gallup. What a busy place! But we found a nice edge back edge of the lot! 😂
The recent rains created a pond for our visit and what a view considering! We feel blessed! Can better a campsite be found at a Walmart?
Back home tomorrow, 3 hours west on I-40 and at Ash Fork AZ, another hour south on AZ HWY 89!
If it’s still raining, it will be dry at home and in my garage. We already scheduled pickleball with friends for Sunday and Tuesday! 😎
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Want to try out, test those new springs? Just tow your Oliver through New Mexico! As soon as you cross the state line you see the difference in poor road maintenance!
We hit DOZENs of heaves on the state highways, heading south to Gallup. Twice it was so bad, I could hear my front tires chirp as they got air while I’m on the brakes! And I was being careful, driving 10 under the limit!
Everything in the Oliver was just fine! The Oliver on Alcan Springs traversed the heaves better than my HD truck! Maybe upgrading to Alcan Springs is like trading in your 1/2-ton for a 3/4-ton truck! 🤣
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Missing Dexter EZ Flex Hanger Wet Bolt/Zerks
in Mechanical & Technical Tips
Posted · Edited by jd1923
I removed a Zerk fitting from the Dexter EZ Flex equalizer that OTT installed in our hull during service in 2018 (they should still be the same).
The four (4) grease fittings that fit the EZ Flex equalizers are 45-angle with 1/4"-28 threads. This Amazon link shows the correct size and shape (taller post style), but not sure of the quality of this product (but likely a fine replacement):
https://www.amazon.com/Plews-11-105-Grease-Fitting/dp/B000SL2M0M/
I needed the same kind for the wet-bolts Alcan supplied and I ordered Dorman AutoGrade 1/4-28 Inch Grease Fitting - 852-703 from O'Reilly's.
Ron is correct. The fittings for the equalizers are as spec'd above. The fittings for the wet-bolts are the smaller straight M6x1mm fittings (turn with an 8mm wrench).
This would work if you have an old-school local Napa that's been around for decades with the old-timers still working! When I ordered mine from O'Reilly's the sales person wanted to show me the assortment kits. They had 10 different assortments, none of what I needed and she had no idea!
This may be true! And if you must do so, after removing both wheels on one side, TV attached for safety, just remove the equalizer center bolt and drop both axles enough to clear the top of the equalizer. Do NOT remove the wet-bolts as you will have trouble re-aligning them to remount!
If it was me, and you are also very good with your hands and wrenching, I would try to thread the new fittings in without disassembly! You still want the wheels off to get your body closer to the work. Using your fingers get the new fitting started. Then with the smallest open-ended 10mm wrench you have, start to tighten. You must tighten as far as the wrench can go in the small opening, then turn the wrench upside down which changes the angle of the head of the wrench. Keep flipping the wrench over and over and be patient! 😎
I believe these are prone to falling out because the installers point the fittings outward and they are not tightened down to the base. Therefore they are not torqued in place, the threads are basically lose to start!
Given you job-out this kind of work...
Buy your new fittings, take parts and trailer to your service shop and ask them to install them! They should offer to do this at no charge, given you have used their services regularly and yes, they should have tightened them or made you aware they were missing!