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AXLE COUNT by Larry Mountainborn Harmon


mountainborn

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I debated long and hard with myself on whether I would order a single or double axle Ollie. A tandem offers some real advantages but you really lose maneuvearbility. A triple is a nightmare I choose to never experience.... never mind the extra toad.

 

I decided that the extra load capacity and towing stability of four wheels overweighed my desire to make lots of jack knife turns. We will see what the future brings....

 

Thanks for the pictures.

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

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SOLD 07/23 "Mouse":  2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/john-e-davies-how-to-threads-and-tech-articles-links/

Tow Vehicle: 2013 Land Cruiser 200, 32” LT tires, airbags, Safari snorkel, Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon RTT.

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I camped as a kid, with my parents, in a tent and then a tent trailer.  Later I just took my pickup or Blazer and went to the desert.  I finally figured out that sleeping on the ground, in 20 degree weather, wasn't very much fun.

 

One night, near Death Valley, my daughter and I arrived during a cold relentless wind.  Snow on the ground had come down days before and never melted. It blew like dust as we drove.  It became clear that this was going to be an interesting night.  And we were only at two axles.

 

But a friend at the campsite asked us if we'd like to spend the night in a his friends trailer to get out of the wind.  Yes!  He let us in.  It was just a little 50's or 60's sticky about 15 feet long.  Perfect.  As the wind whistled and the trailer gently rocked, I decided that this was the thing to have.  So, three axles was on the horizon for me.  But I still didn't want to tow.

 

I tried the camper shell and the pop-up route for a while.  Stuck at two axles for the ability to get farther back in.

 

I've always liked the way tandem axles pull.  Stable and less likely to drag their frames on rough roads.  Plus they are prepared to carry more weight, if needed, like lots of firewood, a dirt bike, gas cans, water.  All the extra things that make a casual trip fun.  I'm not a back packer and I don't try to travel as light as possible.  And I like the remote desert environment where it takes hours on dirt roads to get there.  Spend a week and enjoy the ambiance.  Bring some fun things along.  Find comical comfort in a harsh environment.

 

Now, I've settled on an Elite ll as the best compromise for my wife and I.  The quad can go in the pickup, if I decide to bring it at all.  The Ollie has excellent towing manners.  Reasonably back road capable.  Extremely convenient in so many ways. Comfortable without being big.  We can leave it behind and explore in the truck.

 

I think I've reached my axle limit.  Four.   Three would do it, but all the things that come with four are worth it to me.

 

The fun we have over the years with our camping hobby, the interaction with family, new sights and experiences, matures or changes with time.  I've had lots of fun with minimal gear in the past, as a kid, or on spur of the moment trips.  The change in equipment to a more luxurious and convenient arrangement over the years doesn't make the trips more fun than they used to be long ago, but it makes them more suit what I want now.  For instance, I've always been amazed at the desert views and mysteries.  The extreme difference in how time works there, the solitude, the timeless and unchanging nature of the place.  Even though it is all formed by violent storms, earthquakes, volcanos and plate tectonics.  I've marveled at it on hikes and while blasting along at speed on dirt bikes.  Power sliding around a big sweeper, on the pipe, steering with the throttle, there is still time to notice the terrain, the vegetation and the vastness of it all.  Now, as that era fades into the past, I'm thrilled to have more conveniences as I explore it in a quieter way and ponder it's magnitude.

 

Yep.  Four axles will be fine thank you.  That is, unless you count the quad's two axles riding in the back of the truck!

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John


"I only exaggerate enough to compensate for being taken with a grain of salt."


LE2 #92 (sold),   Black Series HQ19   

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Not withstanding the above, a seldom mentioned argument FOR a tandem axle trailer is the additional safety it provides.  In the event of a problem with one axle there is always the other axle there to serve as support.  Yes, I know, there is also twice the chance of something going wrong.  But, if one is mindful of maintenance issues I think that this is greatly reduced to the point of only exposing ones-self to unusual or chance occurrences.  Perhaps it is still the "old" Boy scout in me that wants to "Be Prepared".

 

Bill

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2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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I think 2 axles will be enough for us.  We aren't really interested in towing a big rig. We like the footprint of our new Ollie. Our Bigfoot wasn't much longer than Oliver but it was 8ft 4 in wide and I can tell you it makes a big difference in towing and visibility. My husband loves towing the Oliver.  He can see around it! Easy to maneuver.  FYI,  we saw Scott Oliver during our pickup, he mentioned they were considereing an Oliver with a dry bath option...

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Yvonne & Doug


2017 Legacy Elite II, twin bed


Hull #223


2017 Ford F-250 Lariat, crew cab

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I think 2 axles will be enough for us. We aren’t really interested in towing a big rig. We like the footprint of our new Ollie. Our Bigfoot wasn’t much longer than Oliver but it was 8ft 4 in wide and I can tell you it makes a big difference in towing and visibility. My husband loves towing the Oliver. He can see around it! Easy to maneuver. FYI, we saw Scott Oliver during our pickup, he mentioned they were considereing an Oliver with a dry bath option…

Yvonne,

 

Wait a minute!  2 Axles will be enough????  Doesn't your TV have two axles too? (I'd add a smiley, but I don't know how!)

John


"I only exaggerate enough to compensate for being taken with a grain of salt."


LE2 #92 (sold),   Black Series HQ19   

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