Replace AC and fan to lower height?

[Gliddenwoods]

I have a LE2 ordered for next September delivery. I store my current (NuCamp TAB 400 BD Lite, which is for sale.) trailer in my extra garage and intend to do the same with the Oliver; however my garage door is 4 inches too short. I have a construction plan in the works to lower the floor and install a taller door. This plan will work but will cost a couple dollars.

Recently I wondered whether a different approach would work? The different approach is to replace the Oliver installed AC and fan units with lower (4.5 inch+)  profile units.

Plan A will cost a fair amount so I do have a sizable budget for Plan B. 

I asked of the learned Oliver owners (some have already replaced both units) are the AC and fan units on the market that would lower the profile by 4.5 inches or more?

Thanks.

[SeaDawg]

How tall is your door, taking into consideration the opener, and tracks? What is the accurate measured height of your current tab? Do you have ac?⁰

I think the ac Oliver uses today is very low profile. Our 2008 dometic was ridiculously tall. Our houghton is under 10 inches, but the current Dometic low profile probably is too.

I'm also wondering if Oliver has updated heights for the lower profile ac used today? 

+

[John E Davies]

Plan C would be to buy the LE1 which is 6” shorter…… But I personally would fix the garage.

There are plenty of low profile vents with fans, just pick a 14” x 14” one that doesn’t have that big rain cover. That really sticks up high. Here is one …. https://www.airxcel.com/rv/maxxair/products/fans/maxxfan-low-profile

John Davies

Spokane WA

[jim sroka]

Had the same problem with a boat on a trailer. Take a look at pulling the rims and using smaller rims and wheel and a drop ball mount. Switching rims is cheap and only take

20 to 1/2 hour

[John E Davies]

Switching to smaller diameter tires would be OK for the small Ollie, for long term storage (winter), but I would never consider it for an LE2, that would be a real pain after about, oh the third time. Changing 10 ply truck tires is a messy, sweaty job even in the best of conditions. If it were raining and cold, ….. 😤 Camping is supposed to be fun.

But OTH I can’t see any way to gain 5” with just a change in tire size. If you deflated them to 5 psi, perhaps, but then if you have to make a sharp turn, the tandem axles means you risk popping one or more of the tire beads, and suddenly you have to deal with completely flat tires, maybe with sidewall and wheel damage. Talk about a deflating experience!

Maybe that last part is far fetched, but it would make a good video for YouTube. Weird stuff like this does happen. It’s best to “Keep It Simple, Stupid”. I have a prominent KISS sticker on my tool cabinet in the garage, mounted upside down, as a daily reminder of past days that did not go as I intended them to go…

John Davies

Spokane WA

[jim sroka]

 No, replace the whole rim and tire with much smaller DIA. set ups, Your not going down the road with them. Had to do that to a 8,000 boat and trailer combo and with my past Airstream . It did make working on roofs and wheeling the boat much simpler.  Zoning limited my roof high limiting door header high. another way is shop dollies pull the tires and set the dollies under the spring mounts on the axles like auto body shops.  all depends on how often you move it in and out of storage, for me boat went in when the water got hard and trailer came out until spring.

[SeaDawg]

I've seen people use that solution,  not here, but on other forums, @jim sroka. If it's  only for off season storage, it's a lot cheaper than rebuilding a garage. More work, each season, but, well...

I haven't seen the height spec change since 2015, on the Oliver specs, so I'm actually wondering how accurate they may be. We lost at least 4" when we removed the useless kingdome and the superhigh old Dometic.  

Changing out the fan is pretty easy. I'd recommend the FanTastic vent, that closes in rain, with a humidity sensor.

Also wondering if the original (2009) Elite II units ran on 15" rims, with st tires. We still run st 15s on our elite. That could offer a few inches, all the time.

@ScubaRx might know. I don't. 

 

[CnC]

Hey!  Don't forget the metal for the emergency release that typically hangs lower than the door when opened.

[John E Davies]

1 hour ago, jim sroka said:

 No, replace the whole rim and tire with much smaller DIA. set ups, Your not going down the road with them. Had to do that to a 8,000 boat and trailer combo and with my past Airstream . 

What size wheels and tires? What fits an LE2 3500 pound axle with the (non-standard) 6 on 5 1/2 bolt pattern  to give the needed drop and clear the brake drums? Even a dinky 155/60R15 tire is still about 22.5”, compared to 28.5” for an Ollie tire, or 6” smaller overall. That would lower the trailer 3”, not enough.

Thanks.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[Mountainman198]

On 1/11/2022 at 3:14 PM, John E Davies said:

What size wheels and tires? What fits an LE2 3500 pound axle with the (non-standard) 6 on 5 1/2 bolt pattern  to give the needed drop and clear the brake drums? Even a dinky 155/60R15 tire is still about 22.5”, compared to 28.5” for an Ollie tire, or 6” smaller overall. That would lower the trailer 3”, not enough.

Thanks.

John Davies

Spokane WA

Maybe check with the local lowrider club. They do make 16” lowrider wheels in 6 lug. 😆

[Geronimo John]

Keep in mind that the approach/departure slope from the garage can substantially change the altitude of the A/C unit.