Archive - Aluminium Camper Forum

Keith,

We sold our 2010 CampLite 11, but not due to any problems. Had a couple of water leaks, but they were easy to fix. Our Mighty 11 is a fine camper, we sold it after buying a Oliver Travel Trailer.

On our 2010 CampLite 11, aluminum chips were shaking out of the upper cabinets for a year after purchasing new. Also resealed running lights and one seam on the roof, after those repairs the Mighty 11 was trouble free and tough as nails until we sold it earlier this year!

Nice shots and looks like a fine time!!!!!! Used to ride Pullman Coaches on passenger trains during the 60s.

[quote source="/post/23158/thread" timestamp="1468847020" author="@paul"][quote source="/post/23126/thread" timestamp="1468784839" author="@exploringcarolina"][/quote]I have the 2.7L EB engine and I can tell you that I am very impressed by is towing capabilities vs my Escape! My particular combo (engine/options) can tow 7500 lbs and has a payload of 1440lbs. The economy of gas while not towing is really impressive! While towing not so good but better than while towing with my Escape. On the highway I was able to get 25 MPG and towing about 13-14 MPG. Also with the 36 Gallon gas tank I don't have to stop often for gas. I was able to do a 7 hour drive with my trailer and when I was home I still had some gas left, with my Escape I would have stop at least twice during the trip.
[/quote]Paul,

Appreciate the Ford 2.7 EB information.

25MPG is fine economy for a F-150 Pickup while not towing. 13 to 14  MPG is not bad while towing and the large fuel tank is nice to have, too! We have two pickup trucks. Our other PU is a Tacoma. Looking seriously at the 2017 F-150 for the next TV!

Thanks,

David,

Appreciate the information. 

Looks like the F-150 3.5L EB produces more HP/Torque at lower RPMs compared to the F-150 5.0L engine.

Honestly don't know yet, how the 3.5L EB stacks up against the 5.0L durability under the same conditions. The 5.0L and 3.5L EB F-150 are both on
my radar at this time. We were also surprised by the 261HP normally aspirated 4.0L Frontier Performance with our "new to us" TT.
It's fun to research, will see!

Here's some 2016 Ford gas power plant numbers not including the more powerful/higher torque 2017 3.5L EB.

2.7L EB    325HP  @ 5750RPM 375 lb ft @ 3000RPM

3.5L EB   365HP @ 5000RPM  420 lb ft @ 2500RPM

5.0L Coyote 360HP @ 5500RPM 380 lb ft @ 4250 RPM    

Ford information source:   http://www.f150hub.com/tech.html

[quote source="/post/23116/thread" timestamp="1468773017" author="@david"]Sounds like everything is within specs and towing great. That gas mileage is fantastic. Your speed and engine rpms are the same as my Pathfinder with a 3.5 liter V6 engine (maybe the same block as yours?) and I get 2 mpg less towing a 16 TBS.

David[/quote]David,

Thanks!

We were not expecting this kind of performance while towing the Ollie with the Frontier and were greatly surprised. Don't know about differences between the Nissan 3.5L and 4.0L engine. Some of the Ollie owners are towing the Elite II in western US mountains with the F-150 with 3.5L EB engine and really like the 3.5L EB performance/economy. I'm from the school of larger displacement for durability, but Ford has me rethinking that school of thought with their EB engines.

Hope everyone does not mind this post of my findings with our "new to us" TT.

We were going to buy a larger TV before buying a Ollie at the end of this year. A 2015 Ollie came up for sale used, so we decided buy the Ollie and tow it home from MO with the Frontier. The Fronty surprised us how nicely it handled the Ollie on the trip home. We decided to use the Frontier as a TV for the Ollie in the eastern US this year. Still planning to purchase a larger TV at the end of the year for towing out west next year.

Frontier modifications:

Installed Timbren rear suspension modification on the Fronty. Height with 3? lift forged ball mount to top of ball unloaded is about 21?. With Elite II connected,
height to top of ball measures  19  3/4? with about 1  1/4? of sag with the Timbrens installed. The Timbren rear suspension enhancements reduced rear end sag and bounce.
Downside of this modification while on rough roads, ride is stiff while towing. Not using sway bar or WDH.



2013 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab 4.0L
GVWR  5730 pounds
GCWR  11,135 pounds

Oliver Legacy Elite II
GVW 7,000 pounds
Equipped with 5200K Dexter Axles with shocks & BFG Light Truck 16" radials.

Weighed Tow Vehicle & Ollie ready to go camping for a weekend outing, without coffee maker (need coffee) & food weights. Fresh, grey, and black water tanks empty.

Scale results:

Tow vehicle (TV) with two occupants and camping gear scale results: 4860 pounds
Combined TV and Ollie scale results: 9800 pounds
Ollie axles weighed while connected to TV scale results: 4520 pounds
Rig weight 9800lbs – 4860lbs TV weight = 4940 pounds Ollie weight ready to camp
Ollie weight 4940lbs – 4520lbs axles weight = 420 pounds Tongue weight ready to camp
TV weight 4860lbs + 420lb tongue weight = 5280 pounds TV weight with two souls on board

Towed the Ollie on a 940 mile round trip in the NC & TN mountains without any issues. Found towing at 62 to 63MPH, overdrive off, (2200RPM) and allowing to slow to 55MPH on slight grades and speed going up to 65MPH down hill averaged 15.1 MPG. Have towed on 6% & 7% grades in 3rd gear, 2500RPM @ about 40MPH so far.  Going down 8% grades try not to go over 35 to 40MPH using a combination rig & engine braking. Got 250 miles out of one tank using 15.7 gallons out of a 21.1 gallon tank. Speeds around 55 to 60MPH yielding 15.9MPG on that tank.  Tested one tank at about 60 to 65MPH and it yielded 14.6MPG. Overall round trip fuel economy was 15.1MPG.

Just got back from another camping trip!!!!!  

We like camping at Buffalo Bill SP WY North fork campground. The last day in the year sites can be reserved is 9/15 ,walk up after 9/15, and believe sites can be reserved within 90 days of the stay.

Here's a few more photos:

Buffalo Bill SP:

[a href="http://s657.photobucket.com/user/vstromklr/media/Camping%202014/IMG_4726_zps8b5719a9.jpg.html"]
[img style="max-width:100%;" src="http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu299/vstromklr/Camping%202014/IMG_4726_zps8b5719a9.jpg"][/a]

Close to the campground:

[a href="http://s657.photobucket.com/user/vstromklr/media/Camping%202014/IMG_4471_zpsa8254860.jpg.html"]




[img style="max-width:100%;" src="http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu299/vstromklr/2015%20Camping%20Trip/IMG_1235_zpsrzqavywb.jpg"][/a]

[a href="http://s657.photobucket.com/user/vstromklr/media/2015%20Camping%20Trip/IMG_1242_zpsevg6wm9r.jpg.html"]

We visited Yellowstone twice during the last three years. We did not camp in Yellowstone, but camped at Buffalo Bill SP WY west of Cody. We camped on an electric site, enjoy camping there using the campground as base for visiting many places including Yellowstone. There were canvas sided campers there, too. They have hot showers and Cody is not too far away. There's a laundry mat in Cody that will wash and fold your clothes by the pound. Elk and Coyotes would occasionally pass through the the campground at night. We had over 6" of snow one day in September and ended up visiting the Buffalo Bill Center of the West for a day. Nice place to visit!

Just a thought!

[a href="http://s657.photobucket.com/user/vstromklr/media/2015%20Camping%20Trip/IMG_8447_zpsfw4vx9e7.jpg.html"]
[img style="max-width:100%;" src="http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu299/vstromklr/2015%20Camping%20Trip/IMG_8447_zpsfw4vx9e7.jpg"][/a]

[a href="http://s657.photobucket.com/user/vstromklr/media/2015%20Camping%20Trip/IMG_1147_zpsqojfzbfh.jpg.html"]
[img style="max-width:100%;" src="http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu299/vstromklr/2015%20Camping%20Trip/IMG_1147_zpsqojfzbfh.jpg"][/a]

[a href="http://s657.photobucket.com/user/vstromklr/media/Camping%202014/IMG_4318_zps11269084.jpg.html"]

Believe he has 320W roof mounted solar panels with 2000W inverter. He might have had 4 Trojan T-105 or 4 Trojan AH T105-AGM batteries during the test.

Repeating what trumpetguy indicated: Running 12.5 AMPs is high from his actual experience with his unit. AC running is 4.5 to 5.5 amps.

http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/ac-running-on-batteries/

This is very interesting for me.

[quote source="/post/22327/thread" author="@sandroad" timestamp="1466349870"][quote timestamp="1466343625" source="/post/22325/thread" author="@exploringcarolina"]One guy on the Oliver forum with factory installed solar panels and 2000W inverter figured out how to run his 13.5K ac with on-board batteries for a few hours while at rest areas.


http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/ac-running-on-batteries/
[/quote]Very cool, so to speak. I'll look into that Atwood AC if/when we give up on the noisy 9.2K Mach 8.[/quote]Like his AC system too, he has the Blue Sky Solar package, we don't have that system on our Ollie. We have a 2400W Yamaha gen-set when away from shore power.

Merlin,

Our Daughter and family are being transferred from MI back to the Carolinas, so not sure when we will be back in your area again.
Please let us know if you will be camping in the SE and we will try to visit or camp again!

One guy on the Oliver forum with factory installed solar panels and 2000W inverter figured out how to run his 13.5K ac with on-board batteries for a few hours while at rest areas.


http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/ac-running-on-batteries/

Paul,

Nice looking truck! Consumer Reports rates the F150 as one of their top picks with the 2.7 or 3.5 EB engines!

We use a Yamaha EF2400iSHC 2400 Watt Inverter Generator occasionally when away from shore power. It's a nice, quiet unit, but heavy at around 70 pounds. Keep it the back covered with a shell in our pickup and slide it out on the tailgate during use. It would start and run the 13.5K Coleman Polar Mach on the CampLite even though Yamaha advertises that it will not run many AC units.

http://www.yamahagenerators.com/Yamaha-EF2400iSHC-p/ef2400ishc.htm?gclid=CMqX-7rXjs0CFdgJgQodulAMvQ

scbillandjane, Thanks for the info!!!!! First TV we towed the CampLite with was a 1987 Toyota Pickup with 2.4L engine. Fine TV, too.

We like camping at Hunting Island SP SC. That's where our avatar came from!!