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Yes, you are correct. Oliver has had to source another coupler supplier. Bulldog is supposedly in bankruptcy proceedings as of Oct of 2025. Hopefully they will restructure. Pic of new coupler -

Tractor Supply sells a 2” ball 7,000lb capacity coupler that looks like the hitch on the X23. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/tractor-supply-traveller-straight-coupler-2-in-ball-7000-lb-capacity-2526179

The ones I got don’t have that. They’re just a simple on or off.

We all have our priorities. There is a definite advantage to not adopting the latest and greatest technology. If I tore the P2 out when the -first- “so much better” Air Conditioner (which I think was the Truma) - I’d be kicking myself now wishing I’d waited fir the Houghton. Oh wait, the flavor of the month is now “Chill Cube”. Who knows, maybe by the time I get around to replacing our original A/C - the ChillCube with be a couplea hundred bucks cheaper. More likely - something even better will be on the market by 1Q27 - which is the first opportunity I’ll have to rework anything. Same with my “obsolete” flooded cell lead acid batteries. Lithium is cheaper NOW that it was when we first purchased our trailer - and there’s more options. My original batteries still have some life left in them. But - WHEN it’s time to retire them, I’ll consider the options and likely have a bigger selection and the lower prices that come with not buying when everybody’s rabid about the latest and greatest. We did replace the OEM television - but only with another same size television that’s a bit less flaky. But come to think of it, we didn’t buy a travel Trailer to sit inside and watch television. Word is - that people go to different places to go outside and look around. We’ve even “hiked”! (Can you believe it?!) OMG! I never realized you were so addicted! Don't people go “camping” to disconnect? Maybe even commune with nature?! Put aside the “devices”? (BTW - the folks who accused us of “glamping” consider “camping” to be that thing that people do with tents and sleeping on the ground in “sleeping bags”. Camping apparently isn’t a black or white proposition.)

Be sure to unplug the 7 pin connector from the tow vehicle when testing the breakaway switch. When the pin in the breakaway switch is pulled 12v power from the trailer’s batteries can back feed into and cause damage to the trailer brake controller on the tow vehicle. Bill

Anybody notice that they appear to be using a different coupler on the new Apex X23?

Welcome! We are #509, The Swallow and are in Durham, ME. We went to Campobello a couple of years ago, such a neat place. Except for the mosquitoes! Paula

Here are the specs for the Houghton 48v unit that's in the Apex. It runs only as low as 660 watts (which matches the 666 watts in the Oliver video) which is higher than either the Turbro I have or the Chill Cube you have seen in real world testing. It also draws up to 1700 watts at full power which is something I don't think either of ours ever get near. Obviously have the loss in the inverter conversion but there's loss in the 48v cabling too... Would still like to see real world data from the 48v Houghton, though...

You wonder about our "fellow Ollie owners" yet your profile states you don't own a travel trailer. What gives?

Hey, our's was not brand new and it was still really special 😉 Welcome to the clan!

Welcome and Congrats and enjoy the delivery day! There is something really special about taking delivery of a brand new Oliver, it was for us. Before you know it your day will be here!

When the Apex was first announced I looked up the specs on the Houghton 48v units and compared it to the numbers I see from running my Turbro. I'll have to go back and re-check the numbers.

Chris, I like the idea, but why is this true?

You will appreciate the "memory" feature whereby they remember their last state, dim level, night light, on/off, etc.. With the original touch lights I would have to turn off all of the ones that I didn't want on whenever I turned the master power switch on when arriving at a campground. The new lights remember their previous setting.

Slow elk…😇

Understated

Clearly designed for the Overload Overland community. IMO, the blackout theme detracts from an elegant travel trailer in an effort to reach out to the Overload crowd. The suspension upgrades seem reasonable, and I like the new hitch. A concern with the 48 VDC system is what I believe to be a single point of failure at the power management controller. The older I get, the more I want simple systems. We just bought a new 4Runner, and the dash and multi media features almost had me returning it with less than 200 miles. We will stay with Hull 364, and do gradual upgrades as needed. The batteries and refrigerator are on the list

Sorry for all the hassle getting to the source of these brake problems. If it helps - I was thinking of you yesterday as I fished the Middle Fork of the Wood River. Bill

Not a bad life first thing in the morning. However, they seem to like scratching their faces on the rear bumper at 5:30 in the morning!

Welcome! I initially towed with at Tacoma as well. It didn’t take long to upgrade to a half ton. Will be interested in how it goes for you. Mike

Yep, obviously the Ah is Ah, but what I was trying to say is that running an inverter A/C off of 12v batteries though an inverter is more efficient than the Houghton 48v running directly off of the 48v battery.

I would like to see pictures of the bathroom door being installed in current production models. Can someone with the newer style door please post a few pictures? If you can find a manufacturer label please post a picture of that also. Bill

Congratulations and welcome to the Oliver world!! Many good times ahead, I am sure.

So, you're not glamping, but we sure are! 🤣 I would say an OEM Oliver, one purchased without any lithium package, little to no owner mods/upgrades, yes that shiny fiberglass is only skin deep. Leaky windows, the Dometic P2 A/C and with other OTT installation issues, it is hard to be comfortable. Glamping means comfort! Yeah, the G is for Glamour, but nobody is glamorous parked in a campground or anywhere else without all the creature comforts you desire! When you seriously upgrade the Oliver, at some point you're no longer roughing it! To start with, throw out the little $89 TV that OTT installed and replace it with a Samsung 32" 4K TV monitor, on a better mount and add a soundbar. Then correct the awful furnace ducting, vent the closet, bath and basement, and do something about those leaky windows! And it will take a while to move all those misplaced switches, water valves and breakers out from under the beds! And speaking of beds, all the OEM cushions and mattresses are way too basic to be glamping. The next item going to the junkyard is the common RV microwave (I use a Craig's Free Stuff ad and a driveway full of stuff is gone in hours)! A small Emeril Air Fryer fits there perfectly. We have 6 ways to cook indoors and outside, including the dual-burner Napoleon grill/griddle, cooking on the fire ring, a mini pressure cooker and an induction cooktop. Not hotdogs and smores, but glamorous meals for sure. It's not glamping when you get stuck somewhere making life uncomfortable. Or you can't use the bathroom or run the A/C while on the road or taking a break. Got to have freshwater tanks full, the one onboard and 35 gallons extra in the TV for if/when needed. With two 30# LP tanks full, 900 Ah LiFePO4, 720W solar, a 50A DC-DC charger topped off with the Victron MP2 3KVA inverter/charger, we can be VERY comfortable for a week or more and even throw some loss sole a 10 AWG extension cord to power their trailer overnight. And of course, remove the old-school rooftop cameras and nobody uses Wi-Fi repeaters anymore, or campground cable or Wi-Fi, OMG! Got to add a cellular router and antenna and the Starlink Mini is a must. Can't be glamping if you're not online 24x7! Then you could be riding on the lame Oliver OEM suspension or upgrade it with new D52 axles, Alcan Springs, Bulldog shocks and speaking of Bulldog upgrade the hitch coupler too. I can't believe OTT went with the 4-leaf Alcan Springs on this odd X23! Just so they could derate it to a 7k suspension? The tires are so out-of-place on the white egg! My forecast, OTT stops making the X23 after 2 years of meager sales. There are several REAL off-road trailers in the marketplace, and if that's what you want, it's not an Oliver. Some old guy said, after having a knee replacement, "I should have done this years ago!" Just like those of you who have that freight-train-engine sounding Dometic P2 still sitting rooftop! Even if you claim, "We hardly use it." You're fooling yourself and either way, once is enough! Our Chill Cube keeps the cabin cool on battery for 3 full days with daily highs of 94F outside! And at nighttime when outside temps drop, you can hardly hear it running while it's sipping 2Ah. Why did I wait 2 years? This is only the half of it and then there's the TV! I won't bore you with the technical details but the 45L CFX5 fridge in the truck bed never runs out of cold drinking water in our desert. With room for new groceries, it's much easier than adding to the fridge inside. Pantry full and closet floor lined with adult beverages and soft drinks, craft cubes in the freezer - yes, we're glamping! I was 3 nights camping in The Valley for a major sinus surgery. Everything I needed to recoup was at arm's length, only a few paces to the bathroom, truly all the comforts of home. Spending nights in a hotel was not an option, not near the comfort. Love our Oliver!😎 Our first RV was a 39' Fleetwood Discovery diesel pusher with 3 slides. Thought the way to go, was to go BIG! It had the big screen TV, but otherwise, it was awful. The Class-A is only comfortable on US Interstates and large paved lots in RV Parks and must have 50A service. If you get stuck, you have to run the generator because unless you spend another $50K in solar and lithium, all you power you have unplugged is enough to reheat up a cup of coffee in the microwave! Don't try big city streets or much in dirt roads. Only ex-truck drivers are comfortable in a Class-A. BTW, generators and glamping do not mix. 🤣 So, when you're done with all these electrical and mechanical system upgrades, you gotta make it look as good outside as it runs inside. We know it, but it's the only way people will know we're glamping too! 😎