Leaderboard

Thanks to our salesman (Colton Laidlaw) & the folks at Southland RV, Norcross, GA for making the purchase of our new trailer a seamless transaction. I’d also like to thank our neighbors Steve & Tallie (hull #50) for stopping by to say hello. 😊 IMG_3726.mov

For those interested, a short interim travel summary: So, we departed NM mid-morning, last Friday for Moab, UT. High winds and rain from Farmington to Shiprock slowed us way down, but the TV/Casablanca performed wonderfully. Moab and Arches were fantastic and we'll be staying there a few days on our return leg next week. We initially planned to spend about 5 or 6 days in Rock Springs, WY for an annual "Escapade Rally" -- but changed our minds after 2 nights there. Decided that the time away from home would be better spent exploring around the Tetons and Yellowstone. Dumping holding tanks and topping off fresh while the Knuckleheads wait for D to return... So we "pulled-chocks" yesterday AM and headed north on the US 191 (one of our most fav US HWYs) - stopped for a great lunch at a Brewery in Pinedale, WY. Smoked brisket nachos - OMG! Made our way to Jackson winding our way northbound on the beautiful US-19 following the Windriver Range and eventually the Hoback River into Jackson. The snow-capped Windriver Range in the distance below... Hoback River alongside the 191 - no wind and temps in mid-60s all day long: Harvest Hosted at the Jackson Hole Still Works - met some phenomenal young men that owned the distillery and they provided an interesting/educational tour of their very modern facility here. Our "boondock" location at the HH venue in Jackson, can you find Magnus below?: It's off to Coulter Lake, Teton NP this morning then up to Yellowstone this afternoon... More later... Cheers, All! A & D

Travel Summary #3 -- Day-8: Yesterday, Thursday 20JUN, Casablanca got a rest at the campground near West Yellowstone, and D, the Knuckleheads, and I hit the northern high-country of YNP. Absolutely spectacular in all regards - first it actually topped our tour of Yellowstone Lake and Old Faithful areas from the day prior (Wednesday), next the WX was phenomenal (no wind, blue skies, low-mid 60's), and tons of wildlife! (FYI: We crossed over the Continental Divide three times from the park's south entrance on Wednesday, the highest was 8,300+ feet MSL.) Following the Madison River into the park from West Yellowstone, we took the Norris cut-off at the 14-mile mark. D captured this snap of a nice 5x5 in velvet at a turn-out enroute: We stopped uncountable times as we made our way to Canyon Village, managing to get several interesting shots: The Knuckleheads liked their "pee/poop-walk" near Canyon Village and saw several new furry pals. From a safe distance, we observed a black bear and her cubs - then later a griz... Going further north into the high-country alpine area the views were spectacular. Roads were very well maintained in this region and traffic was light even though its high/peak season. We suspect most sightseers like the southern region for the lake, geysers, and Old F. We pressed-on driving on Yellowstone's Grand Loop Road (again, stopping countless times) for about another 36 miles over Dunraven Pass (8,859') past Tower Falls to Mammoth Hot Springs for another break for the boys. Enroute, we were able to grab this shot of D pointing at a massive bull buff about 150 yards away: All in all, this 137-mile loop was one of the best sightseeing excursions we've made in the Tundra. Yesterday, we topped just north of 1,150 so far since leaving home. Our lifetime-military National Park pass really came in handy so far on this adventure as we'll have visited 5 NPs before returning to NM. Today, we head off for Bear Lake which straddles eastern-most border of both ID and UT - making way for Moab (again!) by Thursday next week... More later, folks! Cheers! A & D

Just a great excuse to extricate ourselves from killer June temps in northern NM - we joined the SKP’s club and are at their rally in Rock Springs, WY. Grilled artichokes, shrimp, and fresh garden salad for chow… Cheers All!

topgun2, this is what happens when you stay in Cracker Barrel parking lots too often! Google maps cameras catch you. This location happens to be on our way most anywhere west of Virginia so we stay here often. Maybe too often! 🤪

Where else would Ollie be but at Cracker Barrel for the night? Not the best CB location ever, but, the price is right.

We’re on our way to Colorado to escape the south Texas heat. Overnighting in Roswell, NM which does not get us out of the heat! It was 106 when we pulled in to our campground. No sitting outside, we’re enjoying 70s inside with our loud Dometic AC. We’re at the Red Barn RV Park, very small but clean and convenient. We’ve stayed here at least a dozen times on our way to/from Colorado. Yes, that’s a Red Barn. It’s the office, rec room, rest rooms. She keeps a cooler there with bagged ice, food, ice cream and drinks. Farm field behind us, there’s only about 12 sites total and several are long term folks.

Happy 4th of July to Everyone! Gunnison NF, Colorado -- dispersed camping with weather

A big shout out and huge thank you to the Sea Biscuit Team, and to owners Kristine Hess & David Hess for our hand crafted “ OLLIE HANGAR” custom S/S sign that we won at this years rally. We also have the Sea Biscuit front cargo box which completes our Oliver storage and we love it! Awesome metal craftsmanship made right here in the USA.

My Oliver Elite II is a 2016 model that I purchased from the factory with factory solar and 4 T-105 Trojan lead acid batteries. Over the 8 years with the lead acid batteries I never saw the charge level of the batteries below 83% full! Mind you that I'm very conservative regarding energy usage to include having only actually run the furnace twice over this time. I also never have the inverter on unless I'm actually using it and even then it was seldom used for more than 6 minutes at a time (a good sized baked potato in the microwave). However, even though the batteries were still performing as they should, I simply thought that as I approached my 9th year, I was simply taking too much of a risk that these batteries would leave me stranded while out in the middle of nowhere. So, in late 2023 I began my search for replacements. Since I do not live under a rock, I was reasonably aware of the "long-term" benefits of switching to lithium batteries. But, in the short-term, the expense of this kind of upgrade was a bit difficult to justify. Note here that I live in the mountains of North Carolina and do most of my camping in the summer at altitude in the Rockies where sleeping at night is usually a question of how many blankets versus will I be cool enough. Yes, the driving trip from NC to the Rockies each year can be a bit warm (think 100 degrees going across TN, IL, MO, KS and the eastern plains of the Rockies) and, yes, it would be nice to power the a/c via the batteries on rare occasion. But, I made the decision that until my current 2000 watt inverter dies, I would not spend the extra money to upgrade which would certainly add to the overall cost of the project. In addition, I'm not a big cell phone user and prefer a simpler life. Given the energy usage noted above plus I do not need to let anyone know that I'm presently on isle #5 at my local WalMart, and, I don't want or see the need to be attached at the hip with a cell phone. So, going into this replacement of the lead acids I simply assumed that I'd purchase something that I could "drop in", use the same wiring that came from the factory along with the same Blue Sky MPPT solar controller, IPN remote (shows typical shunt readings), existing cables, and not change a thing (or at least very little) from what has worked very well over the past 8 years. The price of lithium batteries was/is still coming down but was still too high to justify the extra expense versus the alternatives. OK - this is the base from which I started and certainly I recognize that my situation does not apply to everyone - nor should it. After looking at several alternatives I had almost decided on purchasing 4 VMAX XTR6-235 AGM batteries at $1370. Of course, another possible alternative would have been the Brightway Group EVGC-220A-AGM batteries at 4 for $995.00. But, I saw a YouTube video by Will Prowse that highlighted the LiTime 230 amp hour lithium batteries. Next it was the Christmas holidays and I saw that the LiTimes were discounted plus I could get an additional 8% off my order since I had served in the military. So, with 2 of the 230-amp hour batteries plus 2 bus bars, my total for 460 amp hours was near $1,075* – well within the cost of non-lithium batteries. Yes, I was aware that the LiTimes "only" had a warranty of 5 years versus the 10 years for Battle Borns or the 11 years for the Epoch. But, since most (if not all) of these lithium battery cells are made in China (with some assembled into the batteries we see in the USA) I figured that since the LiTimes are about half the cost, if they died at 5 years I would still break even versus the Battle Born's. The "final straw" was seeing Ronbrink's post** on his install of the LiTimes! Upon receiving the 2 batteries*** (3 days after order) I found that the battery terminals were recessed relative to the tops of the batteries. Therefore, I purchased 4 terminal blocks with 250-amp fuses at a cost of $68 on Amazon. So, I was just about set for the install at a total price of just under $1,150. Next, I took a hard look at the wiring necessary for the install. My original intention was to install the bus bars either inside the Oliver (near the solar controller) or on the wall inside the battery box. But, for the "quick and easy" install that I was hoping for it appeared that I could use the two 4/0 cables (each about 7 inches long - end of lug to end of lug) plus two additional cables of this length that (hopefully) I could get from a fellow Ollie owner. Indeed, Mossemi came to my rescue and supply me with those two cables that he no longer needed after his Lithium conversion. Putting this all together resulted in what appeared to be a nice tight package that I could simply "drop into " the existing space in the battery compartment. I "bench" tested the batteries in my workshop and even performed what is called a "top balance" on the two batteries just to make sure that they were ready to go (i.e. a "top balance" is performed by charging each battery to 100% and then connecting the two batteries together and letting them adjust to each other for 4 to 24 hours). Indeed, the 2 LiTime batteries easily fit into the existing space and I had some foam blocks that I used to make sure that the fit was snug. Also, the original Oliver tie-down straps could be used to hold the new batteries in place. When connecting the cables from the Oliver I found that I needed to slightly alter the openings into the bus bars so that the “tops” of the bus bars would seat nicely onto their bases. This was simply done using a Dremel tool. And, even though the LiTimes have “low temperature charging protection” (lithium batteries should not be charged when they reach a temperature of below approximately 32 degrees) I decided to insulate the battery compartment door with some ½ inch foam board. Finally, my original intent was to keep my original converter which did not have a lithium battery setting. These old converters will charge a lithium battery, but, it would not charge it to 100% full. However, upon resetting the Blue Sky solar controller from the Lead Acid parameters to the Lithium parameters, the solar panels would take care of getting the total charge in the new batteries to 100%. But, I saw a lithium capable converter on Amazon Warehouse for $147 and could not resist****. With a total cost of now just under $1,300 I was in the lithium world with (hopefully) longer lasting batteries and considerably more usable amp hours than the T-105's I started with. In addition, should the inverter decide to fail, I can now replace it with a 3,000 watt inverter and be in a position to run the a/c off the batteries for a short period of time. During the Owner's Rally and in the weeks after the Rally, the batteries, solar, and converter have all been working as they should. I would still prefer to install a battery cut-off switch but that will have to wait until the summer camping season is over. In a nutshell, here is what I did: 1. Disconnected the solar panels via the cutoff switch (street side bed) and opened fuses near the negative bus bar (also street side bed) and do not be connected to shore power. 2. Removed the old Trojan batteries (disconnect negative terminals first and take pics of wiring configuration prior to disconnect). 3. Cleaned all wiring connections. 4. Cleaned battery box and repainted tray. 5. Inserted new LiTime batteries and connected the two battery cables to the first and third bus bar posts, the main negative from the Oliver to the second post and the other negative cables to the fourth post. Performed the same procedure with the positive cables. 6. Closed the two cutoff fuses near the solar controller. 7. Reprogrammed the MPPT controller via the IPN Remote using setting provided by LiTime. 8. Disconnected the charge wire from my tow vehicle – actually I removed fuse #17 in my 2023 F-150. 9. Verified that the dip switch inside the solar charge controller was turned off – you do not want to “equalize” lithium batteries. 10. Verified that the solar system and the new converter were operating correctly and were charging as appropriate. Bill Notes *As of 6-24-2024 the price of 2 LiTime 230 amp hour batteries is $1048. **Part of Ronbrink’s install can be found at: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/3333-battle-born-lithium-ion-12-volt-batteries-in-an-oliver/page/3/#comment-98774 AND https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/9395-prime-deals-on-battleborn-and-renogy-suitcase-solar/#comment-99676 *** I wanted 2 batteries to protect myself in the event one of the 2 developed a problem. ****Installation of the lithium capable converter can be found at https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/4812-how-to-progressive-dynamics-pd4045-lithium-upgrade/

Travel Summary #2 - DAY-7 We enjoyed a wonderful ride yesterday driving northbound on US-191 from Jackson, WY to West Yellowstone. Decided to spend most of the day in the Teton's before entering YNP from the south along the J.D. Rockefeller Memorial Hwy. We stopped at a lookout point near the Jenny Lake Lodge for brunch in Casablanca -- fantastic! Room with a view: The marina at Jenny Lake: We managed to get in a nice 5+ mile hike in with the Knuckleheads along the lake before heading out to West Yellowstone for the night. We hit Old Faithful in time to view an eruption which has been happening roughly every 90 minutes for centuries. Checked into a campground near and just south of West Yellowstone for a couple nights. Had a wonderful dinner here last night with the "boys"... We plan to Explor ( @Patriot take note!) the northern sector of the NP today... More to come for those interested... Cheers! A & D (Magnus and Oscar, too! WOOF!)

When installing bronze bushings in Ollie's spring eye, I coat the outside of the bushing and inside of the spring eye with castor oil to help the soft bronze slide into the spring eye easier, attempting to prevent damage to the soft bronze bushing. The last bronze bushings I installed used a piece of threaded rod from a local Lowes with flat washers and nuts.

Hull #113 now being 8 years old has needed a lot of upgrades and M&R our first year of ownership. A point of contention as always been the manual stairs, the back-breaking effort it takes to pull them down, metal on metal, and more so to put them up. I had greased the moving parts, and it did not seem to help much. Pressure washing it last time, an edge of the slip-resistant tape came off. Prior owner had wrapped the steps with some kind of rubber cushion and that dirtied the steps where it laid. They looked awful. It was time for proper restoration! I disassembled all components of the stairs so they could be cleaned and reconditioned in my shop. If you do this, make sure you have everything you need out of the Oliver as it is very difficult to get inside afterwards! First, I used a heat gun to loosen the glue on the tape and scraped it off. The glue residue was intense. I used 3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner, and it barely budged it. The rest I sanded off using a cordless Dewalt orbital sander and near a dozen sanding discs. There are better sanding tools, but this is what I had. After more and more detail sanding the aluminum started to look pretty good. The key detail work to getting the stairs to operate easier was to file the groove the axle slides within (see pic 2). I used a small hand file and spent an hour working it in the direction of the movement. Most of the machining marks were 90 degrees the wrong direction. I only sanded this groove on the base as I did not want to detail that whole frame, just the steps. I used this product for the stair surfaces: Amazon.com: 3M Safety-Walk Slip Resistant Tape, 4 in x 15 ft, Anti Slip Tape, Adhere Without Wrinkling, Curling, Tearing, Shrinking or Lifting, Self-Adhesive Backing For Quick & Easy Application (610B-R4X180) : Industrial & Scientific After sanding and placement of the anti-slip tape, I applied an automotive ceramic coating to all the sanded aluminum to slow oxidation. Got to this point today. Friday I will have time to remount. The frame is held on with 4 standard carriage bolts and nylon locknuts. The two stairs are connected to each other with a short, geared press-fit specialty bolt with a Torx-55 head, that are not easy to remove. Pictures were taken before applying the ceramic coating. It should look great when mounted. Boy, I hate sanding and polishing work! 🤣

I live in Duluth if you need a hand with anything! Happy to run up with some tools, beer, and/or moral support!

Tent camped since I was 16 with a 1956 VW to collect fossil vertebrates in the Badlands of Nebraska in 1966. Sometimes three of us using an Army pup tent or sleeping under the stars for days or a week. Sun sets and the Sun rises. No clock... if you can see... time to get moving. Walk and discover fossils washing out after the Rain washes them out. Ahhh... the Hunting Days are great memories... Gone. Married we tent camped and bought a 23 foot Airstream in 2006 off the Dealer's Lot. They attached the trailer and waved... The adventure began. A 25 foot and then a 27 foot and then... kept the 2019 27 foot Airstream and the 2019 Oliver Elite II... was a chance sighting at a Boondocking site in Colorado. A go anywhere travel trailer, four season, double axle and built well. Found one in Las Vegas, Nevada in February 2022. Both travel trailers had ALL of the Propane, Solar, Batteries and plug in options. Most buyers are RV Park travelers and do not need what the 2019's offered. Generators and then Plug In. Times change and so do the Buyer's who want different travel trailers. We have been everywhere. This spring we went to our favorite New Mexico 'Off the Grid Boondocking National Forests and BLM'...and we have been going since 2006 trailer camping and before in a tent. Then came home and... been there, done it all, now what? We saw all of the western National Parks tent camping. Before the... crowds. You drive up, pay a fee and go anywhere. Not any longer... times change. ...and we changed. Not because of our current choices in 2019 Airstream and 2019 Oliver Elite II... but we been there, once, twice, twenty... times. We are western Rocky Mountain rock, fossil, mineral and hiking campers. In our 70's and sat down, sell which, keep one, sell both... discussions. Pristine, clean and shopped out with hardware (Airstreams three of them... you know where to begin)... and decided it is time to... reconsider why we need one or both travel trailers. Been there. Done it. Saw it. Seen everything and even now some areas are closed to camping, Ranches have gone to Corporate Ranches and NO Visitors Allowed on the Properties. The Ranchers we knew died or the kids sold out as it is hard work. We would even volunteer time to 'pay our way' to collect fossils in the Badlands of Nebraska. All gone today... and gone commercial leasing. Not the trailers fault... there is a time when change is coming. Done it All. Been there Often. I pull out a DeLorme Atlas... and on some pages the GPS locations and comments fill the blank borders. Some with 20 campsites with comments. Even the guides for Wagon Trains leaving Independence, Missouri in the 19th Century... once the Union Pacific laid track... it was over. The double Axle Oliver Elite II can go anywhere. Same clearance as our 27 foot Airstream, 3 inch lift and upgraded to 16 inch Michelin tires. All standard on the Oliver Elite II and had the Airstream add two Solar Panels and both are perfect for OTG camping... and built to go anywhere. The Oliver is the Go Anywhere Travel Trailer. The Airstreams took us time to discover the weak points... and when purchasing a new Airstream... tweaked it to be Solid... as the Oliver Elites are...from the Factory. Time to move on an there are lots of Airstreams for sale... most we would not want at any price... but Olivers are scarce and few are familiar with them. Some travel to travel. We travel to walk, hike, hunt and enjoy the solitude outside the City. Stepping out of our Oliver is ahhhhhh fully nice. We wil always remember fondly. The Oliver hunt. Owning an Oliver. ...and time to sit back and recall we did it ALL.. and content.

For anyone interested in purchasing one, Home Depot has the Maxxfan with LED on sale for $73 at the moment. MaxxFan Dome Plus with 12-Volt Fan and LED Light

Back in 2018, Anita had called me and wanted to know if I'd show our trailer to a couple from Tupelo. Johnny, his wife Juanita and their daughter came to visit us the next day. After talking with them for a couple of hours, Johnny stated that when he retires he's going to buy an Oliver. Today, six years later ... Tali called me and exclaimed that "...there's a brand new Oliver parked at a house right around the corner from us..." So naturally, I went to investigate. Today was his last day of work. A few days ago while visiting with his daughter (who is now a Nurse Practitioner that lives and works near Atlanta), he realized that about 2 miles from her house was Southland RV in Norcross, GA, one of the new Oliver dealers. They apparently took a ride, went in, fulfilled their six year old dream and are now the proud owners of Hull # 1525. I could not be happier for them. Welcome to the club @josmith68, Johnny and Juanita Smith.

Siding and trim work is done, doors are in, windows are in, garage doors/openers have been delivered and will be installed next week. Then, final grading and the asphalt people do their thing! Coming together!

@topgun2 - Hey, Bill; 1. OK - kinda cool story here. We checked into the Rally early on Saturday afternoon and were assigned a temporary site for the evening. High winds kept us inside for the evening, but when we took the Knuckleheads out for an early walk yesterday morning, there was another Oliver in the temp area that arrived after us on Sat. They're Robert and Bonny from WA (winter in AZ), their's is a '15 LE2 - wonderful couple. So we were assigned adjacent sites yesterday for the duration of the rally - total coincidence! 2. So far, we're the only Olivers we've seen here. There's likely north of 500 rigs here. 3. The venue is the Sweetwater/Green River County Fair Grounds/Horse racing track. Very well organized, but tight (can you spell, "s-a-r-d-i-n-e-s") 4. Headed to downtown Rock Springs later this AM - will definitely track down the donut shop! HA! I've been working on D and the boys lately to try and find their "CHILL" space - seems to be working some... Cheers, ALL!

I have posted this before when talking about this light’s propensity for leaking. My light leaked four times in the first three years of owning our trailer. Oliver caulked it twice and I caulked it twice. I realized that this issue was going to come back over and over so I decided to do one final repair. When I picked up our trailer, I asked for and picked up several sheets of fiberglass scrap cutouts from windows and doors. I used a piece of this to make a plug for the hole. I removed the light and epoxied the plug into the hole from the inside. I used a high solvent based epoxy for this then I later fiberglassed over the plug to reinforce the patch. Now four years later still no leaks.

24” TV and dinette are no more, replaced with 32” TV and permanent “day bed”—dare I say, living room vibes?

Loving these Colorado temps - Reset 2.0 #1364 at Eleven Mile Lake State Park Colorado. If you stay here do take time to do the Canyon. (What am I saying, most people with Olivers will be in the dispersed camping in the Canyon 🙂 )

I replied to someone on Facebook, I figure I would post here too for coverage. I use 13 points of interest to check before rolling out on a trip and anytime before I move the camper. Even if parked along in a shopping area. Just to ensure someone is not "mucking" with stuff. I don't always get "13", so I'll start again! LOL I've seen both Oliver and non-Oliver folks with twisted chains using Andersens. Very easy to correct by "flipping the wing" one direction or another.

All of you were lots of help! I disappeared for awhile because, honestly, I needed to back up and learn some basics to even understand some of the terms y’all used. @Steve and MA, that was exactly the info I needed for our rooftop panels; I copied that to Renogy. @mossemi, I wasn’t able to easily access the specs for the rooftop panels without removing the panels - and I didn’t want to do that! @rich.dev, I, too, don’t know why Renogy thought they needed the specs of the rooftop panels.🤔 Their website did reveal, however, that it is no problem connecting two 100 watt suitcases and having the controller on only one. As @SeaDawg and many others have stated, yep, the polarity on our Zamp port was reversed, and we used an adapter. @jd1923, figuring all this out was quite a challenge, so thanks for the encouragement saying we have a GREAT setup. In the end, we have the option of using either one or both of our Renogy 100 watt suitcases. I am grateful to @Geronimo John who originally (on a different thread) suggested we purchase two 100w suitcases rather than one heavy and bulky 200w suitcase. Time to go boondock!

Finally got around to upgrading the 12v sockets to USB-C 65W for charging iPads and MacBook. This socket also has an On/OFF button so you don't have to stare at blue lights with the cap off. Cap also closes securely much easier. It is the little things. Amazon link: https://a.co/d/01MrDdX7

Final Travel Summary -- Day-18, Monday, 01JUL24: 2,424.4 Odometer miles, 12.7MPG (from Tundra computer). But actual consumed gallons from re-fueling receipts was 163.8 gallons or 14.8MPG. Not sure of the reason for the discrepancy. Anyhow: Moab, UT: We linked-up with our friends from NM last Thursday here at Spanish Trails campground for a weekend of sightseeing, hiking, and general frivolity... Our original plan was to tour Arches Nat'l Park on Friday, then hit Dead Horse SP and Canyonlands NP Saturday. But... there weren't any "timed entry reservations" available for us on Friday for Arches so we switched the plan for those two days. NOTE: For those of you planning to visit Arches - the NP Service is requiring visitors to obtain a $2 timed entry reservation online that assigns a 60-minute window for entry in addition to the park entry fee (or Senior/Military Lifetime NP Pass). Our timed reservation was for 9-10AM on Saturday. This keeps the traffic flow through the park manageable in both directions. It actually worked out real well - just we wish we knew about it in advance. So, onward to Deadhorse SP... Magnus wants mom to let him out so he can get out and go exploring - Oscar wanted to stay back at Casablanca: Magnus in his "explorer" mode: Deadhorse entry gate - beautiful weather for sightseeing with our friends: Very cool vistas here at Deadhorse: Twisty Colorado River below: Back at the Campground, the Knuckleheads and their buddy, Heinrich are re-united - do we plan around our puppies? Ah, YES! 2-legged and 4-legged friends loving to camp out together... Getting ready for dad to throw together some evening kibble for everyone: Noth'n wrong with a little "surf and turf": Fast forward to Arches NP: For our style of sightseeing - Arches was the favorite: Notice a puppy head out the window and a tail out the back: Just having a great time: Arches everywhere: Walking up to the Big Window: Under the arch: Just amazing sights here: Back in the Tundra and headed to Red Cliffs Lodge near Moab on the CO River, Knuckleheads sharing the cool AC from their puppy hammock in the back seat: Very cool place where dozens of westerns were produced - with an interesting museum capturing pix of many of the movies made there: Red cliffs above the CO River: We've driven by the "Hole in the Wall" dozens of times over the years on US-191, but on the way home, we took a few minutes and actually walked through the "Tour of the 5,000 sqft House" inside the rock! Got home safe and sound around 5pm - unpacked Casablanca and realized how nice it is to "come home." Cheers, All! A & D

Got everything done today on the air fryer installation. I put quarter-round along the base and 3M 3350 to seal all the edges and seams. Found a decent piece of angle aluminum as a trim piece to make the bottom opening look better and remounted the faceplate.

Just so happens, SDG is only 45 min from my dad's house in MI. So I have made an appt for the Atmos 4.4 to be installed July 17th. I am hoping to get some good pictures of installation since it will be the first install for them in an Oliver. Things I already know: No condensation pump or lines No need to use wall mounted thermostat due to Plenum, remote and app controls. If you keep the suburban propane heater, they will mount a simple thermostat for it under the street side twin or elsewhere that is convenient. May or may not use the propane heater any more since the Atmos has a 12k heat pump. They can re-use my SoftStartRV from the PII. The Atmos is almost the same footprint. 2.5 in longer and an 1 in taller. Much quieter and more efficient. I will update as things progress. Best, Mike

For me, the Oliver is the perfect do anything in for any amount of time for 1-2 people. My wife would never spend more than a couple weeks in it but I would in a second. Easy to pull, park, pack, and polish! Excellent durability. I see it as the best means of travel to destination and then unhitch to go explore when you arrive at interesting places. The biggest difference between the Ollie and an Airstream (2nd only to the fiberglass vs aluminum) is the 7ft vs 8ft wide aspect which makes the Oliver easier to pull and maneuver IMO. Fiberglass is more durable and easier and cheaper to repair. Sometimes I think about a Class C motorhome but it has drawbacks for me that make it not appealing. (Having to tow a vehicle is one for destination transportation.) It’s such a personal decision depending on where you want go, etc. The last thing I would ever want to do at this point in my life is to have a very expensive tow vehicle to pull a massive 5th wheel or a fancy Class A that I couldn’t take to a state/federal park (27ft max length in some) or want to drive on the ALCAN highway. There or Pros and Cons to every class of RV. Now, if I had the means and it was going to sit mostly on some acreage in WY or MO it might be the Living Vehicle RV. And if I was dreaming of something it would be an Oliver with a massive solar array on top and battery bank below, bigger windows, 5-10 feet longer than EII with a separate bed and dry bath. Oh, and redesigned bumper for a Class III hitch and more outside accessible storage. Having had the Oliver almost 7 years now, there is nothing at this moment that I would trade it for at any price point for what I like and want to do. Now, I might buy something else to do some other things in other places. Life seems to take on new meaning every 10 years or so. Ha, so who knows! Best, Mike

The install is straightforward. Cleaner look with additional option for above head LED light. Blocks most of the light.

@topgun2 - Found the Cowboy Donut Shop in Rock Springs - it was actually featured on the "Food Network"! Very YUMMY, in deed... Headed north to Jackson on Wednesday, absolutely fantastic - western WY! Cheers!

@jdmmtx ; If you're still in need of replacement leaf springs, you're welcome to have my OEM 4-leaf springs - no longer needed because we replaced them last April using the Alcan 5-leaf spring packs that @Steph and Dud B mentioned above. Shoot me a PM with a shipping address and cover the shipping costs... You can have 1 or all 4 of the springs. They are in serviceable condition. Cheers, Art

We spent last week at Ridgway State Park, just 20 minutes north of Ouray. We drove up from our son’s house in Durango but didn’t take 550 this time. We took the western route which is about 40 minutes longer but provides with some different scenery. It takes you by Telluride. It was a nice drive. This is just a few miles outside of Telluride on the way to Ridgway. Another stop on the way up to Ridgway. Our site at Ridgway State Park We did a walk around the town of Ridgway. This is the town park in the middle of town. Downtown Ouray. Downtown Ouray. Hiking around the Ridgway Reservoir. Nice hike, good views. More hiking.

After lugging around my old heavy Gen-1 Starlink for a few years, I was thrilled to get the new Starlink Mini. It’s small and light, and the router is built into the dishy. It speed tested at 202 Mbps, a very respectable speed, although not as fast as the Gen-3 which typically runs over 300 Mbps. The Mini comes with a 50’ x ~1/8” diameter power cord that has 5.5 mm barrel connectors on each end. It also comes with a 120 volt AC wall transformer that puts out 30 volts dc (vdc.) The Mini is rated to run on 12 to 48 volts vdc, and 25 to 40 watts. It peaks at 60 watts with snow melt on. The 12 Vdc rating is an attractive feature, particularly for Boondockers who don’t have inverters. However, when I first hooked it up to the Oliver’s 12 Vdc battery… it would’t work?? After some investigation, it turns out that it’s not so simple and I’ll try to explain why: Given that the AC transformer puts out 30 volts, and the power is about 40 watts, then it would be drawing 1.3 amps per Ohms law (40w/30v = 1.3 amps.) With the same calculation at 12 volts, the amperage increases to 3.3 amps. The resistance of the long thin power cord can’t handle this higher amperage and the resulting voltage drop puts it below the minimum 12 volts operating range. In fact, I did some bench testing and found it would only work at voltages over 18 volts. There are solutions to this issue including cutting the cable shorter, using a larger gauge cable, or increasing the voltage. Without a better option, I chose to increase the voltage. I looked at cheapie power converters that would probably work, but I wanted something more robust and higher quality. I found a Victron Orion TR 12/24-5, isolated, DC to DC Converter, and it was perfect for the job. It has a 12 Vdc (+/-) input and an adjustable output of 20 to 30 Vdc at 5 amps. Standby power is under 80 mA, and it has remote on/off switching capability. It comes factory set at 24 Vdc, but I adjusted it to 30 Vdc output with the potentiometer on the front. To connect the Mini to the trailer’s 12 Vdc power system, I installed a 5.5 mm female panel mount socket into the Satellite TV inlet. I removed the Coax connector and the 5.5 mm socket and nut fits perfectly in it’s place. Oliver conveniently labeled it “Satellite.” If you need the satellite TV, then install a third “Furrion” inlet as I did for my old starlink RJ45 connector. I mounted the Victron under the rear seat on the street side. The socket wiring was sheathed and routed along the ceiling of the outside storage garage. There are a number of options to pick-up 12 volts in that area, I took power off one of the circuit breakers. I ran the negative wire to the ground bus under the rear dinette seat. The Mini comes with both a snap-in kick-stand and a 2” pole mount, and they’re both necessary for optimum RV use. I prefer having it on a pole, but we often have to move the dishy away from the trailer for a clear sky view. That’s why it’s a bad idea to shorten the cord. It also has an RJ45 port that I suppose is for hardwiring without WIFI, but I probably won’t ever use that feature. I built-up some PVC fittings on my 10’ Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT) mast to fit the Mini’s pole adapter. (See the post for Tacky Starlink Dishy Mast). A little sanding was involved, and the starlink mount uses a thumb screw to hold it in place. It’s better to turn the Victron off when not in use, so I recommend using the remote switching feature with a switch installed in an easily accessible location. I’m too forgetful to switch the Victron off every time, so I came up with a way to turn it on & off when the Mini’s power cord is plugged in & out. Read on if your interested in that part of the installation: The “three pin” 5.5 mm female socket sold by Amazon has a built-in switch that’s designed for appliances that use either batteries or a 120v transformer supply. When the transformer is plugged in, the pin-3 switch opens to disconnect the batteries. This is opposite of what’s needed for the Victron remote switch, but it can be used to trigger a digital relay and it’s actually easier than it sounds. Amazon carries fun little programable 5 &10 amp timer/relays for under $20. I already had the 10 amp version in the Oliver for a hot water recirculation pump timer, and it works great! The 5 amp is adequate for this application, and you will also need the $20 dollar re-usable Bluetooth programer. They use 50 μA of idle current, which is nothing, and they can be programed for delay-on, delay-off, flashers, dimmers, duck decoys, and more. But for our application, we’re just interested in the trigger functions, specifically the “ground-open” trigger. Before installation, the relay has to be programed from a smart phone or computer. It’ links by WiFi to flash the program into the relays memory. Use wire nuts to connect the timer and programer together, and power them from a USB port. Follow the well written and simple programing instructions using the settings shown in the screenshot below. The relay requires a timing function, so I arbitrarily used function #12, which is “delay-on.” I set it randomly to 1.5 seconds. The trigger is programed to use the “Trig Blue” set at #5, which corresponds to the blue wire used as a “grounded trigger.” The green wire trigger is disabled. My wiring sketch shows that the timer is powered with 12 volts from the Victron’s positive and negative inputs. The relay’s yellow output wire feeds the positive side of the Victron’s remote switch (the negative side is not connected). The Victron’s output feeds the 5.5 mm power socket, and the blue trigger wire goes to the 5.5mm socket’s pin-3. Use a continuity tester to identify pin-3, it’s normally shorted to the negative lead of the socket and it “opens” when the male connecter is plugged in. The socket barrel is negative, or ground, and the center pin is positive 12 vdc. There is one other step to make this work. This Victron model is “Isolated,” meaning that the input and output “negative” terminals are isolated from each other. It needs to be “non-isolated” because the timer is grounded to the Victron input, and the socket is grounded to the output, and the trigger needs continuity between the two. So remove the jumper wire that comes on the Victron’s remote switch, and use it to jump across the two negative terminals. Victron support confirmed that shorting the grounds is not a problem, it just un-isolates it. This works satisfyingly well! I checked out the power draw with the solar turned off, and while streaming a video. It was 2 amps, 27 watts (after subtracting the parasite load). That’s a huge improvement over my previous Starlink, and I don’t have to worry about running the inverter and draining down the batteries anymore. I hope someone finds this useful Cheers! Geoff

Here is the replacement spring info Oliver Service sent me for my 2021 E2. They can be found on Amazon in pairs for $68. Note that the springs on Amazon appear to have nylon bushings rather than bronze, but they would serve to get you back on the road and home where you can figure out your final solution Please open a service ticket with Oliver so they are aware of the issue and can advise for your exact hull#

theOrca, The Dometic FreshJet comes with a very nice factory seal where it makes contact with the Oliver. It also comes with four additional factory installed blocks at each corner that help distribute the weight of the unit over a larger area. In addition the FreshJet weighs less than the Penguin. The bolt pattern is inside of the opening, the same as the old noisy Penguin. I hope this answers some of your concerns, you are welcome to message me if you have any questions about my AC installation.

For anyone considering adding a marine hatch to their bath vanity, I did this mod and I love it! But I think that you should take a look at @Frank C's version at THIS link. His bath vanity mod was a unique approach that I think is worth considering! Mossey

@ZLarryb - if you still are not able to get grease into some of your wet bolts after trying @Ronbrink's suggestions, you may wish to consider removing those wet bolts that aren't behaving and check for correct grease journal orientation: 1. Carefully jack up the affected side 2. Use a floor jack under the closest axle to adjust its height to completely neutralize the load on the affected wet bolt 3. Stabilized the Zerk end of the wet bolt with a wrench and remove its nut. It's important to stabilize the wet bolt so its splines (on the Zerk end) do not strip-out in the hanger when you're un-tightening it. The splines are intended to keep the wet bolt in place such that the grease journal remains oriented either at the 3 or 9 o'clock position - this is the position of slightly less pressure which allows the grease to flow easier when trailer weight is on the wheels. 4. Tap the wet bolt partially out of the hanger with a brass punch - as the bolt slides out a bit more than half-way from the leaf spring hanger, look for the grease journal at the mid-point of the we bolt. It's a small hole allowing the grease to lubricate the brass (sometimes plastic) leaf spring bushing. Attach your LockNLube and give it a squirt - this will test the Zerk and remove old grease from the wet bolt. 5. Rotate the bolt until it's oriented at the 3 or 9 o'clock position. Clean the Zerk end of the bolt and mark it with white paint in line with the hole. This way you'll know during future lube jobs that the grease journal is oriented correctly or if the wet bolt rotated after you've corrected the issue. 6. Carefully tap the wet bolt back into place, stabilize the Zerk end and torque to specs (45 - 50 lb-feet) 7. Grease the Zerk Hope this helps.

So, we've decided to do this one way or another. Don't need a microwave, as I can reheat my coffee on the stovetop and save the carcinogens of microwaves! Chris says they kill the nutrients in all foods, so she doesn't use one ever in all of her amazing cooking. Measured our small model Emeril Air Fryer and it is the exact same dimensions, all measurements of length, width and height. Yeah, there is a heat issue that I mean to overcome. Yanked the microwave out of our hull in about 20 minutes today. Connected the Emeril and ran the air fryer at 375 for 16 minutes today. It got hot in the end, but there is 4 1/2" above the oven and 2 1/2" left and right (thermostat wiring to the right). I will need to raise it about 3/4" to fit the surround, but otherwise fits like a glove. I will cut some plastic off each side for the heat. I plan to fit the opening top and side with ceramic insulation made for woodburning stoves which comes in many thicknesses. I am wondering re OTT installed convection ovens. Anybody have one? Is there any exterior venting? Hey @bugeyedriver, you wrote on Dec 19, 2023 "The Wonder Egg - Hull #14, has extra vents in the side walls behind the oven, so I have gone to the micro/conv. option." Can you show pics of this venting. This will be a fun mod for me, and Chris will love it when she gets back from her sisters visit! Check out this pic after an hour of work today!

Good news, I just solved the electrical mystery about 1-hour ago. It turns out that one of the electrical connectors going to the master light switch had fractured and when I pulled on the wire the female end remained connected to the switch. I replaced the connector, reattached the wire and all lights are now functioning. I am so glade it was not a problem with a wire in the wall. Thanks to all who provided thoughts and recommendations. I am sure it is not the last challenge I will face given the Ollie basically experiences a 4 or 5 on the Richter scale each time it gets towed. Also, I have added a multimeter to my Ollie tool box. The forum is a great place to go to learn and find support.

You can find some that have a mounting plate => [Upgraded Version] 12V USB Outlet Qidoe 78W 3 Port USB C 12V Outlet Dual PD 30W & 18W USB A Port with Voltmeter Lengthened Aluminum Body Switch Waterproof USB Car Charger Socket for Car Boat Marine RV https://a.co/d/07mCzHx6 The most I have seen using the ones I installed to charge an iPad is 4.5 amp or around 52 watts. I really just wanted USB-C connections since everything has switched over to that and to be able to fast charge my phone, iPad, etc. Of course the MacBook can charge easily from 50w as well. But I am not an electrician and routinely do things that are above my experience level so I will be the first to say don’t do what I do without doing your own homework.

Each year prior to heading out to the Rockies to fish for a couple of months, I treat several changes of cloths with THIS STUFF. It lasts through washings and helps keep the bugs off for about 6 weeks. Have a great trip! Bill

We’re in Clear Lake near Galveston, I ‘m a mosquito magnet! We carry Thermacells, one handheld and three latern style. The handheld is kept near me and the laterns are positioned around the immediate camp. I have a dropper bottle containing Pyrethrin to recharge the scent pads, very cost efficient and very effective! I really don’t like to spray down with harsh insect repellant, but find the Repel Lemon Eucalyptus (Deet-Free) product pleasent for skin and clothing applications and effective. Inside the Oliver I hang a couple of bug zappers for the occasional pesty invaders. If anywhere for a length of time, the screened Clam is deployed. Although I don’t like using, sometimes there’s a need to sweep camp with Cutter Backyard Bug Control.

Hello all! Just joined your wonderful forum today. We are a retired couple from Tennessee who are looking forward to owning a Legacy Elite II someday in the near future. So we’re newbie wannabes right now. We made the mistake, I guess, of first looking on line at the Legacy Elite II and now everything else just seems subpar. So, we’re pretty much sold out of the gate on Oliver’s quality and customer satisfaction. We continue to learn every day, mostly from this forum and other research what it’s like to own a travel trailer and why other brands of rv’s should be avoided. Once again, hello and we look forward to getting to know you all.

It does a pretty good job. As well or better than the shades on the windows.

This last Boondocking Trip to New Mexico started with taking my Telesteps Ladder and cleaning off the Solar Panels, as usual. I snug up ALL the knob screws securing the panels as I clean. I do this every time we leave home in Boulder City, Nevada. The fourth day of camping in the Gila National Forest New Mexico for agates, Nancy was walking along the road, watching for low hanging pine branches. Our usual routine, when on a narrow Forest Service Road. As we soon found an nice campsite, she noticed the Solar Panel on the Driver's side front... was flopping? I stopped and the Knob to secure the Panel... was missing. I snug them up every trip before we leave, and anytime I suspect I need to clean off dust while camped. 😞 How could that happen? This should never happen. I read about someone else on the Oliver Forum who lost a Knob. Well, we did as well thinking that was rather odd. How it backed out... it is a mystery. I always carry a good selection of bolts, nuts, washers, locking washers and nuts. I found TWO bolts in my carton, that had the fine threads, and managed to make a FIX on the spot. I will keep MY replacement. It worked. This post is to alert anyone with Solar Panels to snug these Knobs up, while wiping down the Solar Panel clean. I am detail orientated and so is Nancy. This surprised Nancy and myself. If it happened ONCE to ME... it could happen to anyone. Of course, I have my camera with me all the time. I add them for your entertainment. The best part of this story, there was NO Solar Panel damage, but without the Telestep Ladder, I would have had to stack milk crates onto the tail gate of my F350 to secure the Panel. Be prepared for anything... and sometimes... anything occurs. If you see any Knob Missing... the panel drops several inches downward. The nut with fine threads was still welded and not damaged. Strange things can happen, but this was so odd... I took some photographs to show it did happen and can happen to you. The End.

Thank you to all of you who have replied. This is all great information, especially the info about seeing the maintenance records and spec sheet. I have rv’d for over 50 years with my husband and bought the casita after he passed. I have used it extensively for the past two years, putting a ton of miles on it. So I think i have proved to myself that i am capable and able to maintain an rv and will use it. Onward and upward!

How did you test this? I ask because if the problem you have is a grounding issue, then you may still have power to the receptacle. If you tested by using the hot and neutral wires supplied at the plug, and the neutral is bad, then your meter will show no power. Most all of my electrical issues have been with bad (loose) grounds. Hook up your meter to your supply (hot) wire and use another neutral/ground to see if you get power. If you do, then you know it's a grounding issue and you can start tracing that back to the bad connection. If you still have no power using a different ground, then most likely it is a supply line issue, so work back from there. Also, since your receptacle is out and disconnected, I'd do a continuity check to be sure it is functional. Finally, I have the Dometic 3-way refrigerator and there is a 5amp fuse for the AC heater hidden away in a control box attached to the back of the refir, accessed by removing the lower vent outside. Check your manual to see about yours. Time to buy a multimeter if you don't already have one! These issues can be challenging to trace. Just be methodical and don't ignore the grounding side of the tests. Good luck. Dave I edited this for some better clarity...I hope.

@KfSmit - FYI, Patriot is spot on with his description and how you might consider going forward with an acquision, IMO. If you're considering a used OTT, its service records are key. However, they could be meaningless to you unless you "know" the Oliver. Suggestion: Read these forums from old to new. Learn how they're laid out by topical areas. Focus on the "Mechanical and Technical Tips", "Oliver Modifications", and "Towing an Oliver". Take your time, mull over issues, problems, and fixes that others have solved. Go back to the oldest posts you can find. Read them. Study. Understand the common challenges and opportunities many of us have experienced with this rig. You'll be amazed. The knowledge you'll gain from this endeavor will be priceless. After scanning these diatribes, you'll be able to examine service records, owner upgrades, and modifications and be able to make sense of them and determine if they were done correctly or not after surveying that particular rig. Depending on your background and experience with RV's, a certified appraiser would be money well spent. The "bones" of an Oliver are strong, as mentioned earlier, they are not over-complicated -- but they do require an understanding of routine maintenance to remain functional and safe while towing and camping. We've probably put north of 7k miles on ours since the first of the year - Casablanca has behaved remarkably. This is a consistent underpinning of the brand. They're tough. But they need attention - not neglect. Take care of your kit - it will take care of you. Do not hesitate to reach out to the owners on these forums and ask questions, seek advice, and know that you'll receive sound feedback. Good luck in your search and enjoy every moment of it - the right unit will come along at the right time, I'm sure of it because we did the same thing you're doing now 3 years ago, brother! Cheers!

We have alternated our 2019 27/28 foot Airstream and the 20 foot 2019 Oliver Elite II for the last several years. Towing either travel trailer is smooth towing 'On the Ball' behind a F350 2016 Ford Diesel. I like the F350 Tow Vehicle best of all four wheeled rolling homes. Towing has been a pleasure, without any issue of sway or weight control. Lengths do matter. There are MORE options for an Oliver Elite II to travel, set up camp, remaining attached to the F350 tow vehicle, while on the ball. Another advantage an Oliver has is the Clearance and Michelin 16 inch tires. I added 3 inch lift and 16 inch wheels and 16 inch Michelins to the Airstream, which was a great advantage to do when purchasing new. The Oliver Elite II has this clearance... standard equipment. Nancy is wiping down the Interior of the Oliver now for dust. The most likely spots are on the floor, on the sides of the hallway carpet. Static Electricity IS your friend with Fiber Glass. She just came in and commented how easily the Oliver interior cooperates for a clean up. Many Oliver owners may not realize how easily the Travel Trailer... travels. It is the 'Go Anywhere Travel Trailer' and wind does not push the Tow Vehicle or Oliver around. We did our Boondocking Camping with the Airstream... with a 23, a 25 and lastly a 27 foot. The 25 foot was our favorite, as the Elite II is our choice, also having Double Axles. Necessary for go anywhere travel and four tires on the road. If a Elite II has a tire failure... the weight on the remaining tire can manage if inflated to your comfort zone. Having more PSI in the Michelins will not Pop Rivets, nor cause cabinets within the Interior to... become loose from the Factory. An Airstream with experienced owners know where to upgrade hardware and travel with the same confidence as we have in our Oliver. For Boondocking... the Elite II IS a go anywhere travel trailer. A single axle, you may have the passenger walk along side when crossing a dip in the unpaved road. Although the clearance exceeds most other Travel Trailers easily, have that extra axle is worth every dollar spent. The only improvement made to our Oliver Elite II after just over Two Years, WITHOUT ANY UPGRADE OR IMPROVEMENTS. Imagine that if you own an Airstream. For Boondocking I knew where to upgrade hardware and walls on the 2019 model. Learned mostly in the 2006 23 foot, fixed it in the 25 foot and perfected it in the 27/28 foot Airstream. Now the 2019 Oliver Elite II and the Airstream 27 foot FBQ just Rock and Roll. (Nancy did make a fabric shower curtain to replace the factory plastic. I like her work! Soon we will be having to make a choice, which one of the two. License plates, taxes and insurance have increased our costs for two travel trailers. Enjoy your Oliver when time permits. Eventually time takes its toll... not the our Travel Trailer... the Human Beans within. Plan your next trip soon... time is being wasted.