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I just noticed that with the exception of the dealer in Canada, all of them are now gone. All sales have officially moved back to Hohenwald. I think this will come as welcome news to many potential new owners. Many were opting to actually come to Tennessee for their pickup and delivery anyway. It has been reported that many dealers were taking payment, handing over the keys and sending people on their way without any kind of walk through. That's just not acceptable. Other dealers were selling the trailer, allowing the new owners to pick up their unit in Tennessee and still charging them $1.2-1.5K for "cleanup and delivery". That's just wrong. I believe this is a wise and good move for Oliver. They gave it a good run. Sometimes things just don't work out as well as predicted. Good job, Guys...11 points
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Oliver Bulldog 2 5/16 coupler upgrade. I decided to finally pull the trigger and upgrade our Oliver from a 2” 7000# Bulldog coupler to a new Bulldog 2 5/16” 12500 coupler. I also ordered a spare coupler repair kit. These 2 5/16” BD couplers are becoming difficult to locate and purchase with Bulldog filing for bankruptcy protection in Oct of last year😳. It’s my understanding, that BD is no longer manufacturing and shipping these couplers to RV manufacturers possibly due to bankruptcy proceedings. (open source) I did attempt to purchase a 2 5/16 BG coupler from Oliver and they no longer have this upgrade in stock and available to purchase and ship. Jerry at Oliver told me they have no idea if or when they will have this coupler in stock again and are seeking alternative options. Will there will be a restructuring with BD? Anyone’s guess. I will be taking the new coupler to a friend’s machine shop to have the holes precisely drilled. If you’re on the fence about upgrading to a 2 5/16 12,500 #coupler it might be a good time to search for a vendor that has one on the shelf and ready to ship. A big thank you to @rideandfly for helping source this coupler! The Vendor I ordered from was Croft Trailer Supply in Kansas City, Mo. Ended up myself, @rideandfly and @John Dorrer purchased the (3) they had in stock. If it’s an upgrade you’re considering you may not want to wait. Safe Travels! Hull#634 XPLOR7 points
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Hope everyone has a great holiday! 250 years is a pretty good run. Based on some of the videos from the World Cup attendees visiting the US for the first time, we seem to be the envy of the world! Mike7 points
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That was us. We were heading home to Woolwich, ME from Campobello Island in New Brunswick. Just set up an account so I could reply.6 points
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Staying here at Glacial Lakes State Park as campground hosts for the month of July has had me researching how to deal with all of the various annoying flying critters here. Minnesota is called “the land of 10,000 lakes” and humorously “and 10 million mosquitoes”. (I think that’s a low estimate between you and me…) Last year, the park manager told me that this time of year, flies are the bigger nuisance. She was right. We put if a cheapo screen house to sit in (when it’s not 95F of course) but when you’re walking, the deer flies have you at their mercy. The familiar stinky traps don’t attract deer flies, just “filth flies” (house flies). Have one up anyway and have harvested many thousands of those pests. A disposable trap fills up in about three days(!) A little research told me that deer flies go after moving targets, and go for your head or the highest point of whatever critter they’re annoying. I also read that they’re attracted to the color blue. I found a few articles - typically on equestrian sites - that told how to “troll” for deer flies using blue Solo cups and a sticky goo like “Tangle trap”. I used to use the stuff in my garden, so I was familiar with it. Amazon conveniently has a vendor selling a kit with the blue Solo cups and the sticky stuff. Since I couldn’t find any in the local hardware stores or Walmart, I bought the kit. I tried it out by painting the outside of one of the blue cups with the goo and taping the cup - upside-down - to my side view mirror. I took a slow drive through the campground and was shocked at how many deer flies I caught in just 5 or 10 minutes. I discovered that the flies attack - and stick to - the BACK surface of the cup. (Hitting their target from behind) So the next time I tried trolling, I put a cup on each mirror and only put the goo on the back side. Well, as I’ve rambled quite enough, so I’ll show you the pics of my 2-ton deer fly trap and the results. Now - if I could just find a way to ruin 10,000 mosquitoes’ day - I’ll be a very happy camper! (Here’s the kit if you want to make your own fly trap: https://a.co/d/00v6uY1Q ) ps - yes, I did get several quizzical looks as I drive through the campground with blue Solo cups taped to my mirrors….5 points
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BRIEF UPDATE July 14, 2026: I accepted the generous offer by John @jd1923 and Chris to come farther west to Prescott and tackle this 'Check Trailer Wiring' issue. While my Oliver was jacked up, I was able to take care of some other regular maintenance work, and John helped out with that as well, but I will focus here on the trailer wiring. The main job was to replace the brake wires beginning at the left side (below the battery box) where the wiring exits the hull, and connecting new wires to each of the four brakes. John suggested pulling the new wires through the axle by taping them to the end of the old wires, for various reasons, but once the taped joint reached the opposite side and I needed to pull it out through that small hole in the axle, the tape broke apart. I tried pulling the new wire through that hole with some needle-nose pliers but the wire was so soft that small pieces were breaking off. So we reverted to my initial plan (based on several others here on the forum), and ran the new wires along the rear side of the axles, using split loom and zip ties to anchor it. We found that the butt connectors I ordered from Amazon did not hold; John tested one and the wires pulled right out without any effort. He had some older style butt connectors that we used, with much thicker metal inside, and then we added tape on the connections. I will probably come back to those taped joints with some liquid tape to try to weatherproof them better. (I saw that someone had used a clear sealant -- if anyone knows what that is called, I would like to find it. The liquid tape I have is black like tar.) The finished job looks really good. Note that I haven't tested by towing yet. After the rewiring, I measured the amperage at each wheel, after disconnecting the 7-pin connector from the truck and pulling the Emergency Brake pin. Each one measured about 3.0, with the left front measuring slightly higher. This was a good result in so far as the power was flowing from the Emergency Brake battery (I believe on the Oliver, this is the trailer battery; SOB trailers have a separate little battery for this power). After the tires were back on and everything was back in place, I tested again using the power from the truck through the 7pin connector, with John's son Adam helping me by being at the controls in the truck. Measuring the two main wires exiting the hull (below the battery box) the amperage was 1.85 and 1.71 on the left front and rear wires. This measurement is obviously without being in motion, and my understanding is that the truck will not provide the full power to the brakes in this case; I'm not sure what amount should be expected here, but power is flowing to both wires from the truck. Quoting from @Geronimo John in an older forum post, "... modern brake controllers sense when a vehicle is stopped and back off the power flow to the magnetic coils when stopped..." Yesterday, John and I performed another set of tests on the 7pin Cable wires where they enter the hull and exit the cable, inside a double sized junction box behind the small panel below the vanity sink (see earlier photos in this thread.) We tested amperage for each of the wires, and the 7pin cable seems to be working fine -- even jiggling the wire at the connector and below the Oliver -- so we elected not to replace it. Of course, once again, this is not in motion driving down the highway. None of this is definitive until I actually tow the Oliver, tomorrow morning. I will report again in a few days, and try to add some photos here for clarity. I don't think this is resolved yet, but making progress on eliminating things is good. Many heartfelt thanks to John, Chris and Adam -- they have all been extremely gracious hosts and very helpful, and have cheered me up as well. Many thanks as well to all the other forum members who have been helping out with ideas and links and questions. Now we are heading out for some fun! EDIT: Added Photos with captions. Some of these might be helpful for others. These are the grommets that come with the Dexter Axles -- the wires pass through these from left to right side of axle. NOTE that they have sprung tabs on them to keep them in the axle; when you try to remove them, the tabs break off. They are not rubber grommets they are stiff plastic. I tried to replace the missing one with a rubber grommet (I cut it to place it around the existing wire) but my rubber grommets were not deep enough to cover the thickness of the axle. These two came from a new Dexter axle that John ordered. This is one of the nicks in the wire where it passed through the hole in the axle without a grommet. There was a larger section of exposed copper, but I can't find it this morning. This is the brake wire pulled from the front axle; I didn't see melted insulation nor other nicks exposing the copper here. (The original rear axle wire is still inside the rear axle --EDIT: but it is cut loose from the brakes. There's a new brake wire run outside that axle as well.) John's handiwork -- thank you John. Butt connectors splicing original to new brake wires, before being wrapped in tape. I would have preferred heat-shrink style for better weather-proofing, but this is what we had to work with. The front axle with new wire from left to right brake assembly. Butt connectors (both images after crimping); the new heat-shrink style on the left didn't hold the wire at all -- it pulled right out. The old style held, but is not weather-proof. They are taped for now. I'm seeking a good quality liquid tape or other product to address this.5 points
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Same here! My pantry shelf mod involved extending it out to make it even with the adjacent twin bed with heavy duty Velcro for securement. The additional length provides more counter space/staging area. I also extended the dinette table an additional 7” for an equivalent bump out; making its utility for dining much better. I previously installed sliding Lagun tables for each of the twin beds and used the original Lagun tabletop for the pantry extension, likewise the original pantry shelf for the dinette table extension. We’ve been very pleased with these mods. Here’s a pic of the two Lagun tables, a much more challenging mod I must say! For those that have the Lagun option, you know the nightstand drawer is restricted when this table is in use. In my year model the nightstand tabletop can be lifted off, allowing access to the drawer content from atop; which was acceptable, since I preferred the leave the Lagun mounted for daily use and stowing it was a PITA. By design, I can now open the drawer even with both Laguns permanently mounted; and the wifey is now happy to have her own bed table, being I tended to ‘hog’ the original one for self use! There have been a few mods featured in this forum on relocating the Lagun mount to the side of the nightstand to enable front drawer access and my mod, as well.5 points
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Hanging out at Glacial Lakes State Park (near) Starbuck Minnesota. Our second time here as the campground hosts. Been here since the first of July and leaving the 29th. I saw a camp host at another campground that put out hummingbird feeders, so I thought I’d give it a try. This isn’t “elegant” by any means. I grabbed an old fishing rod and secured the handle end under the edge of the A/C - twist-tied it to the TV antenna to keep it from coming loose. (Extreme vibration of our love-to-hate Dometic Penguin 2) Hummers showed up less than 24 hours later. I have it rigged just outside of the rear window so we can relax in bed and watch them come and go. IMG_9854.mov5 points
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These windows on the 2026 models are the ones that only open 3" at the bottom. The 90 degree windows are only on the 2027 models and should not be affected as the design is completely different from the ones on the 2026 models.5 points
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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!5 points
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Update! I contacted Jason Essary per Topgun2's advice and we have a path forward. Oliver will be rewiring our Legacy Elite so that the induction stove top will run through our inverter. I have decided to keep our 2000w inverter as OTT indicates that is part of the build as designed. I was aware that my unit was equipped with this inverter when I made my order. They will also be adding an omni directional antenna which was on my build order but was not put on my unit. It is something that we have often used and prefer that it is installed. Finally, they will fix the lettering on the side of my unit given it is badged as a Legacy Elite II but is actually a Legacy Elite. That is an easy fix. My hat is off to Jason Essary for getting this hammered out so quickly. I called at noon, got his email, sent him an email, and had a resolution by mid afternoon. Great response. Sales will cover the costs of this service. I am now just waiting on a service date and plan to travel to the OTT facility for the service. Thank you to everyone on this forum. Your advice and support has been great! I know I will have more questions in the future and hopefully can pay back by helping others someday as well. Onward to explore this amazing country😊! Lamar5 points
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I wasn’t a fan of the dealer program, but did have a positive experience with the dealer in Salem, Oregon. What I would like to see in the near future is an Oliver Service center somewhere west of the Continental Divide, preferably in a smaller city. Remember, any town with a stoplight is too damn big.5 points
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Some things need to be said. I am no tire expert but I can see at most a $500 savings per trailer using these tires. Offset that with the negative publicity, and now having to manage customers who order a new trailer and specify what brand of tire will be on it.... I don't see the benefit. The money does not move the profit margin needle all that much. Plus... how can you boast of a "Best in Class" trailer and put these tires on it. Unless I am mistaken, Oliver sells every trailer it can make in a given production year. Maintaining a healthy profit margin is important but at what cost? To my knowledge there was no official communication on the spring failure issue. Huge miss. There are other things too. Oliver has built not only a wonderful trailer but has "over the top" brand loyalty from it's products owners. I feel that sometimes we are reluctant to discuss the companies shortfalls. Maybe that is a mistake. Maybe Oliver is not getting the feedback it needs to hear because we are loyal owners. Even now I am thinking... should I hit "submit reply" or not. How does a company with such awesome brand loyalty loose it? Gradually.... and then all at once. I hope not.5 points
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Sorry for being so negative. We truly love our Oliver. China tires on an Oliver really got me.5 points
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Time will tell! John and I don’t think the wire pulled from the axle looks like the culprit (though only the wire from front axle was pulled, the other is still in there, cut free)… only the small section near the hole with missing grommet was nicked. However, there were no warning messages yesterday. Today will be a longer tow, and I will keep the forum updated.4 points
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Where's Ollie is my favorite thread and it's 10 years old! Thanks @Mike and Carol for getting it started!4 points
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Over the past few days I’ve looked through all 39 pages of this thread. Very pretty pictures of “Where Is Ollie”. I have pictures of a not-so-pretty location. During late September, 2019 our Oliver was here for a few days We were parked near the base of this building A hint as to the location A screenshot from the campground’s website At the next campground after my one-and-only venture into NYC our Oliver was parked here. A much better looking location. September 30, 2019. And then again in June of 2026. Libby’s Oceanside Camp, York, ME. One of our favorite campgrounds. Bill4 points
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Association Island campground on the shores of Lake Ontario in upstate NY. This place has an interesting history. The island used to be the General Electric executive retreat. Thomas Edison held court there. Now it's a campground surrounded by water (there's a causeway), but some of the original buildings are still there. The largest, which was a lodge, has been refurbished into hotel rooms and there are dozens of sites and cabins, including many waterfront sites.4 points
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The ones on the 2027's are completely different and should not suffer this same fate.4 points
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For those owners that want to follow this story, please do so at https://www.facebook.com/groups/OllieOwners/permalink/2252240891847686/ I don't want to see this thread turn into "War and Peace" like the Alcan one did.4 points
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We actually tested this in Florida this past April. Outside temps were low 90s with 80%+ RH. With the Chill Cube in Dry Mode, the highest we saw inside was high 70s and 55ish% RH. So it didn’t quite get below 50% humidity, but it made a huge difference. At 77°F/55% RH it was comfortable enough to hang out in. In those conditions I’d say 55-60% RH is probably the realistic best-case without adding a separate dehumidifier. Bear in mind our Brinkley 5th wheel is not as “efficient” as an Oliver. We love the Chill Cube, the variable speed compressor is very efficient, we have seen similar numbers than @jd19234 points
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There are times that I feel exactly the same way with regards to being out in the world! Bill4 points
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At one point, we were traveling with 2 cats, male and female siblings. One day the screen door got left unlatched and Callie (the brave one) wandered out, followed by Max (the big coward). Steph saw them and walked toward the trailer. Callie jumped back inside but Max panicked and dove under the fifth wheel. Eventually, by securing Callie inside and leaving the door open, Max made a mad dash back into the camper and hid under the covers. The outside world looked pretty good. Until they were in it. 🙂4 points
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You are 💯correct on the stamping of the hitch sleeve being different on each coupler during BD’s production. This has to be accounted for and calculated when drilling new holes for a proper fit. My buddy who is a machinist measured each of the 1/2” coupler holes individually and then transferred and dialed in those exact measurements onto the new 2 5/16 coupler. He totally nailed and fit was better than factory. An inside pic of how different the couplers actually are. Pic of the bottom of the 2” coupler on the left and the new 2 5/16 coupler on the right. You cannot see the difference in the sleeve fold, but it’s not the same and thus requires exact measurement of each hole prior to drilling for proper precise alignment and fitment on the tongue. My buddies tools of the trade and his knowledge were invaluable today.4 points
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That roof vent vents the black tank all the time and the gray tank only when the shower valve is open. There is an AAV - air admittance valve - under the kitchen counter in the back right corner of the kitchen drawers that should allow air into the gray tank when draining even if the shower valve is closed once the water level drops below the place where the kitchen sink drain enters the gray tank. The bath sink drain and shower drain flow through the open shower valve to the gray tank. Bill4 points
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We were in the first one sold in January, at the Eggs 'n Smores rally in Florida. The layout is nice, and seems spacious. It obviously isn't Oliver quality, but the one we were in was fully loaded at $59,000 if I remember correctly. The new owner said that a twin bed version was under consideration. When we were shopping, in 2021-2022, the Oliver was beyond our financial reach, and we were looking at Casitas and Escapes. It took selling a number of vehicles and toys to finally afford the Oliver, so if this Casita 24 had been available then, it's probably the direction we would have gone instead. No regrets, and we clearly love our Oliver. It was just a stretch that we might not have made at the time.4 points
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I would personally stay away from the pipe cleaners. My main worry is the wire core might rust and streak your trailer. Paracord for the win! Its kernmantle construction wicks water very well. Google it! It also has tons of uses around camp. I think most every hardware store carries some form of it. Get the 1/8" version. Paracord Planet is a good online resource, I think they have an Amazon store.... Dave4 points
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We applied Vortex 8 months ago and have been very pleased. Forest Service / Blm roads rocked with 3/4 to 1.5" fractured rock is the worst. Even with full mud flaps this stuff finds your trailer. Vortex is primarily used as a truck bed liner and is very tough. The guy that sprayed our trailer estimated the weight of the coatings about 40lbs . The material has thickness and some flex to absorb "rock impacts". We tool a 7week trip through the SW and southern UT with a lot of off road in places like Bears Ear / valley of the Gods with no sign of damage. The worst road we know for throwing rock is over Hart Mt in SW oregon, 60 miles of well maintained BLM with large fractured rock. We are still mindful of modest speeds but will travel up to 35mph with no concerns. Before vortex, we became gun-shy and would just crawl along , still taking on some damage. Over time, we had lots of micro chips (like sand blasting) with a few significant chips here and there.4 points
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I've had this problem (twice) and I believe that it comes down to a mechanical tolerance and materials problem with the deadbolt mechanism. In their design they purposely overdrive the deadbolt motor ( since they don't have a sensor to determine the position of the deadbolt). When the deadbolt reaches the end of it's travel, motor torque increases and overcomes the friction material in the clutch mechanism allowing the clutch to rotate despite the fact that the deadbolt has reached the end of it's travel. This allows the motor to continue to spin, preventing it from drawing excessive current and shortening its life. I've forgotten their name for the clutch but it's a little barrel that contains a friction material that allows the motor to drive the deadbolt until excessive force (when the deadbolt reaches the end of it's travel) overcomes the friction material causing the clutch to spin freely thereby decoupling the motor from the deadbolt. The problem occurs when the materials in the deadbolt mechanism bind or stick, overcoming the friction material in the clutch, resulting in the deadbolt not completing it's travel within the time that the motor is commanded to operate as determined by the electronics. The symptom is that the motor sounds normal, a confirmation beep is heard signaling end of travel of the deadbolt, but the door either doesn't lock or in my case did not unlock. In short, by design the motor is commanded to run longer than the time that it normally takes for the deadbolt to complete a full travel and relies on the clutch to decouple it's mechanical connection to the deadbolt when the deadbolt reaches the end of it's travel. By doing so they eliminate deadbolt position sensors and save cost. It's clever providing it works reliably. Anything within the transport that adds friction or causes binding can cause a problem. Another issue can be a weak clutch. The company is very good about supplying parts but leaves the repairs up to the customer which usually involves sending videos, sometimes removing the lock and operating the lock by itself while making another video, then waiting for parts which in some cases does not fix the problem and the cycle repeats. I like the lock, it's very convenient, but I aways have my key in my pocket which somewhat defeats the purpose.4 points
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Another option that does not require this. Just use a funnel to poor the required amount of bleach/NCI into the hose (while holding it up right of course). Then connect the hose to the port and start running the water.4 points
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I have to think the lack of authorized or certified Oliver service outside of Hohenwald is a bit of a turnoff to some. Prospective buyers need to realize the vast majority of RV repairs have nothing to do with the trailer shell itself. My research says these guys operate similarly. There might be more. Casita Travel Trailers Escape Trailer Industries Scamp Trailers Bowlus Luxe Fifth Wheels Hallmark RV3 points
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Yes you are correct, and that is for the VAST majority of trailers/TV's that use the Anderson. But.... The vast majority of OEII's just don't sway, even under extreme circumstances. Properly loaded they just don't sway. For that reason, many of us have no need for that great feature of the Anderson "system". Starting with John Davies, we lube the ball to reduce the wear. I am not suggesting that all new owners assume the same is for their setup. Get some experience and then decide how your rig handles under extreme conditions. If after a few years you figure it out, then join the "Don't lube your balls" team. LOL GJ3 points
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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-25261793 points
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We’ve been accused of “glamping” because we have a nice trailer. I’ve heard of ‘glamping’ obviously, but didn’t think we qualified. Now, if you’re cruising around in one of those 4mpg 40 foot coaches with a laundry room, hot tub, 4 slides and a 50” TV - THAT’s “glamping”.3 points
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This is very important. Greater interior room is nice, but do you want it at the expense of maneuverability? Summer of 2005, I towed a 26' cargo trailer to move our home from VA to AZ. It wasn't fun. The only positive was selling the trailer at a profit vs. renting a U-Haul! 🤣 At 7 ft the Oliver is the same width as a full-size truck/tow vehicle. If your truck can make an opening, the Oliver will too, following behind in the same space and tread. You only have to worry about height differences in tunnels or under trees. At 8 ft, like all the BOX trailers, the body is wider than the TV. Can your truck can make it between parked cars on a narrow city street or the Scrub Oak on a FS dirt road? If yes, then the Oliver will, but would the wider trailer? Also, the Casita is probably light enough, but not true of many Airstream trailers. Some of them are beasts! And you'll need towing mirrors to see around that big box. And there's a point where a bumper pull trailer doesn't make sense, hence all the 5th-wheels on the highway. I don't want to tow anything wider, ever again! Our Olivers are "right sized!" 😎3 points
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Yes, you can Scotty and thank you! The grey trim matches the striping on the hull AND the lower body paint on my truck! 😎 I renewed all the outlet boxes with grey ones, even a new matching license plate light in grey! If only Lippert made a grey powder coated door lock! That would be a nice addition! And when I replace the door security glass with a grey-smoked glass maybe I should paint the frame in the same grey color as the fridge vents and other painted parts. The entrance door has 3 hinges. You leave them as-is and insert 2 friction hinges in-between the 3 OEM hinges. The screen door gets in the way while working, but you can wiggle the friction hinges into place. I just centered them by eyeball, drilled the first hole and mounted the screw to hold the hinge in place. Then 12 screws per hinge! The kit comes with self-tapping screws, but I prefer to drill pilot holes one size smaller. In the picture, the hinges that are riveted are the OEM hinges and where you see the square-drive screws is the friction hinge. A careful installation should only take a half hour. The door hook has no value when you are opening or closing the door in windy conditions. Often you have to fight, holding the door, while trying to get it hooked. With these hinges installed the door can be at any angle and I promise a 40 MPH wind will not budge it. 😎 Never again hear that BANG! And btw it is the bang on that rubber stopper that cracks the interior sheeting of the door panel. If you look closely at the picture, looking through the screen, you can see the cracking of the interior sheeting. If friction hinges were installed OEM, I'm certain they wouldn't be there. As soon as I had heard of these hinges on our Forum, 2 1/2 years ago, I installed them. Why aren't Lippert Friction Hinges installed OEM by OTT? Instead of the bumper and hook, they should be.3 points
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We’ve got the manual door lock, too. It’s one of those things (like the suburban hot water tank) that is simple and reliable. One less thing to worry about when you are way out “there”. Mike3 points
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