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I have had a problem with my chains falling down in the campsite at night and getting dirty or even worse, my TV electrical plug falling and getting sand in the connections ! I have found this "gadget" from GR Innovations LLC, that solves this problem. This is a metal plate that attaches to the front Jack and has 3 holes and a slot. The slot is to place your TV plug and the holes are to put your chains in. (One extra hole!) The black Towing Organizer (I think it may be hard plastic) sells for $19.95 and the aluminum unit sells for $29.95. Both come with the blue 7 way plug cover or it can be puchased separately. It includes everything you need for installation which takes 2 minutes to install the two bolts and tighten. I did not buy the plug saver tether, I prefer to make my own. The chain saver organizer is well built and easily installed coy The address is grinnovationsllc.net

Larry has indeed found the key to good food, served up right. It's Betty.

Like Pete I was towing with a Tacoma, but I have the larger Elite II. The Tacoma did a respectable job and I never had any issues towing in all kinds of conditions - strong winds, rain, interstates with trucks passing, ups and downs in the Ozarks. I would think a bigger F150 and the Elite would be a good combination. Bigger truck, smaller trailer. My big push....!

OK, everybody, let's all give him one big push. : ) Stan

Welcome to the forum, Randy. Your F150 is a great choice. We've towed our 2008 17 (now rebadged as the 18.5, which includes bumper to tongue in the measurement. The molds are the same) with our Volvo xc90, our Silverado, and our Dodge Ram 1500. Both the trucks have done an admirable job, and a half-ton is gracious plenty as a tow vehicle. The Volvo is rated to 4900 lbs, and did fine on our inaugral run from Florida to NC to Hohenwald and home via the panhandle. I wouldn't want to tow the Oliver up mountains with it, though. We have never used a sway bar or Anderson hitch, and never felt the need. I'm sure Oliver could install one for you, if you decided you wanted one, but I don't know of a single 17 with an Anderson or sway bar. We've camped with Tom and Karen a number of times. They're great people, and take wonderful care of their Oliver. I've got to run now and pick up my daughter, who is returning from a cruise. I'll add more later. Sherry

Randy, The F150 2.5L EcoBoost with factory towing package would be an ecxellent TV for an Elite. I believe its towing capacity is a whopping 8500lbs, more than double what the trailer would weigh fully loaded! The new F150 even has a sway control system to aid in towing. As for the Anderson hitch, not sure how simple it would be to add, but I can tell you after 97,500+ miles of towing my Elite with a smaller TV (Tacoma) I've never felt the need for one, even with some radical evasive maneuvers. The trailer does not sway under adverse weather conditions or while mixing it up with 18 wheelers. Tom and Karen are good friends and fastidious Ollie owners. That is a good find, indeed. Welcome (I hope) to the Ollie family. Pete

Hi RBK ! Welcome to the forums. Many on here have camped and traveled with Tom and Karen's Oliver and like Betty and I, are familiar with it's condition and the loving care it has had. Tom pulled it many miles and always maintained it exactingly well.

We received a couple of PM's asking why two cooktops with four burners in addition to a oven. The quick answer is convenience. Whether we are out on our favorite lake at 900 feet of elevation or up high in the Rocky Mountains at ten thousand plus feet, we will get a early start. The propane light comes on at around 0430 hours and first thing you know Betty has Biscuits in the oven, coffee percolating, gravy bubbling in the pan, sausage frying and eggs on that last burner. By that time I have the campsite all rounded up and after breakfast we are off on another day of adventure. Now, that is a whole lot going on at once ! And I have learned to be busily out of the way while Betty works her magic. As I gen around the campsite at altitude I can hear those propane regulators making a high pitched sound and as each burner shuts down I know that the reduced sound means that breakfast is nearly ready. By the time I am drying my hands at the hand washing station, she will be calling, "it's on the table !"