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I was bothered by the movement of the bike rack on my Oliver and decided to make some alterations. I changed the configuration of the rack so I could use my Thule Critierum rack with it. Just installed it and have not yet tried it out but expect it to be more stable. Stability was my concern, the other one moved around a lot and was damaging the bikes. Grayson Hull#112

With the problems I had earlier this fall. I too researched this solution, I've decided on this solution https://www.amazon.com/Post-Battery-Master-Disconnect-Switch/dp/B001N729FS I have yet to order it though, I'll update when I do.

For sometime, my wife and I have been unhappy with sleeping on the cushions that come standard with Elite Travel Trailers, not to be confused with the larger Elite II, standard with mattresses. I purchased a single sized foam mattress but this too was unwieldy, not fitting either bed well. I had talked to other Oliver owners and was referred to Southern Mattress located in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. I contacted them and they indeed confirmed they would custom make a mattress for my Oliver Elite. My conundrum was how I could configure the mattress to access the components and storage areas under the seats. A full sized mattress would be just too much to lift and hold in place as I pulled out storage items, much less to try to work on a component (electrical, hydraulics, water, etc.). As I explained this to my wife telling her I wanted to split the mattress in half, she pointed out it would be very uncomfortable, sliding down in the crack. She said " split it where the bench ends, 1/3 and 2/3s. The crack will be at your knees and you will not feel it". I contacted Southern Mattress and they agreed to cut it where ever I wanted it cut. I traveled to Rocky Mount, North Carolina and found this to be a family owned company. I arrived in late afternoon and the owner took me to his home. There, we hooked up my trailer with electrical and water on a pad next to his home. The next morning I pulled my trailer to the factory and they began to make my mattress. With each step, they asked me to approve the work, include changes I wanted made, etc. they measured the trailer, made the pattern and asked if I wanted extra room to be able to put bed linens on the mattress. The pattern was a good fit for the 2/3 - 1/3 combination. In short, I was very pleased with the mattress. I selected a 5" firm foam with another layer of soft memory foam. That night, I had the best sleep ever in my Oliver Elite. I also had a mattress made for the smaller dinette/bed. I used the single sized foam mattress that I had purchased earlier in the year. Southern Mattress did not object to this. Again, they cut the foam to the 1/3-2/3 combination. Each matress was covered in a premium quality quilted cover, fire retardant and straps sewn in to make moving easy. The mattress was double sewn all the way around to reinforce the straps. By noon, I was on the road, headed home. That night, I slept for the first time very comfortably on my new custom-made mattress. It now slides over easily and stores on top of the other matress while I access the storage and component areas. If you are interested in a quality mattress, custom made, they now have patterns for both the Elite and the Elite II. They can custom make you a mattress and ship to you. They do not press the mattress in a roll. Rather they box the mattress and ship it to you. Southern Matress Company 1812 Cokey Road Rocky Mount , North Carolina. 800-227-8701 Below are pictures of my mattresses in my Oliver Elite. Coy

Good to hear that a date has been agreed upon. Let the planning begin. Also glad to hear you are planning on being there Don Thompson, we look forward to meeting you. We do have plans for that time already in place but are going to try to move things around to get there. We are signed up for the "Spring Fling" in the White Mtns but that is not until the next weekend. Hope to see you all there.

Looking closer at my rollout battery tray I began to see a couple of things I don't like. BTW, I have the (4) T-105 battery option. First is the catch mechanism. It has about 3/4" of play that allows the batteries to roll out and in just enough to hammer the catch while driving. Second is that the batteries pinch the wires against the back of the battery cabinet. With the wires crossed back there, there will be a short eventually. I fixed this with a 5/8' thick piece of wood dropped in front of the catch to take up the play. It's about 3" X 15 3/4" and fits nicely. Then I slid some split loom over the wires and routed them over the top of the batteries as I pushed the tray back in. This should make the battery box much safer and less likely to break the catch. Check yours out to make sure it's OK.

I used this Battery Disconnect switch: https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-ID220S-6V-24V-Battery-Disconnect/dp/B006EH9WUC So far so good...

Hi this is Craig, (Ollie 176), have you any suggestions on a battery disconnect switch in the battery bay. I would like to stop all drain on batteries (Trojans) while not being used. Unhooking the battery cable is time consuming and possible shock hazard. Thanks

Scotty, I think you are worrying 10 gallons about a one gallon problem..... Chill out and take a deep breath. Pump up your tires to the max sidewall psi, cover them if the sun gets to them, and lower your jacks slightly. Go have a beer. Happy Hollidays, everyone. John Davies Spokane WA

Hi Linda, The USPS has a mail forwarding option that comes with a fee and may not work at some locations. If you know your neighbors very well, you might try my system. I'm great friends with my backdoor neighbor and side neighbors. As I head out for an extended time, I ask one of them (on a rotating basis) if they could collect my mail, trash the "buy me" flyers and anything marked as pre-sorted mail where the stamp should be. All my bills and financial issues are automated and do not involve the mail. On the very rare instance that I may need something that arrived at my mailbox, I hunker down at someplace for a spell, go the local Post Office, and sign up for a "General Delivery" box. Then my friends will place the item(s) in an envelope or box and mail it to me under my name at the local P.O. General Delivery. Hint: It helps to smooth the situation with the occasional box of chocolate covered strawberries sent to the Mrs. of the house if you are out for months on end. Good luck and happy camping!

I ran across a Blog post by Larry Harmon suggesting the use of jack stands to avoid flat-spotting tires. Larry posted this on April 23, 2016. Here's a sentence from his post: "I am told that the axle manufacturer advises that the jack stand should not be placed directly under the axle tube, but instead placed under the flat part of the spring." (I revised the sentence but not it's meaning). I called Dexter and the person I talked to said to put the jack stands under the frame, not the axles. I told him that Tommy Staggs from Oliver said not to put the stands under the aluminum frame. Dexter promised to have their "senior" technician call me back to discuss where I should place the jack stands and to explain what problems can arise from having the jack stands under the axles. As soon as I learn more, I'll post the information on the Forum. I think Oliver should develop some type of written protocol for questions like this. As an owner, I don't think it's helpful to receive different information from different people--here, Larry H. and Tommy S.

Thanks for the announcement! I called the number provided--it's the number for the campground. The woman who answered said she hadn't heard from Oliver so she couldn't take my reservation. She suggested I call back next week. Please let people know, if possible, when the campground is ready to take reservations. So glad the date is established. I was worried about a spring date because I have other travel plans, but these dates work for me. I'm looking forward to meeting many Oliver owners!

J-Rhett, you are correct my truck is a Ford F250 model year 1999. It has a 7.3L Diesel (from what I've read and have been told, some refer to this engine as the Million Mile motor). So far it's been trouble free for 195, 000 miles. Like I said I average between 12-16 mpg pretty much towing or not, but I very seldom "get into" the throttle. I've only spewed the black exhaust smoke once or twice and that was recently, I was surprised it actually did that. I've found if I'm gentle on the throttle I don't exhaust that black smoke. With the Oliver in tow, I really don't even notice that it is there.

I tow with a 2015 VW Touareg TDI (you probably will never be able to purchase a new one because of the VW diesel scandal and VW's decision to exit the diesel market in the US). When I drove from Iowa City to the Oliver factory to look at Olivers, I averaged 29.5 mpg on the way down and 30.5 mpg on the way back. I drove around 75-80 mph on the interstates. My everyday mileage that includes city driving is usually between 26 and 27 mpg. I towed my Elite II between 7,500 and 8,000 miles this year. I towed in the mountains of Colorado, Wyoming and Utah. No issues towing up mountain passes. The Touareg will tow faster uphill than is safe for me. My mileage varies with terrain. I've experienced 19 mpg towing in Iowa with rolling hills. On longer trips, I average 16.5 to 18 mpg. I tested the Dodge Ram with the small diesel. I liked the pickup, but I decided to buy the Touareg because it fit in my garage and was a better choice for me when not towing the Ollie. The Touareg is very comfortable for 4 people. The main drawback is the lack of cargo space.

Hi Scotty, I just got off the phone with Tommy Staggs at Oliver. He suggested that I purchase 4 jack stands and place them under the two axles of my Elite II--placing them inboard of each wheel. He said that I should not place them under any part of the aluminum frame. I plan to purchase 4 adjustable jack stands, each rated at 2,0000 lbs. Don

We just spent a few days in Nashville on our way to the east coast. We like going to the Grand Ol Opry, this past weekend was the 91st birthday weekend and we enjoyed a good show. We stayed at Two Rivers Campground, just two miles from the Opry and Opry Mills. Nice campground, very conveniently located, although a bit pricey. There was actually another Oliver there with us, Chad and Shannon with their blue and yellow striped Legacy II. Lots of folks stopped by to ask questions... We overnighted at the Cracker Barrel in Texarkana on our way from San Antonio to Nashville. Interesting experience, price was right and it was very convenient. Cracker Barrel's don't count as a campground but when I asked they said we were more than welcome to stay overnight.

Mike, Sounds like a fine trip!!!!! Will stop at a Cracker Barrel next time we're camping, noticed large travel trailer rigs stopped at the Cracker Barrel in Morganton NC last weekend. Thanks for the idea!

Grayson, Very nice indeed. We have recently acquired two electric bikes and I am looking for a rack that will be used both on the Ollie and our F-150. I was looking at the Thule brand, but their hitch and locking mechanism requires that the hole be set back 1.5" in the receiver. I measured the Ollie rack and found it to be 1.25". A quarter of an inch does not sound like much but with the weight of the E bikes and rack.... I don't want to chance it. Plus the Thule has 1.25" tube with an adapter for the 2" receiver. Not my idea of a solid connection. We will probably purchase the Yakima Holdup for a 2" receiver. That rack looks like it will serve well on the truck or on the Ollie. It has an actual 2" square tube that will fit 2" receivers. All that being said... I like your mod very much and will most likely follow in your footsteps at some point. Do you have a drawing for welding up the Aluminum Tube that you would be willing to share? I have access to the raw materials at a good price but would need to have a local fab shop make up the frame. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks for sharing this awesome mod! Scotty