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Showing content with the highest reputation on 04/04/2017 in Posts

  1. Could not find the previous thread on this topic, so starting a new one. Some were having issues with the upper doors popping open while underway, and at the time I wasn't having any issues with mine. Until the last trip. One of the hinges came completely undone. You can see from the picture that there is one small screw holding each hinge to the cabinet door. The screw does not grip the door with very many threads at all. If it comes loose, the door will come out of adjustment and will either not close properly, or will close and pop open. In my case, the screw came completely out and the door was hanging by the single screw on the other hinge. I think a simple fix for this would be for Oliver to apply Loctite on the screw when they at doing the final adjustment to the doors during the install. For those awaiting there new delivery, it might be a worthwhile ask of Jason to follow up on.
    2 points
  2. Thanks Jason! Yes, I have scoured the website several times, watched every Buzzy "Living with Ollie" video and worn the edges of the printed brochures sent from the factory! I lurk here too. This has all been done in between digging out old and inferior caulk and re-doing the seams of my current TT, dealing with rust - tacking, gluing and screwing loosened trim and accessories and coating slide-out seals and thoroughly inspecting for any signs of water intrusion or rot or mold. What do Ollie owners do with all their free time?! Do you get bored? ;) I can't wait to get bored! Thanks again, Fred
    2 points
  3. I agree, it's a great conversation to have. Here's the platform that we have on our list to buy - I don't know if it's the same one Reed and Karen have or not, but it seems sturdy and is height adjustable...https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G258I0G/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=15JNG1X28RXCS&coliid=I3LZTQLU2NEMTU&psc=1 They make longer ones also. Some of the trim carpenters and drywall crews on the job sites I visit use them, so they should hold up to abuse. lol, just saw Reed&Karen's post - I guess we did pick out the same step.
    2 points
  4. With the shower rod that you had installed in the bathroom, he will be able to pull himself up and also sit down on his own. Then with the handle outside the bathroom door like we did in this picture, it really gives access to both the trailer door and its bathroom a lot of stability. If he is going to be wanting to do it alone, then another handle on the right side of the closet along with the screen door bar will really make his entry a lot easier. As far as making it to the bed and so on, the suction cup style added in a few places down roof should give him all of the extra hand holds needed once inside. If he does everything that he can on his own, like the ampute I know, then just ask him what else he needs :) This extra handle outside the bathroom door should be standard on all Ollie's, it gets used for everything. Also the bungee ball that you see hanging from it, hooks over the bathroom door handle on the inside to hold the door closed if you need a little more room when turning around in the shower. It keeps the pressure off of the door. Then a few of these below, placed where he wants them on the ceiling, will give him the freedom he wants inside.
    2 points
  5. For me cooking/camping is all about being outside. If rain is in the forecast, I set up a tarp over the outside kitchen. I do love using an oven and especially creating delicious pizza. With a good pizza oven and a handy laser thermometer, a whole world of outdoor oven creations is possible. I have good luck using the Camp Chef line of products. I own their pizza oven attachment as part of the modular system. I simply use the propane quick connects on Ollie and I am cooking with gas and a happy Ollie camper. The Camp Chef website has great cooking ideas, such as the buffalo chicken nachos utilizing a cast iron skillet and the pizza oven. Catch the drools! ???? Buzzy https://www.campchef.com/camp-stoves/14-cooking-systems/pro-60-deluxe-two-burner-stove.html https://www.campchef.com/stove-accessories/outdoor-ovens/artisan-outdoor-oven-accessory.html https://www.campchef.com/recipes/buffalo-chicken-nachos/
    2 points
  6. I'm towing our Elite ll with a 2014 Ram 4X4 Cummins 3500 SRW. It's rated for a 17,420 lb trailer. This seems like overkill on paper, but it's a wonderful towing machine. Extremely stable, never seems to be working hard and never runs out of power on grades, so I'm comfortable passing slower vehicles on the steepest hills when towing. It also has a very relaxed engine sound because it doesn't have to rev way up to work. It has excellent brakes and a very powerful engine brake that does all of the holding back on downgrades. This saves the truck and the trailer brakes. The engine brake also works good in city towing or on secondary roads with a lot of speeding up and slowing down. So, the whole towing experience is without any drama and always with complete composure. It's impossible to overheat the tranny, either on steep dirt roads at low speeds, or pulling long highway grades. I think we're averaging, tank after tank, about 14 MPG towing and I like to cruise at about 65 where legal. The mileage gets better if I slow down a bit or if we get out of the mountains.
    2 points
  7. As I travel around in my Ollie, I meet a lot of people in campgrounds who love music festivals. I've been involved with the Iowa City Jazz Festival for many years and have booked the main stage artists for the past 6 years. This is a free outdoor festival located in downtown Iowa City. Downbeat Magazine once named the festival one of the top 10 jazz festival in the United States. If your travels will take you to this area in late-June, early-July, please stop for a few days. If you live within a day's drive, consider making this a special trip. There are many campgrounds available including a number of Corps of Engineers campgrounds near my home. Here's a link to the bios of the performers for this year's festival. http://www.summerofthearts.org/festival-menu/jazz-festival/performer-bios.aspx. Send me a message if you have any questions about the festival, campgrounds, other things to do, etc. If you aren't a jazz fan, check out the other Summer of the Arts festivals at www.summerofthearts.org.
    2 points
  8. Welcome Fred, pleased to hear about your interest in Oliver Travel Trailers! And sorry to hear about the 15.00 in overage fees! I am sure you may have already scoured the website but in case you have not, there is a map you can view. The map will show you where the Oliver Travel Trailer owners who have joined our Referral program are located, you can even request to see one in the area if they are close. That link can be found here: http://olivertraveltrailers.com/see-an-ollie/ Maybe it was one of them you had seen! Cheers, Jason
    2 points
  9. 2015 Elite II, axles travel weight 6100lbs, 750lb tongue weight, Andersen WDH (hooked up on scales) 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 max tow, 9600lbs rating (6200lbs hooked up on scales) GCVW 12,300lbs Upgraded from Fiat 500. (okay first truck and first trailer.)
    2 points
  10. Towing @016 Oliver Elite II weighing in at 5,100 pounds - no fluid in tanks but 20 pound propane tanks full. Towing this with 2017 Ford F150 FX4 Max towing package rated at about 12,000 pounds with weight distribution hitch. Upgraded from a Tacoma primarily due to small gas tank and limits on towing were too close to maximum for my comfort in case of emergencies. Bill
    2 points
  11. Towing: 2016 Elite II, 5100lbs factory weight at pick up (full 30 lb propane tanks but no water, no cargo) Current Tow Vehicle: 2016 Ram 1500, 5.7L V8 with tow package, rated for 10,300 lbs. Past Tow Vehicle: 2012 Tacoma 4.0L, rated for 6,500 lbs. Mike
    2 points
  12. Whoever parked their Oliver Legacy Elite II next to Atalaya in Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina this past week created a huge problem! We happened to be camping in the park with our little R-Pod 178 when we saw your Oliver. You weren't home, but we walked all around it. You cost us $15.00 in extra data charges while camping researching your incredibly beautiful TT! You created an obsession by both of us to learn everything we can about Olivers! Upon our return home, you have cost us hours of "productive" house work time while we try to figure out how to get one! So...whoever you are...know that when we get one...it's your fault!! Thanks a lot, fred
    1 point
  13. All of ours are on quick disconnects because it makes everything uniform and easy. If the water pressure is high, I will use an adjustable regulator at the faucet, then I also have the simple brass regulator with quick connects that I can add in later. I've found that the large blue filter pictured, with the carbon filter replacement, really works best when the water has a bad taste. But it also really reduces the pressure a lot on its own. So when using it, I put the regulator after this filter on low flowing water systems. I have 3 different regulators and I have left the water on all the time when hooked up for decades... Until now... :) I've had broken water pipes in my motorhome and seeing the water spraying made it easy to find the leak... Lol. But now that I have the Oliver Boat, I would hate to come home to see a waterfall coming out under the door... :) Our dog Riffles loves the water too :)
    1 point
  14. Reed, Karen and Overland, Thank you for the link. It is now on my Amazon wish list. Overland, I would guess you might be an architect. It would make sense based on your various postings. There was a time when I had a desire to design science buildings for colleges and universities. That never happened, but I still love to visit science buildings at various universities. Hey some guys tour baseball parks. To each his own! Buzzy
    1 point
  15. John, I never laughed so hard when I read your term for the propane tank enclosure. :) Interestingly, Airstream uses the term "Nose Cone", as in a lear jet, to describe a similar enclosure on their future Nest fiberglass trailer. John, you might not want to consider a new career in marketing. :) Buzzy
    1 point
  16. Here's a link to the step, and this one can be adjusted to work with slopes. https://www.amazon.com/Camco-43676-Adjustable-Aluminum-Platform/dp/B00G258I0G/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1491325600&sr=8-4&keywords=adjustable+step+platform
    1 point
  17. I'm guessing that you can't see my other tries at this post, so I'm condensing the 4th try... +1 on Buzzy's answer, we have the same set up that he does, just the Pro90 instead of the Pro60 because we usually cook for 4 to 8 people when using it. The griddle and the pizza oven are all we need to cook everything. Then here Mom, Karen and I made pizza for around 10 people.
    1 point
  18. Buzzy, I've done a good bit of ADA design and like the others, my first question would be whether wheelchair accessibility is necessary. If it is, I have to say that you're going up a very steep hill trying to make it work in an Ollie. The first question would be if there's even 30" of clear space at the front door. It sounds like there's not, and if you can't jump that hurdle then unfortunately that's it. Second question would be if the wheelchair can make the 90° turn to the galley. My guess is no - typically you'd need each leg of the path to be 36" wide and if I'm not mistaken, the Oliver galley is under 30". Though it may be possible if the footwell of the dinette is located just right. Third is bath access - the curb is too high to ramp over, and I doubt that the walls of the bath are strong enough to support the grab bars necessary for someone to move from a wheelchair into the bath or to the toilet on their own. Fourth would be getting back out of the Ollie - there's no room to turn the wheelchair, so your guest would be forced to back down the ramp which can be a nerve-wracking maneuver. Then there's trying to access the various things within the Ollie. The only storage that would be accessible to your guest would be the front closet, and even that would be a bit tricky trying to get a wheelchair oriented to give your friend access. And pretty much all of the switches and control panels are mounted too high. And on top of all of that, you have to ask how you yourself would maneuver inside the Ollie while your guest is there. Climbing around your friend or asking him to back into a corner every time you need to move around or exit the trailer will get old for both of you in short order. On the ramp, ADA is a 1:12 slope, meaning that if your front door is 2' off the ground, your ramp will need to be 24' long. You can go steeper, but that is the slope that your friend would be accustomed to and so a steeper ramp might be strenuous. Too steep and there's a risk of the wheelchair tipping backwards. So, if a wheelchair is in the mix, my advice would be to concentrate on the annex - make it a special place for your friend and create a living space there. You already do your cooking outdoors, so that's good. And you can make a very comfortable bedroom with a cot and a small table and I would think that a propane heater like the Mr. Buddies would keep the space toasty. Make it a real glamper setup with an air mattress on the cot, real sheets, etc. Perhaps you could even create a small bath area around the exterior hose with a table and basin and a privacy tent/curtains. Of course, if you don't have to account for a wheelchair, then I think the game changes entirely - if that's the case, your main concern will be getting in and out of the trailer. For that, I would think that one of the aluminum platform steps, like what Reed and Karen have, would give your friend a nice stable platform for getting in and out. Inside the Ollie, the tight confines might actually work to your friend's benefit, as there will always be a surface within reach for support, or a nearby wall to lean against or grab hold of. And like Randy said, the suction cup grab handles are great and you can place as many as you need in just the right locations. It's an interesting challenge. I'm sure that your friend will appreciate any effort you make, however small.
    1 point
  19. No, there was nothing unusual, normal speed bumps and dips, nothing unusual that we don’t drive over everyday. Yea, twisting over a speed bump is a posibility but this trailer hasn’t seen any off road time yet. Frame flex is normal no matter what we drive, but without being inside the trailer to see what happens over speed bumps or pot holes, all we can do is speculate. I’m going to be taking this trailer over some dirt roads in the future, but here in California, the dirt roads are usually smoother than the poc marked pavement If you have a small video camera like a gopro I would film the inside of the trailer while going down the road.
    1 point
  20. Buzzy, you don't mention if they need a chair. If so, the biggest obstacle will be that door, replacing the fridge I found that it is less than 22" wide. If needing a ramp, I would think the door lip is a perfect setup for attachment. If mobile, I would probably look at the fold out extended railings that are found in the entrance steps of other trailers. Inside, in such a small space I would only think strategically​ placed hand holds (think Reeds mod) for balance, would be the only alteration. This is why a wet bath is good, so they can sit down to get clean. I might replace the seat cover with a hard one so it doesn't flex and slide around.
    1 point
  21. Like Mike and Carol I try to remember to turn off the water when I leave, but ..... Thank goodness I'm seldom hooked up to city water. Another reason for a water pressure regulator that I don't think was mentioned above is caused by the sun. If your water hose is in the sun during the day, water pressure will build in that hose as the sun heats up the water inside it. With a pressure regulator installed this additional pressure caused by the sun will be limited to the water supply hose and NOT the camper. While it could cause the supply hose to either blister or burst this added pressure will not cause a problem inside the camper. Obviously this is another reason to remember to turn off the water at the source and even bleed off a bit of the pressure prior to leaving. Bill
    1 point
  22. I don't have my Ollie yet, but I will also be towing it with a Ram 3500, at least initially. Mine is a 2006 5.9l, 4wd, and it rides rougher than the newest models. It really beats you up on choppy or broken roads, even with the Corbeau racing suspension seats I installed. Towing a 6500 pound car hauler/ car combination is without fault. As the other John mentioned, climbing mountain passes is effortless and low stress. My truck will stay in high gear, torque converter locked, down to 45 mph. This means climbing moderate freeway grades at 1300 to 1800 rpm. On really steep grades it does kick down but the engine never races. I do not have an exhaust brake but it isn't needed for a trailer of this weight IMHO. The truck has massive disc brakes. MPG towing that trailer was about 15 at 65 mph (at 3000 ft to sea level). I normally get 19.5 cruising empty at 70 mph, and 22 to 23 at 60mph. I do have a cab height Leer canopy installed, which improves the aerodynamics measurably! With a 36 gallon tank, cruising range is stellar. We are hoping to downsize to a used Land Cruiser 200 to get a better ride and to be able to explore rough mountain passes without rupturing our internal organs, but I will really miss the economy and easy towing nature of the turbo diesel with 600 ft lbs of torque. BTW, the newest Ram 2500 model with rear coil springs rides MUCH softer than my leaf sprung truck. A Power Wagon would be a great choice, if you could live with the lower mileage of the big Hemi gas engine. It has even softer springs, for offroad use. You lose a lot of bed payload but gain wonderful articulation, travel and a super plush ride. If I didn't want a Land Cruiser so badly, I would look for a nice used PW 6.4 liter, without the Boy Racer graphics. http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a30282/the-dodge-power-wagon-is-an-irrationally-wonderful-tow-vehicle/ John Davies, Spokane WA
    1 point
  23. Wow, sorry to see that. Something I've not seen ever. My guess is, small crack or tiny ding , unseen, grew later. Give Oliver a call,though you probably already called. Vertical, framed glass is very strong and stable... at least, that's what my dad always told me. Like I said, I've never seen or heard of this before. I know you are close to home now, but safe travels.... Sherry
    1 point
  24. I haven't heard anything more from Jason about mudflaps (or the suspension lift!) so it looks as if flaps will be my first summer project after I get it back to Spokane, at the beginning of June. I plan to do some measuring and thinking about the Stone Stomper. I will probably mock one up using some 1 inch pvc pipe and a blue tarp, to see how everything looks and fits. I have some ideas about securing the back corners without drilling into the fiberglass hull, but until I can get my hands on the trailer, and take off the doghouse, they are just ideas. Their pic shows a cross tube down low, but my idea is to get it six inches higher by bolting it on TOP of the frame. The cover would have to be drilled or notched in two places for clearance. Also, the tube should be three pieces, a center support with two removable wings. They would be stowed away when not in use and you could carry a couple of spares in case they got damaged.... Access would be through the two big rectangular access doors Oliver is installing for me on the sides of the doghouse. After using it a while, there will probably be some obvious places that need extra protection, like the front of the steps and the low-hanging fiberglass near the frame. Any small "sand blasted" areas I would get covered with white or gray Rhino Liner. I will start a Stone Stomper thread then, and we can talk about the design of the attach points and possibly combining shipping. You can pick yours up at my house ;) I don't plan to tow on gravel to any large degree this year, so I would probably do the SS over the winter. Here in Eastern WA you can't tow until late March anyway, due to all the deicer crap and sand on the roads... Four weeks until my wife and I leave for Hole-in-the-Wall to pick her up....! Hey, can you edit your profile so that we know here you live? John Davies Spokane Wa
    1 point
  25. Wow, thank you all for the great responses. I better pick up a water pressure regulator and turn off water when leaving Ollie for the day.
    1 point
  26. Is it possible that the mirror cracked because the closed bathroom door was subjected to unusual racking forces. You mentioned in another thread that from time to time your entrance door would stick because of frame flexing. Coincidence or possibly connected?
    1 point
  27. These schematics are great! I haven't needed to replace a cord yet, but I did have an issue with sagging shades. I found the tension on the strings can be adjusted by moving a small metal shuttle that slides up or down in the channel on the side of the frame. A small Allen wrench us useful for this fix.
    1 point
  28. Springs maintain tension on the cords. Each cord is fixed and taped in place where indicated in the previous post. Cord in shade handle is not fixed allowing the handle/shade to slide up and down on the cord. Hope this helps.
    1 point
  29. Had some extra time today and started making better sketches of my Ollie's shade cord routing. The following shade sketch shows the cord routing on the day and night shades. If the night shade is being threaded (shade in top of frame), the taped side of shade is positioned at the top. If the day shade is being threaded (shade in bottom of frame) the taped side of shade is positioned at the bottom. The cords from night shade are routed to the spring in the bottom of the frame. The cords from day shade are routed to the spring in the top of the frame. I'm working on additional information and will post as soon I have it. Hope this helps!
    1 point
  30. We've owned two Legacy Elite IIs, so I assume that we've had both types of drawer closures. I'm sure that it happens, but I can't think of one time that we've had a drawer come open while traveling even while spending two and a half months in Alaska and hitting some awful frost heaves there. Having said that and after seeing the pictures, I do think it is a good idea to inspect the screws on the drawers every several months and maybe check them on a delivery of a new trailer. Until recently we've carried a regular coffee maker on the counter beside the sink and never had it fall. Now we carry an individual pod machine that's much taller and put it in the sink while traveling. Hap Currently in Phoenix Arizona and headed to Joshua Tree National Park in a couple of days
    1 point
  31. By comparison, when we deliver class b motorhomes to Alaska, we are lucky to average 10 mpg with the Ford Triton. I think the real mpg, if we could drive US speeds, would be 8 or so. But most of the drive is at slow speed, so better mileage. And better views, too.. ... One more year on the Alaska highway. Then I'm off to another continent. Unless, I am overruled....Lol. My ideal is next spring in Iceland. We'll see. Sherry
    1 point
  32. Towing: 2014 Elite II, 5320 lbs factory weight at pick up (2 x 30lb empty propane tanks, no water, no cargo.) Weighed 01/27/2017 at Eloy, AZ on the Pilot Truck Stop Certified Cat Scale. Truck and Trailer together weighed 14,820 lbs. Two adults, 120 lb of dogs, Full tank of gas, full fresh water tank, some in black and gray tank, full propane tank and 1/2 full propane tank, Yamaha 3000 watt generator on tongue. Trailer alone weighed 7100 lb. about 800 lb tongue weight. Because of oversize axles my trailer has a GVWR of 10,400 lbs. Current Tow Vehicle: 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 SLT w/6.2L (420 HP/460 lb torque) and NHT Max Tow package, Trailer Tow capacity 11,800 lbs (based on SAE J2807). Hitch platform rated at 1200 lb.
    1 point
  33. We had no signal at Red Rock Canyon State Park until we turned on the Wilson Cell Phone Booster that Oliver put in. Then we had 2 Bars and 4G :)
    1 point
  34. Marsha, You got it! Just trying to avoid scareing anyone that just happens to look through that window when I am .... As John pointed out - a fiberglass or aluminum or stainless rod would have been nice, but, wood is what I had. I did give it a coat of Spar varnish prior to installation and given that it really doesn't get wet I do not believe that the issues John sites will be a problem at all. Bill
    1 point
  35. I took my Oliver to a local RV dealer to have some issues addressed after a Jan/Feb '17 trip to Big Bend, etc. Jason was coordinating the repairs--nothing serious. The service manager left a message on my cell phone. He called all owners who had campers in storage or sitting outside for service because of a major hail storm and resulting damage. He explained that he hadn't inspected my Ollie but suggested I come out and inspect it, submit an insurance claim, etc. I called and learned that the hail had been large--some approaching golf ball size. Drove out, inspected, and saw no damage. I brought the Ollie home a few days later and washed it, winterized it and prepared it to go back into my indoor storage facility. There was absolutely no evidence that a piece of hail had hit the Ollie! Not only is the fiberglass thick and strong, the solar panels appear to be as well. After washing, they looked like they did when the camper left the factory last March.
    1 point
  36. Torque Specifications WHEEL LUG NUTS: 90 - 120ft lbs. Note: Oliver has set 110ft lbs as the standard as of 2023 year models & older. BULLDOG COUPLER: 80 ft lbs AXLE/U-BOLTS: 70 ft lbs SHACKLE BOLTS: 40 ft lbs
    1 point
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