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An Open letter from Oliver Travel Trailers Dear Members of The Oliver Travel Trailer Online Forum Community, Over the last two weeks we have seen an increase in people addressing quality and build concerns on our online forum. First off, we want you to know that when we fall short of your expectations, then we fall short of ours. We are dedicated to producing a quality product that can be passed down from generation to generation. Oliver Travel Trailers is different in many ways from other manufacturers. One of these ways is our transparency with our customers and potential customers. This is why we have our own forum. We would like to thank you all for your feedback. New and potential customers may not be aware that we monitor the forum and listen in an attempt to learn from the members. We are always striving to make improvements and take care of any and all issues that arise. We are far from perfect but will continue to get better, always working to build the highest quality travel trailer available. With that being said we want all of you to know we have heard your concerns and recently implemented a new 3 stage quality control inspection to our build process. This is just one of the ways we are aiming to be the best in the industry. Tanks have been a recent hot topic on the forum and we want all of you to know we are currently working with an expert in the industry to see what we can do to improve current designs. We will update you as we learn more. Wiring appearance has been another topic that we are addressing by working with component manufacturers to improve quality of appearance and function on all wiring harnesses. As we improve and implement changes we will share these improvements from time to time with our customers and on this forum. We have always gone above and beyond to fix any issues our customers are having with their trailers and will continue with your help to make Oliver Travel Trailers the very best. Again, we would like to thank you for your feedback. In the future, we kindly ask that if you have a problem or concern with your Ollie, please call us directly so we can help you. This will provide us the details we need in a timely fashion and expedite our course of action. Of course, if you ever feel we have not done enough to fix or improve your issues once you have brought them to our attention then by all means feel free to address it on the forum. We are confident you will find that given the opportunity Oliver will take care of you and improve our product at the same time. We will never be too big or too busy to do the right thing. Sincerely, The Oliver Family

http://olivertraveltrailers.com/unhinged-larry-mountainborn-harmon/

I just reserved a long pull thru site with hookups (no sewer) along a COE lake on the Snake River near Pasco WA. It is rated "Prime" with mature shade trees and direct beach access. The reservation is for a Wednesday, it is booked solid on other days. http://www.freeguidetonwcamping.com/Oregon_Washington_Main/Washington/Southeast_WA/Fishhook_Park.htm $13.00, then I applied my America The Beautiful Senior Pass discount: $6.50 Total! There are several other Corps campgrounds along the river, with dispersed primitive camping, completely free. When we were in the East after collecting Mouse, I hated paying the high rates there.... and low cost campgrounds are virtually non- existent. I enjoyed revisiting TN after 35 years, but I can't say I will miss it any.... John Davies Spokane WA

Hello I was asked to post a picture what we had covered the front of our Oliver with on the trip to Alaska last year. We used closed cel foam maybe 1/8 0r so thick we bought at a flea market u can probably buy it on line it is the same thing that you use as a sleeping bag cushion, being closed cell you do not get any water or dirt that can get through and rub under the foam as you travel and the wind, rain and dust will not penetrate. I cut the pattern and applied it from the belly band down and the running light around the front. I taped it on with Non-Residue duct tape and stayed on over a month through the Alaska, Yukon Territory portion of the trip just over a month long and it held up great and came off easy and cheap.This is the best picture we have taken from the Yukon River after staying in a Provincial Park across from Dawson City. Thanks Gary

What we use is the suction hooks. You hold them firmly against the wall, screw down the knob. Done. Don't like them there, unscrew and move. They are available online, Bed Bath, Home Depot. Of course there are Command strips.

Must find a nice used Oliver!!! For years I've owned a couple of nice Lake Front Lots here in Georgia. Years ago I purchased my first and last travel trailer. A used Pop-Up from friends of my sister in Chicago. It was like new and stored in their garage. I parked it on my lake property and then because of work requirements couldn't use it for the next 10 months. It sat there in the rain and weather during the hot, humid summer months. Finally, the family and I decided to use it for the first time on New Years Eve! We went to the lake, opened it up, and discovered the roof leaked and the inside was filled with black mold so bad it ate entirely through the canvas, the curtains, and the cushions. Absolutely horrible what damage that can do. We closed it up, went to a local motel and decided this wasn't going to work. After spending thousands repairing the damage and replacing most of the Pop-Up, I sold it with full disclosure and absorbed the loss. Now 15 years later, I'd still like to go to the lake once in awhile, even if just for an overnight. And my son loved backpacking and I'm not looking forward to sleeping on the ground much anymore, so it sure would be nice to have another trailer. I started looking at all kinds of trailers and the first thing I would look for is water damage. My gosh, it's everywhere!!! As I looked at Egg Trailers, it was apparent water infiltration was minimal. First I looked at Scamps. Then all different types. The older they were the more there is to fix. Frame rust, wood rot, etc. The list goes on. Them I started looking at Casita's, and Explorers. Not bad, especially the newer ones!!!!! My budget has now moved from $5k to $15k. Then, last week I heard of this trailer I had never heard of before. Another Egg model called Oliver. I've made up my mind!!!! My budget is now in the $25k to $40k area! Don't tell my wife. She thinks I'm still looking at the $5k stuff. She remembers the mold too and is not too keen on the whole idea anyway. Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Hopefully, there will be an Oliver in my near future! In the meantime, I'll keep reading, learning, and look forward to sharing! Thank you everyone and Oliver, Frank

The humor here, is that while reading Oliver's post that was exactly the same paragraph I was going to quote and comment on, pretty much the same way. So consider it seconded.

EDIT 12/10/23. Useful link: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/6720-natures-head-compost-toilet-troubleshooting-user-guide/ EDIT 06/06/23. This is an Oliver factory installation, not mine. One member has assumed that I did this. There are a number of threads asking about this toilet. I hope we can gather up a lot of the talk here in one place. I think there has been one other installation in an Ollie but there have been NO published pictures of any kind, that I have been able to find, even from the factory. This is baffling to me. I really wanted to cut the dump station umbilical. We routinely dry camp and finding an open station during a busy holiday weekend or off season is not something I want to face. With the NH toilet we can get rid of our grey water with a 3/4 inch garden hose. In many western states it is legal and encouraged to run a hose out to a nearby shrub and let your water trickle into the ground. The black tank, drain plumbing and vent system are all completely retained. The factory folks are extremely reluctant to delete these parts, since they are part of their certification. If you wanted to reinstall a regular toilet, it would be a very minor job. The fresh water line is even in place, next to the wall. You could sell the used NH for $400 and that would pay for the replacement conventional RV toilet, with a lot left over. An RV toilet is less than $200.... I chose to charge the base with coconut coir rather than peat moss, since it is a renewable resource and doesn't damage the environment. https://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=coconut+coir I made the mistake of just dropping a dry 2 pound brick into the bottom, adding water and then letting it hydrate. I ended up with WAY too much material. You need to do this in a bucket, outside, and then transfer the expanded stuff into the base, and the leftovers into gallon zip bags. The correct height is even with the internal agitator centerline. Any higher and it becomes difficult to turn with the handle. It takes about two gallons, I did not measure. There are many online sources with info. To summarize: Sit to pee, everybody, so there is no splashing. The trapdoor stays closed and your pee goes forward, and then down into the reservoir. Which you pre-treated with a half cup of vinegar, to kill the odor. That part is easy. To poop, open the trapdoor, finish the job, wipe and close the door. Give the agitator handle two or three turns. The poop and paper will decompose rapidly once the natural process gets going, which may take a few days. The fan keeps a steady flow of fresh air into the reservoir and out of the trailer through the existing roof vent. I never noticed any bad odors except the first days, before I figured out that Oliver had installed the wrong fuse, a 1 amp, which had blown. Once I installed the correct fuse (2 to 5 specified, I used 3 amp), the fan worked as designed. The fuse is located in the main distribution panel under the dinette table, right row, bottom position (UN-labeled!). It is best to put only the absolute minimum amount of RV toilet paper into the base. If you put a lot in, it wraps around the agitator and makes it harder to turn. Only stinky paper goes down - the rest (damp with pee) goes into the small covered waste can to be disposed of weekly. The can came from Walmart, $10 I think. Cleaning is simple: spritz the area lightly with a dilute vinegar spray and wipe down with a disposable baby wipe, toss in can. Done. The residual vinegar and wipes control any odor from the can. The pee tank is big but it will fill up faster than you can believe if you have four people using it! Empty when it gets to within an inch or two from the top: Flip the two side latches, carefully rotate the top off the base, remove the pee bottle and cap it. Dump it in any approved location - a pit toilet or a rest stop restroom. Rinse with fresh water a couple of times and recharge with half a cup of vinegar. Reinstall into the toilet and close and latch the top. The pee will eventually form crusty yellow deposits. The fix, I have read, is to add gravel and water and shake it hard, then rinse several times. In two weeks of use I never noticed any significant deposits. The longer you let the poop decompose the better. If you can leave it over the winter, dump it out in the spring and it will be totally benign. If you need to empty it mid-season, remove the pee bottle and vent hose, unscrew the two hold down knobs and lift out the entire unit. Carry it outside and put a 13 gallon or larger trash bag on top, flip it over and empty the compost. Refill with clean coir to the centerline. There is NO need to clean it out. Any residual material will just help the next batch get started. The organic waste you can double bag and put in the trash, or if fully decomposed, it can be spread out in the woods, but not near a potable water supply or garden. The way to keep the smell in control is to keep the pee out of the main reservoir. It's the urine that makes a pit toilet smell so bad.... If you throw up or have a messy poop, you can add a little more fresh coir to help absorb the extra fluids. I keep a gallon bag of the hydrated stuff in the overheard cabinet (along with a quart of vinegar) and haven't had to add any extra. The fan has a dust filter that is supposed to be checked every few weeks, by removing two Philips screws. I think that is way too often in the clean environment of a fiberglass trailer, unless you have a dog that sheds. You can put your hand over the left (inlet) opening and feel a light suction. If that isn't present, you need to clean the filter. The pee bottle sits in a sealed cavity to catch overflows, This is a problem since when you take a shower, a bunch of fresh water gets trapped there. I intend to drill a couple of small drain holes in the bottom. I don't care if the pee bottle overflows onto the floor of the head, at least that way I will notice it! unless it is dark, and I am barefooted.... that would be bad 😉 This is why you want to empty the tank before it gets too close to the top. Agitator handle: ours fell off right away, the shaft has a set screw with lock nut. It is very easy to tighten correctly. I am not sure why the factory guy couldn't do it successfully. Spares: I intend to purchase a spare pee tank ($40), spare lids, and a fan.I already have extra 3 amp fuses. ... http://store.natureshead.net I intend to wire in a small LED in the wire harness to show that the fan has power. You can probably hear it running, faintly, if you are in a very quiet area and don't have bad tinnitus, as I do. The Nature's Head is a cool device, but it is really just a fancy bucket. A solidly built, very expensive bucket. I wish the price were about $250 instead of $800. That seems about right for what you get. OTH it is very rugged, and long time users seem to love it. My wife still has some reservations about using it, and we need to get a short step stool since it sits so much higher than even a tall toilet. This one might work well, and it might fit in close to the base with a bungee cord around it for travel: .... https://www.squattypotty.com/shop/poop-better/classic-ecco I am still learning, but I have no regrets at this time. Questions? John Davies Spokane WA

There is just over 3000 miles on my trailer. Today I lubed the shackle bolts, readjusted the wheel bearing nuts (all were very slightly loose), retorqued the shackle and ubolts (most ubolt nuts were slightly loose, two were _really_ loose), and cleaned and waxed both sides of the wheels. I was planning on rotating my spare along with the four main tires, but the wheel is different. Mains are 16x6, ten holes. Spare is 16x7, twelve holes. The back sides are machined differently, tho that doesn't really matter. Has anyone encountered this? Is this an Elite wheel? I have emailed Jason, asking for a replacement.... I will update what happens. Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

Hi everyone, My wife and I live in Missouri. We're plannning to retire in the coming months/year. We love to camp in our Casita but are looking to upgrade in quality and size. We are planning to order an Elite II - Twin Bed Standard with the options below. Do you have any advice on whether those items are worth it or whether I should add additional items? Any info you could provide would be helpful. Thanks. Cushion color: Ascot Flooring: Canyon Aspen Mirrored Finish Cabinet Fiber Granite (Dakota Black Gel) Wingard Omni HD Antenna AGM Trojan 6v batteries Truman Aquago Tankless Water Heater Two KTT Talalay 6 Latex Foam mattresses Dexter EZ Flex Upgrade Sideways 2-burner stove Wilson 4G Cellphone Amplifier Rear View Camera Four reading light package 30lb Propane Tank Upgrade Propane Quick Disconnet (front and back) 320 Watt Solar Package Large-Xantech Power Inverter/2000W Generator Quick Disconnect Andersen No-sway Hitch Addition outlets Surge Protector Storage Basket Hitch for bike rack

For the record, my water pump starts sucking air at about 35% full. I have to tip up the trailer after that, or refill. The hardest part of this project will be getting access to the area for wrenches and other tools. With the tank out at the factory, it would take no time at all. Really, as there is no option for an outlet on the bottom of the tank, it has to be on the side, which requires some kind of draw tube entering the tank. I'll be curious to hear what Oliver comes up with. For the rest of us, anyone taking this project on please post pics if you are able. Thanks. Dave

With regards to the placement of the hooks - on the Elite II it is standard for one hook to be placed the the left of the bath door (as one looks into the bath from the kitchen) and another hook placed in the kitchen area. An optional hook placed to the right of the bath door is much more useful for towels, dry cloths while bathing, etc. Other uses for additional hooks are just inside the main entry door on the left (as you enter) for a garbage bag, dog leash, etc. , at the rear above the storage areas - to be used for hanging clothes while sleeping and/or for a clothesline, above the interior dinette seat for hats, garbage bag, etc., and in the kitchen area for stuff. If I were you I'd consider the additional hook outside the bath - just for its usefulness and for cosmetic reasons and then wait to decide on other(s) hook(s) until after you have used the camper for awhile. You can always add these later and/or use either suction cup hooks or Command hooks. Hope this helps.

Reminds me of . Hope those experts work fast - my trailer is supposed to start construction in a week.

I looked in their tonight and man is it tight... They started using the long sweeping elbows this year and I wonder if they added a bit to account for the sweep? There was no way that the pipe could be pushed down but with a little extra length on the pipe above the first Tee, it could be dropped to the floor allowing a lot more water into the line... So that will need to be modified also. On mine, being the king bed, it looks like I might need to remove everything over the top of it to make the needed adjustments to the lines and the fittings. Here's today's pics, there's no way to get a measuring tape in there right now... When the rain stops, I can pull the heating duct out oif the way and get a better look. Got another email today from Jason saying that they have hired experts to figure it out...

Dave, You cannot glue PEX. It's inert. In this case, if you findt he right diameter tubing to slip into it, you could use it on the pickup side where there is no pressure. Much better to go with a copper crimp ring on a barbed PEX fitting. If you want to run copper through your fitting and then connect to PEX, get a PEX fitting and solder it onto the copper. Or, at least a compression X female 1/2" and screw in a PEX X 1/2" male. That setup might allow you to get it into a very tight spot. If you look at my earlier post I described the fitting I think will work best. Reed, I'm gonna run my tank down tomorrow and see how far it gets. Probably the same as yours. Then I'll work on a fitting with the stuff I have here. I suggested Rectum 5 because it doesn't harden like True Blu. Not sure which might work best, but 5 works well on plastic. Another possible choice is aquarium silicone. Just don't use teflon tape.

Thank you everyone for the wonderful advice. Mike and Carol, I have already talked with Heather and she knows of my intentions. (Hmm, that doesn't quite sound correct! Oh well, I hope everyone knows what I mean). And Randy, thank you. Great idea! I'll do that. I also love vintage cars and I've lost a bunch because I wasn't the first! Safe Travels, Frank

I would add an acess door under the porch side twin bed to provide easy acess to the water pump values for boondocking without having to move the mattress and an access door under the night stand to access the rear of the basement storage compartment.

While ours was used when purchased, therefore no ability to choose options, I will say our street side awning is used quite a bit. A lot of people will say they'd never use it and that may be the case, but having it and not having to worry about which way your parking to enjoy covered seating is quite nice. I myself wonder about the front basket, don't get me wrong I like it and you know how you camp, but between the solar and AGM batteries, if it's just for a generator you might find it actually becomes for a cooler. Good list otherwise, we've got the cell booster and have used it a lot, also have the wifi and have never used it once. Truma is good if you do hookups, so if your water is endless then it might as well be hot too. Personal preference - AC/DC fridge, no propane.

Thank you Oliver for addressing this thread directly! I have been out of touch for the past 2 weeks and was taken by suprise at all that has been said here. I can say that Oliver hands down beats Casita and Bigfoot in quality! I have owned all 3. We thought we would buy an Airstream or a larger stick built for our next trailer. We even bought a new truck with the power to tow whatever we choose. But after looking at Airstream and a few high-end stick builts, the construction quality was visibly and obviously lacking in them (sorry Airstream, in my humble opinion, you aren't what you use to be). After we toured the Oliver factory we knew we had just seen the BEST travel trailer made in the U.S.. We ordered one and are very happy with our decision and our new Ollie. Are there things that need improving, yes! Were there a few problems on delivery, yes! There always are. The difference is Oliver is commited and stands behind their product 100%. They still have people working for them, not robots. And guess what, people sometimes have bad days or make mistakes are miss something. Tell Oliver! Give them feedback directly. Give them a chance to address it in the production line. Changes take time to implement. And Oliver, you need to post earlier if something does come up on the forums and tell us what you are doing to address the problem! I, for one, don't have the skills to fix the problems myself, but I do trust Oliver and believe they are commited to making things right and will, given time. I have seen it first hand.

To the Oliver Family, Even though we purchased our Ollie used and out of warranty, the first time we took the unit in for work Oliver took care of the minor problem for no charge. Made a long lasting impression on me when I told the Tech we purchased our Ollie used and he said when you purchased an Oliver, you joined the Oliver Family! My Sincere thanks to everyone at Oliver TT for your continuous efforts to improve an already great travel trailer!

This is certainly a true statement! We've had a few issues and every one was addressed quickly and to our complete satisfaction. Mike

I apologize in advance for the wordiness of this post. This has a chance of being my swan song here on this forum so I'll just let it go. This is a good thread and I'm glad John, a new owner started it. It seems Reed and Karen do have a serious problem that seems related to their build, but also from reading through this forum a good chance exists that Oliver will figure it out and help them correct it. I don't believe this thread or ones similar should "scare" a prospective buyer even a newbie to the scene such as myself. What should scare anyone is the thought of of purchasing any RV and believing (or being told) like most modern automobiles or trucks, they are pretty much trouble free and require little to no maintenance or repair. Nonsense. I have been diligently researching this lifestyle for the last 2 years. Reading, going to shows, renting Cruise Americas and talking to owners in campgrounds and at events. They ALL have issues. Every bleepin one of them. It is common in the industry. Cars and trucks don't have complex electrical, plumbing, water heaters, inverters, solar controllers. Neither do most smaller boats (under 26') Has anyone priced new boats as of late? 20' Boston Whaler over 100K! As toys go, and these things are toys although some folks want them to perform like homes, there is a lot of stuff crammed into them. That plus the fact that they are hand built, are pulled or driven all over creation lends itself to problems that all brands experience, albeit some more than others. My brother paid almost $2 million for a custom Prevost Luxury Coach conversion. It had problems/issues, 1 of them 12 grand worth on a major component just out of warranty. My neighbors 2 doors down downsized from an older Tiffany MH to a new Jayco TT that they paid under 15k for. Guess what? It has issues and has been to the dealer 3x and most is worked out with some other things fixed by him. Oliver is no different. What sets them apart from the consumer grade pack is cabin/body/frame design, and their commitment to customer satisfaction. But even they can lay the occasional bad egg. It is a chance any of us take buying any RV. Being connected to a company and/or dealership that takes into course of their business warranty work and a strong willingness to satisfy the costumer goes a lot longer in this RV world that waiting for the perfect unit to hit the streets. We are leaning towards the Airstream FC 25FB Twin over the Oliver not because we think one is better built than the other but for our needs, camping plans and style, and preference. Also right in our backyard, 40 minutes up the GSP (although they plan to relocate to a new facility 20 minutes further west within 2 years) is one of the largest AS dealerships in North America. This is a family owned and operated dealership for over 15 years maintaining very large selections of AS trailers. We have visited them twice, have researched their reputation 6 ways to Sunday, and almost everyone who has done business with them, raves about their commitment to customer satisfaction. I know personally 4 owners who have bought and service their trailers there 2 of them second time buyers 1 of them 3 times! Our last trip there we met a couple from VA. that were originally from NJ. They are on their 2nd AS in almost 12 years and have traversed the continent. They were getting tires changed and we spoke for a good time and they have nothing but great things to say about this dealership, Airsrteams they have owned, and the problems that come up. Their experience taught them that it takes a full season of good use, to get the bugs worked out. They are glad to be only 5 hrs away and always have there rig serviced here bypassing several closer dealerships. I like the idea of having a responsive dealership close to where I live. Although Oliver has a record of getting repair work done for customers at general RV dealerships nationwide, what happens if you encounter an issue unique to Oliver's design that a general facility cannot or will not handle? A trip to TN to get it fixed is what I can see. In summation I believe that one first finds something that truly fits their own style and preference. Out of the 2 or more 'brands' for lack of a better word, make the decision based on economics and other less tangible but very important aspects like service/repair availability and manufacturer/dealer reputation. Because all TT's, Fivers, and MH's will need it now and then. Familiarize yourself with your specific unit, be attentive to maintenance especially PM, and go forth and have fun.

Use a screw driver if needed to pry off the vent (right side of the pic) or just reach thru the vent with your fingers and pull. Then the flow limiter is the thing on the left. I tossed ours into our junk drawer, never to be used again :) Then just push the vent back into place, it will click in and work like normal.