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This past winter I saw a product called "Custom Shield Coating" by ArmorAll. This is a spray on, peel-off paint and body protection product that is supposed to help prevent rock chips. Since I will shortly be hitting the road and plan on traveling on my share of dirt over the next two months, I thought that I'd give it a try. And it sure is a bunch cheaper than a set of Rock Tamers. Application is fairly easy once you have the area taped and masked. When dry the surface of the Oliver has a "rubber like" texture to it and it is not shiny like the rest of the camper. However, on a test area the shine was back when the product was peeled off. Once I get back - mid September or so - I'll report back here as to how well this stuff held up and if it prevented and rock chips. Bill

I will put any tow vehicle info and pictures here in this new thread as I get my new 2013 Land Cruiser 200 sorted and adjusted. Today I mounted the Tekonsha P3 from my old Ram onto the dash, below the wiper stalk. It is the best spot that I could find. I popped out the switch panel that has four dummy unused switch plates and mounted my P3 bracket through the top two plates, using 8-32 x 1 inch stainless machine screws with 1/2 inch long nylon spacers and nylock nuts on the back. If I decide to remove the controller, all I have to do is buy two new plates and pop them into place. I used a Tekonsha Toyota wiring adapter and ran the cable out from under the dash to the right of the OBD connector. The unit is blocked by the wheel when steering straight ahead but is easily seen if the wheel is turned a few degrees, and it is super easy to reach the buttons and, most importantly, the Emergency Lever. I tow tested the Ollie for about 30 minutes and it is definitely in need of an Anderson hitch, which I ordered today. It tows well on smooth roads but the butt end of the truck pogos badly over large undulations and dips. It never felt out of control, but the steering feels light and it definitely does not feel settled and comfortable. Here is Mouse hooked up the the Cruiser, butt low in my driveway, in front of the RV bay, AKA "The Hanger Deck". Tongue weighs 575 pounds with one gas can full and the other three empty, using my nifty new hydraulic tongue weight scale. The truck settled almost 2.5 inches under the dead weight. More to come, my hitch arrives in three days. John Davies Spokane WA

Here are some photos of our trip back to Arizona after Stan (our Tundra) finally got hitched with Ollie. As RV newbies, we had much to learn along our way back home. We picked up our Ollie (Hull #222) over a month ago and have finally been able to post these pics. Looking forward to many more adventures.

I was told by Oliver yesterday that due to the tragedy at Fiamma and subsequent interruption/shutdown of their US operations that they're switching to Carefree Awnings. I've asked Jason exactly which model they're using, but it looks to me that their Freedom model is the closest match to the Fiamma. I've only briefly glanced at their website, and have no idea what their reputation is like. They look decent enough to me, but there aren't many closeup photos to go by. They do offer much more in the way of fabric choices, including sunbrella acrylic in pretty much any color you could want. The housings can be ordered in white, black and silver. They also have a number of accessories and have a screened room kit similar to Fiamma's. I assume that the accessories will be much easier to source than Fiamma's since they're based in Colorado rather than having to special order from Italy. I hate that Oliver had to switch, especially given the circumstances, but of course it's necessary and perfectly understandable, at least until Fiamma are able to get their operation back up and running.

I picked up my Elite II in March 2016. It is the first travel trailer I have owned but my parents owned two Airstreams, a couple of other riveted aluminum campers, a Class B motorhome and an Alaskan Camper. The Alaskan Camper (cab-over pickup camper) was the only one they kept for more than 2-3 years, primarily because of quality issues. My Ollie has not been completely trouble free, but the issues have been very minor. The back to my furnace fell off after about 15,000 miles due to vibration. Easy fix that Oliver paid for. I've had issues with the drawer between the twin beds coming out when traveling and Oliver has sent the necessary parts to a local RV shop to have that issue resolved (adding a latch). I had some issues with the hot water heater but discovered that I was the problem, not the water heater. The fact that Oliver doesn't have dealers that you can take the camper to for repairs is an issue, but I've found that the Oliver people will communicate effectively with a local RV shop if necessary. My Elite II is a very high-quality camper. In addition, the people at Oliver have shown a willingness to provide what I consider to be incredible customer service during the 16-17 months I've owned the camper. They are always available to answer questions, provide solutions and are genuinely interested in keeping me satisfied with their product. Pick up any issue of Trailer Life and read about owners' experiences with other manufacturers. The rule in this industry appears to be that the manufacturer forgets you the minute you pull away with your new purchase. I nearly purchased a new Airstream 27' front bedroom. Traveling with that camper would have been a very different experience for me. I think anyone considering an Oliver should carefully consider whether it's the right camper for them. The lack of a separate bedroom, the small size, etc. will cause some to decide it isn't. The small size (7' width), the robust solar capability, the two-layer fiberglass hull and other attributes will cause others to decide it is the right camper for them. Are Olivers perfect? No, but they are high-quality and the company is still small, family-owned, and has a high degree of commitment to customer service.

Recently I was told about a fairly simple one time use fire extinguisher - Tundra by First Alert. I know that there is an extinguisher by the Oliver entrance, but, what if a fire happens in the kitchen and I'm back in the bed? Amazon had a two pack of these for $22.49 and I ordered them. https://www.amazon.com/First-Alert-AF400-Extinguisher-Aerosol/dp/B001229JCU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499709044&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=tundra+fire+extinguisher&psc=1 Since they don't come with any kind of mount, I took a piece of 2 inch wide "industrial" Velcro I had in the workshop and figured that it would work nicely in the corner below the nightstand. Hopefully I'll never have to use it. Bill

I chuckled right away and appreciate the humor! It made for an amusing thought cloud......

My post concerning "screaming" was intended to be "cute" and not in anyway disparage anyone's ability (or lack thereof) to drive mountain roads. By taking the railway both people can look around without the hassle of also having to watch traffic. Both people can look for wildlife, both can look at the view, both can relax. Certainly it gives you another alternative. Bill

I think the tolerance level reduces as the price increases. Two years ago one could buy a loaded Elite II for $45000... now the same trailer is north of $60000. That's a huge difference for the same product. Oliver should be producing Rolls Royce quality for the current price.

Looks like a great trip home. I am impressed with your iphone photos. I cannot seem to get the hang of it. The pictures are beautiful, keep them coming as you travel. Looks like you live in a great spot for boondocking...so you may be tempted to camp at home and save the trouble of travel.

I have no direct experience, but the Land Cruiser guys really like the SOFT Timbrens, read here. https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/timbren-front-and-rear-bump-stops.478192/ Good luck. I am hoping I don't need airbags since I love the soft cushy OEM ride of my 2013 LC and don't want to mess it up (or the wonderful rear articulation) ... why are Timbrens so darned expensive? There is about $5 worth of material in a $300 kit! John Davies Spokane WA

I have a 10' step ladder that I use to clean the roof and solar panels. Karen bought the Swiffer Sweaper wet dry kit and it works fine when boondocking. I use the wet pads to scrub the trailer and the panels every couple of weeks. I don't do the whole trailer with the Swiffer, I just remove the spots. The best part about it is when the mop is dirty, you just put on a new damp cloth. Usually it takes 2 to clean the panels, then I hit it with a wet towel. We've paid to have it washed and waxed twice at truck stops while on the road and we clean it thoroughly every month. The truck washes have cost us $50 to wash and wax both the trailer and the car, a small price to pay to keep that sore back away. Otherwise I will grab a bucket with a shammy cloth and some soap and go to town :) I spend a lot of time in a chair when removing the road spray from the lower front panel and propane cover. I carry a bucket full of assorted tools in the back of the car and I use it for the wash water.

The scare factor of mountain roads depends on where you learned to drive, your own idiosyncrosies, and your confidence in your driving/driver, and your vehicle. I often tell people, Paul is a fearless driver, but I'm not a fearless passenger. I'm a lifelong flatland dweller... Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, Iowa, Florida. Not many challenging mountains here. Heck, I've been known to get sick in the balcony watching a ballet. Several times... Nonetheless, Paul confidently and carefully drives the unpaved high mountain goat trails, sans guard rails, and I not only survive, but have learned to help to look ahead for oncoming traffic on the one lane roads. Iceland's west fjord sheer drop offs from one lane dirt roads will either cure you, or make you stay home... I don't want to stay home... Sherry

We wash the Oliver whenever it's dirty, as dirt is damaging. Twice a year, minimum, often three, we wax with 3m Marine wax, the same paste wax we use on our 40 year old sailboat. I also wax the interior fiberglass every year, or two. Makes indoor cleanup easier. Our trailer is in the sun, 24/7/365. And it's nine years old... Marine grade gelcoat is tough, but extra uv protection from a quality wax is important. Both the Oliver, and the boat, still shine. don't let the surface get oxidized from the sun by skipping wax cycles. You'll regret it Lately, our neighbors have been investing in the ceramic coatings for their boats. One neighbor paid $1200 for a 17 ft boat.... We'll see how it holds up. Sherry

We start our day with a cup of coffee whether at home or camping. The right water is key so we bring bottled water when camping. I didn't think to fill a jug when we were at Hot Springs, I'll bet that would make great coffee! Mike

John-- The photos were all taken with my iPhone 6. Hank is a Great Pyrenees mix--mixed with Blue Tick Coonhound and Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. The way I know his pedigree is through genetic testing. Here is a bit of Hank's story. We had lost a beloved Border Collie-Australian Shepherd to cancer, and after a while, my wife, Liz, would periodically show me photos from the pound of different dogs needing adoption. I'd glance at them and just say, something like "I'm not ready to adopt another one now." That was, until she showed me the face of 8-week-old Hank, who was advertised by the local pound as a Border Collie mix who needed a foster home because he was too young to stay in the pound. Seeing his face, I immediately said, "Yes!" However, upon picking him up, we realized that Hank (we named him this later) was going to be a giant. We told one another that we couldn't raise such a large dog (we were pretty sure we would soon be RVing) and that we would just give him foster care until he was adopted. You can guess what happened: As soon as someone called to see if he was still available, we answered that "No," we were keeping him. We have not regretted that decision. The genetic test was well worth the $70. We can understand a lot of his behaviors by learning about those displayed by the different breeds that contributed to our Hank. He is loyal, lovable, laughable, and all ours. He is well trained but sometimes can just not seem to overcome some of his inbred impulses. While he has never bitten another person or dog, he has great guarding instincts (from the Pyrenees line), and humans and canines respect his girth, height, and deep bark. He sleeps on the floor in Ollie. (We thought at first that we would bed him in the convertible dinette section, but soon realized that that idea was not very practical.) It is a bit of a challenge living in the Ollie with him, but he does not mind our feet as they maneuver around him. So far, we have avoided injuring ourselves or Hank. We always have two conversation starters when we meet folks on the road: our unusual small trailer and unusual big dog.

This may be helpful in Timbrens experience but not F150. I have a Silverado 1500 4x4 Z-71 and towed our Elite II across country with stock suspension. After putting on the Timbrens, a very easy process, I was very pleased with the improvement in hitch height change and overall performance. The vertical movement of the trailer hitch when under way is greatly reduced and ride quality in the truck is significantly improved. I do not feel the ride is harsh just much more stabile than with stock suspension. With the trailer disconnected there is about 3/4" clearance between the Timbrens and the frame cushion stops and you don't have any change to stock suspension until putting the big load on the hitch. I am glad that I chose them for the loaded suspension improvement, the simplicity of installation, and being able to just use them with no required maintaining or adjusting. George

Great photos. Congrats on a wonderful first trip. I love this photo, particularly.. Safe travels, Sherry [attachment file=2017-06-17_19-42-50_326.jpeg]

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

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