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We would like to announce the location and dates for our 2018 Rally. The 2018 Oliver Rally will be held May 4-7, 2018 at Lake Guntersville State Park in Alabama. Lake Gunterville State Park offers many fun activities including an 18-hole golf course, fishing, hiking and biking trails, boat rentals, ziplining and more. More details to come. For now we ask to hold off on questions. We will update the webpage dedicated to the Rally as we get more information. http://olivertraveltrailers.com/rally/

My wife and I are building a garage on a vacant lot in the Florida panhandle. Our plan is to store all our personal possessions in this building while we travel all over the country. I am told we need to purchase commercial insurance because we do not live there nine months per year and there is no house built on the lot as yet. The structure is 2x6 frame w/ threaded rods for hurricane and wind, all plywood sheathing roof and sides, metal roof, and cement-based siding (like Hardiboard). The windows are impact resistant with wooden shutters. The structure is built like a tank and climate controlled. Does anyone have any ideas how to go about getting affordable insurance for our building and contents? The quote we got was quite ridiculously high and I need some guidance. Surely we are not the first people to build a base camp for our RV. We have sewer, water hookup, and 30 amp service.

I have been involved with Oliver Travel Trailers almost since day one. The fact that we have owned two of their fine trailers should indicate to everyone that I am very pro-Oliver. As well as the Oliver family, I have personally known virtually all the workers on the line during these past 10 years. I can attest that they are all fine, Christian, honest folks with the customer’s best interests at heart. I have placed this post in this thread since it seems that, once again, an old problem has reared its ugly head. That problem being the attacking or speaking disparagingly against Oliver’s employees. I want to make it very clear that from this point on there will be ZERO tolerance for negatively commenting on an employee’s performance or words within this forum. This is not the proper venue for venting toward an individual. Case in point is the recent comment alleged to have been made by Anita in the sales office. I have spoken with Anita concerning this matter. She is very upset about this accusation and vehemently denies ever having said those words. Further, it has been addressed with management. You may feel free to rant on about anything Oliver Trailer related but if you have a problem with an Oliver employee or if you perceive they have acted in a manner that you deem unprofessional, you are to address that matter directly with Scott Oliver.

If a trailer manufacturer installs a system capable of lifting the entire trailer off the ground, then they are jacks, not stabilizers, regardless of what the oral or written instructions call them. Altering the manual does not change this fact. It’s about DESIGN CAPABILITIES, not INTENT. No equipment company will recommend that their equipment is safe for working under the trailer or doing maintenance around the wheels and axles. On every car and floor jack sold here, there are prominent safety warnings about securing the load with FIXED floor stands, not another service jack, before removing a wheel or crawling under a raised vehicle. Service jack failures, bloody injury and death are common news stories. The jack manufacturer, and also common terminology for as long as trailers have existed, calls the units “tongue jacks”, they are designed for lifting the rated load completely off the ground. The original Oliver concept and advertising was based on the idea that you can park, level your trailer and be camping in minutes, wihout having to fuss around with ramps or stacked pads under the tires like in the Bad Old Days, pre-Oliver. Owners seldom completely read the Owners Manual, it is silly to assume that a vague warning buried in a hundred page book will be sufficient, especially for the second owner, or ones decades from now. The next time you get in your car, look up at the airbag and other safety warning stickers on the visor. This is what Oliver needs to do. If Oliver wants to truly cover itself legally, they must issue a Safety Bulletin and send every single owner large yellow warning placards to be installed beside the switches, and beside each rear jack, stating clearly: “The three permanent jacks are not to be used for servicing the frame or for removing a wheel. To avoid death or serious injury, always place additional fixed steel support stands under the steel subframe and tongue during such maintenance. When extending the jacks, ensure that their base pads are placed on firm level surfaces and the units are not subjected to side loads. Do not remove this sticker.” I will continue to use the jacks for short term lifting tires off the ground, in a safe and level environment, and also for carefully removing wheels, but I won’t crawl around under the trailer without extra supports, no way.... For those of you without TPMS, here is a great reason to invest in a pressure warning system. It gives you enough advance notice that you can hopefully get off the highway and find a solid level spot to raise the trailer, instead of trying to use the sloped gravel shoulder of a freeway. I am a firm believer in TPMS and I believe it should be standard equipment on every RV. John Davies Spokane WA

I use the onboard jacks exclusively, I believe olivers policy on the jack usage is just cya. If I lift the tires off the ground, I'll put blocks under the tires to distribute the weight, if I'm changing a tire a jackstand goes on the subframe or the spring base plate, just common safety practices. Steve

As ScubaRx points out above, the service interval for the EZ-Flex is 3,000 miles. This means (at least for us anal types) that on trips longer than that we must pack a grease gun loaded with the recommended grease - N.L.G.I.:Grade 2 - sometimes called red grease. Most auto supply stores and even WalMart sell this stuff in 14 oz tubes. However, the grease gun that accepts these 14 oz tubes is rather large. I happened to have a smaller grease gun that accepts 3 oz tubes of grease that I bought years ago for motorcycle maintanence - I've seen them at WalMart and Harbor Freight: https://www.harborfreight.com/grease-gun-with-3-oz-grease-95575.html and I remembered seeing the 3 oz tubes of red grease. Unfortunately, when I went to purchase a couple of these smaller 3 oz tubes the only manufacturer that I could find that made them with red grease was Lucas Oil. Simple enough I thought until I went to several auto parts stores (NAPA, Autozone, etc.) and all they had was a package of three 3 oz tubes - two of the tubes were standard normal duty grease and the third was what I was looking for - red grease. Adding to the problem was the fact that none of the stores I went to would order (or could order according to them) either a single tube or a set of three tubes with all being red grease. Indeed, a quick internet search showed that Lucas Oil did sell this grease in a set of three 3 oz tubes (product number 10318), but, Amazon didn't have it nor did phone calls to the stores I had previously visited produce any favorible results. I then emailed Lucas Oil corporate office. They got right back to me with the name and phone number of the regional distributor for my area. A phone call to this individual resulted in him telling me that product 10318 was not available. So, once again, I emailed the Corporate office and told them that either their regional distributor was incorrect or that the Lucas Oli website needed to be updated. Again, they replied promptly with the phone number of a distributor that I think is on the West coast. It took a bit of searching on the part of this individual, but, he found the product number and added it to his own website on Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/LUCAS-OIL-RED-N-TACKY-GREASE-10318-1-PACK-OF-3-X-3OZ-CARTRIGE-MADE-IN-USA/253425934913?hash=item3b015ce241:g:JFAAAOSwlv9ag5eS Yes, when you can get a 14 oz tube of this stuff for under $3.00, a three pack of 3 oz tubes at a price of $14.00 is a bit out there. But, in the interest of not having to carry around a big grease gun.... Bill

I agree the jacks are strong enough to do the job - it's just the side to side wobbling that could potentially be an issue. Like John says, on level ground and little wind, no problem, but on the side of the road at an angle, or with a heavy wind, I'd be super cautious getting the whole 6000lbs up on stilts. With one set of tires anchoring it down though, no issues there especially on the newer models with the extended subframe.

The three jacks are rated for 9,000lbs, all together, even a trailer with all the options is just over 6,000 (not counting Steve's) I've had all four of the ground in my driveway, when I replaced the suspension, just enough off and with stacked 6x6 lumber under frame corners as a just in case. No issues and no drop in any jack height. I would think that the method by which the jacks are attached to the frame is better weight loading than a single point lift directly under the aluminum. Just my experiences...

If you think the three jacks are not strong enough to support the entire rig off the ground, then jack the frame close to the steel suspension subframe. Support the frame with tall jack stands. Dexter does not recommend jacking under the axles, I don’t know the reason. Maybe due to risk of slipping. I use the built-in jacks to raise all four tires off the ground, indoors on LEVEL concrete, without any issues or worries. Would I do it outside in a strong crosswind? Probably not. I do not recall any owner complaining of jack failure, but there may be unreported cases. I don’t think the jacks are straining when doing a full lift. If they were overloaded the fuses would pop. John Davies Spokane WA

Boy this is an old thread! The main issue with your Sequoia 4.7 is the engine and transmission. They are just plain inadequate for an Elite II, especially in the mountains. For what you describe a Land Cruiser 200 would be perfect. Your goals are the same as mine. Park the Ollie and explore the high country... Since you will definitely be going off payment it would be silly to buy a new truck. A used 2013 or later would be ideal. Look for a low miles certified if you are at all uneasy, but these trucks have VERY few serious issues. The drivetrain is identical to the Tundra and it is a brute. If you can afford it, get the later year with 8 speed auto. It has closer spacing of the first 6 gears with two overdrives and a much lower first ratio. But the six speed is fine too. $40K will buy you a very nice 2013 or 2014. These trucks new are now close to 90K. All you really need is; Remove the running boards, consider steel sliders. Install larger 10 ply tires. Install a minimal lift if you plan to do a lot of ledgey passes. That's all you need, it is absolutely phenomenal offroad. http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/land-cruiser-200-towing-thread/ If you have proper tires you probably will never need to use CRAWL to self-extract from a bog: If you don't mind another Sequoia, a late model 5.7 will do OK off-road when prepped the same but it is in NO way as capable as a 200. If you think you want a bed, look at a used Power Wagon 6.4. They drive way better than the HD pickups but you can't load them way down with gear like those. They are clumsy on tighter trails..... I used to have a fully tricked out Series 80 Land Cruiser (with three lockers).This mostly stock 200 is a little larger physically but it will go anywhere that older truck would go. It is scary capable. John Davies Spokane WA

All We have had a number of inquiries about a reserved section of the campground at Lake Guntersville State Park for Oliver Travel Trailer Rally participants. We have not reserved a section because of the many choices of campground sites. This campground offers a diversity of choices. Some are wooded, those in sections B, F and H are in the heavily wooded areas. Section B are pull - thrus. Sections G, D and E are near the lake, but the trees are small, as a result of a tornado a few years ago. Most all sites have full hookups, but not all. When making reservations, make sure your site has all that you need. There is a primitive area in the trees, near the lake. Again this year, we will be inviting all Fiberglass RV enthusiasts, those that have a travel trailer or an interest in becoming a travel trailer owner. I will be posting an invitation on the Fiberglass RV Forum soon. Lake Guntersville State Park offers a multitude of choices in activities and we are building free time into the activities to allow you opportunity to enjoy all that the park and North Alabama has to offer. As an example, just a short drive from Guntersville, is one of the "coolest " places in Alabama. Cathedral Caverns State Park, offers a constant 56 degrees year round, has an opening of 126 feet wide and 25 feet high. Inside are many stalagmites and stalactites , one of the world's largest stalagmites "Goliath" , 45 feet tall and a 243' base. One of the larger rooms has a prehistoric shark tooth embedded in the ceiling. Buck's Pocket State Park offers a deep canyon and great hiking trails. We will be posting many sites and events that we are gathering from the Guntersville Tourism Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce. Our goal is to make this the best Oliver Travel Trailer Rally ever !!