Leaderboard

Spike, I was a bit surprised by the $11 directly from Oliver, but I too didn't think about the spare bearings until after delivery. I don't know how the bearings that one gets from Oliver are packaged, but the ones from Red Neck Trailers are in a nice sealed package with all the parts you need. I've now gone over two years without needing to break open those packages and I hope that I never actually have to break the seal. But, I believe that camping and RV'ing should be relaxing - this is simply one less thing to worry about. Bill p.s. Happy Easter!

I asked for two bearing kits at trailer pick up. They were only $11.00 each. I also requested that the ez flex be greased before pick up. The red grease I selected was based on what Dexter recommended for the bearings and what my truck manufacturer recommended for the universal joints. The ez flex is not that picky about what grease is used so I wanted to carry only one type that would be proper for both the truck U joints and the trailer wheel bearings and yet be readily available at automotive parts stores. I ended up with Valvoline No.W615 in 14.1 oz tubes.

The fridge is much more efficient on propane as opposed to either AC or DC. Like you, I tried it once on DC just to see what would happen. Unfortunately, I got a bit busy doing other "stuff" (like fishing) and forgot that I still had it on DC. Thankfully I caught it in time before the batteries were totally depleted (50% lead acid), but, other than using it on DC for places where the use of propane is prohibited or perhaps while driving if one is opposed to using propane while going down the road, what's the use? Bill

Spike, you can ask for an extra bearing set to be colleced at delivery, it will cost less than getting it from Amazon. Just remember to look for it with the suppled spares, and make sure it is there. John Davies Spokane WA

Jeff, the Redline BK2-100 Bearing Kit is on Amazon for about $15. Easy to carry one or two, just in case. Mike

Spike - Try this http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/packing-wheel-bearings-diy/page/4/ Of course this assumes that you are getting an Elite II (don't know if the Elite I has the same or not). You might want to read most of that entire topic - there is some really good info there. For what its worth - I remembered that this topic had referred to "Red Neck Trailers" and that is what I had to put in the Search function in order to find this series of posts. Bill

I do not mean to speak for the poster who provided the list, which I very much appreciate. But I will point out that his list contains relatively few items for repairs due to poor quality or workmanship. Any trailer or tow vehicle can get a flat tire or a blown fuse. Any person might experience problems with batteries, which are not manufactured by Oliver. There may be a malfunction in appliances, which are not manufactured by Oliver. Who doesn't need to carry a flashlight? Every trailer owner needs that sewer elbow and blocks. In the back of our Hyundai Elantra is a toolkit with many of the same items on that list, including common hand tools, duct tape, paracord, flashlight, tarp, blankets, pillows, bottled water and slow to perish foods. Not once have we cracked that tool box or needed any of the other provisions, but it's better to have them and never need them than to need them and not have them. And chances are even greater when camping rather than normal routine that one would need to take care of repairs themselves.

Linda, Congrats on the impending hatch of your new "baby". As far as the hoses go, Oliver will supply you with both the water and sewer hose. If you choose to supply additional ones of your own, potable water hoses are always white and are easily found in the (usually small and limited) RV section at most Wal-Marts. If you buy an additional sewer hose, pick the heaviest duty one you can find. We went for 5 years with our first Oliver without needing any more sewer hose than came with it. I did add a couple of extra lengths when I made a dump station at home. I've taken to carrying one of these with us in case we have a campsite that has "full" hookups (water, electric AND sewer). If you plan to camp where you will regularly have access to campsite sewer hookup you will usually need an additional length of hose and a sewer elbow will make the connection to it a lot more pleasant (think Robin Williams in the movie RV). Unless you are perpetually parked on concrete or some sort of pavement, you will probably have to have something to put under the feet on the leveling jacks. The Oliver is heavy and if you are parked for any length of time on anything other than solid ground they will tend to sink in somewhat. I use some 8 inch lengths of 4x6 treated wood stood on end under the back two jacks. This keeps me from having to extend/retract them their full length (this also saves on battery power if you are not hooked up to electricity). Also, if you forget to raise those rear jacks before pulling out of your campsite, having them already 8 inches off the ground will go a long way toward not discovering this error by immediately bending the jacks backward. I likewise use some 4x6 blocks under the front jack but not stood on end. If the trailer moves forward or backward more than a few inches it would topple off an upright block and, based on a tongue weight of over 500 pounds, the jack would hit the ground pretty hard. Which brings us to the subject of chocks. You need them. You didn't mention which Oliver model you are getting but for the single axle you need two chocks; for the twin axle, at least two, four would be better. Harbor Freight has some that are made of solid rubber for about $6-7 each. Put these in front of and in back of your tires BEFORE you unhitch. You never know if the site is just unlevel enough to make the trailer roll when you raise it off the ball. Even a few inches can be bad. Backwards usually not so much but it might get away from you and go down a hill someplace , forwards and you've got a nice ding in your tow vehicle. Not knowing your experience, I hope these little pearls of info are not redundant to you and will serve to enhance your camping adventures and help you avoid some of the pitfalls that await all of us. May your road go ever on..... Steve