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I also tow an LE II with an Audi Q7, and it is a great tow vehicle. @DonnaDuane are correct about the WDH hitch. On page 98 of the Audi Q7 owners manual, it says: Never install a "weight distributing" or "load equalizing" trailer hitch on your vehicle. The vehicle was not designed for these kinds of trailer hitches. The hitch attachment can fail, causing the trailer to tear loose from the vehicle. You could have someone weld on a piece of metal that connects the receiver to the frame, and provides strength and permits a WDH. It probably voids the warranty. I have a neighbor that tows a 23 foot Airstream with an Audi Q7, and he had one installed. I did not like it because it really reduces the ground clearance. He had his installed by an RV shop in Ontario Canada called Can-Am that pioneered this solution. Having seen it, I think any good welding shop could copy the design. A bunch of discussion on forums HERE, and HERE, and HERE. The owner's manual also says: With a factory-installed or an aftermarket trailer hitch, the maximum permissible load on the ball hitch may not exceed 770 lbs (350 kg). It is recommended to use the maximum permissible load. What safety features are being disabled? On several occasions I have had an error message stating that the "ACC is not working, see the owners manual." The ACC is the adaptive cruise control, a fabulous feature. The owner's manual was no help, and the Audi service department was also no help. However, I have had this message while towing, but also without the trailer, and I conclude that the error message is not caused by the back end being lowered. Sorry, I do not know what is causing your problem, or how to fix it. I get this error message intermittently, which makes it hard to diagnose. On a couple of occasions I found road dirt and debris on the front sensors, and cleaning them off resolved the problem. Sometimes re-starting the car solved the problem, what I call the Microsoft solution. Sorry I cannot be of more help. Good luck with it.

This is a LOCKED thread. I wanted to put all my links in one spot so that they are easy for folks to find. Search remains a real problem with this forum! This thread does not allow comments. If you have questions, find a dead link or just want to talk, you can comment on the appropriate thread, or start a new thread or just Message me. I will add to this page as I start new threads, so hopefully it will continue to be a good up-to-date reference. NEWEST POSTS ARE AT THE TOP. I am not going to bother to alphabetize them, LOL. I put a link to this page in my signature, so you can get here directly from any of my comments. 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Thanks to the new narrow panel size that Zamp designed to fit Airstreams, I think you could make it work. No TV antenna, of course, like the 480W system. The trick would be to straddle the AC and MaxxFan with the narrow panels. There's just enough width between them and should be just enough length to maintain the Penguin II clearance requirements at the back of the unit. Here's how it might work. The three panels at the front are what Oliver will do for a 480W system - all I did was add the two narrow 80W panels to the rear. Worst case, they'd just need to use a low profile plumbing vent to slide the panels forward enough, or slide the AC back a bit, just to maintain the AC clearances. Add a couple Zamp 200W portable panels, and you've got yourself a 1kW mobile power station.

I had been using a 120 volt desk top Vornado fan (which was very effective, though a little bulky) but I wanted a built-in one that used less power and did not require continually running the inverter. This is the well regarded Caframo Sirocco II, made in Canada. The price varies a little, I bought it when it got down to $100. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LDY4TE4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 It has three speeds and a "time delay off" function. Amp draw from the small DC motor is very minimal: Low: 0.12 amp, Medium: 0.22 amp, High: 0.35 amp (at 12 volts). Max airflow is 140 cubic feet per minute on High. That is not nearly as much as the Vornado on Low, but it is plenty adequate. I had already removed the fixed TV and mount from the back curbside corner, so I mounted the fan there. Since there were already 4 big holes, plugged by the original screws, I did not want to drill any extras. I made a plate out of 6061-T6 1/8" thick aluminum plate, attached the fan mounting plate to that with rivets, and bolted the plate to the bottom of the cabinet using two of those big screws.A future owner could remove the fan without leaving behind any extra cavities... and the location is good for sleepers and does not get in the way when folded up. The fan mounting bracket is designed to mount to a flat surface, then you slide the fan sideways onto the plastic studs and secure it with two long machine screws. I used common long 1/8" diameter aluminum pop rivets. Because each rivet head was down inside a cavity, I added a teeny nut to the shank before pulling it. The back side of each rivet hole was countersunk most of the way through the material: I used a small flat pin punch in the vise and a bigger one on top of the tail to drive it into the countersunk part: And ground each tail flush using a little Dremel grinder with a sanding disc: By grinding the tails flush, they would not damage the nice gelcoat of the overhead cabinet. Here is the assembly screwed in place: John Davies Spokane WA

Starting a new thread since the other one seems flaky. This is mostly for Mike since I can't figure out how to send photos via PM. I'll do a big post on my electrical setup someday, after I've redone a few things and added a different hookup for my portable solar. Mike, this is the inverter itself, mounted under the dinette seat by the bath. You have to run pairs of + 12v, at least 1/0 AWG, in and out and also 120v both ways. And a ground strap to the case, so that's 7 large cables plus a coms cable and a temp sensor wire. I ran the 120v along the side and the 12v, ground and and coms through the trough under the dinette. I plan to pull the inverter and screw down a plywood base to secure it better, though it seems fine as it is, screwed into 2 layers of PVC. One thing I do want to do on this end is to install a manual transfer switch for the 120v, in case something ever happens with the charger. [attachment file=IMG_0078.jpg] The inverter has plenty of space for airflow in there. The only time I hear the fan is if I'm really loading it to the max, or if it's really quiet in the trailer when I just plug it in and it's bulk charging the batteries. This is the 12v + side, under the street side bed. Solar comes in at the top right, + goes to the combiner post, then to the cutoff, then though an 80a breaker, then snakes around into the charge controller. + out goes to the combiner post on the lower right, as does the twin + 1/0 from the inverter and the 4/0 + from the batteries, as well as Oliver's cable to their + bus. The bus bar and breaker on the small angled PVC panel are both Oliver's. I moved them a bit to get the post on there but otherwise, I tried not to touch anything on Oliver's side of the electrical. The battery + goes through a cutoff and a 400a fuse first, which are mounted out of sight on this side of the battery box. Solar negative goes around the back of the charge controller onto a combiner post that's hidden, then around the left side and in. Negative out goes down the open space in the hull to the terminal in the next photo. When I redo all of this, I'll add a much larger plywood base, swap the main combiner post for a bus bar, move the battery cutoff and fuse to the board for easier access and generally tie everything down better. Negative connections are kept away from the + on the dinette side of the battery box. Battery - goes into the shunt for the battery monitor, then I have the charge controller coming directly off the shunt and a short 4/0 jumper to a combiner post. Off that goes the twin 1/0 from the inverter, the ground from the inverter, and Oliver's - cable which goes into their distribution box. I removed the charger unit from their box so it's just a fuse and breaker box for me now. I'll redo this in plywood, swap out the combiner post for a bus bar and secure the wiring better.

It chipped because the panel was tight against the fiberglass, either from vibration or flex while driving. Steve, I do think John is right, though there must be enough clearance on most trailers since it's not a widely reported issue (I thought mine was an isolated case until John's post). In my case, and it looks like John's also, the corner of the hull was resting on that plate. My guess is that the plates were bent ever so slightly smaller than they should have been, and as a result they were resting on the radius of the bend rather than completely flat on the frame - hence why John had to use a mallet to push his down while pulling it out. Either that or the hull wasn't shimmed enough. Or just random bad luck on assembly tolerances. Anyway, I don't plan to pull mine out and cut it since it seems to be O.K. now. Time will tell. John, I bet that just grinding off the tread on that plate might have been enough, rather than having to cut it. I'm curious what you used to grind those treads, btw - and how you got a perfectly straight edge on it. FWIW, I noticed after our last trip that I've got similar chips on the front where the propane box meets the hull. I haven't looked closely at it, but obviously there's some flex there where the propane cover is pressed against the shell at the bottom.

Mine was also tight against the fiberglass. It popped a decent chip out of the gelcoat on the curb side during our first trip, which Oliver repaired perfectly. We haven't had any problems since then - I'd have to check to see if it's still tight or if they made some adjustment.

With a few exceptions, I think your list is possible. Much of what you're looking to do has either been discussed to some degree here, or has already been done on other trailers. Primarily, it will be a question of money, time, and your ability to do the work yourself. Also money, and in addition to that, some more money. Electrical - fairly easy, so long as you're familiar with 12 volt electrical. You'll have to replace the charger obviously - the existing one is easy to bypass. I don't know if you'll have to replace the breaker panel or not, but that shouldn't be difficult. If you're running that much electrical, then you'll probably want to install your own 3,000w or higher inverter, and possibly look at upgrading the batteries to lithium. Look here to see how I swapped out mine, which I left at 30A, but which is only a swapped connector away from being 50A. I need to update that info since I've remounted everything and added a few bits - what you see in the photos has a few sketchy things going on. FWIW, 30A generally allows you to run two things at once: microwave/heater, toaster oven/hair dryer, etc. We've never found that we needed more, but of course everyone's needs are different. A/C and heat - this is more difficult. A few of us have looked at mini splits, but no one has come up with a place to mount either the condenser or air handler. Of course there are 12 volt systems out there but not much here in the US. Most of us have found that a small Vornado portable heater is sufficient to keep the interior warm, at least once you take the chill off with the furnace. For heating between the hulls, a 12 volt marine compartment heater like this is probably the way to go. I believe at least one owner has installed one of these, and it's on my list as well. Running the furnace fan while using the electric heater will draw air into the rear curbside compartment to help keep the plumbing there warm. The heat strip on the A/C is mostly useless, IMO, and only works with the A/C fan on, which is silly loud. Having said all that, I think the last time this was discussed here was two years ago, so no doubt there are newer and different products out there. You can get as much as 640w of solar on the roof without losing the A/C or fan. Doing it post construction will be more difficult, but surely possible. Also, we were given a preview at the recent rally of a new solar tracking product that would increase the efficiency of the existing panels considerably. It will be made specifically for the Oliver and should be on the market by the time you could get your trailer. Then there's also portable solar that you can use to supplement - some owners prefer that to having more (or any) panels on the roof. Replacing the range would be no problem, so long as you can get a circuit for it on the existing panel. Alternatively, you can get an inexpensive portable induction burner and use that when power is plentiful or you want to boil water quickly. A few of us have portable freezers in our trucks - they work well and with ours we can carry 3 weeks of food between the truck and trailer. Of course, if you're going to do that for an extended period, then you'll have to consider a house battery for the truck and possibly solar to charge it. As for bed, dog, storage, etc., your only real limits are imagination and skill. I've heard rumors that Oliver is working on a new arrangement for the bed area that will allow more versatility, but who knows how far off that may actually be or if it will happen. Many owners travel with dogs, really big dogs, multiple dogs. I think the usual solution is to make a sofa out of the dinette area and let the dog sleep on or under that. For dogs, I'd consider doing the upholstery in a waterproof marine vinyl like Morbern rather than using any of Oliver's stock offerings. Personally, I think the van idea would work the best for storage, but they aren't the best tow vehicles. Otherwise, you'd be surprised how much you can fit in a crew cab truck with a large topper over the bed. Some owners have some pretty impressive slide outs that make for super efficient and accessible storage in the truck bed. I think the W/D is probably too difficult to happen, but it would be interesting to see what you could come up with.

KountryKamper, that sure is a good looking truck!!! Color, topper, the whole package. Going to sell my 2015 Tundra Limited and get one of those trucks. The desire is simply too great.

True. Flying into Nyc can be a mess. I was thinking maybe Virginia, south of DC, and take the train... Still some snow, but usually less. And more likelihood of open sspaces. As I said before, all things are possible. But, dealing with snowy gear almost requires a vestibule, for full timing, or a shed. You do have more space in a II, than our Elite. Certainly as much room as many tiny homes, with much more portability. But, it does require a flexible attitude. You have the experience of the 32' boat. As sailboaters, I'd say that's really good experience in small space living. But, easier to get out and about from a campsite, than on the hook. The tow vehicle opens up lots of opportunities.

Chris and Cherie, Technomadia, spent several years fulltime in the smaller Elite. It can be done. You can still find posts on their site, technomadia.com. They wintered out west or in Florida. Not New Jersey. And, since they moved up from a Tab, they already had a feel for (very) small space living. They now split their time between a vintage bus, and a boat. Another couple I know also fulltimed a few years in the smaller Elite. They now live in a fifth wheel. We've lived happily, traveling, in our small Elite for 90 days or so. Then, frankly, I'm ready to go home. I miss our daughter, my neighbors and friends, etc. But, I'm a lot older, and very settled in my neighborhood... We've still seen a lot in our travels. I'd invest in connectivity before a washer dryer combo, personally. Laundromats are everywhere, and campground laundries are usually very clean, and inexpensive. Do you have to winter over in snow country? Snow, and the appropriate clothing and footgear, is a pita, imo. But, that's why i live in Florida. Sherry

I personally can't imagine two people AND a 35lb dog full-timing in a 23 foot Ollie. I think it would be bordering on an endurance contest. One person, small dog, maybe.

That would be my advice as well. Use the blue (low strength) loctite brand and only use just a tiny bit at that! If you use the red or green color you may never get the hinges apart!

I've had them come loose but not fall off as yours did. After tightening those three or four times I re-assembled them with a couple of drops of Locktite (blue) on each bolt. They have not come loose since. Bill p.s. be careful to not overtighten and see if you can find that washer. The plastic can crack if you overtighten.

I'd try tech services at MaxxFan on Tuesday. They used to be really good with tech support/ customer service. With all the troubleshooting you've already done, you should get a fairly quick answer. Sherry

My board had to be replaced also - Oliver just sent me a new one and I replaced it myself. It would be worth a call to service just to see. I wouldn't mind knowing the part number so I could carry a spare.

Yep - unfortunately this is not the first board on that fan that I've heard of biting the dust. I'd be willing to bet that you are out of warranty too. But, I'd give the company a call to see if they would be willing to help you. Bill

Yellow is Oliver’s ground wire throughout the trailer for the 12v circuit. The hot wires change colors by circuit. The confusion happens when Oliver wiring meets an appliance manufacturers wiring. All of the lights in my Oliver that I have messed with have black and white wires. I don’t remember for sure, but I bet black fixture wire is the hot input and the white is ground. I think there should be some slack in wiring near the fan that you could pull out until you reached the butt connection. I am confused by your description of the pantry portal being by the door. The pantry I am referring to is the tall cabinet on the street side between the bed or couch and the dinette. On the bed side of the pantry is a cabinet and it has a portal to get to the wiring for the radio and solar charge controller. Other circuits run through there as well and there may be a connection for the Max Fan. Oliver uses flat 3 and 4 way connectors and if the is one there, it would have 3 black wires. One would be the supply/hot wire from the breaker panel in the attic. The other 2 would go to the fans. So by my way of thinking the supply/hot wire is getting to that connector because the bath fan works. If the problem is in the supply/hot wiring, it should be that connector or the butt splice near the fan itself. All of that should hold true for the ground side as well. My LEII hull# is 193 and it is a 2017. What is your hull number? Oliver does not make process changes willy nilly, so the hull numbers can help us help you by finding hull numbers close to yours and things are similar. Keep us updated and I’ll respond as my connectivity allows.

Check the back side of the breaker panel above the tv which is also called attic. My drawing show the hot side is a black wire and the ground is yellow. The drawing shows both fans on that circuit as you mentioned and the split or tap near the pantry but it could be in the attic. I assume you used the ground in the fan housing when testing for 12v. You might try a different ground source to determine which wire is failing. Check the cabinet access port by the radio and solar charge controller which is where the power and ground tap may be if it’s not in the attic. Good hunting, Mike

Perhaps it is that red wire from the inverter that is not working? Seriously - it sounds like you have done what I would have done (and maybe more). Do you have the ability to check continuity of both the positive and negative wires between the fuse panel and where they attach to the control board? Bill

Just FYI - with every 10 degrees (F) change in air temperature, you can expect a 1 psi change in tire pressure. Obviously, if the temperatures go up so will the tire pressure and if the temperatures go down a drop in psi can be expected. After allowing for this fluctuating air temperature, any additional increase in air pressure above approximately 10% to 15% probably means that your "cold" starting pressure is too low. On the other hand if a tire doesn't increase PSI within about 15 to 20 minutes of driving by approximately 10% to 12% probably means that your "cold" starting pressure is too high. This is certainly not an exact science and depends on so many variables, but at least it is a place to start without simply totally relying on the seat of ones pants. Bill

I went from 45 to 42 psi and after 300 miles I think I will keep it there. I will check tire temps when I get a stinking hot day. So far the they are fine but the air is cool. I run full fresh tank and am around 6000 pounds, max. John Davies Spokane WA

Steve and Tali beat me to it, but I'll put in another vote for condensation.

Let me see if I can help you. You state that "...Water is dripping from the rear and front “vent” on the dinette side only..." From that, I gather that it is dripping from two places (front and rear of trailer.) Does it drip constantly and consistently? I suspect that IF there is a leak it is coming from a single source. But based on the size of the puddle in the picture you included, I would expect a lot more water from a constant leak. A single leak could cause water to run out at both ends of the trailer due to the fact that the collection channel runs the entire length. If you are going to chase after a leak, I would start with the last fitting you replaced. On the other hand, it could merely be condensation between the shells. You state you are in Las Vegas and have been using heat at night. The outside humidity is probably very low but if it is cold enough to require heat then the temperature differential between the two shells will be significant. Every time you guys exhale you are releasing moisture into the air. Two people could easily put out a couple of quarts a day. If you are cooking inside on the propane cook-top, there would been even more.