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On our way back from Western New York, we camped a bit on the Skyline Drive. Geezer pass gives you free entry to this beautiful parkway. Great views from many of the pullouts. We checked out Big Meadow, but decided not to stay,even though we got there early enough to snag a couple sites close together. Sites are close together, big, flat, lots of campers. We continued south to Lewis Mountain. Still smaller sites, but more separation. Smaller campground. Lots of tenters and families. And gnats, but the gnats retired for the night after sundown. We had camped here 10 years ago, and enjoyed it just as much. No hookups, quiet after hours. Lots of trees. The next day, we moved out early to get a site at Loft Mountain. Since we arrived around 11 am, even on a Saturday in leaf season, we had pur pick of some really nice sites. Lots of pull thrus. Much bigger campground, but much bigger sites, choice of sun or shade Good separation. Seems like most if the sites are a quarter acre or better. Very nice, professional and helpful staff at both campgrounds. A view from one of the overlooks on the way. It's a beautiful drive.

David, I think the Oliver winterizing instructions are for the standard water heater. Thre is a bypass valve in the back on the Truma, and I suspect that this needs to be closed for you to be successful in pumping antifreeze in the system. I use an air compressor to blow air out of the system and only use antifreeze to pour into the P traps. One time when winterizing, the air compressor was largely ineffective in expelling water from the lines, but then I realized I had forgotten to close the Truma bypass valve. I closed the valve and it then worked very well. Here is a picture that I took of the valve and included in my winterizing checklist. BTW, Oliver put a circular access panel between the heating duct and the air return below the curbside bed, so that you could reach through to get to this valve. I found this quite difficult, and I get to the bypass valve via the rectangular rear curbside access panel under the bed. This is the one screwed down with a notice saying something like "no user-serviceable components in this compartment."

I think we sat on the wall at that overlook...

1. Always turn Propane tank valve on VERY SLOWLY, otherwise the force of rushing gas can cause safety valves on furnace, frig, or hot water heater to shut that appliance down. Only remedy is shot of gas, reset appliance, then turn gas valve VERY SLOWLY. Seemingly faulty appliance has always worked after that. 2. Always lock bathroom door before driving even the shortest distance. Otherwise it will be broken for sure from swinging open. 3. Never camp between other RVs that run generators with exhaust pointed towards your Ollie. The CO detector will go off. NEVER ignore your CO DETECTOR!!! You might die in your sleep. 4. Never run propane appliances while driving. They can cause gas explosions at gas stations. 5. Viair Air Compressor makes winterizing water lines and keeping tires at proper pressure a piece of cake 6. Anderson Leveling wedge is worthless on ice and snow. They need a studded version. 7. Boondocking in Winter requires a decent and quiet generator. Solar power is gone for perhaps weeks. I recommend the Honda 2200i. 8. Protect front lower sections of shell from rock chips with plastic coating. Tow vehicle will spray a ton of gravel into it, especially in Winter. The folks who applied 3m film to my Audi are doing my Ollie. 9. Keep Drain hose attached to outlet in rear bumper and simply cap the end. This is way easier and cleaner than taking it apart each drain cycle. And always drain Black then Gray for odorless hose 10. Dehumidifier is a must when Winter camping. Otherwise condensation runs amuck everywhere. 11. Hoppy Rearview Mirror Level on front of Ollie saves tons of time. And, your head doesn’t get nearly as wet running in and out and in and out etc, etc in the rain and snow to get the darn trailer level. 12. Use other Ollie owners for tips and advice, especially for Set Up and Departure Checklists. They are valuable beyond belief. I’ll add more as they happen. Happy travels

I considered two different Australian campers before deciding on our Ollie. The first was a fold-out tent trailer, which seemed like a great design but their US distributer folded. The second was a Kimberley, which was more comparable to the Ollie. It had everything we wanted and I was really interested in it. But then a few people who had them here in the US and who had originally gushed over them, admitted that they were having problems with the trailers and problems getting them fixed. One guy had an issue that made his camper completely unusable and the only fix was to send it back to AUS and have it rebuilt. So I ended up with the Ollie and then a year later heard that Kimberley filed for bankruptcy. Point being, be careful and know that no matter how good the trailer/importer/manufacturer looks right now, they could fold up tomorrow and leave you on your own. The only Australian company that has succeeded long term in the US has been EarthCruiser and they did it by essentially moving their business over here. But if you accept that and are still willing to go for it, then absolutely do so. The other thing I would say is that the Ollie is a lot more rugged than it gets credit for. I've banged mine around a good bit and apart from an initial round of build issues, it's been a real trooper so far. I've personally come to believe that the big long travel suspensions on these "off road" trailers aren't really of any benefit, and what really counts when banging your trailer around off pavement is maneuverability, toughness, and build quality. And I think that the Ollie really excels in those areas, particularly the Elite I, since it's so small and light. I do like some of the features of the Aussie trailers, like the extra spares, galvanized frames, and outdoor kitchens. But some of the features I think are a drawback in the US, like the Webasto diesel fired everything.

We had the identical issue with our AC pulling too many amps. Of course that was the last thing we checked - after rechecking the Easy Start install, checking both old Honda 2000,s with bad stators (that contributed to diagnosing the problem). Finally paid attention to the amp draw with both Honda’s in parallel. Took TT to local RV shop who communicated with Oliver and replaced the AC unit. After testing with two borrowed Honda 2000s, one at a time, at the Rally the issue was gone. I then purchased a Honda 2200 and added a propane kit to it. AC runs without a problem.

Unfortunately, what you're suggesting won't work. The electric antifreeze kit is only designed to protect the unit itself from freezing. You use a separate mode to turn it on and it doesn't work in the other modes (comfort or eco). If you select either of those modes then the unit will try to fire up, and unless you have the propane on it will give you an error. And unless you have the comfort plus, the unit can only circulate water within itself, not the water lines. In fact, even if you did have the comfort plus (I think only two Elite IIs have it) then you'd still only be protecting the hot water lines and not the cold lines or the faucets.

I always blow out all the lines first with air. Then our water heater is put on bypass. I hand pump antifreeze into the city inlet until it comes out the outside shower.Then we hook up the short hose, open the cold bathroom faucet, and turn on the pump..and so forth, and so forth...

That has to be a "male" racoon. He has that "what?" look on his face....

Interesting story! Glad it worked out okay... Mike

Woa, sorry about that mess! Hope your hitchhiker likes Kansas. Thanks for the info on the park. looks great!

I have never seen a guard like that, it attaches to the front of a vehicle, it looks very effective, but you couldn't see past it.... No I meant one to attach to the tongue of the trailer. This is interesting, it shows the low pressure areas behind the Land Cruiser and trailer at speed on a dusty road. The Stone Stomper prevents most of that forward cloud, except at low speeds. You don't get that vast accumulation of grit and dirt on the front of the trailer, as in the upper pic. John Davies Spokane WA

Jim's legacy will live on through his family, friends, and the many customers that have discovered the unique "people first" business model he has established. Beyond that, everytime someone sees and admires an Oliver trailer as the many hundreds of them cross this great land and Canada, his legacy will shine on. The Oliver trailer is a very unique jewel in the RV world as Jim Oliver was himself. Good job Jim, now it's time to go home and rest.

We are saddened to hear this news. He and his brother should be memorialized with a memorial in Hohenwald as the fathers advancement and quality of molded fiberglass RV's.

Although Krunch and I did not know Jim or his family personally, everything we have ever heard was extremely positive. And in my experience, nothing I say will really make a difference at this time. But I will still say that we are very sorry for your loss and know that you all are in our prayers. With God, all things are possible, Mike and Krunch

While I did not know Jim Oliver personally, I have gotten to know two of his sons and if they are a reflection of the kind of man he was, I highly admire him. His vision and dream has provided us with a new found appreciation of the outdoors and a lifestyle we never knew before. For that, we are extremely grateful. The company he built and the standards he set for quality, craftsmanship and service are in a class all their own. To a good life lived Jim Oliver. With condolences and prayers to your family and friends. Foy & Mirna Sperring

Truly sorry for the Oliver family's loss. His effect on the area has been huge and he will be missed.

I am so sorry to hear about this. I pray that Jesus will wrap His arms around all of the Oliver family and give them peace. Blessings to everyone.

So very sad to hear this. Our love to Evon and the kids, and to the entire Oliver family. He and John had a great vision and created a great product. He will be missed deeply. Dave and Ruth Meilstrup

We are saddened to hear this news! As we ordered our trailer, we have been met with kindness and compassion beyond anything we ever imagined! The Oliver family's values have definitely been passed down to all who work there. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Oliver family.You have touched us deeply! With heartfelt gratitude, Mirna and PK.

Mary Kay and I were greatly saddened by this news! We are thinking of and praying for strength in the coming days for the Oliver family. We are very thankful for knowing Jim. He will be greatly missed.

Shocking and sad news. We are so sorry to hear this. A great guy who will be missed. Our condolences to the Oliver family. Mike

I'm so very sorry to hear this news. Hopefully all of the immediate Oliver family knows just how saddened all of us are even those who never actually got the chance to personally meet him. There is no question that he has left this world a better place. Talk about leaving a legacy - obviously he left more than one or even two. Bill

We are deeply saddened by this announcement. Paul and I would like to share our heartfelt sympathies to his wife, all their children and grandchildren, and the Oliver family. Jim was a great guy, with an amazing vision. His entire family worked to make it come to fruition. He will be missed, by so many. Sherry

Hello Oliver Buddies, I’ve been away for quite a while. Since it’s been nearly a year since we took delivery of our demo Elite I, I decided it would be prudent to repack the wheel bearings. It seemed simple enough. I’d done it on my cars before, so felt confident this would go smoothly. I watched the Dexter how to video and several others on YouTube. Looked up the part numbers and ordered everything from etrailer.com. Got the first wheel off no problem because the lugs were dangerously loose (So glad I didn’t wait for that pending disaster to happen. ) Next I removed inner seal and compared it to my new parts. Yikes! New parts were ALL too small, so I take the entire hub to local parts store. They measure the seal with calipers, search for 10 minutes to find on their shelves, and sell me two for $38.50. Existing bearings were still in perfect condition. Went home to install repacked bearings and new seal. It went in the hub fine, but when I tried to slide it back on the spindle, it just wouldn’t go. I pushed and pushed. I checked brake pad clearance and nothing worked. So, I took it off only to discover I’d damaged it. Then I discovered it had a smaller ID than the original. Went back to parts store. They blamed it on measuring while still on hub. They were kind enough to refund my $38.50 and find another parts store down the road that had what I needed. Got to other store, showed them old one. They walked directly to shelf with matching seals. Sold me both for $7.50. Got home. Put it all back together with ease. I still don’t know the correct part numbers for bearings and races so I can reorder them to carry for an emergency while on the road. If you do, please tell me. Thank you

Both the nightstand drawer and upper cabinets now come with locking latches as standard - same as on the pantry and closet doors. Those were both requests of ours during construction, though we changed our minds on the upper cabinets before delivery - we felt like the locking hinges were too much trouble for something that we would use as often as the upper cabinets. After seeing them on the new trailers, I'm glad we kept the thumb latches. For owners of the upper cabinets with the thumb latches, there's a simple mod you can make that will make them perfectly secure and tight - just place a few washers under the latch. I believe that you have to buy longer bolts to make them work, and while you're at it, some nyloc nuts will keep them from vibrating loose. I want to say that it was Reed who came up with that solution, and it makes those latches feel 10x more solid and once done, the cabinets will never come open on their own, even on the roughest roads. Our solution for the kitchen drawers coming open is a simple bungee across them. I had installed a towel bar at the top already (Ikea refrigerator handle), so it was an easy job to add something below to hook to. I chose some recessed anchor points from Sea Dog, and they work great. I had asked Oliver about the push button latches, but we couldn't figure out how to make them work with their drawers. Those would have been nice, but honestly I think these bungees are less trouble. We've made several small modifications like these, along with judiciously tieing down plumbing and wiring, and today we have no worries whatsoever when heading onto a bumpy road.

If the A/C runs fine on shore power, then that's almost certainly the case. I had similar symptoms on mine - overload on compressor startup, but otherwise it would work. In my case, Oliver actually forgot to install the easy start, which I'm at least 99% certain was why it wasn't working.