Leaderboard

I will throw in my 2 cents. I tow a fair amount (not an Oliver, that won't happen until March 26) and I would say that overkill is great. The safety margin is increased and the fatigue factor is decreased. In addition to a Ram 3500 (for ranch work and ranch towing) I still own my all time favorite vehicle, a 2007 Tundra. I ordered the Andersen Hitch just to HAVE the ability to tow with my Tundra, but in reality I'll most often tow our Oliver with the Ram because in towing overkill is the way to go. It is comforting to know I could pull two EIIs!!, but only have one hooked up. As John and others have pointed out, payload creep is a real thing. It seems to me if I had to buy a pickup tow vehicle I would start my search with a suitable 3/4 ton.

MY input, buy whatever brand - size that fits your needs - but please make sure the payload of the vehicle you are considering meets your needs. Just because the towing ratings are in the ballpark, doesn't mean the payload is sufficient. AS for me - I do not consider any 1/2 ton truck sufficient to tow a fully loaded EII. Not because they can't, or aren't capable, but because I've towed a good deal with them and a 3/4 ton truck. I'll take a diesel powered 2500 any day given a choice, and a bigger pocket book. Good fortune, RB

Ours is noisy when opening and closing. I think it’s normal.

I like that. Thanks!

Would you mind explaining about the rotors and pads? I just don’t understand this..... I agree about Toyota trucks (not the cars and crossovers). I am a huge fan of them, and of certain Lexus models. The Tundra is definitely Old School, and long overdue for a major model update. The problem is that if you drive a recent model made by one of the Big Three, it might easily spoil you when compared to that obsolete technology. For example, the new Ram interiors are simply luscious. The driving experience of a newer truck with a MUCH better NVH design and more gears will be much higher, which is a really important factor for anyone who plans to spend many months on the road. I would never say “Don’t buy a Tundra”, because with the 5,7 engine it is a reliable workhorse. But I think a Certified two or three year old used truck with better features would be worth considering hard. For example, a later Ram 2500 with the most excellent soft riding rear coil suspension. .... http://www.trucktrend.com/news/1306-2014-ram-2500-five-link-coil-rear-suspension/ John Davies Spokane WA

Answers to your questions depend on you use case for mobile data: Some considerations and a quick table I made to show the differences... A key resource for all of us who are going to be mobile, and want to use internet on the road. This site was started by some previous Oliver owners...who were living the life of mobile technical writers. Since then, they've grown their YouTube and Blog on Mobile Internet into their main line of business. They do reviews of various types of BOOSTERS for CELL and WIFI and discuss the differences and why each is needed. They also describe many different use cases for RV's. From full time to part time, mobile workers to occasional travelers. They review and track the various data plans by Carrier, AT&T, Verizon etc...and tell which is the best value, has best coverage. Link below: https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/ C Short Hull 505 -Galway Girl

I've only ever heard good things about Toyota tundras, any regular size pickup will be able to tow the Oliver fairly easily with the quarter tons like the F150 Chevy/GMC/RAM 1500s and the Nissan Titan, needing a weight distribution hitch. All trucks will need a brake controller either built in or an aftermarket ad on. Most trucks that come with a tow package are prewired for an aftermarket brake controller that just plugs in under the steering column. I payed 120 for a nice one and plugged it in myself, there is no need to pay a dealer good money to do that for you.

I think they are pretty much all the same, the only thing that really matters at the end of the day is how much you payed for it. Pretty much every truck brand out there these days is ultra reliable, up to 250+ thousand miles or more, so the only things that should sway your decision is price, features, and creature comforts. For the money I'd say the Nissan Titan is probably one of the best new trucks that can tow up to 10k lbs. If you need more than that, the big three are pretty much the only options. There are way more options if you crack into the full size SUV game, but with that comes sacrifices to dirt friendly cargo space and added costs. I personally have a super bias, against Ford's, but I recognize that for what it is, rediculous mostly unfounded bias. I'm always one to recommend the extremely used market, but I'm mechanically savvy enough to fix small issues I run into ranging from o2 sensors to blown head gaskets and the like. Even if I didn't fix these things, paying a mechanic to fix a 1-5k dollar issue once every other year is still cheaper than an 80k dollar pickup.

We use the Clearsource for our Oliver. My reason for spending a bit more is that I wanted the actual stand which is powder coated non rusting. It fits in the front part of the storage area perfectly laying flat, leaving room on top for another bin, electrical cords etc. I put quick connects on the Filter, and use a short 2' hose to connect it to the trailer, and it can actually be tucked up under the trailer while camping. Pix Below: In the basement area I have the Clearsource, a (6 Gal) and (4 Gal) milk carton for storage and 1 gal bucket and flush hose. (I removed the filters from the stand in this picture below so you could see through to the back of the storage area.) As Mossemi says above, It's entirely possible to make the same filter out of components you buy from Home Depot or Lowes as mentioned above. To make that filter, you should have the flow go first through a sediment filter then into a finer carbon block filter which removes order and tastes (like a Brita.) In any case...this is what we have and hope it helps you see how it might be useful in your travels.

Catalina State Park just outside of Tucson last month. We’ve made reservations for next January already.

Once, when leaving a private campground, there was a line at the dump station. I asked the host if I could use an emptied full service sewer site to dump? He said sure, it all goes to the same place. Not sure all host would see it that way, but it doesn't hurt to ask, and they might like the idea that you don't hold up the line. Usually they like to empty the campsites early so they can clean and get ready for the next influx. Make sure you "police" the site so they feel good about letting you do that. Leave it nicer than you found it...

Sometimes, it's not all about the scenery. It's sometimes about the fire, and friendship We spent almost two weeks with Pete and Bosker. We swapped info, stories, (lies, haha) and, sometimes, we even swapped dogs. Bosker is in Paul's lap. Our dog Liv rules the universe from Pete's. Every day is an adventure. Both dogs love the Appalachians, as do we. Campfires have a way of rekindling old friendships. Sherry

Choctaw Lake in Tombigbee National Forest of Mississippi

9300 ft Silverton CO

Headed to Mount Pisgah on the Blue Ridge Parkway for cooler temps. Great weather for camping and hiking! Skinny Dip Falls From the BRP

We didn’t go back to Quartzsite for the rally. We’re at a COE campground between Fresno and Yosemite. We’ve been working our way up CA, head to Napa tomorrow. We had a great visit to Death Valley NP and also Yosemite NP. Yosemite was a ghost town yesterday, hardly anyone there. Great weather but 5 feet of snow forecasted for today and tomorrow. Hidden Lake COE campground.... Yosemite yesterday....

Franklin Mountain State Park only has 5 RV sites. No hookups and no dump station. $7/night. It’s basically a small loop with three sites on the outside and 2 on the inside. Sites 1 and 2 are not very level. Site 3 (our site) was better. 4 and 5 on the inside are pretty level. We didn’t venture into the brush, it was just an overnight stop on the way to Quartzsite. We walked the road down to the tent sites.