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I have a thought. No rally needs to be cancelled. Everyone set up they Oliver’s in there driveway turn on face time and enjoy the camping experience. The new Norm.

DavidS, I concur with all of what you said above. Very well stated. I just had a discussion via private message chat on FB with a friend of mine who I was stationed with at Aviano AB in Italy in the mid 80’s. He finished out his military career there, retired, and now lives with his family in the Friuli region of Northern Italy. This area was hit very hard by Covid19. Long story short, he said that this is a very serious virus and many many people are dying. He said that Italy did not take the Covid19 seriously at first and as a result the virus took off. Essentially Italy did not cut off travel tourism etc. I think for now staying put, and doing everything we can to stay healthy is key to getting through this. My friend and his family are doing ok so far. They are hunkered down and staying put. But he cautioned me, it’s a very serious disease and presently it’s not letting up and still ravaging Italy. FWIW. David

I sent out an email a few minutes ago letting everyone know about the change. It's also posted to the Facebook Page and Facebook Oliver Group Page.

I agree with John on this. I routinely lift the back of my truck with the trailer jack. Not far, maybe an inch at most after the truck goes to normal level. Usually, just until the chains have some slack. It can’t be much weight. I’ve found the key to easy hook up is to get the truck and trailer aligned. Mike

This is my last post to this topic : here is the reply from Timken, and it settles the issue. From the Timken rep: "Russell- thank you for submitting the photos. After reviewing the identification data shown in the photos I can confirm that the product shown in the photos is genuine Timken product manufactured in the USA in mid-late 2019 and appears to have been stored adequately. I would only be speculating as to how RBV Bearings sourced this product outside of normal procurement channels since RBV is an unauthorized distribution source. Going forward I would be cautious of any distribution source that does not clearly state they are an authorized Timken distributor." RBV should be RDV, purchased through Amazon.

Sea dawg, I certainly hope you did not take my post personal or political or inflammatory. I am merely passing along the story and concerns of a dear friend of mine and his family who are presently living in Italy and are attempting to survive living out how potent and dangerous the Wuhan Covid19 virus really is. I could not agree more, the virus is certainly on the entire worlds mind for sure. I think we can all agree that we need to take every step possible to not spread the virus and just be as safe as possible. As DavidS wisely mentioned -slow the transmission. Traveling or camping right now in the midst of a deadly pandemic is just not something we will be pursuing. We will make every attempt to be safe and wise by minimizing exposure or transmission through social distancing and staying home as recommended by the medical experts. Kathy and I will continue to lift up our thoughts and prayers for all people including your husbands family in Italy impacted by this terrible disease. This to shall pass. The happier news is we are signed up and looking forward to attending the OTT Rally in September at Lake Guntersville State Park. Really looking forward to meeting our extended Oliver family! -Patriot

Patriot , a year ago, we were in Italy, visiting my husband's family. I talked to our cousin in Italy, Giuliana online. They're in the danger region,too, but ok, so far. Including Grampa, in his late 80s. For that, I'm very, very thankful. We know this virus is on everyone's mind. That's why we kept the thread open, but ask everyone to keep it nonpolitical, noninflammatory. We get enough of that on tv, radio, and web. And and we split it from the rally topic, as we need to keep that topic clear for announcements. We appreciate everyone hanging in there, and wish you all safe, healthy, and happy camping. Sherry PS. I'll add this, as a member, not moderator. I really get more than enough news on the web and radio about the virus. (I don't watch tv.) I really would like to visit the forum for camping info, and Oliver info. Sharing. Community. I've been here since 2008. We've all lived through a lot. Let's go camping! S.

Thank you, Overland. When I started this topic, things had not gotten so out of hand. And I was and still am curious about how folks with OTTs out and about would protect themselves. I could be wrong, but truly I believe that people who are camping in out of way locations with their supplies are probably safer. I love the ideas those who responded have. Being careful about hygiene, being in fresh air and sunshine, cooking meals at "home", and being proactive when one has to have contact with other people are all paramount in protecting oneself and loved ones. Thank you to all who have replied. Now, on my retired teacher's soap box: not everyone will react to the constraints Covid-19 has caused in a positive way. I can't control how others react...and I don't want to waste energy trying. Stay close to your own hearts. This pandemic is going to bring out the good, the bad, the beauty, and the ugly in people. In my community in Louisiana, I've seen the bad and ugly. But, I have looked carefully and am also seeing the good people helping others. Beautiful hearts. If OTT feels the need to close down for a while to protect their workers, I have no doubt it will be to protect their workers. No one can make the product they do, with the support they provide, and not be truly good people with beautiful hearts. JMHO. Be well, everyone. Take care of yourselves and your loved ones. Stay close to your heart. Pray for an easier world.

Earlier posts described the covid-19 epidemic as “blown out of proportion,” or “over blown,” or “media hype.” I have to strenuously disagree with those characterizations. This virus is extremely transmissible between people, and epidemiologists predict 40-70% of Americans will likely get infected. Yes, 80% of those people infected will have mild to moderate symptoms. However, 20% of infected individuals will have severe respiratory problems. Many of these people will require hospitalization. Many of these hospitalized people will require advanced interventions, including isolation, ICU care, and treatment with a ventilator. Unfortunately our health care has limited numbers of hospital beds, ICU space, and especially ventilators and trained respiratory technicians. The best estimates are that 1-3% of infected people will die. How many die depends upon how well our health care infrastructure can deal with the number of cases. In Italy they were slow to respond to the epidemic, and people are dying in record numbers. They don't have nearly enough hospital beds, and physicians are having to make triage decisions as to who gets treatment, and who lives and who dies. Read about it. It is very upsetting. You may have heard the term “flatten the curve.” Simply put, this means that if we do not shut down large gatherings and practice social distancing, based on the data from other countries, within a month we will have an enormous spike of infections, and 20% of those will have severe problems. Our health care system will not be able to cope, and many will die. If instead, we can slow the rate of transmission, then people will get infected over a much long period of time. This does not necessarily mean that fewer people will get infected, in total, but that fewer people will be infected at any point in time. That means there will be fewer people with severe respiratory problems at any one time, and hopefully there are enough ICU beds and ventilators available to meet the need. And that means fewer people will die. While each one of us is unlikely to have an infection with severe problems, it is nonetheless very important for all of us to do what we can to slow the rate of transmission.

I am curious about the effect the SARS-CoV-2 virus (covid-19) is having on OTT owners and their travels plans...those traveling at present and those planning trips. The OTTs are self contained and appear to be easy to keep the inside clean and sanitary. Traveling with your own transportation and RV seems to be safe as the owners control the sanitation. So, questions: Has anyone canceled plans to travel with their OTT because of the virus outbreak? If you are traveling at present, what precautions are you taking as you travel? Staying in campgrounds? Or avoiding crowds and boondocking? Are there any extra precautions you are taking now to further protect yourself as you interact with others? Thank you for any feedback!

The perks of owning an Oliver.

Is there a reason for this? The jack is rated for 3500 pounds. My tongue weight is less than 500. I routinely lift the back of my TV up QUITE a way, until I hear the jack start to slow down, to get a little extra chain slack (or ocassionally to level the trailer without having to disconnect it). It has never been a problem, the only thing I can imagine being a danger is if the coupler should somehow disconnect, but the forged Bulldog is extremely robust and quite capable of lifting some serious weight. I would never try this with a $20 stamped steel unit.... The static loads experienced by the coupler and hitch in this situation are really, really low compared to the normal dynamic shock loads of towing down a bumpy road. If you ever tow up a sudden "transition" grade, like onto a very steep driveway, the Andersen chains will actually lift the back of the truck way up. It is not really desirable, but it won't bust anything. For this reason a 4wd tow vehicle provides some security if the back tires break traction. (I was stuck completely on a slick main road for this very reason in a RWD Suburban with an 8500 pound trailer in tow, with an equalizer hitch. How very embarrassing!) If I am playing Russian roulette, I would like to know the reason.... Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

I drew a nice dark line on the socket,just before unhitching, I loosen 4 turns (ie start with line facing me, loosen to see the line return to the same spot 4 times). After getting the ball back on and whale tale in place, I tighten to see the line return 4 times to the same spot. I can always verify with threadcount as well. The Jack should never be used to raise the tow vehicle, but it is fine to raise the trailer until just before the gap on top of the receiver disappears. That is when the most slack (ie 0 weight on ball) in the chains is.

Eventually, trailers will need their own battery banks. Shortly after that, you’ll see trailers incorporating their own drivetrains, with stability systems built in so that you can tow with anything. That’s my opinion at least.

Did YOU cause Ollie to shine so beautifully? If so, what did you use? Thanks.

We also get negative pressure if we forget and leave the bath fan on, and bath window closed. And, we have an older elite, without ac ducting. I think Maniac' s retrofit is a great idea. Like jump vents or undercutting doors in a stick and brick house without a return in each room, it allows for pressure equalization. The adjustable vent allows airflow when you want it, seals moisture from the main cabin while showering. Might be mod of the year. Imo.

Not familiar with how the compost toilet is vented, but if it is a 1 1 /2" pipe, you might well be right. I also think the vent might indirectly help a little with the ac circulation. Thinking a main cabin window could be opened a little, allowing the frosted bathroom window to stay closed. I think the vent location should minimize any fancy gyrations from putting water up there. Hopefully. ..

The sealed body aspect of the Oliver and bathroom are important to note. Any of the fans will create positive or negative pressure. The path of least resistance with the composting toilet seems to be the vent for said toilet. Bathroom fan on and window closed (whoops) for a few hours seemed to pull the outside moist air in over our compost, making it wetter/smell a little. I don't think that little nature's head fan can keep up with either of the other two in a tug of (air) war.

We're in King County, WA - in I guess what you could call the epicenter of the outbreak in the US. The wife and I, based on the statistics*, would be fine if we caught it, but we are taking steps to ensure that if we did catch it, we would not spread it. Our biggest risk is probably getting mauled in a panic stampede. Even with the hysteria over the disease, we still get huge crowds clustering at the door (2' separation) at Costco to buy their year's supply of toilet paper. So rational behavior is out the window. Postponing to September means we have a chance of attending as we were busy in June -- but probably means putting snow tires on for the trip back home 🙂

To be clear - I am a mid summer "chicken" with the a mindset of a - I'm just breaking out of my shell !! Yes this epidemic is a little over blown, but by and large the activities I engage in, with and without my Oliver, are not usually in a crowd or gathering atmosphere. Social distancing, who knew? Now I have a name for it. What is evident, with our current cultural norm, seemingly, being a reactive animal, folks are doing just as I imagined, and panicking at the last min. But the bright spot, you can always stay in the Oliver when the last of the services go off line... just kidding, about the off line thing...sort of, RB

Wait just a minute...., I resemble that remark! 🤣

We are in Holbrook AZ, camping today and Sunday. Still surviving in our Covid 19 survival pod #572. While in Holbrook this morning we saw an LE2 at the Safeway. Pulled in next to them and met another board member AngusT and wife from MA. We have been very careful to stay distant from other people and using only the facilities of our survival pod. We brought enough food for our entire trip. Using nitrile gloves at fuel stops, then disposing and Purell. Everyone be safe out there.

A big thank you to both Oliver and the members of the various committees associated with organizing this year's Owner's Rally. Hopefully this delay will prove to be taken via an over-abundance of caution. However, there really isn't any valid reason for taking a chance. At least with this kind of advanced warning there should be ample time for most attendees to re-arrange schedules so that we can adjust for the May dates while still planning on renewing our Family ties in the Fall. Best of health to everyone and see you in the Fall. Bill

That’s a good idea. We keep the bathroom door open as much as possible, especially during cold weather.

That video is a hoot, I have seen it before but with no sound. I watched it with volume turned up for the first time..... the huge bangs and the comments of the watchers inside the office are great. If you don’t want to watch the entire thing, start at about 8:30. That shows a very cautious trucker approaching at a snails pace. He hits and stops. No worries. A minute later we see a box truck stopped at the side street. He waits, then turns left, AWAY from the bridge. Why is the film still rolling?... Then we hear “beep beep beep beep”. “No no!” I shout out loud. He backs into the intersection and reverses carefully back up the wrong lane of the side street. He waits. He considers..... What the hell, he turns right and guns it under the bridge... I laughed out loud, I wonder how he ever passed his CDL test. John Davies Spokane WA

We will join the Ollie Nation next Saturday Nov 2 when we take delivery of "our new" 2017 LE II. After we agreed to purchase the Ollie, we had to decide on a tow vehicle. We looked at the 2019 SRT Durango (6.4), Expedition (3.5 TT), Yukon Denali (6.2) and Sequoia 5.7). We chose the low tech, gas guzzling Sequoia 4wd Platinum, because it fits in our garage, has loads of interior space, is known for reliability, got a lifetime engine and powertrain warranty, and got 12k off MSRP, and a great deal on our trade. We have two 65 lbs golden doodles that pretty much travel everywhere with us, and the 120 CF of space is great for them and stuff. I'm guessing we'll get worse Gas mileage than everyone! We hope to meet many of you in the months and yrs ahead.

Here's an added benefit to towing with my VW Touareg TDI. I drove from Iowa City to Cleveland yesterday to attend the Tri-C Jazz Festival. I averaged just under 70 mph (lots of construction in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio) and averaged over 32 mpg. Filled with diesel fuel and drove 45 miles the day before on the full tank before leaving yesterday. I've now driven about 600 miles on that tank and still have almost a 1/4 tank of fuel. Of course, towing reduces the mileage but it's nice to have such a fuel efficient tow vehicle for every-day use. Now, if VW hadn't cheated on the emissions testing. . .