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Ok, I spent about an hour on the phone today working through this with Xantrex support (they are great as others have mentioned), and this is a bit complicated, but I'll try to explain what we think happened. The only way we could reproduce the problem is with the inverter to battery relay tripped and both "power" buttons (remote and main unit) in the up position. So my working theory is that we somehow tripped the battery to inverter cutoff relay (300A) before leaving for home - but not before heating our sandwiches with the microwave to our satisfaction! 👍 So not knowing the cutoff relay had been tripped, when we got home I noticed the 120V was not working (Microwave clock was off). I checked the Xantrex remote first, and there was no power. During checking, I must have left the remote power switch up - which is "hard off" when there is no shore power. I then went under the street bed and got no response from the inverter - even after resetting the cutoff breakers - because I had inadvertently left the remote switch in the off position. Plugging into shore power bypassed the remote switch, so that's why it fixed the issue. I'm relieved that I could have recovered without shore power (or a generator) by turning the remote switch back "on" and resetting the relay cutoff switch. I tested this multiple times and I'm convinced this would have worked. To complicate matters further, the [20] error code that's popping up on the remote (loss of communication with the inverter) was going on intermittently during all of this. I had that error code on the remote the entire camping trip but now I know to ignore it as the remote is still controlling things - as long as the inverter switch is in up / standby. There's another thread on this error code that I'll post what I've learned about that through all of this - which is quite a bit. Bottom line - I think things are working as they should - it's just not always intuitive figuring out how things work or don't together - especially with a remote that is having software problems communicating with the inverter.

Hi, This is Sak. Just wanted to drop in and say hi. We are new to towing but we have been tent camping for a while. During Thanksgiving, we rented an Airstream and my kids (high schooler & 1st grader) loved it! While Airstream is nice, the Oliver would work better for us in the PNW weather as we plan to use the Oliver year round. So... we just called Phil and ordered our LE II from inside that Airstream 😁 Our delivery is around late July. Can't wait! Best, Sak

I require a background check to peek inside.

Now that I have the Garmin 890 installed along with the Builtright rack for the dash tray on the Ford (150 or 250), here are a couple of pics. Hardwiring the 12 volt/2 slot USB that used 3M double sided tape to attach to the underside of the Builtright rack was a bit un-nerving but not really difficult - let me know if you want details. With the adjustable RAM mount I can move the GPS to a more comfortable position as compared to my old GPS which actually had to sit up on the dash a bit too far away to make changes on the fly. And, even given the weight of the 890, the RAM mounts hold the screen securely and without vibration. The Garmin 890 is really very nice - it should be for its "sale" price of $400. But, the inclusion of data for campgrounds, dump stations, propane outlets, truck stops, Walmarts, Cracker Barrels, etc., really make this unit much more useful as compared to my old Garmin. The traffic and on the fly fuel price functions of the 890 are obtained via a Garmin app connected to the 890 via bluetooth. I've not had a chance (yet) to test these features. Questions? Bill

I’m a former Airstreaam owner. Now Oliver LE11 owner, wish I found Oliver before the airstream. Good choice. I’m much happier as a Oliver owner

I think it's quite smart to rent and try out camping. See if you really like it. Renting the airstream set up in a nice park is a start. Gets your toe in the water without spending all your time learning a bunch of new skill sets. Work your way up, though, and rent a towable camper, later too, if you have or can borrow a suitable tow vehicle. Even better if you can camp with friends or relatives who are experienced campers.

That's what we did. We rented Airstream 20' Flying Cloud during Thanksgiving from Outdoorsy and ended up ordering Oliver from inside the Airstream 😁 The experience was much better than I expected. We thought flushing black tank was going to be super yucky but it wasn't at all. Towing is easier than I thought but I still need to learn to take it easy while backing up. Got too excited every single time 😆. It was freezing a couple of nights during our stay and we learned so much about condensation, especially around single pane windows, heating, cooking, etc. I think the most important thing we learned was that our original plan to get Legacy Elite wouldn't work for us four (mom, dad, a highschooler, and 1st grader) and we ended up ordering LE II which will give us bigger beds. Even if you are not towing, I think you could learn a ton from the experience. Do it! 😃

Congratulations Sak! We are awaiting production now to begin on 12/21/2020. Lots of great information available here on the Forum.

Hey Sak, welcome! A lot of us looked at Airstreams and went with Oliver. You won’t be sorry. Mike

Sak - I'm guessing that somewhere in the Airstream handbook there is a rule that states that one should not order an Oliver while sitting inside the Airstream. However, nice choice and really a nice way to do it! Welcome aboard. Bill

Ugh. Guess I should have read the entire post instead of just looking at the picture.

Bill, what a nice installation, it looks slick! FYI about map updates, do them often. They come out about every three months. When installing, look at Options and choose to install a copy on your computer. Their BaseCamp PC or Mac mapping application works pretty well for a free app, but any updated maps have to go onto your computer as well as your device. https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=vxmflP3DAk2ajAJSmzVSW6 Map files are huge, try to delete older ones off your computer rather than just letting them accumulate. The new one that goes onto your device over-writes the old one; NOT so with the ones that go onto your home machine. Also you can add a few “custom” map types to your device and to BaseCamp, like 24K state topographic maps. These have to be downloaded from another site like .... https://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/ .... and then loaded using the Garmin Map Install app. https://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/ John Davies Spokane WA

Mike, I have a sheet from Battle Born that outlines every adjustment that needs to made the Blue Sky IPN-Pro for it to work with Lithium Batteries. Takes about 5-10 minutes. You'll also need to replace the charger portion of the PD power center with a PD4045LICSV (45-AMPS). Battle Born has the correct replacement chargers in stock. We also removed all the wiring from the battery box and sealed off the outside vents and insulated the door. From the looks of the wiring in your battery box, you are not getting the full amperage story thru your shunt to the IPN display. I think you could benefit from some modifications.

Both of our bluesky controllers are lithium capable. And, they can be wired madter/slave to accomodate additional panels, which I would seriously want if I were investing in lithium. I don't know which one you have, Mike, but a quick call to Ryan in Bluesky tech support will get you the info you need.

Yes, since I already have the Garmin Express program on my computer due to the nuvi2797, it was easy to bring that program up, plug in the new 890 to the computer and add the new device (the 890) to the list of Garmins I have. From there the "Express" program automatically checks for both GPS software and maps updates. In my case, both were needed. However, instead of this process taking a couple of hours to update, as was the case with my 2797, the 890 only took about 1/2 hour. These RAM mounts are really nice. I have used them in the past on various motorcycles but never before in the truck. Note that Garmin says that the ball mount on the 890 is 21.83 mm which is a bit smaller than the one inch ball of the RAM mounts. But, after comparing the two side by side, I really could not see any difference and can happily tell you that the one sent with the 890 works very well with the RAM extension arm. Frankly, I was pleasantly surprised by how stable the 890 is hanging off that 5 1/2 inch arm. I'd strongly suggest to wait until you have the 890 in hand before you decide where or how you want to mount it in your 1500. I found that simply having it attached to the windshield or sitting on the dash blocked way too much of the view out the front. Certainly the screen is big enough to mount in the center of the cockpit so both people can see it and the navigator can easily take the 890 off the "head" unit in order to more comfortably look for rest areas, gas stations, campgrounds, shopping, restaurants, etc.. As I tried to show in the pics above, my mounting area gets the screen out of my direct line of sight but still gives me access to all of the controls on the dash and even a view of the navigation screen in the center console. Perhaps Builtright Industries makes a mounting system similar to what they make for the Ford that gives you several different options. As you can see, I have plenty of room to mount my TPMS and/or a cell phone to the Builtright rack. I really think that you will enjoy the 890 when you get it. Bill p.s. My 890 was manufactured in November but still needed the updates mentioned above.

For what it is worth, Here is the Batt Arrangement on a 2020 (09/10) delivery Hull # 665. I do not know if you can see, but there is a rubber padding between the Battery Restraint (Strap) Hooks and the Batteries. layout of Batt's on 2020 Hull # 665 Batt Harness passing thru compartment walls

Ummmmm, No . You couldn't handle the return inspection review........

I agree, the Sirocco ll fans are tops! I did not want a permanent mount, so I used heavy duty Velcro to secure the fans (His and Hers) in optimum locations to maximize their use and be more obscure. One over each bed at the cabin rear and another curbside at mid-cabin (see pic) to better serve the galley and dinette areas, as needed. If you look closely, the white Velcro to secure the rear curbside fan is hardly noticeable. The fans are stowed in the attic when not in use or underway. I did alter the wiring to facilitate use of the 12v female lighter sockets of proximity. The rear street side fan cable loops through the cord hole servicing the TV to the socket in the attic, and for now the rear curbside is routed through the attic doorway until I make a hole to route it in similar fashion as the street side. I utilize the under counter socket above the cooktop for mid-cabin fan use. I installed DC 2.1x5.5mm female socket jacks and connected the fans’ stock power wire internally in each. I then altered two DC 2.1x5.5mm power plug extension cables by replacing the female end with a male lighter socket plug connector. This set up now allows for ‘plug and play’ versatility if I want to use the fans in my TV or an outdoor setting.

Why not rent an RV to try it out? That would give you an idea about both worlds. What I like about TT is you can set it up at a campsite and you are "home". You can spend the day watching the buffalo roam, or watching salt spray off the tops of waves near your new favorite lighthouse, or eagles soaring over a mountain top. When the day winds down you pull back into your campsite and nothing to do or hook up. Light a fire, uncork the wine, watch the fireflies...

I was doing some cleaning and maintenance today and pulled the battery tray out and found that the hook that secures the hold down strap to the tray had rubbed one battery enough that, it appeared to me, there may be a small hole in the side of the battery. The hook has corrosion that the other three don’t. I thought about slipping a thin piece of something (aluminum?) between the battery and the hook. These batteries are 5 years old and seem to charge fine. Thoughts? This shows both straps/hooks. The one in back has an issue. Here’s a close shot of the strap and hook with corrosion.

I know these questions are very subjective, but I am torn between a class B and a small TT like the Oliver Elite. 1. I like the idea of a TT because it provides a vehicle to go places, visit sites, stores, etc... But some say unhooking with a class B is not that difficult, only takes a few minutes, and can use it to go most places. 2. When we purchase, we will be about 70, good health, but I don't know how difficult setting up and tearing down, hooking up TT, etc.... will be as we age. Perhaps its no big deal as I know many seniors travel with a TT. But it seems that maybe just driving a class B and not worrying about hooking up to hitch etc. would be better for seniors. Also, things like making sure brakes or ok on TT ok etc... Is towing difficult for seniors etc.? 3. I have never owned an RV and this is why I am seeking opinions from those who have experience. 4. I also know purchasing a nice Class B is a big investment, so I am not sure I can justify the cost compared to a small TT since I don't think I will use it more than 8 weeks per year. Of course, we may love traveling and find it is worthy the investment and travel several weeks throughout the year! 5. My plans following retirement at the present would be the first year to rent cabins etc... and see if we like traveling 8 weeks a year before purchasing an RV; or buy a small TT like the Oliver Elite. It appears that even if we concluded that we are not RVer's that we could sell it without losing to much of the investment. Anyway, I know lots of points, but would appreciate any of your thoughts. Dwain

Sak, Welcome to the Soon-to-be Oliver Owner's Association of Western, WA. In answer to your question re: fiberglass and outside storage - not a problem with normal maintenance. Witness the hundreds of thousands of fiberglass boats living happily on the Salish Sea. Untended gelcoat can get chalky and even degrade to a degree but sun induced structural issues will not be a problem in your lifetime or that of your kids. Your grandkids may want to paint your Oliver sometime late in their lives but the good news is that glass is easy to paint. The other plastic exterior components however, may become an issue as UV tends to play havoc with many plastics. For that reason a cover may be useful ... at least in keeping your trailer clean. Jim

Welcome from the Dry Side, there are several Seattle area Ollie owners here. Where do you live? We were in Ballard, Wallingford, Mukilteo, and finally Monroe, we kept moving further and further to get away from all those people, in 2004 we ended up across the state. My son is in Redmond, we used to visit him often, not so much now with Covid. Do you have a decent place to store your new toy? Where do you plan to bed down your kids? Four people is a crowd in even the biggest Ollie. Some owners with children put them in a tent, to get a little privacy, nudge nudge, wink wink..... John Davies Spokane WA

Good suggestion - this is doable via Outdoorsy for sure. Another option that at least gives some sense of towing is to rent a utility trailer from U-haul or another local rental place. That at least gives some sense of things like connecting to the trailer, backing up, swinging wide on turns, dealing with traffic, etc.

I'm seeing something different here. The J-hooks are still there but the battery tray appears to be an updated design. The slots for the hooks are through horizon angles at the top of the tray, rather than through the vertical sides. This moves the hooks above and outside the storage area. I'm trying to get info from Morryde on this change and also whether the 250# max capacity rating has changed to negate overloading by the GC2 AGMs.

I love the air suspension on our 2019 Ram. Use it all the time, but don’t feel it is required because of the tongue wait. We use it to facilitate hook up, and for gray water dumping. The e-torque is great, but fuel mileage isn’t my justification. I enjoy the low end torque with it and the 3.92 differential gearing.

Give it about 30K to break in......

Dennis, I can’t imagine any Ollie owner who would be willing to rent it out. It is an expensive, premium quality product with a unusually high resale value (hardly any depreciation). A stranger will simply not care a lot about physically damaging it. “The insurance will cover it” does not apply. Once damaged, a repair to the aluminum frame or hull may be difficult and costly, and a patched gelcoat may not match. I am pretty laid back about taking mine off pavement or even into tight situations like busy parking lots, but I do take extreme care to protect it from collisions and especially rock damage . A stranger also will not care about destroying the batteries by running them flat. An abused battery bank might not be obvious to the owner immediately, it usually shows itself as a greatly reduced life span. Replacing up to four damaged/ worn out batteries is costly, especially lithium ones (up to $4500, depending on capacity and brand)! If I screwed something up myself, I would mutter a few bad words and deal with it. If somebody else did it, I would be dangerously furious.🤬 Do NOT mess with my baby!!!! John Davies Spokane WA

We have an older F-350 (2013) with no in-dash navigation, just a regular satellite/am fm radio/CD player. We found a CD slot mount works well since the CD player is just below the dash. Had to purchase a 1"ball. I'll share a picture when I get the chance to take one. @topgun2 I knew, as soon as we paid full price for the 890, there would be a price drop! Couldn't wait, though as we needed it to get us to Hohenwald to pick up our Elite II. The Garmin worked great; did a great job of keeping us going the right direction. I do still need to practice some with the features as I know we aren't taking advantage of them all. One thing I can't seem to get is how to select an alternate route. Garmin seems to want to pick one with no options to redirect. Perhaps someone can clue me in as to how to do this. The only way I've had success is to break the trip up into small segments with destinations along the route we prefer.

Mike, this picture concerns me. I suspect the battery to inverter cables have been rubbing in the holes out of the battery box. They should be inspected. Also check the red 6 AWG wire I circled, it looks like it may be damaged. It is either the Progressive Dynamics battery charger wire or the Blue Sky Charge Controller wire. I know the Blue Sky CC is a MPPT type controller, but I don’t know which model it is and if it supports LiFePO4 batteries. You should verify that before buying LiFePO4 batteries or plan on changing the CC. Mossey

I’ll let you know!

I’ve only towed from my storage to home and back, about 10 miles each way with a couple miles on I-10. The first two tanks without towing I got about 21mpg. Towing looked to be in the teens, dropped my average mpg by 3 or 4. That’s not a good indication of what mpg will be. I’ll find out in January when we head west to AZ. My Laramie is a 4X4, standard suspension and 20” wheels (come with the midnight package). It does have the towing technology group, still figuring that out, there are 5 cameras giving all sorts of views. I don’t think the air suspension would be useful towing an Oliver. Like I said, when I hitched the back of the truck dropped 2” max. Probably a little less. Mike

Since the storage area where I park my Oliver is very level and basically on gravel, I do not use the onboard jacks at all - other than the front jack. However, I do use some pressure treated plywood covered with 8 mil plastic sheeting to slightly raise the tires off direct contact with the ground. And, using the front jack I make sure that the camper is slightly tilted towards the rear so that water runs off the cover easily. Like FrankC, I cover the tires to protect from UV damage and have not had any trouble with "flat spots" on the tires in the Spring.

As far as things to watch out for when disconnecting or removing batteries, the big one is safety. You always disconnect all ground (negative) wires first, and attach them last. Since the ground terminals on the batteries are essentially the same as the trailer frame, in terms of electrical voltage, if you accidentally touch your wrench to a metal object while loosening the nut on the negative post, it won’t do anything at all. if you were to short the positive terminal to a grounded part, it will make a huge high amperage arc. Very dangerous, and it can cause a severe electrical burn! An Ollie is actually pretty safe compared to your car or tractor, since the compartment is made of fiberglass which is a non-conducting material, but you should understand and follow this standard practice, always. You certainly should not drop a long steel tool across the negative and positive terminals. That would be very bad. Search for “welding with a car battery”. And remove any conducting watch or jewelry from your hands or neck, you don’t want a pretty silver necklace to drape across the terminals. Smart mechanics do not wear jewelry, for a good reason. (Plus it can get caught in moving parts.) Just understand the potential danger (electrical pun intended) of all that stored up energy, and respect it. Don’t work while impared or distracted, and focus on the job. Plastic terminal covers are an excellent way to protect against shorts when transporting batteries, to a shop for testing, for example. If you don’t have them, be very aware of the risk of an arc. Don’t let a steel milk crate or tool box fall against them or let them fall over while driving, they need to be 100% secure. Since one of yours is punctured, there will possibly be wet hydrochloric acid underneath; wear rubber gloves, neutralize and wash the batteries thoroughly. Put down some cardboard underneath while transporting them, any residual acid will eat holes in carpet. Or your pants.... John Davies Spokane WA

How do you clean these cloth covers in the spring? It is really hard to fold up and store a dirty one without contaminating the inside, that rests and chafes against the trailer gelcoat. (It is impossible to get a clean cover onto a clean trailer without getting it dirty, unless the ground is paved and freshly hosed off.) I had one decades ago and used a pressure washer with the cover hung on a tall fence. An amazing amount of muck came off it, what a mess. It was not at all satisfactory. This was in Western WA where needles, sap and moss were the main problem, not so much airborne dust. IMHO a free standing carport would be a better choice if you don’t have restrictive codes. Unless you just don’t care about the cosmetic damage to the Ollie.. it can be a real PITA and costly to repair. Dirt washes off your Ollie, but fixing damaged gel coat is big $$$$. Invest in a structure now, save heartache later. John Davies Spokane WA

There are so many beautiful places that we have enjoyed that it's hard to pick one. So, I'll go with Deer Island Point campground in New Brunswick. We took the (free) ferry from letete, nb, and planned to stay one night, then ferry to Campobello, and on to Maine. The campground was "officially" closed for the season, but the tourist office said we could dry camp. No services, but no fees. Don't leave a mess. Our site, right at the point, (may have been a tent site, not sure) was just amazing. Marine life, walk down to see the maelstrom, (old sow), and watch the ferries. Absolutely incredible. We kept rearranging our schedule, and stayed four days, leaving our special quiet place, with a heavy heart. The little island is lovely, and quiet, off season. It was cool/cold, but so very beautiful. Probably more crowded in season. Campobello was a fascinating day, when we finally left.

If nothing else, all of the battery photos show that in a mobile application such as in our campers there is almost constant movement between the batteries and the tray. For this reason I don’t think using solid buss bars between batteries is a good thing. I would think that there would be battery lug or internal damage caused. I bring this up because there have been posts about lithium changeover projects lately and this post highlights the need of being somewhat flexible with battery inter connections.

You could load test them , but IMHO five year old AGM batteries are toast, regardless of whether they are leaking acid or not.... they need to be replaced before your next trip as a complete set ($$) or with lithiums and a new charger ($$$$). I hope the tray has not been ruined. Clean it up with baking soda and water, scrub well and repaint with a good spray paint. I really like the ceramic Duplicolor Brake Caliper Paints, they require no primer and are tough, but very easy to apply and they stay looking good for a long time. The damage to Overland’s cases is disturbing, does the material seem to be really soft? I was considering making pads from thin mudflap material or old conveyor belts (cloth reinforced neoprene) for my new Victrons, I think that idea just got shoved up the “Honey Do List” to near the top. This is all one big learning curve, isn’t it? As these trailers age, we start to see all sorts of unpredictable glitches appearing. John Davies Spokane WA

Heads up! Home Depot bulk packs of the sizes you will use most on sale through Dec 26, in natural and black, $9.88. Even their regular price is a great deal compared to buying the smaller packs. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-Assorted-Cable-Tie-Canister-Natural-650-Pack-4in-8in-11in-natural-650/203531946 The black ones: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-Assorted-Cable-Ties-650-Pack-4-8-11in-UV-tie/302366855 Here is a BIG caution about nylon ties, some cheap brands are brittle and will break. I am talking about Harbor Freight and Walmart specifically. It is distressing to have one after the next of your “50 pound rated” ties snap off merely by pulling them snug by a pair of pliers. They do harden and get brittle normally over a long time (age hardening) or when exposed to a lot of heat (your engine bay) but they should never do this straight out of the package.😤 I have never had a problem with this brand, and I won’t order brands on Amazon with weird names. I go though a bunch of ties, I even use them to secure opened bags of lawn fertilizer. Normally I prefer the lighter color but when the wires are in a black split loom sleeve like the Ollie, black looks a lot more professional. Happy Holidays. John Davies Spokane WA

This is my first post on this forum so forgive my ignorance if I say something silly here. My wife and I are in the queue for an elite 2 with the lithium pro package so the dead Xantrex 3000 post gave me concern. Following up on the post about the power save mode possibly being the problem I found the manual for the unit on the Xantrex site because the wrong manual is on the Oliver site. There is a power save mode that is factory set to shut the unit down 25 hours after ac loads drop below 50watts. When an ac load greater than 25 watts is sensed by the Xantrex unit it should automatically turn back on. I have attached a copy of the manual to this post. Not sure if this helps but the power save feature could be related at least. 254903808_FreedomXCPROOwnersGuide(975-0799-01-01_Rev-C)_ENG.pdf

Traffic has been great, with the exception of Oklahoma City. Weather, better than to be expected this time of year. However, westbound on I-40 today, we were on the southern edge of a winter storm that brought snow across the Central Panhandle area as well as northern New Mexico and Arizona. Fortunately we were a few hours ahead of the snow, but experienced ferocious wind (worse than coming across Wyoming and Nebraska at the front end of our trip). Winds from Albuquerque all the way to Flagstaff were steady at 25-35 mph, gusting to over 50! But, Pearl handled it like a pro - much better than some of the motorhomes we passed. I was worried they were going to shut the Interstate down, the winds were that bad, but we made it safely to Kingman, AZ where we are spending the night. In light of the prediction of continued wind and nighttime temps in the teens along our intended route through Western Nevada, we've decided to continue west on I-40 and make our way north to home (Oregon) via I-5. Not the most scenic way to go, but the weather will allow us to complete our trip home without Winterizing! I promise I'll post pictures once we get Pearl settled in her new home.

Congrats! Looks shiny and new in the photo, I’m sure it will look more “experienced” by the time you get home! Mike

Trailer looks great Susan. Hope you continue to have good weather for traveling and light traffic too.

CONGRATS!! Pearl looks terrific.

Haven't had time to take many vanity shots of Pearl; 11 days on the road, preparing meals in hotel rooms, and transferring our gear from the back of the pickup to the trailer have been exhausting. Here is one quick shot at our campsite in David Crockett SP. I know, not too exciting. The park is wonderful and we found Tennessee to be beautiful, despite the trees all being bare. Trip report: I was apprehensive, driving cross country this time of year, but we've certainly been fortunate. The journey from Oregon to Tennessee was amazing. There was barely any traffic on I-80 and, although it was cold and we experienced a few snow flurries in Missouri and some wind coming through Wyoming, the weather has been great. We are now headed west, taking the I-40 route to Nevada then north to Oregon via Hwy 365 and I-5. Current weather forecasts don't predict any snow; perhaps a shower around Susanville, CA. Looks like clear sailing! We will get some practice dealing with cold temperatures, but I believe we can manage without completely winterizing, just draining the hot water tank during travel time from Flagstaff through the Sierras. While camped at David Crockett SP, nighttime temps were in the mid 20's, but were able to maintain 40 deg temps in the utility area with the furnace or an electric space heater. Our plan is to pass through from Albuquerque to Kingman and not overnight in northern AZ where temps will drop to the teens at night. Daytime temperatures are expected to be mid 30's to upper 40's. The only other questionable area will be crossing the Sierras around Susanville. Will be watching the weather forecasts daily.

We did exactly that. When our microwave died from lack of use, we removed it, and built a cabinet. If you use a microwave now, while camping, you know you'll want one again. Everyone has different styles and needs.

I’ve only had a trailer so I can’t comment on owning a class B. Maintaining our Oliver is pretty easy. If you are a do-it-yourself kind of person bearings and brakes are not difficult. I choose to go by my neighborhood RV repair shop once a year and have them to the repacking and brake checks/adjustments. My tow vehicle is also my daily driver, so maintenance on it is what I would do anyway for whatever I’m driving. I’m not 70, but will be in a few years. Hooking up our trailer is not much of a physical challenge. It does seem to me that a Class B with a toad would be two engines and drivetrains, two gas tanks and more to maintain. It’s probably more comfortable while driving if you can walk back to your camper and get in the fridge or whatever. I’m happy with a trailer that big enough to live comfortably in yet small enough to fit into some really good sites. Mike

So much depends on your travel style and what sort of comforts you will be happy with. I have a 72 year old friend who spends a few months' worth of nights each year sleeping in the back of his Toyota Tercel Wagon from the '80s, most often in wintertime near ski areas or backcountry ski tours (in case you've ever seen the documentary "Dirtbag" about climbing legend Fred Beckey, it's worth mentioning that this friend of mine has climbed with Fred more than once and is in Fred's direction in terms of expenses and creature comforts or lack thereof 🙂 ). We have done a lot of camping in our Class B van - a standard length Ford E250 with things like furnace, fridge, inverter and microwave, but no bathroom. We've been pretty happy with it but as I've eased out of salaried life it has started to feel a bit small for the two of us on extended trips, particularly when the weather turns wet and we spend more time inside the van. I think it will continue to be my go-to choice when I do solo photography safaris to places like Utah for a few weeks, but we've decided to get an Ollie for many of the trips my wife and I will take together. As a former colleague put it, "each tool is best for something and worst for something else." The van is very maneuverable (including the ability to be parallel parked in any decent length city parking space), we can leave the dog in it with the vent fan running on most days while parked for errands etc., and it's nice to be able to transition from driving to hanging in the living space w/o needing to get out of the vehicle. But it can feel quite small at times, it is at times a bit of an annoyance to shift from sleeping to driving modes when we will be returning to the same site that evening - to the point where we sometimes defer errands or driving outings in favor of on foot or on bike explorations nearer to camp. We have strategies for dealing with the lack of a bathroom when boondocking or staying at park campgrounds that have no showers (including a "sun shower" unit etc.) that work OK enough in many situations particularly in warmer more pleasant weather. But I am looking forward to being able to use the Ollie wet bath, to have a "home base" that one or both of us can drive away from (we don't always want to leave camp at the same time!) and to just have a bit more space for some of our outings. For now I expect to keep the old camper van as it has more utility value to me than it has resale value given its age and mileage ( it still running and working quite well).

I would tell you the story but then I’d have to kill you all. And that’s just too much paperwork.

INSTALLING THE ANDERSEN BALL MOUNT: Follow the Andersen instructions, apply an upward load (to remove slack) if you plan to keep the chains tight. If you are running them loose like me, as a dead weight hitch, you can let gravity pull the mount down. Torque both big bolts to 150 ft lbs. **** RECHECK THE BIG BOLTS FOR CORRECT TORQUE AFTER TOWING ***** Since the new ball is taller, and the new coupler cavity is at about the same horizontal position as the old one, the tongue will sit a little higher. My tongue was already a little high. so I was able to drop down one set of holes and ended up with a very nice alignment. Trailer level, truck level with 10 psi in the airbags, chains just snug. I REALLY think that these trailers should be delivered with the larger couplers installed, the cost is the same and it is a much better setup for the Elite II. For the baby Ollie, the smaller coupler is fine.. John Davies Spokane WA