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Pat, We did it. The bed rails were $225 each and shipping to the west coast was $85. They attached with rivets and the installation was simple. We did not install the drawer/table between the beds. If you decide to do this, PM me and I can go over exactly how I installed them to keep them from squeaking. Before, Bed Rails and After pictures. Andrew

Camp Venice Retreat... Venice FL...

This is Clear Springs COE campground just outside of Texarkana in east Texas. Nice campground, we’ve been here before.

Here's additional shade information. We had some cords to wear out and replaced some of them a few years ago. Found it best to replace with the same diameter cord, using larger diameter cord makes the assembly stick when I replaced some. Can't find the original cord diameter in my notes.

We stayed at Caddo Lake State Park a couple of years ago and really enjoyed our stay. We are camped just outside of Texarkana this week at Clear Springs COE campground. Very nice, our second time here.

We have re-stringed two of our shades. It looks scary but isn’t. We worked slowly, it took a couple of hours to do each. Ordered the string on Amazon. They do wear out! Mike

Thanks for the great diagram . . . . and photos. Looks scary to me. I would prefer to have them installed with the privacy shade at the bottom, but not at the expense of the shades not staying where you want them. It would be nice if Oliver would install them oriented the way you request, but I can understand the confusion and disruption in the assembly line that might create. I have emailed Automotion Shades and asked if they have any kind of installation/maintenance manual for these shades. Edit: I received this response from Auto-Motion: Hello Susan, Sorry for the delay with my reply to your questions. At this time, we do not have specific instruction about adjusting cords for Twin pleated shades and re-installation of shade. I spoke with the Production Manager, and it is possible to flip the shades. The frame is mounted on CLIP-ON brackets. The shade has to be removed from it and clipped back I will check with our Engineering Department if we can provide with some instructions about tensioning the cords.

While on the subject - don't forget that during the summer months the sun will increase the pressure in those exposed hoses. If you put your regulator at the pedestal source and have your supply hose laying in the sun, the pressure inside that hose could increase well above the desired limits. Bill

dewdev, We typically turn the city water off if when we are leaving our Ollie for a few hours or a full day excursion. Just a best practiced we use.

We really admired newer Ollies with white framed shades. During the last visit to the mother ship during 2019, had a new set of white frame shades installed! We really like them!!!! 🙂

http://www.zarcor.com/rv_products/rv-door-window-kit/ Bill, Just a quick note to say thank you for the info and the link. We ordered our Zarcor tinted window in the white frame and now they offer a white handle to slide the blinds open and closed. My experience with the Zarcor rep on the phone was excellent. He answered all of my questions and just made the purchase very seamless. Based on my purchase experience I would not hesitate to do business again with Zarcor. The price is $129 shipped. David

We pick up on 02.15. I called a couple of weeks ago and there is a certain person who handles the bookings for Oliver so I had to call back a few days later. If you talk to her she will make sure you are booked in the same spot for all nights and you won't have to move. Sorry I don't recall her name. I just called DCSP direct and told them what I wanted to do. Total cost for 1 extra night for us was $37.87. Cindy

Depending on date - you should be able to reserve additional days - I would use the system to just add the additional days - It is a really nice and well maintained Park. RB

A different roof bracket spacing is very possible, but be aware that my arm hole spacing is 18” center to center. And the arms could be shorter if the upper bracket holes are used. I wanted them in lower ones, since the brackets are stiffer there when the nuts are fully tight, than they would be at the top holes. It was an intentional engineering choice. Well, mostly....it was a little bit accidental. The bottom hole, or the one above it, is easier to use than the upper holes, there is room to have the arm lay down along the side of the panel with the panel knob in place. You could even leave it lying there for a short trip if the nut was fully tight ( I do not recommend it, the gelcoat could be scarred). This position is not possible using the upper holes. You would not be able to easily operate the knob. If you just buy some metal you can make it any way you like. Structural aluminum is affordable and very easy to work with. Just don’t choose the dead-soft ornamental kind typically found at the hardware store. This size is about $1 per foot. This vendor will ship, but a local non- ferrous metal supplier will have it. John Davies Spokane WA

Coy Gayle @hardrockis part of that group and I believe they are still working on it. You could send him a PM if you’re interested. Mike

40 psi tends to be the most often cited standard. However, the Oliver can handle pressures a tad higher but I would not go above 60 psi. Bill

Reading this thread made me think of a question. What ever happen to the company that was developing the auto track system for the solar panels on the Ollie does any one know?

Thanks Ray/Susan! I am 6'5" and sleep on my back with my elbows out. I need the extra width, at what we use as the head of the bed, to be comfortable. I extended the depth of the space between the mattresses a foot. It is 18" w x 36" d. When we want a hard surface between the beds (morning coffee) we place the sink cover on top of the center mattress and place our coffees there. I found flipping the blinds to be very simple. A few hard tugs to get them off and a few more thumps with the palm, to get them back on. Once the top is aligned and attached, the bottom falls in place. Andrew

I like it! Though the nightstand is nice, not having one seems more roomy. And you have the hatch to access the back of the basement. Our twin bed Leisure Travel Van had a night stand, but it was at the same level as the mattresses. You still had the platform to use for a nightstand. It also made making the beds much easier. Instead of the mattress insert, as pictured here, a small platform could be built to fit that space. It could be made to flip over to double as a tray for carrying food, etc outside. @AndrewK I see you have your blinds flipped. Another edit: @AndrewK Did you also remove the TV, or order without? We thought about doing this, but decided if at some point we don't want it, we can take it down.

Thanks for the post. I have been looking for a place near Texarkana for on my way home from delivery. My dad is buried near Stamps, Arkansas. I haven't been by for a few years. I will keep clear springs in mind. John

That looks like a great spot. Enjoy! Are all the lakeside spots no hookups?

We collect our own water from rainwater, at home. We power our home (and boat, and trailer) with solar . Not enforceable, but not for amusement. Just always trying to maintain conservation values. 🙂 Even though we do, indeed, use more water at home. And, of course, more electricity. Our house is a bit bigger than our little Elite I trailer. 🙃

I know, unlikely we'd ever do an endless shower. Even at home, I set a timer.

We've only hooked up to city water a handful of times in 13 years. We fill the tank, and work from that. We recently bought a regulator, similar to the one franc posted. Thinking/hoping we will get to travel more, if we land at a full size hookup someday, might even be able to check out that "endless shower" with our instantaneous water heater.

If anyone that opted for the storage box has the exact measurements, here are the Panasonic dimensions:

Yes, a regulator is strongly recommended. Oliver provides a water pressure regulator at delivery but it isn’t adjustable and it doesn’t have a gauge. Get one with a gauge and set the pressure to 35-40 psi. Here’s the one I use. Renator M11-0660R Water Pressure Regulator Valve. Brass Lead-free Adjustable Water Pressure Reducer with Gauge for RV Camper, and Inlet Screened Filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7JZTYX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_7VKMEB2RZM3SRXQNCNCR?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Ditto BackofBeyond's comment regarding adapter(s). Depending on which receptacle you use from the pedestal, each one may or may not be wired correctly, independent of the others. The testers referenced above will go into a 5-15 or 5-20 GFCI receptacle, but require an adapter for the 30A (TT-30) or 50A receptacle if you are using one of those (which is most common).

The contents - In a plastic bag - to the closest trash receptacle/container. About every three weeks when in use. Love my Natures Head "honey" composter.

I really like Overland's setup - but it doesn't work for our situation. I went with a Leer top. I can store my road bike (or any bike) out of the weather. Plus I have a place to store almost anything we need. Endless possibilities on how one sets up their storage and hauling setup. And with another rack on top - my kayak and other water craft have a place to go. I think it all comes down to personal preferences.

Klein Tools RT210 Outlet Tester, Receptacle Tester for GFCI / Standard North American AC Electrical Outlets, Detects Common Wiring Problems - - Amazon.com Or similar. Usually less then $12. I use this to verify the AC power pedestal is wired correctly. You may need an adaptor or two. Then plug your Oliver into the appropriate receptacle. You have no need for additional protection. The Progressive system does the work. The display will inform you of voltage, amps, and any errors. This works for me very well. RB

The standard EMS is perfectly sufficient. In fact, if you were looking at an external unit, you were probably looking at a Progressive Industries EMS, which is exactly what Oliver supplies, just the built in version. If you want to make a small investment that might help you diagnose electrical issues, then I’d suggest an inexpensive circuit tester like this, or better still, a digital multimeter like this. Neither are required, but if you ever run into electrical problems, they’ll definitely help you find the problem.

Here is what I did on the rpod. Hope to do the same on the Ollie.

This is my current set up. Leer topper. Decked system storage, drawers are very deep holds all camping equipment. The champion duel fuel is mounted to a separate platform which is pinned to the deck system also carpeted which make it easy to slide around on the deck system. Not sure if there would be room for bicycles. There is plenty of room for other items. I am also considering in the future a topper lift. This is four electric lifts at each corner of the topper which will lift your topper several feet off the truck bed for easier access. The company also offers canvas panels that can be installed to use the area is a camper.

Sit. Stay. Good dog! 😊 Get more cell data so you won’t feel cut off. Cancel your TX reservation. Stay where you are until the weather settles and the roads dry entirely. They are predicting an inch of snow in the Cumberland Plateau, which is laughable from my persective, but people in TN do not know how to drive on it and don’t have the proper tires or mindset. You certainly need to stay off it. Do not rush - relax, take a deep breath, get your Ollie looked at by Service when the roads dry out. Ask them to walk you through some of the things you are most worried about. When people are tired, or overly anxious, or simply in a brand new situation, they make mistakes, so just chill out, do not rush ANYTHING. We are here to advise and answer questions, but you need to do your part to remain cool. John Davies Spokane WA

I have a WeatherTech folding hard cover and a home built bike rack mounted over that. Plenty of storage underneath for all the stuff that we carry. And the rear crossbar of the bike rack can be slid forward or removed so I can fold up the bed cover when I need full access to the truck bed. The bike rack framing is T-slot extrusion from McMaster Carr and the fork mounts and rear wheel cradles are from Amazon.

I once thought the same about mine - often reads just three batteries - full sun, and on shore power. It does - at times hit the full mark. The chart above sort of spells it out. I believe it is just at the point of full - and will full charge when it hits the right voltage. I'm sure one of the experts will chime in with detail. In any case, I just quit worrying about it - it has always done fine - I ran it down to the yellow a few times - full sun brought it back- each time- Seems the coffee makers 1500 watts pushes the limits after awhile..... That is one of the limitations with our set-up - you really don't know where you are at - unless you add something that monitors and displays better data. As long as it shows 13volts - I am ok.

If lined up with the clip, usually a quick "bump" with the heel part of the palm of the hand will seat it into the clip. Do a search on the forum, there is a rather extensive discussion on the whole process. From loose clips, to adjusting clips, to 'flipping' them..

Sometimes the clip is slightly misaligned and you can't easily push the shade into place. If that's the case, forcing it might bend the clip. You can try feeling behind the shade to see if the clip is aligned to the channel, and if it's not, you can usually wiggle the shade enough to get it aligned. You can also try pulling the blind completely off and seeing if the clip is bent, twisted, etc. Or, if they all seem OK, then you can try putting the blind back on by snapping the problem clip in first. Sometimes the clips are just a little off and if you get the troublesome one in place first, then the others will line up enough to snap in.

Hi Liana, I just did that with our new LEII. You have to pull hard on the blind near the clips to get them to release. There were 3 on the top and 3 on the bottom of ours - not sure about the 2018, but you'd have at least 4. Once you pop the blind off you can figure out how to tighten the loose clip, then just flip the blind around and you'll now be able to see how to line up the back of the blind with the clips. I just pushed hard to get it to pop in as well - one at a time. I did not try to do multiple at once. You will be comfortable once you get one clip to release - so maybe try a few until you get an easier one. Good luck!

Hi RussW, sure, it's nothing special really. I think if you used the owners manual and went through each system / component you would accomplish the same thing. Some of my notes may be helpful. My checklist is also specific to some of the options we chose so not all may be appropriate for your Ollie. I used it both while going through the walkthrough (helped remind me of questions) and at Davey Crockett State Park. I did test everything on my list and while there were a few minor things I had to take care of (I called Oliver service twice and they helped tremendously), nothing required a trip back to Hohenwald. I did exactly what JRK is going to do and stayed an extra day to make sure I had time to test everything before driving back home.Ollie Inspection Checklist.xlsx

Kidding aside, I think a bottle jack or something like what I have is probably the best answer if you don’t feel comfortable using the stabilizers.

Thanks for the replies. It seems to have gotten back on track after a full charge. I’m thinking now that this was related to a different problem that I’ve discovered with my inverter, which isn’t communicating properly with the Victron control panel. They’re connected, but turning on and off the inverter from the panel doesn’t always work and the panel isn’t reliably showing the state of the inverter. Twice now I’ve checked to see if the inverter is off, and the control panel said it was, but the outlets were still hot. The only way to reliably turn it off now is via the switch on the unit. So I suspect that this has been a problem since we started the trip and the inverter has been on most of the time, with maybe that power consumption not being registered by the control panel. Maybe. Something else that I’ve noticed is that my solar charge controller turns off when the batteries are full and doesn’t come back on. So if the batteries are full at noon, with the fridge, fans, etc. running for the rest of the day, we start the evening not with 100% but maybe 95% or less. Maybe that’s normal, but it seems like I would have noticed that behavior before. There were software updates to all my equipment that I installed before leaving, so it’s possible that all this behavior is buggy updates.

I have averaged about 8500 trailer miles for each of the past two years. I do my own R&R as well and use the synthetic lubricant that John D. recommended a year or two ago. My original bearings look good, and I just replaced the seals with Timken made (National) ones. I have a spare set of bearings and seals on board just in case. They were purchased from an authorized Timken distributor. They were not inexpensive..... All that said, at what mileage or age point is a bearing change recommended "just because"? Thanks,

O.K., I'll bite - what is a honey wagon?

I made this because the Owners Manual towing and camping lists are simply lame. This one is set up like an aircraft preflight checklist. Feel free to edit and change as needed, some items may not apply or you may just want to do it differently. Mine is laminated and posted inside the closet door: Click the attachment at the bottom to download the Word file. John Davies Spokane WA OLIVER-TRAILER-CHECKLIST-–.docx

We also suffer from Propane false alarms. I must admit that I have placed a fan near the detector to clear the air on occasion and run the MaxxFan nearly 24/7. The statement about detector location made me search for recommendations and I found the following statement from this website. Propane is heavier than air, accordingly it will sink and accumulate near the floor of any room. Place the Propane detector on the wall 2 feet from the floor, and at least 2 feet from any corner. So maybe the solution is to move the detector. I’ll have to consider that. Mike and Krunch

"Ribbed anchors" are what those do-hickies are called. Brilliant! Sometimes less is more.

Thanks. You would almost think OTT would have sent out a note. "After years of asking, we have pure white blinds". "For a limited time a special $$$$ package, with clear INSTRUCTIONS, are now available". I know I would sign up to change mine. I would not mind a little mark up on their part for handling. When we show a trailer to a curious or prospective customer, we are kind of representing the Oliver brand. The color of the blinds has come up EVERY time. Don't you think it would be in OTTs best interest, to let us know that if a customer buys, their unit will have these new "upgrades"? As loyal dedicated owners, who for the most part keep their unit shipshape, might also want to buy the upgrades? Maybe they need to add a store; blinds, water bags, tee shirts, vest and other branded items?

This morning at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in far southwestern Arizona. A cactus, a rainbow and two Olivers, the Lonestar Oliver and the Outlaw Oliver.