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This storage container is a perfect fit for the back of the basement. Plano, 68 quart, medium storage trunk.

That looks pretty handy.. and got me wondering about what other folks stuff into the basement and what kind of storage solutions they have come up with… Heres what we’ve got stashed away.. a tote with a couple 50’ water hoses and assorted “water gear”, a sort of spool I made with two 25’ cords wrapped around it and related testers and adapters in its center… a milk crate full of blocking of various sizes (6x6s, 2x6s 1x6s etc) and a box I made full for an assortment of tools and gear aimed at quick repairs and trouble shooting without getting into the “real toolbox” that lives in the truck. the tote and spool go in first… followed by the crate of blocking, and the tools.. the remaining space is where I stow the wheel chocks

I'm like a fish out of water anytime I set foot in a grocery store. So many choices of so many things - how is one to know which one is the best, which one is the easiest to make, which one requires ten pots (and several spices and a special moon phase and a small dog) to make? Heck - I'm just happy to be able to go into one of those things, get something that I can eat and get out without getting run over by several people who obviously really do know what they are doing!

I was out on a family road trip this weekend hoping to spot a Oliver out in the wild. A tall ask given we are roading southern Idaho. Sure enough, though, headed north on Monday 9/27 about noon between Twin Falls and Mountain Home and red/maroon truck towing a Oliver II with red/maroon pin strips goes by on the other side of the freeway. Wish they would have been headed the same way as us because I would have followed you 😀. Thanks for being on the road though, I told myself seeing a Ollie in the wild this trip might be a sign, dough, what to do now!

I agree with Bill except for one thing and that is using the rivets the factory uses to attach the bed rails. There is no reason not to use the factory rivets as they create a very secure and clean connection. I speak from experience as I have converted our standard floor plan into a modified twin floor plan. Andrew

Tonight was what I call heat and eat camping dinner. Last week, I made about a gallon of gumbo. Sent some home with a friend, froze a quart for camping. The three of us enjoyed it, first time around. We often get up at 2 am to avoid traffic. Gets us to North Carolina from Florida by early afternoon. By dinnertime, after setting up, I'm not very motivated to cook. Gumbo was great. And quick, and easy. Especially, since we were tired.

Re the black streaks, I tried a black streak remover but found using a "cleaner wax" (I used Collinate #920) required much less elbow grease. Even though the cleaner wax made Ollie look good, I followed up with a good paste wax (#885) to really boost her shine & protection.

Always love the little mom & pop places. They have the quirky local goods & some are also the liquor store. "I♡Publix" Lakeland, FL (home) is blessed to be the headquarters for Publix. They have given generously to our community.

Yes, no, yes. Explanation - yes, you can convert from one to the other. No, it would not be necessary to go back to the factory for the conversion as long as one is reasonably handy and can find a way to attach the twin bed "bed" extensions without using the "rivets" that the factory uses (I don't think that this task should be too difficult, but, I've never done it nor have I seen it done. Yes, the factory could ship you the necessary components - nightstand, bed extensions, and miscellaneous parts like outlets, etc. and (perhaps) caulk. You would also have to remove the floor plates for the table or simply remove them and put a rug over the holes where they were fastened down. And, of course, make or buy the cushions/mattresses for the twin beds. Bill

@Landrover, great idea to stock the evacuation pod ahead of season. I do a bit of camp kitchen shopping at the dollartrees, too. Boxed milk, shelf stable, is $1 for a quart, and the thin aluminum pans , 3 and 4 for a dollar, are great for some types of campfire cooking.

That would be an explanation for the extra run of pipe and would be an improvement on what they did before with only one inlet.

Sorry for the delay posting these pictures.

Every year for hurricane season we stock the trailer with can goods and non perishable items. Dollar General is where we stock up from. I found for some reason the can and non perishable items have the longest shelf date than you can find at the big box stores and cheaper prices.

In Texas, our favorite, hands down, is HEB. In fact, we find we miss our HEB’s when on the road. When on the road, we venture into any grocery store that is convenient. We do prefer most grocery stores over Walmart, but we’ve given a lot of business to Walmart when traveling. We eat pretty simple, grill a meat (beef, pork, chicken, fish) and a veggie and we’re good. Walmart is fine for paper goods and non-food supplies. Mike

The 16K grain softener I used for a couple of years did not fit in the basement and it was very heavy. An 8K grain would be more manageable, although I’m not sure it would fit in the basement. I checked Amazon and they have our small softener HERE. It’s lightweight, fits in the basement standing up and lasts an entire 6 to 8 week trip. It’s easy to recharge with table salt, and only takes 30 minutes or so. Mike

Hull #110 is not too far from ours. I’m a bit surprised at the condition it was in when sold, and I am very impressed with the clean up job! You’ve got it looking great, nice job!! Pete, @bugeyedriver will probably read this and can post a picture of his front end treatment. If not, I’ll drive over to his house and take a pic! He’s a neighbor. Mike

I looked but found no joy. Certainly there are less expensive ones out there too, but, they don't fit into that space. I was so mad that I seriously considered doing a fiberglass repair of the existing hole, then cutting a new hole for a new detector and finishing with some sort of trim to make it all look pretty. Perhaps that is what I would have done if I could store my Ollie at my home. But, with all the schlepping back and forth I finally decided to just cave in and get the direct replacement.

If I get into a Publix and find their multigrain bread still warm from the oven, I grab a loaf, head over to the butter case and grab a stick, pay for it and then head to the truck. Once at the truck I make a complete fool of myself by eating as much of this bread (with the butter) as my stomach can hold. Almost better than se..........🥰 Bill

Did you buy a Walmart geezer card or something for a lifetime 10% discount? Should I try my National Parks geezer card?🤪

It's ordered! Thanks again Mike!

When filling our fresh tank at home I use our larger unit. I also use it when washing the trailer. When we are out and at a campsite with a water hookup I use our smaller unit when filling the fresh tank. If we’ve been camping with no hookups and fill at a dump station or other location I use the softener if there isn’t anyone waiting. If we’re in a hurry I just use a blue Camco filter and fill. The water softener doesn’t restrict flow in any noticeable way. I’ve never used the boondock water upload port. My small unit is stored in the basement when traveling and set up next to our Culligan filter next to the trailer when we have water hookups. I don’t do anything to winter proof it. When we had the rare single digit cold snap last winter, I had our trailer in the driveway with lots of heat going, to include the basement where we store our little softener. Mike

Wayfinder, I had XPEL 10 mil paint protection installed on the quarter panel locations you show above. It really helps protect those very vulnerable areas. I also had it applied to the front and left corners and the “dog house” or propane storage area. Nice job cleaning up those areas! Patriot

I think Ollie #110 is happy its been adopted by Wayfinder... and probably hoping its found its forever home! Great job on that clean up! I'll remember that 3M cleaner!

@John E Davies That 3M cleaner is the best. It did not take much elbow grease, time, nor cleaner to complete the rear area, rims, and fenders. I doubt I even used 1/4 of the can. I spends less than an hour. Amazing stuff, but must use it outside, in a breeze, with a fan. LOL The marks on the clean pics are pits from road debris. I can see black Rhino-liner in the future for the lower portion of the hull. Q: Has anyone protected the lower hull with Rhino-Liner like material? Would like to see pics of that. #110 is coming back to life. I'm thinking of these next few weeks as Wayfinder is in dry-dock for repairs and clean up, which basically, it is. Great weather here in GA this week. Here are some before and after shots. Thanks a bunch, again! The starboard side not nearly as bad.

We have a 2021 Elite II and our propane alarm malfunctioned on our 3 outing this summer, it has a different sensor than the Dometic but after 3 hard resets it has not sounded off. The remnants of Fred had dumped 3.5" of rain where we camped so maybe the humidity was the problem.

I wasn’t trying to correct you or JD, I was just confused. I thought maybe you guys had different pumps than I had. Thanks for clearing it up for me, Mossey

Sure do like the way you think!🤑

Earlier this summer mine acted up a couple of times. THANK YOU FOR THE ABOVE POSTS!I That said, four detectors are failing long before the seven year standard... why reward the MFG for their POS detectors by buying more? Does anyone have a suggestion for a longer life more reliable CO/Propane detector that will fit in the same space? Or one we can remove and toss into the trash can at 2:00 AM? Thanks JD: I LOVED "when you are trying to figure out how to kill power to that pesky alarm at 2:00 AM, with that bed occupied by a disgruntled spouse with her pillow held tight over her ears…." I would wager that more than a few of us have experienced your same "joy". LOL

My Ollie is primarily used out west. Over the previous 3 summer seasons, the water flow from the faucets had steadily decreased. I checked all fittings for air intake leakage (Pump Cavitation) and water loss, water pump screen, and even inspected the pump impeller pump head. The impact of using well and spring water was the obvious source of my self-inflicted water flow problem. When the boondock draw rate for a 5-gallon container time increased to over 7 minutes, I knew that I had waited a bit too long to effectively address the issue. So at the beginning of my 2021 Summer Tour, I purchased two large Costco jugs of Vinegar and executed the OTT recommended decalcification process. With some modifications, it worked very well. Basically, our faucets/showers water flow "grade" went from a "D-" to a "B+". For MY situation, my waiting three years to de-calcify was too long. As a short-term solution, I have added the de-calcification process to my required maintenance effort at the beginning of each odd year. Long term, a water softener is on the horizon. BTW, they are not cheap.... In the meantime, my future summer improvement priorities for my Ollie are: A. Lithium Conversion in 2022 (Thanks to Overland for the tip: "...I see that Battleborn have their standard 100Ah battery on sale for $799 right now, which is the best price I've seen since I bought mine in '17". I just purchased three of them. 🙂 B. Houghton Conversion in 2023 C. Water Softener in 2024

At the end of the season, I'll use a "Clay bar" with a lubricant (Maguires makes a great kit), then wax with "Rejex". The "clay bar" will remove a lot of grime you don't notice, but you feel; slide your fingers over the fiberglass. Using the "clay bar" produces a smooth surface to be waxed over. I highly recommend this procedure for the roof section. The roof takes the biggest beating and accumulates the most road/camping dirt. At least up there you're working horizontally. Take your time, it doesn't take that long. When you're finished you really get that "warm fuzzy feeling" knowing you're done! Sure makes a significant difference with the gelcoat over time. Try the "clay bar". It truly does not take that much extra effort and produces a superior surface to cover with wax. Best, E

Search the forum for Cradlepoint and research it in other places online for information about them. I believe Overland mentioned that there is a subscription fee as well. Also take a look at YouTube for "Mobile Internet Resource Center". They are former Oliver owners who live mobile year round and know all about mobile connectivity. Good luck, Mossey

That is great customer service, and a little unexpected IMHO; take him a some doughnuts the next time you go there. A positive review on Yelp would also be appreciated, I am sure…. John Davies Spokane WA

I installed this security camera several months ago and posted it on the forum. The camera is working very well there are no wires at all the camera recharges by built in solar or USB port. Clear picture and great night time visual. I posted it under entry door security camera. This system is used as a back up camera I’m not sure if the monitor will pick it up from the TV we use the monitor in side the Ollie I purchased the system at Walmart for around $100.00

My quick camping recipe for creole jambalaya, that I forgot to include with the photo : I saute diced sausage (andouille or kielbasa) with a diced bell pepper, diced small onion, diced celery if I have it, and sometimes diced eggplant or summer squash. I add a small can of diced tomatoes (like rotel), a bag of precooked microwaveable rice. If I have Mexican bagged rice, I just add a little oregano and thyme. If white rice, I add chili powder, thyme, oregano and garlic, and a bit of crushed red pepper. Toss in any leftover diced chicken, or precooked shrimp, if I have some on hand. Ready in ten minutes, because the rice was precooked. One pan to clean- my wok skillet, or my small pot.

SPRAY NINE is the best cleaner I have found for the streaks. I spray it on and let it set for a few minutes then use a brush with detergent and then power wash just to rinse. https://www.amazon.com/Spray-Nine-26832-Degreaser-Disinfectant/dp/B0014COKYU/ref=asc_df_B0014COKYU/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309748512677&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8740241489339974550&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001872&hvtargid=pla-570918661581&psc=1

My 2016 Elite ll is on its third sensor. I tried to get Dometic to warranty the last dead one but after six sets of forms they had me fill out I just gave up (my bad in that these guys should not be allowed to get away with this sort of stuff but I really did have other things to do). Either prepare yourself for a long warranty battle or take JD's advice or place a small fan in front of it that constantly blows fresh air into it or take the risk (not what I'd do) and disconnect it. Note - that reset button only silences the alarm for a few minutes. Bill

Expected sensor life is actually seven years “powered on”, so perhaps a bit longer if you routinely disconnect the trailer batteries in the off season. But it still could be Tango Uniform after five years, check the actual manufacture date, there was another recent thread about this. Plus certain solvents and chemicals can damage the gas sensor, like excessive dog farts. I would just buy a new one and toss the unreliable one. I added a detector switch right next to it just for your situation….. there is an inline fuse under the street side bed, but mine was hard to find and not labeled. Well, it was labelled, “1 amp”, which is not helpful when you are trying to figure out how to kill power to that pesky alarm at 2:00 AM, with that bed occupied by a disgruntled spouse with her pillow held tight over her ears…. John Davies Spokane WA

My guess is it’s toast. Based on the year of your trailer it could have easily been manufactured 5 years ago.

Since it’s a propane and CO detector, I don’t think heat would be a factor. It is indeed a strange circumstance. Have you checked the date code on the unit? I know mine started acting erratically before the trailer was 5 years old, but I do think that is the advertised length of service. Mossey

Mexican Mac and Cheese. We pre-cook ground beef with taco seasoning, Then at the campsite we make a box of Kraft deluxe Mac and Cheese. Mix in the taco meat and your all set. This is a whole meal but also works great as a side dish.

Yes. Sealing gaskets isn't what it's made for, but someone here tried it a few years back and found that it does the trick. I sealed mine I think early 2018 and haven't had to redo it yet.

1. Yes, and yes it is! 2. I've had good luck using a magic eraser pad. You can also minimize the streaks by sealing the light gaskets with Captain Tolleys.

Yes, I wash and wax the roof. When I was experiencing the black streaks waxing removed them if I recall correctly. Mike

In an effort to reduce any nicks or dings to the front of our Ollie we had 10 mil XPEL paint protection installed on the front corners, dog house etc. I also recently custom ordered a set of these “rock flaps” for our F250 Tremor TV from a fabrication shop called livelymachine.com. I just was not overly impressed by the other brand of rock tamers or rock stoppers that mount to the hitch for a number of reasons. These rock flaps mount up underneath the bumper directly into the receiver left and right side square openings on our F250 Tremor. A really nice fit and finish and very well made with aluminum powder coated tubing and all stainless hardware. Once mounted they are not going anywhere. If you are interested in pricing and shipping costs or have technical questions about rock stoppers please contact livelymachine.com. Cheers and Happy Towing!

I bought a 2018 Elite II, which was used very little. I did purchase new mattresses (the old ones had a little bit of mold on them so I trashed them) and picked them up before our first trip this spring. My wife is very much effected by smells and she has not have any issues with smells this year. In the spring you can flush out the RV antifreeze and disinfect the water system which will take away any of those type of odors. I would recommend that you purchase the under mattress (or under cushion) hypervent matting. It allows air on the underside of mattress so they do not get moist and allow mold to form. Also use a dehumidifier in the Oliver during humid times to keep any humidity low so mold does not grow on any cloth used for the mattresses or cushions is a prudent item to purchase. I use the dehumidifier all summer even when parked in our driveway. It keeps thing fresh. I think with a little bit of prevention you should be ok.

I am very sorry for your situation, but I do have some understanding. A year plus, in climate control, may be difficult to find. My sister has many sensitivity issues, like yours. She also bought a pre-owned, stored inside trailer,a different brand. It worked out ok. But, it was a crapshoot . There are unfortunately no guarantees for her , or you. It seems to be very "situational. " There is no way for mold to grow fiberglass, but it can grow on organic "dirt, and leavings." And, there is always a bit if fiberglass dust,, and the scent at first. Oliver is better than most, but no guarantees, with your sensitivity. The hull and gelcoat are fine. But other items outgas. Fabrics, wiring, plumbing. appliances. I wish I could say "fine," but I can't. Go to an Oliver rally, visit some trailers. See how you react. Then hunt down the trailer of your dreams, if you are ok . Best if luck, truly. If your class a works forcyou, and is in good shape, I'd keep it, honestly. Sherry

You wouldn’t look as deranged flashing the lights in your truck? 🤣

We've been sharing ideas and recipes here for over a decade. Tonight, in the rain , I did a jambalaya . I prefer campfire cooking,, but, well, if it's raining all day.....

@John E Daviesis right on. His description is how I did it. I did NOT use a filter since we don't put any food / grease into our grey tank so it's soap and hair only - not a problem for the pump (as of yet). I'm not sure what good pictures would do - I didn't take any - but it would show a hose coming out of the back bumper (connected to the black / grey drain pipe with this: Camco Durable Sewer Cap with Hose Connection- Caps the Sewer Connection to Prevent Leaks, Easy Install and Simple Use (39463)). Then there's a pump like this Trupow 1/10HP 330GPH 115-Volt Mini Portable Electric Utility Sump Transfer Water Pump with Water Hose Kit that attaches to the drain hose and subsequently another hose to the black water flush port / inlet. Hook it up, then pump in some grey water until the black tank is full. Common sense provides the valve configurations... when filling the black tank, the black tank valve must be closed and the grey must be open. Problems can be avoided with the vent, etc. by not overfilling the black tank. It's not that hard to be careful. I timed how long it took my pump to transfer 15 gallons of grey water to a bucket before I tried this. It took that pump listed above 3 minutes and 45 seconds for 15 gallons. I ran the pump for 3 minutes and 30 seconds and then checked my black tank SeeLevel monitor and it was at 95%. I figured that's close enough, so I can run the pump for 3.5 minutes safely. There's no other way I can think of to easily use the black tank without plumbing modifications. I wanted to preserve everything for resale just in case. It's also worth noting that we ordered the composting toilet with our Ollie, so the black tank is there but has NO hole in the top cut out. If you upgraded to the composting toilet and you still have the hole on top of the black tank you would have to cover / seal the hole.