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We are at Kartchner Caverns State Park in Benson AZ. This is an absolutely fabulous park. I did a cave tour this morning it was very good! Then on to Tombstone. The scenery is outstanding and so different from Maine.

We don't yet own our Ollie (scheduled delivery in September), but I have loaded and towed raft trailers for 40 years. I agree with NcEagle 100%. About 60% of trailer weight should be forward of the axle(s) for safest towing, and best on-road handling. I would never consider loading heavy stuff in the rear of a trailer to reduce tongue weight. If you can't "make tongue weight" when loading your trailer a bit front heavy, either leave some stuff home or get a bigger tow vehicle. Life and health, including not just yours but that of those on the road around you, are too precious to risk loading any trailer tail heavy. My 2 cents.

If you have time check out Bisbee, too. It’s an eclectic little town that’s fun to explore. We also enjoyed our stay at Kartchner Caverns last month, nice little park! Mike

7 3/4”

You can use your Blue Ox if YOU can figure out how to mount it to the Oliver Frame. Oliver won't install anything but the Andersen. The Andersen was chosen early on due to the way it attaches. I'm sure there's a way to make the Blue Ox work but you might have to cut some of the fiberglass away on the propane cover. You don't mention what model Oliver you're getting or what vehicle you're planning to tow with. These two pieces of information are important to know to make an informed answer.

You do not need the Andersen hitch with an LE2, a simple fixed drop ball mount is fine with an F350! Whatever it takes to get level, the Ollie coupler is just under 24 inches. A mount and ball will be less than $100. Rather than spending a ton of money, I would go that route, and also consider converting the Ollie coupler to 2 5/16" so the trailers match, plus it gives you a lot more reserve capacity and reduced ball wear. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/3483-how-to-upgrade-the-bulldog-coupler-and-andersen-hitch-to-2-516/ John Davies Spokane WA

I have owned my 2020 LE II for 18 months and towed about 10,000 miles including 2,400 miles from Hohenwald to Oregon when I picked up the trailer. My vehicle is rated to tow 7,000 lbs. Horsepower is about 245 and torque about 320. Payload is a dismal 1,120 lbs. I couldn't afford a new tow vehicle and the Oliver at the same time I have been mostly satisfied with my towing experience but certainly look forward to getting a beefier tow vehicle at some point. I definitely feel safer towing the LE II with my current vehicle now than I did towing my former 3,000 lb tent trailer with terrible towing manners. If you can afford more tow vehicle, then don't hesitate to get a new one. If it comes down to no Oliver, then you can start out with your Tacoma with the Anderson hitch and upgrade your tow vehicle later. It seems that many have done that. Oliver will set up the Anderson hitch properly when you pick up the trailer. If you pay close attention to loading and leave the toys at home to stay within all specs, you will not be unsafe on the road. The double axle LE II tows extremely well without sway. Look to adjust tongue weight to no more than 9% and plan on a mostly empty truck bed. Pack any extra weight in the Oliver on the floor or bunk centered over the axles as much as possible. Move this weight to the pickup when you set up camp. And don't travel long distances without first emptying the blackwater tank which adds considerable tongue weight. When loaded for a week of camping, my LE II weighs about 5700 lbs with 520 lbs tongue weight (plus 60 lbs for the Anderson hitch) and my tow vehicle is usually pushing its GVWR of 5,700 lbs. I limit tow vehicle payload to one driver, one passenger, one dog and less than 100 lbs of cargo. (If I had young children, it wouldn't work). And yes, I need to stop for gas every 200 miles or so. Note that to achieve the full GVWR safely, it is critical that the weight be properly distributed over the front and rear axles of the tow vehicle. That is what the Anderson hitch is for. My current tow vehicle is a 2004 4Runner V8 Limited with 220,000 miles. The 2004-2006 V8 4Runner is the only 4Runner ever built with a V8 engine and a towing capacity of more than 5,000lbs. I am the original owner. Eying the 2023 Sequoia as a possible replacement.

"How on earth do you plan to use both RV's?" dewdev Punishment for Curiosity. (A strong feeling to know or learn something.) I also have THREE FLY RODS for fishing. When Off the Grid Boondocking... there are advantages for a shorter, narrower trailer for some destinations. The 23 foot Airstream is narrower than all the other Airstream Models... but had 14 inch, five lug wheels in 2006). Load Range C Goodyear 14 inch Marathons... worst tires for heavy Airstreams. We are unconventional in our trailer uses, where we set camp, what we need (like 16 inch Michelins on both trailers), clearances (added 3 inches of lift to the Airstream due to length and 16 inch Michelins). Also, consideration of the current depreciating money in savings at low interest rates. Our Oliver and Airstream will always have value, have a purpose, easy to sell and both are excellent trailers. We want the Propane / Electric operated trailer... ONLY. The trend is going ALL Electric, which does not work for us. Both trailers are 2019 Models, so can compare better and many appliances are from the same manufacturers. The Oliver will take more than two days to become competent of how everything works. My wife is the INISDE person and I, the OUTSIDE person. You are never too old to try something, different. Some people prefer to do nothing and succeed. We do not mind trying to do something different and hopefully find success in both trailers, different in many ways, but both are easy to Tow having a F350 Diesel 4x4. We will know by the end of this camping Season.

Ray This is what I use and I use it for all my trailers that I have and It has the ability to switch to what ever ball size you need. It's great to know at a glance what your tongue weight is especially when positioning equipment on flatbed trailer . I bought my Oliver gently used and it came with the Anderson hitch system. I pull with a Chev 3/4 ton so I do not use the Anderson and I kept the 2 inch receiver on the Oliver and it pulls like a dream. Product Experts Available Now! Call 800-298-1624 Customer Service Order Tracking Towing Sports & Rec Trailer Vehicle RV & Camper Marine Brands Deals Select Vehicle Go Free Shipping on Orders Over $99* Only 15 Hours 45 Minutes Remaining *Available Within The Contiguous USA Trailer Hitch Ball Mount Weigh Safe Fits 2-1/2 Inch Hitch Adjustable Ball Mount Drop - 4 Inch Rise - 5 Inch Weigh Safe 2-Ball Mount w/ Built-In Scale - 2-1/2" Hitch - 4" Drop, 5" Rise - 18.5K Item # WS4-25 (1125 Reviews) Retail:$362.70 Our Price: $309.00 You Save: $53.70 This item qualifies for Free Shipping Estimated delivery to MinnesotaChange Tuesday, February 15 - (Free Shipping) Monday, February 14 - (1 Day Shipping) Quantity: In Stock drag to rotate Product Images Show All (16) Product Images In Use/Installed Customer Photos Videos Weigh Safe Ball Mount with Built-In Scale Review Weigh Safe Ball Mounts - Adjustable Ball Mount - WS4-25 Review Need help with installation? Locate installers near me All Info Reviews (1125) Q & A (17) Related Parts Photos Why etrailer? Weigh Safe Trailer Hitch Ball Mount - WS4-25 Fits 2-1/2 Inch Hitch Adjustable Ball Mount Drop - 4 Inch Rise - 5 Inch 2 Inch Ball 2-5/16 Inch Ball Two Balls Class V 18500 lbs GTW Built-In TW Scale Weigh Safe Aluminum Shank - Silver Stainless Steel Ball Measure your tongue weight to determine if you can safely tow by simply coupling your trailer to this ball mount. Ball platform locks to shank. Tow up to 8,000 lbs with the 2" ball and up to 18,500 lbs with the 2-5/16" ball. Features: Ball mount with included hitch balls lets you hook up your trailer to your tow vehicle Shank slides into hitch receiver Ball provides connection point for trailer coupler Tongue weight scale built into the ball mount platform helps you balance your trailer Promotes safe towing - lets you know if your load needs to be adjusted before you tow Simple operation - automatically provides a measurement every time you couple your trailer Efficient and hassle-free - eliminates the need for separate or commercial scales Adjustable height lets you tow trailers of different heights with the same vehicle Slide ball mount platform up or down shank and secure in place with included dual locking pins 2 Keys are included 2 Different-size hitch balls let you tow trailers with different coupler sizes To switch ball, simply remove the ball-retaining lock pin from the platform, insert ball, and reinsert pin 6061 T6 billet aluminum shank and mounting platform provide superior strength and durability Solid block construction provides greater strength than hollow steel competitors while also maintaining a light weight Rustproof for a clean finish that stands the test of time Stainless steel hitch balls are corrosion resistant Hitch pin and clip or hitch lock sold separately SAE J684 certified and VESC Regulations V-5 compliant Made in the USA Specs: Application: 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" trailer hitch receivers Gross towing weight: 2-5/16" Diameter hitch ball: 18,500 lbs 2" Diameter hitch ball: 8,000 lbs Tongue weight: 2,200 lbs Distance from center of hitch pin hole to center of hitch ball: 8-3/4" Maximum drop: 4" Maximum rise: 5" Incremental height adjustment: 1" Scale gauge diameter: 1-1/2" Warranty: Limited lifetime for ball mount 1-Year limited for scale gauge This Weigh Safe ball mount has an easy-to-use, built-in scale that measures your trailer's tongue weight every time you tow. If the scale indicates that your tongue weight is too low or too high, you can adjust it before you head out so that you can complete your journey with the peace of mind that your setup is safe. What is Tongue Weight? Tongue weight (TW) refers to the weight that the fully loaded trailer exerts downward on the hitch ball of the tow vehicle. Tongue weight is typically 10 percent - and should not exceed 15 percent - of your gross trailer weight. For example, a 10,000-lb trailer should have a tongue weight between 1,000 lbs and 1,500 lbs. You can adjust the tongue weight of your trailer by removing or adding cargo, or redistributing the load on the trailer. The tongue weight should not exceed the capacity of your tow vehicle, your hitch, or any of your towing components. Why is Tongue Weight So Important? Simply put, too little tongue weight can cause trailer sway and too much tongue weight can cause the tow vehicle to perform poorly. You may have difficulty steering, gaining traction, or braking when driving a setup that has too much weight pushing down on the rear of the vehicle. Ultimately, towing with an improper tongue weight can cause you to lose control of your vehicle or cause your trailer to separate from the vehicle. Built-In Tongue Weight Scale The Weigh Safe ball mount's built-in scale signals you to adjust your load before you hit the road, resulting in a much safer and enjoyable towing experience. Before this ball mount, gauging your trailer's tongue weight was a hassle. You had to rely on inefficient bathroom scales, make a trip to the weigh station, or purchase a separate tongue weight scale. But with the Weigh Safe's built-in scale, measuring your tongue weight is as easy as coupling your trailer to your ball mount. Simply hook-up your trailer to the Weigh Safe ball mount just as you would any other ball mount. The weight of your trailer will push down on the hitch ball, which in turn pushes down on an internal hydraulic piston that sits on a bed of oil. When the piston drops into the oil, the pressure reading is sent out to the scale. Easily Adjusts to Fit Your Setup Adjusting and setting up the Weigh Safe ball mount to work with your specific trailer is easy. First, unlock and pull out the dual pins and remove the platform from the shank. Next, pull out the hitch ball retaining pin from the back of the platform and insert either the 2" or 2-5/16" hitch ball. A 1-7/8" hitch ball (WSB-L - sold separately) is also available. Then reinsert the retaining pin to secure the ball to the platform. Replace the platform and slide it along the shank to the desired height. Insert the dual pins and use one of the included keys to lock the pins in place. The Weigh Safe ball mount can be used in either the drop or rise position to best suit your application. Superior Aluminum and Stainless Steel Construction From the first moment that you lay eyes on the Weigh Safe ball mount you'll see that you're getting a superior, well-made product. The Weigh Safe's shank and ball mount platform are made entirely of 6061 T6 billet aluminum, which is the same material that is used to build aircraft components, automobile frames, and freight liners. This type of aluminum is known for having superior strength while maintaining its light weight, which makes it highly desirable over hollow steel components. 6061 T6 aluminum is also rustproof, which means the Weigh Safe hitch will maintain its clean, shiny, and impressive appearance for years to come. And the hitch balls are made of solid stainless steel, offering far greater protection against rust and corrosion than other steel hitch balls that are only painted or plated on the surface. The Weigh Safe ball mount meets VESC V-5 regulations and is SAE J684 certified. These regulatory bodies - the Vehicle Equipment Safety Commission and the Society for Automotive Engineers - create standards for the design, construction, and performance of automotive and towing accessories. Weigh Safe has had this ball mount thoroughly tested in simulation to ensure that it complies with these standards. The result is a strong, safe, sturdy product that is built to last. WS4-2.5 Weigh-Safe Trailer Hitches with Tongue Weight Gauge - 2" x 2-5/16" Ball Combo - 4 Inch Drop - 2-1/2 Inch Hitches

At least "boxed" is lighter than bottled. Look at the weight savings - particularly after you drink it!

Good to know. Thanks. We stayed at the D H Lescombes winery in Deming as the are a Harvest Host location. We had a nice time. From there we went to White Sands and got covered in gypsum plaster. It had snowed there a few days earlier and no wind so not a lot of dust. Portions of the road had gypsum mud. I even put the truck in 4WD for 2 sections of road. It probably wasn't needed but the tracks were 3 inches deep and I didn't want to get stuck. From White Sands we went to Kartchner Caverns State Park in AZ.

21 gallon tank getting 13 miles/gallon gives you a range of about 270 miles. You’ll want to fill up before you get below 1/4 tank (I usually start looking to fuel up once I start getting below 1/2 tank). So, every 200 miles you’ll be looking for a gas station. If it’s windy or lots of hills expect gas mileage to decrease 3 or more miles/gallon. As far as payload goes, Carol and I combined are about 270 lbs. But we carry more than 80 lbs of stuff in the truck which is your 950 lbs. Grills, Clam, chairs, fire pit, portable table, rug, extra propane tank, Tupperware with spare parts, ladder, sometimes a generator, etc. I always say start off lean and add what you need. 950 lbs might be a good start point. You’ll know after camping a while! I think there are several owners that tow with a Tacoma. Just realize that your margin of safety is much less than a larger truck, especially in hills and mountains. Mike

You can bet your sweet bippy it is, like unto a water slide. I have some commercial scaffolding that I set up when I need/want to work on the top.

Probably headed there today thanks very much for the guidance.

Canis lupus Dingo... an ancient lineage of dog found in Australia. Blue Heeler, Queensland Heeler, Australian Cattle Dog domesticated and life expectancy to 16 years. A Dog that can handle High Temperatures, travel Long Distances, Rough Terrain, Protective of their Pack and faithful to their owners and herd children, when necessary. Our Oliver is now... DINGO, who was over 16 years old before passing among previous Blue Heelers we have traveled with. If our used Oliver gives us half the pleasure our previous Blue Heelers over the last 30 years... the name DINGO will be well earned. Our longest living Blue Heeler, rests in peace, within 40 feet of our Oliver this morning. This makes our pain in losing our friend, with the thought we are still traveling and exploring with fond memories for years to come. Dingo would have approved of our choice of an Oliver.

John, you have a more detailed oriented memory than I do! I forgot that we also carry a case (40 bottle Costco) of drinking water and case of big bottles for coffee, stakes and sledge hammer for the Clam, and at least 50 lbs of tools. Mike

We may carry more than most camping, but it would be way too "borderline" for us with a payload capacity of 1395 / towing capacity of 6800 - well, maybe if I was alone I could squeeze it out. For example, here's our weight calculations for what we carry in our 3/4 ton pickup on a typical ~2 week camping trip: Essentials: Ollie tongue weight - fully stocked with food / clothing / full fresh water tank + other essentials (620 lbs), Passengers (300 lbs) + BIG doggy (100 lbs) = 1020 lbs. Various tools (58 lbs), Emergency gear (39 lbs), 20 gallons drinking water (166 lbs), Clam tent, stakes, hammer (49 lbs), Camping chairs & table (42 lbs), propane fire pit (24 lbs), outdoor rug (11 lbs), camp chef propane stove (8 lbs), hiking gear for two (23 lbs) = 420 lbs. Non-essentials (combination of following depending on type of trip): Generator + generator stuff (70 lbs), extra full 20 lb propane tank (36 lbs), spare solar panel (41 lbs), 2 e-bikes (100 lbs) = 247 lbs. Sure, we could jam more into the Ollie with heavy stuff near the rear to reduce tongue weight and payload, but it becomes even more dangerous and not fun (imo) when the overall trailer weight is approaching the tow vehicle weight / limits. John

READ https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/3483-how-to-upgrade-the-bulldog-coupler-and-andersen-hitch-to-2-516/ If you have one of the several OLD Andersen designs, you may be able to trade it in for the new design pictured above for about $100, you would have to contact their customer service, and you need to say “It gets wet and is crazy loud, it sounds like the Spawn of Satan when I turn, it wakes up everybody in the campground and the dogs start barking!” Or something similar 😬Regardless, do not rebuild your old one if it is that bad design, the new design with the retaining ring and moisture seal is way better, because water and grit won’t rust the tapered shaft and tear up the friction cone. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2418-fyi-andersen-wd-hitch-ball-locking-up-or-load-noise/ https://andersenhitches.com/pages/contact PS, I still think this is a waste of money and your time, though you could get your Andersen hitch updated and then sell it for $300, then buy the fixed ball mount. That will work perfectly with your HD truck, but if the rear end bounces on choppy pavement, it just means that your truck shocks are worn out. PPS, for boondocking on those rough dirt roads you would be lots better off without the Andersen, it binds up and has very VERY limited articulation when the chains are tight. You can just snug them a little, but a dead weight ball mount, or better yet an off-road coupler setup, doesn’t have those built in design flaws. Maybe overland can post pics of his…. John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks John. It was a fun evening - and I was lucky to be there for it! I did not bring my Oliver down there. I had been planning to take 3-4 weeks and drive down and check out places like Death Valley etc. on the way to and from a photography workshop I signed up for at White Sands (a great place for such a workshop, in part because the workshop organizers were able to get an early entry permit that let us go into the park at 5:45am whereas the general public was getting in at 7am (right about sunrise time when I was there) so we could park, walk way out to find the unmarked dunes we'd scouted, and be shooting from twilight to a bit after sunrise when the light got quite harsh. But life changed my plan - I had some shoulder issues that led to a frozen shoulder in October, and by the time of the workshop in early December I'd realized I needed to minimize time away from my osteopath and physical therapist. Thankfully my shoulder is fairly close to normal now I think thanks to a "capsular distension" procedure plus way too much painful stretching - it apparently often takes 1-2 years for a frozen shoulder to resolve even with the PT so I think I'm lucky (plus I think the somewhat new capsular distension procedure is worth investigating with your doc if you ever have a damn frozen shoulder!). So to make a long story short, I flew down (right as Omicron was starting to spread in the US - yay!) and rented a car in Albuquerque. After going there, I think I'd park the Oliver outside the park and not bring it in - there's no need to have it in there other than not wanting to leave it somewhere else while there. There's no camping there other than backcountry camping out in the dunes (which is still closed as part of COVID adjustments at the park or I probably would have spent a night out there if I could score the permit). There's a fair stretch of driving on the gypsum which is either going to be wet and prone to caking on or dry and prone to invading every tiny crack and orifice. Or some of both.

The Dingo looks nice and comfortable in your RV garage and a snug fit as mentioned in one of your other posts. What is the size of your garage doors. How on earth do you plan to use both RV's? Sure is a nice to have both RV's and with probably double the things, like plates, silverwear and cooking pots and pan. Ahh, that is right you use paper plates and plastic silverwear! Congrad's on your new to you Oliver.

https://www.bulldogproducts.net/products/trailer-couplers/straight-couplers There are two choices, depending on what type of lock you want. Etrailer.com is probably the best source. I used the P/N 028462, which is similar to the one Oliver installs. Did you look at the HOW TO link I posted above? I don't have a clue how you will mount the Equalizer brackets, you will have to cut away some of the doghouse to access the outer frame members. That will be unsightly and will definitely affect resale value in a negative way. I don't know how much a new one would cost, if the future buyer doesn't like your holes, but I know it would be a whole lot more expensive than a brand new Andersen hitch. Getting the doghouse off requires opening up the bath vanity hatch, to gain access to the nuts inside, that hold the back of it to the hull. John Davies Spokane WA

Dingo is certainly a cool name. Just keep the baby away...

We've always mounted our GPS units in the upper Left hand corner of the windshield. I've found it does not block any of my sight lines and I only have to briefly and barely shift my eyes to view it when driving. I've always hard wired them to go on and off with the ignition and only a short pigtail of wire exiting from behind the trim right where it sits to connect to the unit.

I wonder if there is a Ram mount for a Ram? 😂

These RAM mounts as shown by both Steve & Mary and myself really are solid. I had used them on motorcycles for years without problem but this was the first time I have used them in a vehicle. Very solid and the Garmin doesn't bounce around at all. Bill

Yes, you are!!

I quit using the Andersen when I upgraded to my Ram 2500 diesel. I had used it with both half tons. I concur with everyone else, no Andersen is needed with your F350. I’ve got probably 20,000 miles towing now without the Andersen and never had even the slightest issue, it’s a very well behaved trailer! Mike

Yes, good point. I replaced my 4 AGMs with 2 Lithiums (and have a third being delivered Saturday -woo hoo!). I also plugged my vent holes that are covered with the nice chrome covers on the battery door. Now, when I wash the trailer everything stays pretty dry (staying on topic 😊). Mike

It sure is. There are at least a couple other owners here with two garage doors. Maybe look at this thread for ideas Nice backing skills there, Ray.

A couple of times a year I'll do a fairly through job on the top and (mostly) use a ladder to reach all that needs to be reached without actually climbing directly onto the roof. For all other washes I use a ladder and long handled brush/mop. Bill

There is a tall self serve wash in Deming across from the McDonalds. I have washed my Ollie there twice this Season

Even if the Land Cruiser is a nice vehicle and reasonable mileage I would question starting out with a 20 year old vehicle to use it for traveling and pulling a trailer. It would be a good second vehicle and used for that reason locally, have a breakdown on the road and the cost could become high dollar. I realize a Toyota is a top rated vehicle, but 20 years old could open up a bag of worms. trainman

That can help a little if it covers up areas that the first layer missed, but the Reflectix manufacturer states that multiple layers do not increase the R value, which is just R1. You must have a physical air gap between the layers to increase that figure. I suspect that when you stack them, so that they touch, the heat transfers through conduction, and a gap prevents that from happening. Imagine holding your hand close to a frigid window, then pressing it hard against it, the difference is pretty intense. That is why the Oliver double hulls work. This is definitely drifting off topic. John Davies Spokane WA

What a delight to see these as the first posts I read this morning. Your photos are absolutely beautiful ! Thank you so much for sharing them.

If you live in an area of the country that is FLAT and will never tow outside that area and will never load things in the Oliver that cause it to exceed that towing limit, and never have an emergency situation and always keep EVERY SINGLE THING in the tow vehicle up to date and are one of the most careful drivers on the road and ........ All will be fine. But, you still will not have any fun. Bill

I usually stay there when going to the Overland Expo from San Antonio, but have never seen the mountains with snow, since it’s May. Really nice little park.

Roper Lake State Park. Safford,AZ

Many people mistakenly attempt to lighten tongue weight by loading their trailer toward the rear. This is a recipe for sway. Stay with Oliver's tongue loading recommendations and you will be very unlikely to see any issues, however, if you heavily loat the aft end of the trailer your potential for severe sway increases greatly.

Their big map updates come out about every three months, I usually hook up my Garmin to the iMac before any major trip to check, if I haven't updated it recently. FYI when updating, select the “Computer and Device” option so that you can also use the newest maps with the Garmin Basecamp program for trip planning . This new file is ADDED to the same folder as any existing map files on your computer, it does not over-write them, so try to locate and delete any older "City_Navigator_North_America_NT_20xx_xx.gmap" files because they are huge (almost 4 gigabytes) and the old files will definitely clog up your storage otherwise. The one that goes on your gps is twice that size but gets over written. John Davies Spokane WA

It has been my experience that a fat wallet leads to low back problems, so my advice is to get 2 wallets and share the pain. And it does help with elevating back pain.😉 Mossey

I can feel my wallet crying already and I haven’t even gotten my Ollie yet!