Leaderboard

I like Galway Girl's pump in a box idea. Looked at it several times and decided that it takes up more space than I can afford. Since I carry a 20V DeWalt Air Compressor, and a DeWalt 20V Impact Driver just getting a Bingqi Drill Pump and some very short hose connections was the path taken. I also carry a Fortiflex 20 QT (FB-120) bucket. It has our garden hose coiled up inside. The Bingqi Drill Pump and two sort sections of hose bibb fittings fit nicely in the space in the middle of the coiled garden hose. The existing OE2 Shure-Flow pump is slow in onboarding water. It also balks at using a filter to filter the water, and has AT MAX a 3' suction head. However this setup has no problem pumping water through a blue filter directly into the water tank. Less costly, less space, leverages things already on board, and FASTER as well. GJ

We need to order your second book as we’ve been through the first. We’ll bring them both and maybe have a book signing! Mike

I think mine are just a little over 6” tall. That gives some flexibility on really unlevel sites. I’ve stacked a number of legos underneath to bring it to the right height. I also have a fourth block that is only 4” tall. Sometimes the front of the trailer needs to come down quite a bit, that’s when it gets used. Mike

There hasn’t been one yet. It’s easy for Oliver to sponsor a rally at Lake Guntersville State Park because it is close to Hohenwald. They don’t really have the staff to do any more than one rally in their neighborhood. Like BIll said, there has been a couple of Florida rally’s and there has been talk of rally’s in Colorado, Texas and other points west. It will just take someone with some desire and skill to put together a gathering. The May rally is a pretty big production, but regional rally’s don’t have to be. Just a chance to get together with other Oliver owners and socialize, swap ideas and tell some tall tales! Mike

I brought my dog when I took delivery. The Oliver folks were adamant that I bring my dog inside the showroom and delivery area with me when filling out paperwork and doing my inspection. They are obviously dog lovers. I stayed at the Oliver campsites the night of delivery. Nothing was said to me to indicate that dogs were not allowed.

Val and I are excited about our trip to Hoenwald next week to pick up our LE2 on Dec 8th! I’ve appreciated all the advice/information from owners via the forum. I had planned to send our first post with pics of the new Ollie, but I’m not sure whether I’ve set up my account correctly, so thought I’d send this introductory post first. Frank TV-2020 F250 Power Stroke: LE2 #964

Back before my Oliver days I bought a Little Buddy propane heater (like THIS ONE ). I've used every year while camping and recently added a fan (like THIS ONE ). Unless it is VERY cold (below 25) I don't like using the onboard furnace at night - it keeps me awake and it uses both propane and electricity. So, early in the morning when nature calls, I get up, take care of the most important business and then quickly light the heater before jumping back into bed. Easily within a half hour the Ollie is warm enough to actually get up and get dressed. After seeing these wood stove fans for a number of years I thought that one just might work on the Little Buddy since it does not have a way to move heated air from one end of the Ollie to the other. Well - it works! No batteries, no plugging it in, it simply uses the heat from the Little Buddy to actually create enough electric power to run the fan. This, in turn, really helps move the air from the front of the Ollie to the back. I did purchase a long propane hose for the heater so that I could use my 20 pound tanks versus the rather expensive 1 pound green bottles. But, I've only used that hose once. The 1 pound bottles will last about 4 to 5 days of heating each day and there are places out West (like Yellowstone) that actually recycle these bottles. Bill

Wondering what folks use as base under tongue jack & stabilizer jacks? We have looked at wood blocks, plastic lego type blocks, & Anderson jack block. Any recommendations? Also, any advice concerning using a surge protector between RV park pedestal & the Ollie? Our Ollie will have a surge protector built in, but is it worth having a SP at the pedestal? Any recommendations for water filter in line from water source? Thanks!

Any issues with ventilation and moisture buildup? I have been considering getting one of the heaters, the extra fan is very nifty! John Davies Spokane WA

My Oliver is coming end of September 2022!! So excited! Now if I could just find a truck......hopefully by end of summer there will be some choice.

We use the orange Lynx leveling blocks and the blue Camco water filters from Walmart.

We will be in site E33. This will be our first Ollie rally. I'll be bringing along some copies of my two camping devotional books. (one has a "hint" of an Ollie on the cover.) Let me know if you'd like for me to reserve one for you. (link to more info: amzn.to/3k9UTgu

Basically I measured the distance from the bottom of the jack to the ground while the Ollie was level. Then I cut two blocks just a tad shorter in order to allow for ease of placing the blocks when there is gravel or "bumps" on the ground. For me, this measurement was right at 11 inches. The block I cut for the front jack is a touch shorter - about 10 inches - to allow for ease of placement given that the frame and Andersen chains can be in the way. Remember - these blocks can also be used on their sides which will be about 5 1/2 inches (for a 6x6 block). If you make a set of these, be sure to make some sort of "handle" so that they are easier to remove and carry. I used some old plastic rope I had around the shop - plastic "truckers" rope would be good - and some electric wire staples. Bill

We will be at the Rally, in site # G23, we look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones. Maggie (SnySdUp) & Bryan (scrambled) & Willis the Kamper Kat,

Hi All, We have been busy since the pickup of our Ollie on Dec 16th, what with the travel back to CT and the Holidays. We are now through all that and are getting ready for 4 months on the road. Pickup our Oliver on the 16th as planned and are as happy as can be, if not a little intimidated by all the functions and systems. This is our first trailer/RV of any kind and all the systems are a little overwhelming. I'm sure in time we will have it down and really it's part of the fun figuring it all out. We spent the first night at Fall Hallow and camped next to Dave and Linda Shields in hull #111 with Ruby in the lead and their beautiful Dog (who's name has escaped me). Headed home the next day after a brief visit to the Factory (for a couple of minor tweaks). Spent the first night in Marion VA at Hungry Mountain State Park. We were the only one's there, had some take out BBQ from Wolfe's, in our new home on wheels and retired for the evening. Wolfe's is highly recommended by the way. The next day we decided to head for the Barn, as they say, and got home about 8:00 p.m. The Ollie pulls like no other. We had a flawless, trouble free 700+ mile ride home. Getting ready for our trip South. Grayson and Ann

"They" do - if you organize it! 😁 Two mini-rallies have been held in Florida (Thanks Foy & Mirna!). Some work has been done at Oliver regarding holding rallies in other places but nothing firm has been set that I know of at this time. Bill

A remote surge protector might seem like a belt and suspenders option but you can check on the pedestal before backing in.

Activities can vary and are usually different from rally to rally. Hopefully there will be some vendor presentations and some presentations by Oliver. There will probably be some displays. In the past there have been recreational things like zip lines and golf. Like Bill said, there’s usually something for everyone. Plus, there should be some social events and time to get to know fellow owners and some of the Oliver staff. The park itself is very nice, there’s a nice golf course and the lodge is a great place for group meals and get togethers. Mike

Ray-Sam Get rest before you get there as there will be a bunch for you to see and learn. I've marked your site and will plan on dropping by at some point to say "Hi". As far as I know, virtually all activities are still being formalized. So, I'd just relax a bit for now. There are some of the presentations already listed and you should take a look at those to determine which will be a MUST DO for you so that you are sure not to miss them. In this regard - pay attention to where the presentation is to be held. Registration and the Beach Pavilion are reasonably close to the camping area. But, most people will prefer to drive up to the Lodge for anything being held in there or in the Ballroom. Bill Yes, while there will be a few non-Olivers there, it will basically be filled with Olivers. Be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to simply walk around and visit. Don't be afraid to knock on doors and ask for a tour. Take plenty of pictures of any mods you see that you are interested in. Perhaps even start making a list of any people you'd like to meet while there.

Boondocking in the only non-electric space in the Quail section of Dead Horse Ranch State Park (AZ). We just fit as the height restriction was 10' for RVs shorter than 30'. BTW, there was one more Ollie II staying in this section of the park - from Colorado.

to a 3/4 ton with excess space. Nature abhors a vacuum!😁

Storage initially looks like a challenge. But, we’ve found it easy to pack for a couple of months without sacrificing much. The only exception is when we’re going to be in warm weather and then cold weather, we’ll carry a large Tupperware in the back seat with winter clothes. We can fold what we need and store in the overheads plus some hang ups in the closet. The closet is large for the size of the trailer and can hold lots of stuff. All in all, over the years, we’ve found that less is more. We always have the same discussion on the way home about “why did I pack this?” Or “why did we bring that?” We carry fewer kitchen items and fewer clothes. The truck is the same, we’ve gone from an overloaded Tacoma to pretty full half tons to a 3/4 ton with excess space. Mike

Congrats on the new rig! Glad you found the thread useful. Please make sure not to miss the Shower Beer section. 😉 I'm no longer full-timing and about 2 weeks ago I emptied the trailer while doing some routing maintenance. It took like 3 days to organize all of the junk I had been carrying in the Oliver for full-timing. Some of which I had put in there the first week I rolled out, never used, and then prompty forgotten about until I hauled it out again. So that's a data point at least. 😉

I use 6x6 wood blocks to lessen the distance the jacks have to travel and provide some protection against driving off with the jack all the way down. While a bit heavier than the plastic blocks, the wood blocks are a touch smaller and they are very inexpensive - free if you keep your eyes open. While there is no harm in using a second SP, I do not use anything other than the one that was built into my Oliver. It has worked well over the years. I use water from home or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes. Water from the onboard fresh water tank is filtered and sanitized (via a blue Camco filter) a couple of times during the camping season. But, I only use that water from the fresh tank for bathing, washing dishes, etc. Also, I use the Andersen leveling ramps for side to side leveling. I used to use the "lego" blocks (and I still carry one set of ten just in case) but the Andersen ramps are much easier to use - particularly when traveling alone.

Welcome to the forum! You’ll find forum members that use each of the options you mentioned. We use the Andersen jack blocks (the big red bucket style) under the stabilizer jacks. They’ve worked well but take up a lot of space in the truck bed when not being used. And we use the Camco yellow Lego type blocks under the wheels for side to side leveling. And I built a two stage water filter system into a milk crate.

Access to the plumbing controls with the mattress and bedding is most definitely a major PITA. As is getting to the valve to drain your fresh water tank... and NO.. I have never been successful reaching that from the access port. So here is my solution: Push the mattress up and then use the hatch door to prop and keep it up. Then you can change the valve configuration to take on water. When you're done change the valves back, replace the hatch cover and drop the mattress. Not exactly what you asked for but it's been working for me. Good Luck and Happy Camping.

Build it and they will come! 😊

John and Jodi, there are several Olivers around San Antonio and in the Hill Country. We’re just outside of Boerne. A south Texas mini rally sounds like fun. Mike

We are in the San Antonio area and are picking up our LE2 in June. Hopefully, soon, we'll have enough Ollies for our own little rally down here in South Texas.

The basic answer to your question is - NO. Unless you want to make modifications to the fiberglass of the Oliver as ScubaRx mentions above. Bottom line is that it is usually cheaper and certainly easier to simply use the Andersen. Bill

Meander, of course! If you don’t need to be back home for some reason I would explore some Tennessee state parks and Arkansas state parks. Drive up to KY and visit some distilleries. Drive south to the coast in Mississippi and Alabama. See you at the rally! Mike

I would suggest meandering, you will enjoy the rally programs and discussions a great deal by having that knowledge and experience. And you will be able to contribute to the everyone’s questions about the newest Ollie’s. Mossey

Boudicca908 Don't forget - registering for the Rally is a two set process. First - call the camp ground and get a site. Second - Register for the rally itself with Oliver. Look forward to seeing you there! Bill

Glad you liked the idea! You might also want to PM Matt Duncan at Oliver here on the Forum. Within the past two years a summer intern (I believe) tried to develop a list of places that could serve as Owner Rally locations. Having said this - if a mini-rally is what you have in mind (this is where I'd start if I were you) then a location that could handle 10 to 20 Olivers should be sufficient. Good luck! Bill

A reasonable solution - organize a western Ollie rally. There have been a number of Forum members that have wanted the same thing as you do. Foy and Mirna have organized two rallies (both in northern Florida) that have been well attended and I'm certain that a PM to Foy would get anyone all the details that they would need to organize a mini-rally out west. As they say - organize it and they will come! Bill

Thanks all. And Bill, especially appreciate the heads-up on the changing weather. We’ve made two trips through Tennessee and on to parts north and east in the last 7 months, and it’s a long haul to Hohenwald from our house. We’re planning to drive it in one day going up, but we’ll take a more leisurely paced return trip. Frank (Hopefully my signature shows this time.)

Be safe on the road both coming and going. After a spell of warm, dry weather it looks like it will be a bit damp and more seasonal for temps next week. However, I don't believe that there is anything "bad" (such as snow or heavy rain ) forecast at this point. Bill

Great news! Let us know how your pick up goes. Pics are always welcome…. Mike

Congratulations, and safe travels. The wait is (almost) over!

Our Ollie hasn't been born yet, but we have RVed for many years and we always carry water in the fresh water tank. On at least 2 occasions we arrived at full-hookup sites to find there was no water in the campground. The first time it was because the campground's water pump had failed. The second time there was a sign on the office door advising campers not to use the water because it had tested contaminated and had just been super-treated with bleach. Plus, it's nice to have if you need to use the bathroom on the road.

My driving partner, in a panic, terrified me by over correcting with a sharp right, then over correcting with a sharp left, then another over correction to the right. I was sure that a life changing event was beginning. But the combination of anti sway on the truck, the Anderson hitch, and the Oliver design actually straightened out the induced sway. I’m a believer in all three.

Nope.