Leaderboard

No impact to travel. Potential increase in Ramen purchases. 🤣

Won't impact our travels. When we picked up March 24th, Oliver sales folks said new orders are slowing. They attribute part of the cooling to higher gas prices. I guess it could deter some but with the price we pay for these trailers I doubt it will change plans of most owners. We bought our Ollie to use it and fully plan to do so!

Higher fuel prices should dampen a lot of the new RV enthusiasm. Folks that have been at it a while will probably just suck it up and drive on. I’ll be driving a little slower to bump up mileage, but we will still be on the road. Mike

johnwen- Let me see if I understand - Bad storm coming with potential for very serious issues. You decide that it will be safer to make a run for it. Result is that no one was injured (in your family) and only minor damage was incurred in doing it. You took care of the important things and the rest will sort themselves out. Sure does sound like a success story to me! Bill

What's the octane rating of that stuff?

It concerns me... but I'm at least blessed enough financially to be able to afford to travel despite the increased fuel charges. So I'm just ball parking some numbers here, but if I get about 14MPG and use somewhere in the neighborhood of 165 gallons on that 2300 mile trip it means that it's going to cost me another $165 each way (round trip it's $330) MORE than fuel was just a year ago. The last time we traveled extensively it was spring of 2022... we were in a tear-drop camper and because of it... we tended to almost exclusively go to KOA's for the shower/bath house facilities... and pay anywhere from $45 ~70 per night depending on the locale. Why? We needed those nicer facilities because we didn't have them in our little tear-drop. Now when we get in our Ollie... we expect to be staying in state parks, Core of Engineers, maybe a even a few Harvest Hosts or even the occasional Cracker-docking (love that word!). We even expect to stay at least a few times on BLM. All told, even considering the higher cost of fuel (say $500 more).... we will easily save that now that we can choose places that I might not have wanted to stay in before. All that and we are going to be obscenely comfortable in our new Ollie! And let's not even talk about all the great campsites that will be opened up to us going forward. The other off-set is that our house is going to be virtually shut off while we are gone. Typically our travels have taken us out for 6 weeks or so at a time but when we leave this time... there is no telling when we are going to make it home again! 🙂 So we are going to enjoy life while we can and be grateful to God for every day we get! And no looking back! I'm also reminded of how fortunate we are in this country to only have to worry a bit about the current cost of fuel.

Truma has come up with a cold weather certification process for RVs. Details in the attached article. Would be interesting to see how Olivers performed. https://www.rvtravel.com/company-certify-rvs-winterization-test-rvt-1046b/

If diesel gets rationed there will be more problems than just for RVers! Long haul trucks and trains live on diesel so supply chain issues will shut down the country. I’ll pay the extra amount to travel. Let’s hope there continues to be some supply for all the serious users. Mike

While I do not have the TST (mine is the EEZ Tire) I did switch to the metal stems in order to keep the sensors a bit more stable while underway. There are both positives and negatives of doing this that have been discussed on the Forum previously. If you tend to "off-road" and/or get yourself into situations where the valve stems are subject to being hit by rocks, tree roots, or other items of that sort then the metal ones are at a higher risk of breaking off. But, if not, then the rubber ones are more subject to premature wear due to the vibration of the stems going down the highway. In addition - if you are at all handy then the rubber ones are easier to replace "in the field" versus the metal ones. Good luck with your choice. Bill

Ironic that you bring this up at this time. A couple of weeks ago we were camping in the mountains of VA with some friends and enjoyed a really nice fire each day as did several folks in the near vicinity. One evening, the wind picked up tremendously while I was laying in bed and I started to wonder about all the hot coals from all the campfires being blown about. That got me to thinking about the chance of a fire breaking out in the surrounding forested areas. I was pondering the need for an immediate escape plan. Nothing came of the wind but the potential is always there in every camping situation that an emergency departure might become a reality. To that end, we're going to develop and execute a quick escape procedure.

We pickup our new Oliver on May 12th! We will spend one night at the Oliver camp site (5/12-13/22), four nights at DCSP, campground #2, site 64 (5/13-17/22), and then on to the Oliver Rally for four nights, B-09 (5/17-21/22). I am not so sure about site B-09; the choices were slim when I finally made the reservation. We will be traveling with Toby, our 18 month old Boykin Spaniel. Jayme and I look forward to getting acquainted with our new TT and drinking from the firehose of all things LEII. Toby, on the other hand, is excited about the dog park and swimming in the lake. We look forward to meeting as many of you as possible in Alabama. Safe Travels.

We leave in less than 4 weeks from home here in Florida. Up to Atlanta for a couple of weeks. Then its off to Alaska via the rally. The only worry we have is if they start to ration diesel. The silver lining is there may not be the great influx this year due to pent-up demand. That and we are now towing an Ollie instead of driving the big DP motorhome we sold in 2019. 😉

I replaced my rubber stems with metal stems. I don't think it was necessary now that I've had it a while. Even with the change over, I had one of those new stems loosen up on a trip, and I had to tighten it back up and put in air...and the TST system caught the leak. CS

I have used it in my Oliver storage shed that I heat to only to 55 to 60 degrees, I store my garden produce in the same shed. If I am working on the inside of my Oliver and I want to heat it up that is what I used and it does a very nice job. I have a brother that installed the very same AC when I did mine and he stays in electrical provided spot quite often and he is very happy with the heat pump availability of this AC. So I think if you are going to utilize electric sites it would be a useful feature, It does run quieter and you are saving propane.

Things can be fixed/replaced. You kept your family safe, that’s what matters. And after time has passed you’ll eventually reach the phase of joking about “Hey, remember that time we drive off with the hose still connected?”

Follow up...after sunrise I inspected the side of the trailer and the bent hose end. Everything looks ok. In retrospect, we discussed events this morning and decided communication between us could have be better. We seemed to lose too much time hooking up to the trailer. With the wind blowing pretty hard and being dark, the backup truck's camera wasn't entirely useless, but pretty close. We might look into a wireless headset, since verbal communication is somewhat hampered anyway while trying to line up the hitch and connect it. We have tasks we perform each time we travel and we know what each other does. Under normal circumstances, we check each other's tasks over to some degree. The decision to leave was good, I think, with a clear path away from the storm and several directions to use as an escape route. Had it been rush hour or even normal daytime traffic we may have elected to stay put. Our safety is of utmost importance, but we would also not like to be stuck across country with broken windows and solar panels, along with a totaled vehicle from the hail. As for the campground, it looks as if nothing really happened. Yay! Hope to see ya'll at the rally 🙂

Interesting topic... having to depart in a hurry. There could be a variety of reasons for that. Yet another reason to keep a tidy campsite. Division of Labor between spouses would be a plus. Donna usually handles everything inside while I take care of the outside. And... no matter how tempting to save an extra minute or two... Do a thorough walk around before pulling out. Could save a lot of heartache. Thanks for sharing the story.

Wow, a frightening experience for sure. Dumping at night while deprived of sleep would be a challenge for anyone, but adding in the stress of the storm increases the challenge! Don’t beat yourself up too much! A few years ago we were camping on the Missouri River north of Kansas City (Leavenworth, Kansas side) in a city campground. There had been quite a bit of rain north and the river was rising. We knew there was a chance for flooding and possible quick evacuation. I had disconnected the fresh water hose and hitched to the truck. Sure enough, at about 3am the city police drove through the campground, lights flashing and announcing that everyone had to evacuate, immediately! We got up, dressed, disconnected power and were the first ones out of the campground. We watched others fumbling with things and a tent camper just left his tent and drove off. The campground was under 4 feet of water when the sun came up. Mike

With the exception of our delivery trip to Hohenwald, all the trips we planned this year are within 5 hours of home, so we got lucky there.

In looking over this entire thread due to a recent thread concerning the Garmin rearview camera connected to the Garmin 890, I stumbled across this question and thought that I'd give an update. Until this past summer I had no problem at all with my onboard Ford TPMS for my 2017 F-150. Unfortunately, in August I started getting random dashboard alerts that there was a TPMS "malfunction" with my front passenger side wheel. Several times I checked my tire pressures and each time the pressures were correct (i.e. they didn't change at all!). I did remember this thread and thought about the placement of the Garmin (plus my InReach mini and/or sometimes a cell phone) as possibly being a contributing factor. Finally, when I recently took the truck into the dealer for an oil change I asked the service tech to rotate the tires and have a look at that TPMS in the front left closely due to this random fault. Bottom line is that there was a small nail in the thread of the tire that was not long enough to puncture the tire. According to the tech - since this nail was relatively close to where the TPMS is mounted in the tire, the nail was interfering with the data transmission from the tire to the receiving unit inside the truck. I have to admit that I was a bit suspect of this explanation but its now been over a month since and there have been no further TPMS "malfunctions" and the tire pressure continue to remain stable. Bill

This spring loaded one-way valve controls the grey tank ventilation. It is supposed to open under suction (like draining the tank) and close at other times (to prevent stinky odors). These are used in houses, and those are known to get plugged up. So you should perhaps check your Ollie vent every year or three.... especially if you are smelling the tank contents. You must remove the rear galley drawers - grab the two orange drawer thingies with your finger tips and squeeze them toward your palms, and lift the drawer up and out of the slides. The vent is right at the back upper corner: The little cap/ cover swivels around, you can pry it loose with your fingers to look inside. Push the plunger up and down a few times to make sure it isn't sticking. Here is what it is supposed to do: Here is an interesting comment from the Oatey FAQ about RV use: Q Is the Sure-vent approved for use in a RV? A Yes, with exceptions. When the RV is stationary, the Sure-Vent will properly vent the drains for the kitchen and bathroom. If the RV is in motion and depending on how the DWV system was assembled from the factory, positive pressure could stop the Sure-Vent from opening. I have noticed a very occasional stink when towing in especially challenging terrain - very steep grades, lots of increasing elevation change and lots of hairpin turns. I am not sure if the gases are coming out of this valve or out of the sink drain...? Or if that is even related. Amazon - Oatey 39012 1.5 in. NPT ABS in-Line Vent, Black FYI, my vent was not even visible, the sewer pipe assembly was hanging down unsupported, this thread might be worth looking at: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/6721-how-to-secure-the-loose-grey-drain-vent-plumbing-under-the-galley/ At the very least, give the black pipe a shove to make sure it isn't flopping around, that motion can break glue joints. That is a whole lot of info about an obscure little device most people don't even know exists...:) I am not even sure if this is mentioned in the Owners documents. Can someone comment? John Davies Spokane WA

Ok, we’ve read the reviews and seen the photos of Foy’s wares, and know of their well-deserved stellar reputation. I’ve just received my order, and it does not disappoint. An unacknowledged talent he possesses is packing and shipping. Imagine the care and attention to detail exemplified in his wood products, extended to packing and shipping. Rest assured, the items are crafted with care, and packaged to arrive in pristine condition.

I opened up my sink access panels for the first time in five years (Yeah, I know!) and found the black pipes just flopping around, there was zero support between the sink bottom and the grey tank itself, many feet away. Video: Oliver Legacy Elite 2 Sink grey pipe With that much possible movement, it really stresses the glue joints. I decided to use a ubolt and a 1 inch spacer, to remove all motion and also to keep the down angle so water would flow properly toward the tank. (If I moved the pipe hard up against the back of the cabinet, the angle was UP..) I slid 3/8" automotive fuel line over the ubolt as padding, and a 1" thick piece of HDPE material, the same stuff Oliver uses throughout their trailers. I also replaced the plain nuts with self- locking ones. SORRY, some of these pics are coming through rotated...! This shows the tee piece and the 1/8" plywood access panel removed. This shows how it goes together, using a scrap of pipe. Use the legs to locate the holes in the wood: Use a 90 degree square to draw the center of those lines. The legs need to be cut off, anything longer than this will mean you don't have enough room to install it into the holes. Finished, the pipe is drawn up tight against the wood, no movement! This shows the slight down angle of the pipe, in reference to the wood cross piece. John Davies Spokane WA

Your lizardskin vs my quilted partial 2008 insulation. I suspect you may win. Even so, temps to teens have been ok. With furnace running.

Interesting, with the higher cfm capability of the 13.5 it might move the same air on low as the small does on high. That would be a 7db difference which is substantial.

I absolutely agree with "I guess it depends on what you expect and actually do when camping" Charlie.

We have a 2015 LE2 and do not know if the plumbing is the same on the Elite. Made these pages and added to my operators manual:

Hey Moose. We stayed in C section at past rally's. This will be our first time in B section. B-07 so I am sure we will have a chance to talk. B section is a bit more shaded and has pull through sites, so it should be pretty easy to get into and set up. Plus you will be closer to the Pavillion, Vendor area, and Gathering place. Bikes would be a plus but not killer if you don't have them. Dog Park?? I think that might be new... and we'll probably see you there too. Good Luck and see you in May.

DunnYet - I assume that you have looked at the Rally details (HERE). By the looks of it, we will have most of the evenings "free" for whatever activity you chose and there are even afternoons that will be ideal for simply wandering around the campground. This last activity is the one that I've always found to be the most productive in that you get a chance to see mods and talk to other owners about what they have done, how they did it, where they have been, etc.. I can't count the number of owners (particularly new ones) that I've advised to simply walk around, introduce yourself, knock on doors and start conversations. It will not be long before groups form just to watch what is going on. In addition, there is almost always someone hanging out down in the "vendor area" - it is a parking lot with the lake and beach not far away. If you have them - bring a bike - it is much faster and easier than walking down to this general area. Also note that anything you want to do up at the Lodge usually requires getting in the vehicle and driving up - its a fairly steep climb! And, if you are out and about after dark, be VERY careful when coming back to camp due to the critters. In previous years the schedule has not been as "open" as it seems to be for this year. In my opinion - this is a very good thing! It appears that there will simply be more time for these types of informal gatherings - "adult beverage tastings" for instance. However, I'm not presently aware of any "system" for organizing groups of like interests. You might suggest this to Matt Duncan <mduncan@olivertechnologies.com>. Finally, a quick Google search of the area will result in finding all kinds of things to do such as cave tours and wine tastings which have been "officially" organized at past rallies. If something really catches your interest, decide on a time you'd like to go and then post it here if you'd like other to join you. Bill p,s, please do not hesitate to look me up at the Rally!

Past rallies have been mostly owner run. Then we had the COVID gap without any rallies. This year, Oliver has taken responsibility for the organization and schedule so it is difficult to answer your question. At the park, there are common areas that could be used for spontaneous gatherings. I’m sure Oliver will have a central spot where the organizers will be stationed, either up at the lodge or down in one of the campground facilities. Not sure if there will be bulletin boards, but there should be a fairly busy agenda provided with displays, orientations and classes. Mike

Looks like the decision has been made.

Here is a pic from that other thread showing how the screws can pull out of the front part of the drawer. John Davies Spokane WA

The Recpro website has decibel rating for both the bigger one is actually a little quieter. There is a $400 price difference. Not sure how much I would use the heat pump portion of the system. Has anyone found themselves using it for heat? 13.5 unit Decibels: Indoor High speed: 56 decibels • Indoor Low speed: 47 decibels o Outdoor: 67 decibels 9.5 unit Decibels: • Indoor High speed: 54.7 o Indoor Low speed: 51.4 o Outdoor: 67.9 John

Most of the stations in our area are $3.72 to 3.80 per gallon for regular 87. There is one station that has been at $3.29 for non-ethanol 87 for the last three years. Hope to get 14 to 15MPG local trips, will see. Most of our trips this year will be TN, NC & VA foothills and mountains. Will not be heading out west this year.

Fuel prices stink but won’t deter our summer plans. We’ll be in Colorado in June and July, partly for family events. We may not do an extended trip around the rally, just head to Alabama then come home. Mike

Current prices for fuel certainly cut down on "fun" money but will not stop me from any of my planned summer trips - to include the annual Owner's Rally in May. Bill

Yes, the Truma on-demand water heater is listed as an option for 2022 builds, but the Truma A/C is not. I believe you have to have the Truma on-demand water heater If you want to upgrade to the quieter Truma A/C in the future. Given all of the complaints about the noise of the Dometic A/C, that could influence one's decision about which water heater system to go with.

And the verdict is….no suction. I’ve ordered a replacement pump that will be here on Tuesday. Pretty frustrated right now. I’ll also open a ticket with Oliver in the morning so they know the issue. Wish this had happened on our shakedown nights in TN instead of right before our first real camping adventure. Oh well. This isn’t our first rodeo with sh*t going wrong on brand new campers - I just had higher hopes this time. (I also checked the inlet hose…no obstructions at all).

OK - found it! HERE is the thread from January 24, 2021 where my install of the BC35 is mentioned along with the extension cables I made work by gently sanding the male ends of the extension cord. Can't remember if I mentioned it but besides the distance issue with transmitting the WiFi signal there is a "problem" with mounting the WiFi sending unit on the exterior of the Ollie - it is NOT waterproof! Bill

Our hull 505 in service Aug 2019 has a major Truma burner fail at 29 months. (past the 2 yr wty) The burner box no longer contained the flames on startup and we smelled burning plastic before we shut it down. Pix from video shows symptom of flames engulfing wiring and controls. We ended up buying a replacement and having a unit shipped to us by Oliver (as Truma local service was un-available). We had a local mobile tech do the re-install and all is well now. We were lucky this happens while daylight and I could take action immediately. When we installed the new unit, we secured the back side of the water heater to the trailer frame so it can't bounce at all. The old unit got shipped back to Truma for analysis in January 2022...we've still to hear back from TRUMA on the topic.

It makes sense and is understandable if all of the vents are fully open more hot air comes out under the bunk. This vent is very close to the furnace. If I remember correctly the bunk vent connects directly to the furnace. You can moderate some by partly closing the vent. In our trailer the kitchen and bathroom and on the same duct. The bathroom vent is the furthest by far. We were in 5 to 7 degree temps in New Mexico a few months back. We did stay warm including the bathroom. We did use a lot of propane!!! We have read similar feedback about the bathroom being cooler. I suspect this is somewhat normal. This can be improved by adjusting the vent under the kitchen cabinets to partially closed. It seems like your system is working just fine. For others, If you're not getting heat into the bathroom or almost no air coming in it is possible that the air duct came lose. Start under the curbside bunk to track it down. Believe me, if it is lose, the best case scenario is that it came lose at the furnace. We tend to leave our bathroom door open when parked unless we are at the dinette or using the bathroom. We like as much air circulating as possible! Even in very cold temps we manually open the big fan just a little and partially open the bathroom vent. I know others prefer to crack open a window as the heat rises!

John, In order to see the complete screen, I place the shifter to the left from D to S to see the complete screen. I can also see the complete screen in this position with two 16 OZ drinks in the cup holders behind the GPS unit. Starting to look at rear wireless camera installation on Ollie, next. This is with the iPhone in it's cradle behind the GPS:

I guess it depends on what you expect and actually do when camping. We have the 4 6v AGMs and over 3 years they have served us well. We can dry camp for 3 nights (we have no solar) and just plug the trailer in when storing. Camping on the East - and mostly mid south to southeast means a lot of trees for us and so the advantages of solar would be minimal. When the AGMs bite the dust I would considers lithium, but honestly I’d rather spend the extra money on a quieter air conditioner.

I wonder why your plug keeps coming out? It sounds as if the outlet is defective. Mine fit very tightly. There is no way it would have worked it’s way out, it was fine for five years…. Did you ever submit a service request? At the very least, it lets Oliver know that there is a problem with some hulls. Maybe enough complaints will get them to install a junction box during production instead of this stupid setup😳. Or issue a tech bulletin about it for existing trailers. Even if it technically “meets RV code”, it is absolutely dangerous, especially in your situation, where you are constantly fumbling around in a (potentially) wet area! No GFCI protection! ZAP! Please take pictures, the LE may be different from the LE2. You can post them in this thread or start a new one if you like. Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

Normal Configuration This is the configuration that the valves will be in most of the time. This will allow for use of the plumbing system when connected to city water or when using the water pump to pull from the onboard fresh water tank. Boondocking Configuration This configuration utilizes the rear water inlet and water pump to pull from an external source. It will then pump the fluid directly into the onboard fresh water tank. You can set a 5gal water jug below the water inlet with a 2ft or shorter hose to refill your fresh water supply. You can also use this to sanitize your fresh water tank. Winterization Configuration This configuration also utilizes the rear water inlet and water pump to pull from an external source and push the fluid directly to the plumbing fixtures inside your camper. You can use this to winterize the camper by pulling RV antifreeze into the plumbing. You can also use distilled white vinegar to decalcify the plumbing lines & fixtures. CAUTION: NEVER mix bleach & vinegar! You should never perform the decalcification and sanitization together. Mixing bleach and vinegar causes a toxic chlorine gas. Visit the Oliver Service Portal for more helpful articles!

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

Here’s a previous post on the forum on a Water Transfer Pump Project about making a portable pump for the situation you are describing.

Travel Straps done! The equipment arrived yesterday afternoon and I was prepared to start upon their arrival. Took me about 1.5 hrs. to complete. Of course, this is Friday afternoon and was setup with my Sirius radio set on the 60's and a beverage to sip doing the process. Only one tho! Had to stop to dance with my wife to one old Beatle song too. I decided to apply same application to the night stand on our twin bed model. The drawer has been found open and some contents on the floor in the past. Not any more! The final product looks and functions great. Cost much less than burger, fries and each a beer at local pub. Peace of mind - priceless! Thanks John!

John Davies wrote: "Drill a pilot hole the size of the minor diameter (unthreaded part), or slightly larger, and then countersink lightly" This should be emphasized whenever drilling holes in gelcoated fiberglass. The countersinking is an especially important detail that takes no time at all. Oliver really needs to start doing this as there is fractured gelcoat around every mounting hole I have looked at. The pilot holes have been undersized and not countersunk, not good practice, and so easy to do it right to begin with. For exterior holes, the countersink also creates a thickened area of sealant around the fastener, which creates a much better weather seal. Any boat builder who knows what they're talking about would say the same. Dave