Leaderboard

Holy cow, you are so very lucky to be alive. Good luck with your search for a new truck and a new Ollie. Stuff can be replaced, lives cannot. I installed a dash cam several years ago, I have recorded lots of stop sign and red light runners, but thankfully there hasn’t been a collision. Did the guy ever get arrested? I think your insurance companies will want a word or two with him. John Davies Spokane WA

Topgun2 and all others that responded, Thanks for your kind words and support. My wife and I are truly blessed to have the Oliver community's support and guidance. We are still feeling great with no lasting issues or pain. I do wake up each morning replaying the incident in my mind. I am sure it will take awhile for this to go away. I still feel confident that I made the right decision to avoid the other driver as we are both still here and able to let others know about our incident. The Oliver trailer handled perfectly throughout the event but the gravel combined with some signs and obstacles I think initiated the rollover. I agree it was surprising to see the trailer separate at the seams but at travel speed I am sure there were extreme stresses put on the fiberglass shells. I think our desire to seek out another Oliver is a testament to our thoughts on how we feel about the overall quality of the Olivers and how they handle when towing. We were able to find us a replacement used truck here at a local Ford dealer as they informed us that Ford was no longer taking orders for Super Duty trucks as of April 1st. This will allow us to move up to the Oliver LE2 as we think we will want to take longer trips. Our LE1 was perfect for us and had we not been involved in this accident, we would have kept it for many more years before even considering moving up to the 2. Also, When we came to a stop after the rollover, our truck and trailer was facing the opposite direction (East) from our West bound travel. We were still on the shoulder of the West bound lane. Attached is the video from the people following the East bound Dodge truck before the incident. Please note that they were recording him as he was driving all over the road prior to coming at us. Sadly, they were tryin to stay far away from him so as not to be in an accident and therefore you really can not see a license plate on the rear of the truck. It does offer support for the driver of the Dodge not being under control of his vehicle. As for my micro SD card in the dash cam, it appears we corrupted it when trying to download the files to my iPhone using a cheap adapter. We dowloaded t the video of right up until the incident but not the actual crash and captured some screen shots of the phone of the crash video attached above. I should have just used the wifi connection to the dash cam but I was not thinking clearly right after the wreck. Sincerely, Mark and Cyndi + Midnight the Cat IMG_0007.MOV IMG_0008.MOV

As a side note and something my wife both found somewhat funny during this difficult time was when we had several people tell us that our "boat" did not look so good. I had to show them a picture of the truck and trailer together for them to see it was a RV and not a Boat.

First of all... so thankful that you are physically ok! Everything else pales in comparison. That said I have also wondered why states (Ohio included) have done away with the requirement for the front license plates? Good luck on your search for a quick replacement. They aren't easy to find... but I've a sneaking feeling that the same God that protected you in that crash... will bless you in your replacement search as well. You will probably find yourselves in a late model LEII all tricked out with the best mods, improvements and gizmos... all ready to hit the road again....but hardly used! 🙂

We live in Oregon where it's required to have both front and rear license plates. I think it's crazy to not have both ends with license plates. The dash cam would catch the number on the plate in this case and make it easier to catch the guy. Now all they have is the truck appearance and if the driver had his mouth open, then maybe the images of his surprised wide open mouth would help identify him through dental records.

Since moving to NC I have liked the idea for states to have only a rear license plate. Until now. Very glad you survived this ordeal and wish you the best. And, like many others ... I hope they find this *******. He needs to pay.

All, We are down but not out with our RV travel plans going forward. This weekend, we were on day three of our planed 3 week trip to Southern Utah to enjoy the National Parks. We stopped off on Friday night (day 3) at a nice little NM State Park (Oasis State Park). Our morning was relaxing and we had plans to travel to Fort Sumner to see Billy the Kids grave. Our truck and camper at Oasis State Park. Not to much into our morning drive somewhere between Clovis, NM and Fort Sumner, NM, we were faced with a truck coming into our lane at the last moment. We were not sure if it was a game of chicken for him or someone having a medical emergency. My dash cam caught the approaching truck and driver. In a split second I had to decide to have a head-on or try to avoid. I chose to avoid the head-on option as my years as an EMT is etched into my brain. As a result of the rapid turn to the right and the upcoming curve, the truck/trailer exited the roadway and started to slide. No control at this point! We rolled approximately 3 times and came to rest on the driver's side. The side airbags deployed and my wife and I (and the cat) were unharmed. Sadly, the guy who ran us off the road kept going and almost took out the young family traveling behind us according to the driver.... So glad he missed them! There was a nice young couple with a baby that had been following us for the past 10-20 miles and he was successful in breaking out the back glass for us to exit the vehicle. We also met a couple that had been following the driver of the dodge truck and were filming him as he as driving all over the road. Thankfully, they stayed with us to provide the video and make a statement to the Sheriff Deputy that responded. As stated earlier, both my wife, cat, and I were unharmed as we must have had angels watching over us. The responding EMS and Fire crews from Fort Sumner were exceptional, in that, they really went above and beyond in helping us with getting us storage bins from a local dollar store and driving my wife back to Clovis to get a U-haul truck for us to drive home. One guy drove home to get us a cat carrier for our 17 year old cat who was quite scared at this point! What an awesome individual. We were at the scene about 5 hours as the drive back to Clovis was 40-min each way and we had to pick up all our belongings. It was a long 700+ mile trip back home in a less than comfortable U-Haul truck. We are actively seeking to locate a used Ollie LE II for us to purchase as we LOVED our trailer and we are ready to get back out and enjoy life seeing our wonderful country. Based on our experience, I would highly recommend you get a dash camera as it has really made the investigation and insurance discussions go much smoother. Safe travels to all the Ollie owners out there this season and be on the lookout for this Dodge truck!. Mark and Cyndi

Wow, that is quite an accident! So glad you are okay!! I have a dash cam that I don’t use much…. looks like yours provided key evidence. It’s interesting that the trailer separated the way it did, just leaving the bottom outer hull. There’s another Oliver out there waiting for you - hope you can get back on the road soon!! Mike

We've seen stick-built campers that rolled. Nothing left but debris and the frame. I was looking at that, too. Looks like the mass of the interior shell popped the outer belt seam open like a plastic Easter egg during the roll. Wondering if the inner shell also separated into its two halves, or stayed together? @QuestionMark I hope your insurance comes through quickly and you can get back on the road in an LE2 soon.

Some of us would prefer the Alde hydronic furnace/ hot water system….. it is much more compact, SIPS DC power and is completely silent. The Ollie double wall design is perfect for this! Running all the heating water lines and radiators along both sides of the trailer at the bottom of the walls would eliminate cold spots that are prone to freezing, and it would also eliminate those huge troublesome air ducts. Pleeeese! I would do this myself in a heartbeat, but Alde will not sell parts to anybody but OEM manufacturers like nuCamp. https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/camper-reviews/alde-hydronic-heating-system-test-and-review/ Check out some of their accessories, like heated towel racks. https://www.alde.us/our-products/ John Davies Spokane WA

1. And certainly by far this IS #1 - Glad everyone is OK! Given the pictures, the alternative(s) could have been sooooooo much worse. 2. Given your description - that Ford and that Oliver did remarkably well. Can you imagine what a stick built camper would have looked like after that accident? 3. Big props to the responders (let alone those traveling behind you) for all the help. Obviously this was not simply another case of them just doing their jobs as they went well above and beyond. 4. When things get settled a bit you might want to forward any pictures you have of the truck and camper to Oliver. I'm certain that the entire Family would be interested but, in particular the engineering staff would want to see a real life destroyed Ollie. Its interesting to me how the top three shells separated from the bottom outside shell. 5. If there is anything that I can do for you - please do not hesitate to let me know! Bill

So glad you and your cat are unhurt. So sorry your current travels ended that way. Best of luck as you regroup and get back to your lives.

I feel your pain. Last week, I spent almost an hour on the phone trying to reach a tech at Franke USA, calling about my hood vent control panel for my home kitchen. Got knocked off twice. Finally spoke to a really nice guy, after 29 minutes on hold, and had a new control panel for my 2008 or 9 hood fan in two days, for less $ than I expected. These days, it can take time and a significant amount of patience, as everyone seems to be understaffed, and hold times are really long. I call on my cell phone, put it on speaker, and continue working on other things with my phone in my pocket. If I get knocked off the line, I just call again, and repeat. It's a bit maddening, but eventually, I usually get results. Please keep us posted on what you find out.

Wow! What a nightmare, so glad you came out without any serious injuries or worse. Unbelievable.

The Redline product is a bit more. $16 for a 14oz jar of CV-2 direct from the Redline website. $14 for the 16oz can of Mobil 1 @ Advance Auto. But this is definitely one area where I don’t want to be pinching pennies. And I haven’t used to Mobil 1 yet for anything, haven’t even opened the can, so I can’t comment on whether it separates. I’ve been using Lucas Red-n-Tacky grease in my grease gun for all the suspension Zerk grease points. It doesn’t drool at all, doesn’t wash out, great water resistance.

I spoke with our local Truma office in Lakeland awhile back when the Varioheat was first introduced. Unlike other systems from Truma, the Vario was available to end-users as a retrofit, but only with a Truma install. Price was, if I remember, about double a Suburban or Atwood replacement, including labor. I'll see if I can find my notes from our conversation. Here's a video showing the Vario in use, inside Truma's environment testing booth. It certainly is quiet.

https://rollinontv.com/truma-varioheat-furnace-on-show-segment-2021-21/ Good article on Truma Varioheat. I really hope Oliver starts offering this. Seems like a quality unit. Quiet and efficient.

Would be nice if Oliver starts installing Truma Vario heat along with their a/c.

I forgot, you both really need to get checked out medically, you can have all sorts of whiplash injuries from a high speed rollover, better make sure those aches are not broken bones or worse. I guess this may sound a little morbid, but can you post the full video of the accident? John Davies Spokane WA

Glad you're ok, best of luck finding your next Oliver! John

Hello Mark and Cyndi, I am glad that everyone (including the cat) made it through uninjured. I hope that they put out a warrant for this person! Best of luck in finding an Oliver replacement. Dale & Sara

Mark and Cyndi, Oh , wow. I am so very thankful that all of you, including the couple and baby behind, survived. Angels were watching over you, I am sure. As I fight back tears, I'm so very happy no one was seriously injured. What a difference seconds can make.

FYI, that red southern Utah dust is full of iron, 1% + iron oxide, thus the red color, it gets on printed circuit boards and unsealed butt splices and wire terminals. Add a little moisture, like in your fridge compartment, and you can get serious corrosion, if it is a bad enough layer it could actually short things. After my trip to Canyonlands my LX450 trailer lights quit working, I opened up the split loom protecting the wires and red dust poured out, and two splices were severely corroded..They don’t mention this at the Utah or Moab visitor centers. I live the red rock country, but not the red dust. If a bunch gets inside your Ollie you could have issues. John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will start investigating tomorrow.

Then, I would suspect over temp limits, or control board. And, definitely, open another ticket.

Here's how to check your sail switch....the outside panel of the furnace comes off with a few screws....the video shows what's inside (rotated 90 from how ours are mounted.) Sail Switch with pet hair shown below...but could be just dirty. The video :

This is one of my worst nightmares! I am so happy you and your loved ones are alive! I have noticed in recent years how many people are distracted and crossing the centerline. I see it and am on the lookout all the time, even within five miles of my house! I can't even imagine the terror of rolling with camper in tow. Blessings to you and your search for a new Ollie 🙂 ♥️

Others may disagree but we have stored our Elite II with 4 lead acid batteries over long Montana winter months with no issues for 7 years now. All I have done is to make sure they are fully charged, then turn off solar, and all parasitic battery drains. Once I bring the camper out of storage they still maintain a charge of 12.8 volts ± a fraction. If you leaved them plugged in and continually charging you will most like boil the water out of them doing more damage in the long run than disconnecting. Note this includes solar charging as well. After over 7 years our 4 batteries are just now starting to diminish a slight amount as of this past winter. Hope this helps.

In addition - you might want to send a private message (PM) to Mossemi - he installed a bike rack in the area between the Bulldog and the dog house so he might have some insight for you. Bill

Charlie - Are these four batteries regular lead acid, AGM or Lithium? Will you be storing the Ollie covered - inside a building or having a camper cover (CalMark or the like)? Do you have household current available to you that is reliable? Will you be reasonably near the Ollie so that you can check on it every 6 to 8 weeks or so? Since you have 4 batteries I assume that you have an Elite II - do you have solar on the roof or portable or both? Bill

I know, right? Typical rv furnace is so inefficient, you actually can feel and smell the sticky residue of unburned fuel if you warm your hands (without gloves) at the exhaust. If we ever have to change up, I'll be looking at the vario. None of the good hydronic systems are available for retrofit, to my knowledge. Nor, would it be easy, in our older elite. Just my opinion.

@CnC Don't think that is the issue, but this also occurred to me since we started out with a partially used tank but after several failed attempts I switched to the other tank that was absolutely full and results were the same. Honestly at this point I would convert to one of the better heating systems like Alde or Truma in a heartbeat if they would allow end users to install. I agree with John Davies though the hot water heating system of Alde would be my preference but it would be a nightmare to retrofit an already built out Oliver. We have hot water heat in our home here in Montana and would never go back to forced air if given the option. Good video @SeaDawg thanks for sharing that one. I got a chuckle out of the Truma rep when he said 60% efficiency on standard RV heating systems. He might have missed that by 10 or 20 points being too optimistic.

That is on the Elite II trailer

How do the prices compare? Doe the oil separate from th waxy carrier in the Mobile 1? Redline does but only a tiny tiny amount.... so it is great for the suspension, it doesn't leave a drooly mess. I am a huge Redline fanboy.... John Davies Spokane WA

That's terrible...it is amazing you are all ok!!! What a blessing! Thoughts and prayers are with you, as you deal with this and begin to start your new camping journey.

Wow! That is a terrible accident. Glad you are ok. Hope you are able to find a replacement trailer and can continue with your travel plans in the future. And I hope the video is enough to help the police identify the other vehicle & driver.

Yes that is correct.

We use a garden hose to simulate heavy rain with one person directing water where we suspect the exterior leak with the other watching inside. Hope it goes well tomorrow!

When you say "otherwise a no go" does this mean that, when the furnaces fails to kick on, you do not hear the the ignitor arcing?

My personal opinion: The fridge outlet is put in place when the lower half of the outer hull is wired (in compliance with the RV code) to make it very fast and easy for the tech to connect the fridge when that is installed later. It would take much longer to connect a hard wired junction box and install its cover, perhaps another ten to fifteen minutes. That adds up in production costs. This is the same reason they use regular solid core “house wire” and outlets with “back stab” connections which are flaky and unreliable even in the stationary walls of your home…. . Those make it fast and simple for relatively untrained people to install electrical components, compared to the much higher quality (and much more expensive) marine grade multi-strand wire ….https://www.amazon.com/10-AWG-Triplex-Marine-Wire/dp/B06X6L6W2C ….. and crimped end terminals, which IMHO “should” be used in Ollies. These are used in those high end expedition vehicle$; no way would Earth Roamer select house wire…. Oliver would either need to just absorb that extra production cost or bump up the price again to compensate. Improvements like this j-box change are “death by a thousand cuts” to a company’s profits. They have to weigh that against customer satisfaction, future warranty costs, and the very remote likelihood of a lawsuit from somebody who has a lethal accident fumbling around back there with wet hands…. I think they are much more likely to switch to a GFCI outlet there instead of a waterproof solution like mine. That would probably cost less in the long run than the increased installation labor needed to hardwire a j-box. It is also a much easier solution for retrofitting earlier hulls if they ever decide to issue a Technical Bulletin. My OPINION. 😀 John Davies Spokane WA

John Davies, your tutorial is excellent, as usual. As one with an Elite II on order, I asked my Oliver sales rep about the non-GFCI refrigerator receptacle. I was advised that it meets "RVIA standards," but was also told that Oliver engineering would take another look at the issue. I expect those RVIA standards are the minimums, such as for run-of-the-mill "stick and staple" trailers. IMHO, premium-priced trailers like the Oliver should do more than the minimum, particularly when it comes to safety. I note that a GFCI refrigerator receptacle could be problematic. It would be a PITA to pull the drawers and remove the access panel every time there is a nuisance trip. John Davies' hard-wired, waterproof j-box avoids this issue. If our Elite II comes with the same non-GFCI receptacle with standard plug that has been used for years, I have a different solution in mind: replace the breaker for that circuit with a GFCI breaker. More expensive than John Davies' solution, but much less work to implement. As an alternative, BillATX could replace his loose receptacle with one of the newer tamper-resistant ones, which I find hold plugs almost too well, then also replace the breaker with a GFCI breaker. I expect that would entail less work reaching through between the drawer supports, which sound terribly uncomfortable to my bad back.....

Jason's new 2021 delivery walk-through video recommends that tire pressure be maintained at 55 PSI. I expect that's where they are now setting the pressure on new deliveries. Ralph Pond

I have a NextBase 422GW dash cam that records G forces, that is supposed to be in case of an accident, it shows how fast you were going, how hard you were braking, whether you made an evasive maneuver, and so on, in three axises. At 145,000 miles my front struts were leaking and the handling was a little squirrelly, so I drove across the worst road around here at a steady 30 mph with the cruise control operating, then immediately after the struts were replaced. Here is the results, one screen capture stacked on top of the other. The truck feels much better, more "planted", and the G forces are significantly less. The vertical white lines indicate the same position on the road. I don't know why I bothered with this, but it is cool to see the difference. Have a nice day. John Davies Spokane WA