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The microwave plate is one of our departure chores - it goes in a drawer with hot pads/towels. It doesn’t even take a rough road to dislodge it from the microwave! Mike

After taking Delivery of Hull 1067 we decided to head to Gulf Shores for a little shake down trip. We where all good on the coast untill all the crazy storms and risk of Tornados. Heading North to Canada we where hit with everything that mother nature could through at us ànf thee Oliver performed like a champ. We are avid RV adventure travellers and I must say this unit is very impressive. We travelled 5500km since our April 1 pick up date and look forward to many more full time living miles over the next few years. He is the one and only parking lot pic I have. Cheers,Perry and Colleen

Our relationship with our Lance 1985 began in March 2017 and we enjoyed many good times together. But recently, and I must be honest, we began to see a better life with the Oliver Elite II. We haven't told our Lance (affectionately named gemütliches Wohnmobil) but will have that talk next month, as we're gussying her up for sale. It will be bittersweet but I'm thinking she'll be happier too. I like to think that anyway. Looking forward to this new, exciting trailer relationship and eager to meet other Ollie enthusiasts here! Denise

I used a different style but this one is similar and should work. https://www.amazon.com/Supco-T1121-Chair-Terminal-Female/dp/B0071NCJ44/ref=pd_bxgy_img_sccl_1/140-1621370-1568045?pd_rd_w=T1dhB&pf_rd_p=6b3eefea-7b16-43e9-bc45-2e332cbf99da&pf_rd_r=E1WBW319HHWRDZ7E8V21&pd_rd_r=556ffc67-d620-4f02-8f4b-3b5a93b01b8f&pd_rd_wg=wGdMb&pd_rd_i=B0071NCJ44&psc=1 Edit: On the other hand the reviews of that particular one make it questionable. The Ancor Marine version is more expensive but you can be assured of getting a quality piece. You might be better off sourcing it locally at a supply house. No need to have to buy 20 of them.

Chaco is 5 miles of “very rough” road followed by 13 miles of “rough” road. Heed the warnings on websites like this, with a big grain of salt. https://www.nps.gov/chcu/planyourvisit/directions.htm Government websites are hyper cautious when it comes to road descriptions, usually the roads are not nearly as bad as they say. BUT if it rains, they can be completely impassable for a day or two. It depends on the type of dirt. An Ollie is fine for dry conditions, on most maintained two lane access roads, but you have to proceed at a jogging pace over bad washboard. You can’t go fast or it just beats up the trailer and the TV. So ten miles of washboard takes me an hour or more, it is frustrating! Airing down all tires helps a lot. 80 psi is no good at all…. I keep pushing for a better suspension design, there are much better choices than the Dexter Ez-Flex/ drum brakes for where you and I want to take the trailer. Tell your sales person you want better! https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/4265-timbren-independent-rubber-suspension/ John Davies Spokane WA

Switched from an airstream to an Elite 2. We picked up our unit 9 days ago and have had everything from 90mph winds in Alabama to driving rains on 5000km worth of Interstate driving. As I type this we are sitting a the border waiting for import into Canada @-4c and we are nice and toasty off grid as nothing is open this time of year. All that mileage made use realise we made the right decision to switch💯

Here’s the wiring diagram from our 2019. The only relevant breaker is a 20 amp breaker on the 12v DC positive wire from the 7 pin. The 60 amp is between the batteries and the main 12v DV bus bar. If you only open the 60 amp breaker the batteries are still connected to the 7 pin connector.

The tow vehicle is a 1998 GMC 3500 single wheel 4x4 5 speed with a 6.5 Detroit. The bed is heavy duty custom made and the cap is heavy duty aluminum with 4 large side compartments and a large 4x8 interior space for 2 bikes gear and a 75 litre fridge. The truck is used as the exploration vehicle and the Oliver is our base camp. Pics to follow as we are still on our way home from the Oliver Hanger Cheers, PerryG

Rough roads mean you need to get everything inside the trailer battened down as much as possible. Oliver has improved the drawer / cabinet locks over the years but don't forget the microwave glass plate inside the oven. As everyone else has said... the roof is accessible with a good ladder. I have a 6' platform ladder that does the job well. Keep in mind that if you are doing a LOT of roof work in one day... going up and down and moving the ladder can be a workout. Good Luck

An interesting study about lithium battery life and storage. https://diysolarforum.com/resources/calendar-aging-and-lifetimes-of-lifepo4-batteries-and-considerations-for-repurposing.263/

The roof is slick and it should be kept that way, just like the hull of a boat, so it will still look that way 30 years from now. A senior should not spend lots of time up there! If you do have to go up, you can lay down strips of high density foam for padding and slip protection. A blue Coleman “egg crate” sleeping pad split lengthwise works great. This are not like a flat roof with rubber membrane on top on a stick and staple trailer, with a ladder in back. With that type, the owner is expected climb up often to walk around and clean and reseal everything. OFTEN. Ollies are different, expect to spend very minimal time up there, most stuff can be done by a regular ladder or telescoping one when traveling, if storage space is tight. John Davies Spokane WA

It’s good to get all that weather experience done on the first trip. Glad there were no weather mishaps! Hope to see out on the road sometime. Mike

Agree with Bill, the roof is sturdy but you’ll have no reason to get on it. I’ve removed my vent a couple of times without getting on the roof. You can reach anything from a ladder on the side. We’ve been all around Utah in all four seasons, the Oliver does well. We like our twin bed arrangement. Enjoy your trip to Odessa. Mike

Yes, you can get on the roof - but - it is very slick. Most things can be done without actually crawling around up there. Natures head is the brand of composting toilet. Don't miss the drive from Ten Sleep over to Buffalo when you get to the Big Horns in Wyoming. Crazy Woman Creek road is another I would not miss but probably it is best done without the Ollie in tow. This is where the Hole-in-the Wall Gang hung out and at the upper end of it you can see why. Let us know what you think about that Ollie down in Odessa! Bill

We tried to tell you so 😇! Seriously, glad things went well - except perhaps except for the weather. Just think of the adventures that lie ahead! Have you told that beautiful new Ollie about what you've got planned? Bill

We originally loved the floor plan and big bathroom space. But after using the trailer for a few years, we have come to hate the dinette (you have to step up to get in and it's not very comfy) and having the queen bed always there front and center - it's not a fold up/murphy bed/couch combo. We like to camp in winter and it's just not comfortable if we're inside for a long stretch during the day. Other than that- we have had zero issues with the trailer itself. It's very well built and maybe if we bought a different floor plan, we may not have strayed over here. I have to say the Ollie twin bed that can be outfitted as two couches is a big draw for me - i can see us hanging out inside with the doggos watching rain outside while we read or play games.

I’d like to offer another alternative to replacing the white weather seal. I just painted mine with SEM ColorCoat spray paint specially developed for flexible vinyl. I had a half full can of satin black from a previous project. Turned out beautifully but I guess time will tell how well it holds up.

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

2019 will have a small fuse panel in the same location.

Both of those fans share the same power source, so I would verify that you have 12v at both fans. My 2017 has a breaker panel on the street side of the attic and it has a breaker for the fans. Just ask, if you need additional guidance. Mossey

Brilliant!! I didn't even thick about piggyback connectors. Much happier not having to cut wires just in case. John

I forgot to update this thread. I ended up ordering a new water pump and replacing and everything seems a lot better. I may go through the old pump soon and rebuild it just to have a somewhat trustworthy spare on the shelf.

I used a 2 to 1 flat terminal adapter on the protection device. That way the original wire terminations can be left in tact and it will be easy to backout the easystart installation In the event of a failure.

Thanks TopGun!!!

l inherited the Plano box and a lot of other cool stuff the prior owner included with our E2. FWIW, it also fits in the forward left area as you open the door. I keep longer folding chair, folding table, mats, etc., items on the right. Just reconfigured the Plano box to include a wet bag for hose and water hookup and other space for secondary water and electrical items, like adapters, etc., next to it. Basically, I can pull the box at camp for water and electric hookup. Second 30amp cable is stored separately. Still refining, so we'll see how it goes.

I am very intrigued by your tow vehicle. Would you tell us about it and post some pics of the storage bed? TIA... Scotty

John E Davies has the best idea to get the story on the local news, the video, and the picture of the guy's truck. The truck is easily identifiable. And that guy's face and chin is easily identifiable too. I wonder if it can be determined what year the truck is.

Wow! Thank you, each and every one. Very good comments and ideas. I have spent a few years researching and finally came to the same conclusions you have. I had not factored in the double shell. That is the magic in this Oliver design. Did not know about the weep holes in the bottom. I assume that the roof is sturdy enough to crawl around while fixing any leak that does occur. Right?? I ran away from wood as fast as I could. And the aluminum skin has some issues for me; hail and tearing/ripping on tree branches. Not a rock crawler, just getting down some forest roads and the road less traveled. Had decided that solar & lithium, truma water heater and A/C, etc is best for my needs, Must have a compressor refrigerator/freezer. That is a deal-breaker for me. I understand from Oliver that they now have one. Yes, swing out windows would be my first choice. So the composting toilet is a good idea? I know nothing about it. What mfg./Brand is it? We are two old retired adults and the family dog; boss dog to be certain. Towing with my F350, diesel, 4x4,crewcab and an A.R.E. truck cap. I do like the design of the trailer with respect to the width and the tracking. Should serve me well down some of those narrow forest roads. No plans to get off any kind a track I am on. I suspect Chaco Canyon will be a bit rough; about 40 miles of washboard road from what I understand. Maybe even Monument Valley in Utah. Want to get up to Ashley National Forest in Utah, over to Gunnison in the Montrose area. Want to see the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming. And of course hang out in New Mexico and Southern Colorado. And the list just keeps on growing...... We are going to see our first Oliver this coming Friday down in Odessa. I am told it is an Elite II, twin bed. That seems to be most practical arrangement. Again. Thank you so much. God bless and be safe. TomW in Lubbock, Tx Go Tech!

BJ - Its hard to read but if you look closely at the pics posted it appears that the MPH is either 55 or 65. Bill

C&M C I like the way you think! Hopefully the paint will hold up well and since there is little reason for that seal to get scratched or nicked it will be good on that front too. Let us know in a year or so how its going. Bill

Thank you for sharing this. Good on you for getting back in the saddle again. It’s hard to imagine that this wouldn’t give you some nightmares. Just out of curiosity, do you have an idea of how fast you were going when this happened? How about the other guy? I apologize if you already discussed this and I missed it. The bottom line is that you weren’t injured. Something to be said for newer vehicles with extra air bags.

Have you also posted on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc and asked folks to share the picture of the truck? It’s amazing how quickly some criminals have been tracked down after sharing a picture on social media sites. The way the world is connected these days, it’s likely that someone will share and someone else will recognize that truck as belonging to a neighbor or co-worker. If you can provide a nice sharp image file and give permission, everyone on this forum could repost on other social media sites. That would be a huge team of eyes looking for that a**hole.

Great ideas from everyone on how we might track this individual down. I even tried driving around on Google maps to see if I could see it parked in someone's driveway. No such luck yet. I am going to keep trying even if my wife thinks it is way out there. Thanks again to everyone's support for us during this unique event. My wife, Midnight the cat, and I continue to feel fine with no physical trauma other than the mental part of replaying the rollover in our minds. I have had several of my co-workers contact me and let me know they have purchased a dash-cam after hearing our story. I can't stress enough how much it helped with the police report and the insurance companies so far. Mark, Cyndi and Midnight the Cat

Understand the concerns about water leaks but it seems most here have provided answers. Given where you intend to camp, especially in spring and fall, I would be looking for a trailer capable of handling cold temperatures. The Oliver does this well and from experience I would consider it a 3 and a half season trailer. We have been down to 5 degrees in New Mexico. In those temps you will need to plan for condensation!!!

You can see if there is an Oliver in your area simply by left clicking HERE. This will put you into contact with an Oliver owner that you can visit and/or simply talk to. Good luck. Bill p.s. don't be afraid to talk with the Oliver Sales staff either in that they will not bother and/or pressure you.

Use my Elite II almost exclusively for Boondocking, even when at campgrounds I prefer the undeveloped sites because of the Oliver capabilities (composting toilet, solar, batteries(6V AGM) and boondock port.. Re: leaks? I have been on the site now for several years and have read most if not all of the forum posts about leaks you reference. My take is that many posts incorrectly conflate a potential leak with condensation due to lack of ventilation. Have not had any issues with leaks and don't anticipate any as I will maintain the caulking and roof openings. Ventilation is your friend. Good luck with your research and potential purchase.

Charlie, awesome photo. Calendar quality. Please forward to @MDuncan

Liked others have said, all RVs leak. We are buying an LE2 for that exact reason. With our previous RVs there was always fear of the dreaded delamination of the walls because of a leak somewhere. That's not possible with an Oliver. As my wife keeps telling me, "no RV is perfect." I don't care for the sliding windows on the Olivers, would prefer swing-out. I wish the LE2 was 8' wide instead of 7'. I wish the black tank was a little bigger. But overall, the Oliver scores more points for us than it misses, and number 1 of those is the general water resistant nature of its construction. As others suggested, browse some of the other manufacturer's forums and owner YouTube videos. So much water damage and so many cracked frames, even on the supposed "full-timer" rigs. No wonder they lose value so quickly!

Dry Camping vs. Boon-docking are maybe two different things....which are you planning? DEFINITION: Boon-docking - No Hookups, no designated campsite, go off road to find a spot in a desert/forest/mountains with some ruts etc to get to the chosen site. The road may be a fire service road that is pretty bumpy, rutted, not maintained. Dry Camping - No Hookups , paved or maintained gravel road getting to and even at the campsite. May or may not have water near by, pit toilets. Site has a designated number or space with markers (rocks/boulders/posts) for where to park the trailer. Maybe a fire pit and table. Considerations: For Boon-docking: In an Oliver Size & Ground Clearance: The Oliver is perfect fit as it's width and length make it very agile even in older small campgrounds. Ground clearance is very good with no plumbing hanging down below the trailer to snag You still need to be careful for rocks and steep slope changes mostly for the back bumper The suspension for the Oliver is pretty good for moderate off road use. *(There are better suspensions on other types of trailers) Water & Sewer: Water tank and Grey Tank are both limited to 30Gal, but has a standard boondocking port to suck in water from a bladder or tank. Black Tank is 18gal which is about 5 days for 2 ppl Option of a Composting Toilet for an Oliver to make off Boon-Docking a much longer experience. Electrical & Solar: With our Dual Lithionics 315 Batteries (630AH Total) and Solar we've gone 8 days without any sun and still had power. New Trailers are shipping with more solar wattage and use new Victron control systems Hope your search is useful and let us know what you decide. Our Blog is here if you are interested in use cases, pictures etc. https://4-ever-hitched.com Craig Short

What Mike and Carol said! They are easy to tow and maneuver as well as anything else out there and far better than most. We just returned from a 10ish day trip to the Utah deserts with no hookups except one night and could have gone without that but it was there and we paid for it in a state park so why not use it. I agree with others if your'e looking for a hard core overland camper the Ollie is not the best choice but it does well enough on USFS, BLM backcountry roads as long as they are not extremely rocky and rough.

There have been some posts about leaks. When you consider the number of Olivers out there it’s a minor problem that can be fixed with a little diligence. As has been stated, water leaks in an Oliver are not a major deal in that there is little to no resulting damage. Our Oliver is 6 years old, 80K miles and we’ve never had a leak. At some point I’m sure a leak will appear, but I know it’s an issue that can be dealt with effectively. If you are talking about camping with no hook ups, whether in a National Park campground or out on BLM land somewhere, the Oliver is a great place to be in those situations. I am careful about pulling my trailer where the terrain is rugged, it’s not really a serious off road/rock crawling trailer but does well on most unimproved roads and flat desert. Mike

Any travel trailer is going to leak at some point, because roof penetrations are unavoidable. The more critical question is: "What will get damaged when a leak occurs?" We have an Elite II on order precisely because we are concerned about water damage inside the trailer. My wife and I were persuaded by the Oliver double-hull design, complete with scupper holes in the bottom hull to allow any water that gets between the two hulls to drain out. We also like that there is little wood inside the trailer (just the galley cabinet) to be water damaged. We considered an Airstream, but were not interested in the plywood subfloors still used on many models, along with the much more extensive use of wood inside the trailer. Like all trailers, Airstreams have roof penetrations for AC, fan, vents, etc., so leaks will eventually develop. Once wood products behind walls get wet, they will develop mold and rot. Google "replacing an Airstream subfloor" to find out how many Airstream owners have gotten to deal with mold and rot in their subfloors. No thanks. Check out forums for other travel trailers, and you will find hundreds of horror stories about water damage resulting in rot and mold in the mass-produced "stick and staple" trailers. You will also learn that post-sale customer service from those companies falls far below the high standard set by Oliver's outstanding Customer Service Department. The results of our research persuaded us that if potential water damage, including avoidance of mold and rot, is a top priority the Oliver is an excellent choice.

I agree with the advantages of lithium over AGMs, but our factory AGM/solar set up served us very well over 5+ years. Anyone who goes that route will be fine in whatever style camping they do. I’m glad I upgraded to lithium but don’t regret the AGM days (especially since it was the top end upgrade at the time!). Mike

Here's the link to order the black glass seal. 🙂 https://www.pellandent.com/Half-Inch-Glass-Vinyl-Seal

This is pretty bad for storing just about anything hard, I had been using a bunch of loose foam sheets to pad the wires and plumbing. I made strips from 1" thick Dow Corning R5 rigid foam board from Home Depot. It can be cut with a SHARP knife and dressed smooth with a bench top belt sander. Wear a dust mask! I used 3 mil aluminum HVAC tape to secure it. The frame member got 2" total thickness, the outside got 2.5" to make it level side to side. The black tank rinse plumbing has been bugging me for years, so I removed it completely (Natures Head toilet!) And capped the bottom fitting with a1/2" FPT Cap, so nobody could accidentally flood the interior: I cut out a tray and it just rests there, so access underneath is not an issue. Here is the area stuffed fairly full, it all lies nice and flat. The material is not especially strong, but it weighs absolutely nothing and is easily replaced if it gets damaged. Plus it is fire retardant. If you wanted it to look nicer you could cover the entire top with the aluminum tape. The material is however 100% waterproof. I tested that by submerging a piece in a glass of water for 12 hours. No worries! 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

This was removed, properly sealed and modified last summer