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We picked up our Ollie on 6/6 and stayed in the Ollie campground for two nights shaking down our new trailer. Then we headed back to San Antonio. It was great to meet a few old timer's in for service after the rally.

Yesterday evening I purchased this HF cordless buffer/polisher and honestly was very skeptical about how well it would work despite the very solid reviews. I thought for $30 why not give it a try? I had light to medium oxidation beginning on the street side front roof top corner and all along the top of the street side roof which I wanted to remove. I have to admit my wife and I were both really surprised and pleased at how well this 4.83# buffer removed ALL the oxidation with ease using Meguiars #67. Our Ollies roof top now looks as good if not better than the day we took delivery. Note- I never needed to replace the lithium battery during use. As mentioned I used Meguiars #67 with a terry cloth polishing pad on this little buffer which easily removed areas of oxidation. I then followed up with a buffing pad after applying Meguiars Premium Marine wax. 💯 % satisfied and happy with the final results. Letting the buffer do the work, I really prefer to work smart not hard.😎 The buffer is light weight enough that you can actually use it with one hand (perfect). The ergos of the handle felt very comfortable as I never got tired of using it while working up on the ladder. Another thing I liked is I was able to use the buffer under the solar panel over hang a plus. A 💯% keeper. Thanks to everyone’s buffer thoughts and suggestions, I have found what works really well for me at a very reasonable price. I would not hesitate to purchase this buffer again as it really brought the shine and beautiful luster back to our gelcoat and saves a ton of elbow grease. Happy Camping and Happy Polishing! 😊 A few photos - This area had the beginnings of oxidation…it’s gone now. The shadows are reflected shade from our trees. Very happy with the luster of the gelcoat completely restored to our Ollie. Just clears the solar panel. 👍🏻 Terry cloth pad -

Thank you all for the suggestions. We did get to Kennecott and it was beautiful. Hiked out to the glacier and got some great shots of the glacier. I agree that taking the Oliver out to McCarthy wouldn’t be a great idea. We left it at Wrangell View RV Park and went out for the day. Today we came over to Palmer and the drive was up to its Scenic Highway designation. The tip I have so far is to have reservations on the weekends. The locals from Anchorage, Palmer and Wasilla are RVing on weekends. Mid week no problems. we are off to Denali for 5 days before heading down to the Kenai. Plus, you can still use the microwave without the dish! Just do shorter bursts. thanks again.

Yeah, if I hadn't had a pretty significant rehab job to do, I think I would have leaned more toward a device like the one you got. As you note, the trick is to keep up with the washing and waxing so you avoid needing to buff out oxidation in the first place! I learned my lesson with the van; of course now that I'm retired I'm less prone to let that sort of job go for years on end 🙂

I really like my Diamondback. I have all of the tie down points, which makes it convenient for hauling oversized items on top, knowing they won't budge at all. It did leak underneath the fat rubber seals initially. That was easily remedied by adjusting the height of the hold down rod brackets. It is an impressive, yet expensive looking piece of equipment for my F150. ALSO . . . after bonding all panels together and bonding the center piece to the truck bed, which is bonded to the entirety of the truck with 15 large brass ground straps, it provides a magnificent ground plane for my ham radio antennas. I've talked all over the world with the ATAS 120A on the left!

Jim, I agree with your comments on the rotary buffer and the potential for burns and swirl marks. I especially don’t like the heavier weight of the rotary buffers some averaging almost 6# ugh. Our oxidation was not terribly bad, but it was visible. Its all gone now and I hope to keep it that way with continued regular washing and waxing. Thank you for the link and your view points and as always your thoughts are appreciated. For now I am going to stick with what works and really works well. This little $30 HF buffer along with Meguiars #67 and Meguiars Marine wax really impressed us with the results. Thank you for you thougths! - Patriot

Is the harbor freight tool you chose variable speed? 4500 rpm is way above some products' recommended rpm, but I'm sure you checked maguire 67. Many of the technical 3m products require a much slower speed, like 1500. It sure looks great!

I do not use a buffer. After washing in the spring, I hand apply the Maguire's 67 Compound Buffing/Polish to the Ollie to remove any black water stains. It is a easy rub on application and whipping off after drying. After the Maguire's 67, I use the Maguire's Premium Marine wax. It is also an easy application and whipping off after it dries. I do the same in the fall before putting the Ollie to rest for the winter. After owning a number of fiberglass boats and cleaning and waxing them, I find the Maguire's products very easy to apply and whip off with a clean rag. No need for a rotary buffer as it is over kill, in my opinion.

@Cameron Just a follow up on this minor repair. I received the new frame and vent today from Oliver - wow fast shipping. Removed the old vent and frame, cleaned off caulk and applied 3m tape to the inside of the frame (pic) and reinstalled the frame (tip- do not tighten the S/S screws so tight that it tweaks or warps the frame, just snug them down do not over tighten. The old frame may have been tighten down to tight on the assembly line which resulted in the warp on the original vent door and frame just not matching up.) Now no more bow in the vent door. Reinstalled the insect screens and done. Thank you to Oliver parts department for the super fast shipping.

We were returning from camping and wile driving on a two lane blacktop I had to make a big swerve (running 55 MPH) to miss a turtle crossing the road. I would say it was a 5-6 foot swerve and guess what happened to the trailer in the swerve, nothing. After the swerve I thought to myself I didn't even notice the trailer being there, nor did I ever felt I was out of control. Sure makes me think what would have happened with a lessor trailer and my RAM 1500 4x4 if all wasn't equipped as it should be for towing. trainman

I kind of liked those trees growing upside down 😇. Bill

Not trying to second guess your actions….. you were there and I was not. But it might prove an interesting discussion on A.) Evasive maneuvers vs. B.) taking the hit. I think most towing swerve accidents are not due to the initial avoidance but to trying to get back on course. Kind of like flipping an SUV…. The second swerve which brings the weight back past C/G is the one that gets you. I’ve often thought that if a tire on one side left the shoulder I would opt for stopping instead of trying to get back on the road. I’m sure there are some stories out there of stuff that worked and stuff that didn’t.

Wolf Creek Pass, in southern Colorado (your Alamosa to Durango leg), is one of the snowiest passes in Colorado. I'm not saying it's a no-go...I am saying watch the weather.

@Rivernerd It actually took about 1.5 hrs to buff out the entire street side roof area. A lot less time than “flying elbows” 😅. I could not be more pleased with how it turned out and with little to no downward pressure on the HF a buffer/polisher just letting the tool do the work. Hope this helps! This really works well - https://www.meguiars.com/marine/products/meguiars-marinerv-one-step-compound-m6732-32-oz-liquid

Looks like you found a decent option but for folks who may still be hunting, here's what I got based on the advice in a few articles on Practical Sailor. The DeWalt buffer was enticing as it works even faster but also runs more of a risk of burns and swirl marks if you're not really on your game - I would want a LOT of practice before risking using one of those. Even this Shurhold buffer requires attention to not overdoing any one spot. I used this to compound out some bad oxidation on the gelcoat of the roof of our camper van and it did a great job of that. I also used it to buff out the paste wax i used on that as well as on our Oliver - it also worked well for that, though for waxing I think one of those one hand cheap harbor freight auto buffers would work fine and in some ways be a little easier to handle. https://www.practical-sailor.com/boat-maintenance/shurhold-shines-among-electric-buffers I would not hesitate to use this to compound/polish the Oliver when that's needed. On these threads Mr Miyagi will aways weigh in regarding the goodness of hand-done "wax on/wax off", of course! 😉

Thanks for your informative post. How long did it take you to address the areas you covered?

Glad you enjoyed it! Let's ask @topgun2 to rotate your photo. Did you drive the Denali across? How was it? That's an amazing (but slow) stretch. Lots of great scenic pullouts for free dry camping. We often take two days to drive the Denali highway. Or which highway did you drive? Probably the Glenn highway? It's beautiful too, and most direct, probably, from kennicott. if you're staying in palmer long, there's a really good carwash with an rv bay if you need it, after Denali highway. And better prices on groceries than the smaller towns,, though not as good as Fred meyers in Anchorage. Not much for provisioning between Palmer and Denali. There's a newer three bears grocery in Healy, though, with decent prices, and variety, by Alaska standards. The laundromat at the cantwell rv park at cantwell is nicer than the one in most towns, fairly reasonable, and you can take a shower while your clothes wash if you're longing for a long hot shower, as I usually am, by that point. No timers, just a note to please be considerate of other campers. Showers are just in the hallway by the laundry. (Also a couple of good thrift shops in Palmer where you might find a replacement tray for your microwave, if you're lucky.) Free dry camping at pullouts was our weekend solution.

Congratulations!

Nice to have you and that great looking Ollie in the Family! Hope that the trip back home is/was a good one even though it appears that the weather was a bit toasty for you. Bill

I will say here, if there was another vehicle coming on the other side of the road we would have had Turtle Soup for sure. trainman

My last thought is if we are going to like the ride of the Gladiator, it is not going to be the ride comfort that the 2019 RAM offers. I guess going to the dealer and driving a Gladiator will be the decision maker on if we decide to go will with one or not. As far as what the Gladiator vs RAM can carry both inside and out the Gladiator looses here, but like I have said many times we a minimalist campers, so carrying a lot of extra's is not out thing. There are several things that the Jeep Gladiator does not offer, no 7 pin trailer connector as a factory option, no trailer brake controller, no Tow Haul Mode which may not be needed with a diesel, side mirrors offer no option to extend them, which the Jeep being narrower then most tow vehicles will be a problem, and the list goes on. When you can just get in the RAM with all these features standard from the factory and go I sometimes wonder if it's even worth it, it's almost easier to buy another Jeep as a TOY and be done with it. Thanks to everyone who replied, looks like the Gladiator Diesel can do the job, now just deciding if it's worth all the other things that will have to be added to make the Gladiator a good towing vehicles. trainman

So…… no turtle soup?

Hope ya'll are having fun! Be safe and enjoy the ride :) Wendy and John

I purchased a new 2021 GMC 2500 HD 14 months back. At the same time I also purchased a Diamondback HD aluminum top for a 8 foot bed. With a 3/4 inch pressure treated plywood base I put ( 4 ) 27 gallon tubs with rope to each of them leading to the gate. For use just pull the rope of what you want. On the con side a 2300 generators clearance is tight. The Diamondback HD can hold 1600 lbs and in my opinion the finest aluminum top available in the market.

Glad you ( and the turtle) are all ok. Thanks for the report. Might just have a little to do with your driving skill and experience, too, 😃 but we feel the same way, towing our elite. 2008 ram 1500 4 x 4.

I have no interior service area photos. The hourly labor rate i believe is $125.00. We did not ask to look up under the frame as it was not on a lift. My guess would be they don’t want owners hanging around the service bays for general liability reasons and the techs stay pretty busy. As for the annual service cost, I do not know. A good question to call and ask the Service Center. To my knowledge Oliver does not provide washing and detailing of trailers being serviced.

Trainman, Glad to hear it as I have a similar set-up (dual cab as the crew won't fit in our garage.) 🙂 Charlie

Annual Maintenance Cost: Below is the quote I received last December.... 2021 LE2. The maintenance was scheduled and completed in April. I provided them with Timken bearings instead of re-greasing the China bearings. They also completed a number of minor repairs under warranty. You should discuss any work additional to the maintenance package ahead of time so they allocate their schedule accurately. They will not let extra undiscussed work impact another owners schedule. It was a two day appointment. We camped at Oliver the first night and stayed at a local hotel the second night. This was the beginning of a 6 week trip out west. My out the door cost was $1,244.24 No problems were detected that needed extra work/cost. YMMV

Being a retired Body Ship Mgr. for over 35 years I personally wouldn't use an Orbital Buffer for buffing my trailer. It's not that the orbital will not work, but an rotary auto buffer will do a much easier and faster job, it is a little more difficult to use, but its all in the way you hold and move the buffer in its operation. I use Maguire's 67 Compound Buffing/Polish which does a good job of buffing and leaves a nice shine and applying a wax, or polish is optional. I purchased a buffer for around $65.00 from Harbor Freight and my wool buffer pads (2) from Amazon for around $30.00, I wouldn't use the foam pads for buffing, the wool pads work the best. https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-M6732-Marine-Step-Compound/dp/B00029CYRG/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3VANI3ZZ56A47&keywords=meguiars+one+step+67&qid=1654973125&sprefix=meguire's+67%2Caps%2C112&sr=8-2 trainman

They sell there own brand corded one, I don’t know who makes it for them. The kits are a good value rather than buying pads or other items separately. https://www.griotsgarage.com/buffers-pads/polisher-kits/ John Davies Spokane WA

This setup would not work with any of the older Elite II’s as the opening into the pantry is much larger and opening the door would hit the toaster.

Good point Chris, I am looking at a lighter weight cordless polisher. Thanks for your input. 👍🏻

I use a number of griot's garage products. I especially like their leather cleaners and conditioners for car seats, and my leather furniture in my home. Not greasy, and easy to use. Do they have a recommended orbital polisher? I've never used any of their products on or in my trailer.

Patriot, thanks for starting this thread! Going to start learning about all of these polishers mentioned. Thanks,

Here's what I have as recommended by my body shop detailer. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07343W387/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have the Makita, it is a beast, and will certainly outlive me. This one is corded, and it super smooth in operation. I’ve used it with Osborn brushes to smooth the logs on my home before refinishing, and it will stand up to heavy, daily use. If there is anything negative, it has to be the weight, although the strength of the motor and obvious durability will make it rather hefty.

I just bought a Dewalt polisher, mainly because I used to have a nice Porter Cable one with cord, and I just hated dealing with that; tripping over it, pulling the plug out of the socket, and dragging it across my freshly polished paint (!) And I have about six other Dewalt tools and lots of batteries. I haven’t used it yet, but I need to do my truck since the sides are all brush striped from fire roads. I got a killer deal on an open box one on eBay for $375, free shipping. It was in perfect condition. Griots Garage sells great care products, I bought a bunch of pads, polishes and tools from them for the Dewalt. It doesn’t come with any. https://www.griotsgarage.com/buffers-pads/ John Davies Spokane WA

Jim, Thank you for your post. I am trying to decide which one would be the best choice for work on our Oliver. The video is really helpful. https://shurhold.com/blogs/all-blogs/choose-the-right-polisher-for-you

Having answered that question hundreds of times to people I delivered boats to over 20 years, I always said buy the one offered by Shur Hold marine products, They are light, do a great job for the weekend buffer. If you want to step up and work your arm use what the pros use Dewalt or Makota . If your hull looks good try Buff Magic by the company or 3M finesse.

Very timely! Doing same thing this afternoon, looking for good dual action orbital buffer for the vehicles and Ollie. Looking forward to learning more about these units.

I’ve had a cyclo unit for over a decade. It’s nice but heavy. I’d probably go with a smaller unit like the PC…I’ll have to look up the exact model.

Dave, A wash, polish and wax in San Diego is $400. Andrew

To secure tray, I used to wedge a throw pillow inside the microwave but then I found a plastic tub that fits perfectly & it holds our bread/buns & popcorn popper, giving it the weight needed to keep tray from rattling.

Diamondback installed, with the Front Runner racks and Yakima bike racks. Just about ready for our delivery date now.

Ours goes upside down on top of that fragile turntable spider thing, resting on an old towel that is folded up around the corners. A plastic Camco dish drainer and a box of Kleenex lie on that to keep it steady, though if the door ever opened of course it all would come out. Check your tire pressures, unless you just forgot to latch the door, something else is probably wrong! 42 to 45 psi for an LE2, NOT 50 60 or 80 especially for nasty pavement or gravel. For ugly low speed and really rough roads drop it by 10 pounds. (You definitely do need a TPMS when running lower AKA correct pressures. Last trip we had around 50 miles of straight flat (small) washboard gravel ranch roads, cruising speed when possible was 35 to 40 mph and nothing shook loose inside the Ollie. But you have to pack your gear so it can’t move around, especially in the overhead cabinets and in drawers, which should be strapped closed. When you get a chance, please try reposting pictures, the first one is lost in space. Enjoy your trip, get to Kennecott copper mine if you are into old ghost towns and equipment. White Horse is worth a couple of days. How are the fuel prices in BC and AK? (Woah, stupid Autocorrect changed fuel to girl!) John Davies Spokane WA

Too late now - but-always take that glass tray out of the microwave BEFORE leaving camp. It can be stored in various places - I store mine in the cubbie right above the microwave. Bill