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We just returned to Atlanta from a nearly 8 week journey in our Oliver E II. An amazing experience overall and I'm really happy with how the supercharged Tundra and Oliver performed. A few highlights - Days gone - 52 Miles traveled - 12.430. Drove the Alcan, the Steese/Elliott/Dalton to Arctic Circle, Glenn. Taylor, Richardson/Edgerton/McCarthy, Top of the World and a few others. Fuel consumed - approximately 1200 gallons (mostly) premium gasoline Oil consumed - less than 1/2 quart (love those Toyota V8's) U.S. National Parks visited - 10 (7 in Alaska) States/Provinces traversed - 11/3 Oliver sightings - 6! Wildlife spotting - too many to count Costco's visited - 22! Some more than once. (Saved enough on fuel to pay the annual Executive membership fee) Flat tires - 0! (Had two spares each for truck and trailer). Glad I carried extra fuel though, as the fuel station at the Yukon River (Dalton Hwy) was out. Oliver issues - two touch LED lights, one water leak at water pump (very loose flexible hose). Thankful for the double hull and drains. Tundra issues - two divots in windshield. Supercharger drive coupling is going bad (known issue), but made it home for repair here. Memories - a lifetime! Now for a week of cleaning and maintenance on the Tundra and Oliver. Highly recommend this trip if you can spare the time and expense.

There are a lot of unimproved roads. We contemplated installing either the 3M film or Rhino Lining color coded to the Ollie. Both were expensive ($1300-1500). We decided to wait and see if the Rock Tamers on the Tundra did the job. The only chips I've seen so far (haven't cleaned the Ollie yet) are on the exterior basement door. They would have come from the Ollie tires and not the Tundra - so installing mud flaps (like John Davies did I think) - might prevent some of that. If there are a lot of chips on the front of the Ollie (and I don't think there are) - we will either repair them, install the Rhino lining or just make sure they are coated so water doesn't penetrate beneath the gel coat. I'm not convinced the rocks are as big of a problem as you may have heard. I would always slow down and move to the far right whenever being approached from the opposite direction and most other drivers seemed to do the same. One of our windshield chips was from a Mercedes SUV driver towing an aluminum trailer (won't say what brand but it rhymes with jet stream;) going full speed. As to pictures, I will work on that when I get caught up from being gone for 8 weeks. First world problem, I recognize...

A couple of questions - Is this failure preventing you from going on a planned trip? Where in the Atlanta area are you? I am south of the city in Henry County. I'm not an electrician, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night 😉 In all seriousness, I can swap the transfer switch for you if you bring the trailer to me. I have wired a couple of houses, a hangar and two airplanes that I built (yes, I know the planes are all DC) - if you are unable to make a trip you had planned.

Just completed 8 weeks in the Oliver. The Houghton A/C was flawless. We used the heat pump function most mornings in Alaska and the Yukon - saving us a bunch of propane. I've said this several times - if you can't stand the noise of the Dometic and don't want to spend what I expect will be several thousands to have Oliver replace yours with a Truma - the Houghton is an excellent choice and very reasonably priced.

@KenB Ken - you got me a 2M handheld! We are new to the forums and waiting on our LE II to be built. My wife and I both are licensed hams and are thinking of starting a thread to see how many more are out there. We are big into POTA (Parks on the Air) and always travel with an HF radio (for long distance) and 2M/70CM radios. I carry a Chameleon MPAS 2.0 vertical antenna for HF. Are you very active in radio? What is your QTH? My call is AF1US (Retired USAF communicator). Look forward to hearing from you - and this is a great post. Brian

The new Fridge is a 110vac/12vdc Isotherm model and is 4.5 cu ft. It's funny, it is very similar to the Isotherm my brother in law has on his boat. They are very popular in the marine community. Brian

Second the vote on hearing what you did to protect your Ollie as we are buying ours in FEB and very much expect to do a similar trip!

Thanks for the report. It is on our "bucket list." I have heard there is lots of gravel road on that route. Any rock chips on the front of the Oliver hull? Did you install any protection in that area, such as 3M paint protection film? If so, how well did it work?

Sounds like a great trip! Post some pictures when you get time. Mike

Yes we did. We had some discussion about whether it was worth the price - however, we ultimately decided it was part of the experience. It's not inexpensive but I'm glad we did it. The musical was entertaining and enjoyable.

Thanks, that is a terrific overview. One thing to mention … he talks about the tire placard, in his case it is for a ST 8 ply tire that originally came on his Airstream, so it shows a pressure of 65 psi. Which is also the max for any Load D 8 ply standard size tire…. . Only by referring to the manufacturer’s load chart was he able to determine the ideal pressure for his new set of LT 10 ply tires. He decided on 67 psi for his 9000 pound AS. The Ollie Placard is for 10 ply Load E and 80 psi. I think Oliver should have a video just like this one, and ALSO tell us the correct pressure for the two trailers at their 5000 and 7000 lb max GVWs. And at lower weights! Just give us the proper chart(s). John Davies Spokane WA

"Tropical" southern Minnesota, where my ggg grandparents landed, in the 1850s. I still have many cousins up there. We had a huge garden. Well over an acre, maybe 2? Apple trees. Plum trees. My moms apple butter was amazing. We had a dairy herd. Pasteurized our own milk, made our own butter. Most of it was sold to the local creamery. (Awesome ice cream they made, btw.) We raised a steer or two, and a hog or two for our own use. Of course, the chickens (laying hens.) Eggs. Crops were hay, corn, soy beans, oats, primarily to feed the animals. Corn fed venison (dad was the hunter) made great sausage combined with the pork. We had a great German butcher, 20 miles south, who also provided meat lockers, for a fee. He usually got a few pheasant, as well. Dad built a new barn from lumber he cut, dried, and milled on our farm. I "helped" as a little girl, picking up nails, straightening them if crooked. Everyone had jobs. The barn still stands today, though sadly, the old 1850s farmhouse is gone. Demolition by neglect. Most of our land is now a game preserve, and the hilltop field is a tiny subdivision. The current owners have been kind enough to let me wander, with my memories. The woods and creek on the bottom land restore me. They have been very understanding, and enjoy my memory stories of picking up arrowheads in the plowed fields, etc. Very nice Midwest folks. So, basically, we raised most of our food. Canned and butchered and froze. We kids (5) wandered in the woods, did our chores, etc. I learned to cook at 7. My grampa (an amazing farmer and gardener) said the best place to raise kids was the country. I agree. If you can't, at least get them into nature via camping. We are extremely glad that our daughter enjoys camping, even in crummy weather. She'll pass it on.

When you pick up your trailer the tires should be at the new recommended pressure (probably 55psi, not the old 80psi). We’ve used 55 for thousands of miles and 50 for thousands of miles. Both seem to be much better than the old 80psi which we used our first year. We watch pressure and temperature on our TPMS and both increase in the heat and decrease in extreme cold. No issues at either 50 or 55. Mike

Thanks, but it's really not a big deal. I just got back from an amazing 8 week trip and was very fortunate that we had no issues that derailed any of our plans. I've read several posts on this forum where people have had to cancel plans due to the lack of available service and that is really unfortunate. Our homebuilt airplane community has a similar forum and it very valuable when someone is AOG (aircraft on ground) - meaning they are stuck somewhere away from home with a mechanical issue. Since this airplane group is so large, there is usually help available nearby to get them running again and back home. Just wanted to pay it forward a bit in the Ollie group too if I could.

Another vote for a dedicated weather radio and another ham here (K1PDB). Not active with ham right now but might pick it up again after retirement.

That looks like fun! We usually do individual pie iron pizzas on the fire, but this would be awesome when we have a bigger group. We only have 5 pie irons left.

Thanks. We live in Gainesville, Florida. This problem is not preventing us from taking a trip. We just returned from a nine week tour out west and glad this didn't happen out there. My electrician called me right after my last response, He lived through his second Covid debacle. We are set up for Tuesday morning now. I appreciate your offer.

John: If you scrowl up in this post, you will see what varies people are using for pressure in their Oliver tires. Also in this post, it looks like Oliver is recommending 55 psi, but it is not noted if that is for the Elite or the Elite II.

"No noticeable temp increases." When I used my TST tpms this summer on my pop up trailer, I saw an increase in the temperature that stabilized. I ran the tires at 50 and they increased to 59. Temperature was not worrisome. I will be towing our Oliver in November with a low weight as it will be new. Any idea what we should air it up to?

Make Ahead Campfire Pizza Log Ingredients: 1 can pizza dough, store bought 1/2-1 cup pizza sauce 8oz shredded mozzarella Toppings of your choice (e.g. veggies, pepperoni, cooked chicken etc.) 2 tablespoons butter, melted Pinch of salt, garlic powder and oregano Method: Roll out the pizza dough and spread sauce around, leaving about 1/2 inch around the edges. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and then add your toppings, being careful not to add too many. Carefully roll the dough into a log and pinch the ends so the dough sticks together. Use a fork to poke some holes in the top. Melt butter in a pan and spread on top of the dough followed by the salt, garlic powder and oregano. Wrap in tinfoil and place in the freezer. At camp, place the foiled pizza log onto hot coals, cooking for about 30 minutes and turning occasionally. Use-by: Thawed pizza dough will last in the cooler for about 3 days.

Sounds like a wonderful trip! Would love to see some photos.😃

That's ok, imo, very short term. Like 2 days. Keep the unrefrigerated, unpasteurized time as very short as possible, for all aspects. Eggs out of the shell deteriorate quickly, and can make you sick. I'd freeze beaten fresh eggs with a bit of salt to avoid the texture change, if you want to keep them longer than a few days. Eggs are tricky. Unwashed, farm fresh eggs in the shell last a long time, pointy side down, at room temp. In the US, unless you buy directly from a farm, eggs are washed, and protective natural coating is removed. Eggs last longer in the shell (washed or unwashed.) In most countries we've been in, eggs are sold unrefrigerated, stacked in the aisle, because they are unwashed. ( Not here.) Pointy side down keeps the yolk in the middle, air sac up top. Opposite of most grocery store eggs . (I do that, even here, with washed eggs.) You can freeze beaten fresh usa eggs in ice cube trays, or baggies, (flat packing ) as well . Or, just buy pasteurized egg product, and portion freeze. Yes, we raised chickens, too, on our farm. I have ( pretty gross) memories of butchering chickens under the lilac bushes, gutting, plucking, etc.. But, they only lay eggs for a certain number of years, so it is what it is. The time comes when they no longer lay eggs, so...

Shrimp, pineapple, onions, snow peas, and broccoli with a home made teriyaki sauce. (This was last night)

I just did some calculations based on CRM's 2015 Optional Upgrades and Add-Ons list. I added to the 2015 base price the cost of the items that I believe were optional in 2015 but are now standard. They include: (1) $1800 for fiber granite countertops; (2) $200 for reading lights; (3) $500 for 4 (as opposed to only 2) wet cell lead acid batteries and (4) $75 each for additional outlet (I think there are 3 in a 2022 Elite I, so I added $150). With a $48,500 base price in 2015, the total for what is now the "base" 2022 Elite II was $51,500. Adjusted for inflation from 2015 to 2022, the result is $61,148. The base price of the 2022 Elite II we have on order is $65,000. So, Oliver has increased the price, after adjustment for inflation, by $3852. That is a "real" increase, after inflation, of about 7.5%. In my view, a 7.5% increase is a moderate response by Oliver to a hot RV market. After working through that interesting exercise, we are still comfortable that our 2022 Elite II is a sensible purchase, and will be a good long-term value.

Someone else had posted this magnet idea and I don’t recall who, but thank you for the idea! I’ve had an issue in the past with the bathroom ceiling fan cover popping open while traveling after Oliver had replaced the gasket on the cover during service a couple years ago. Oliver had used a thicker gasket so the cover didn’t seat fully down in the closed position. I had been stuffing a piece of foam into the handle when on the road to prevent it popping open and that worked, but I wanted something that looked a bit more professional/a bit nicer. I replaced the gasket on the cover with a thinner gasket material, so the cover seats now seats fully in the down position. But I still wanted something to secure it when down, and the previous magnet post came to mind. Two of the door latch magnets fit perfectly on the metal sides of the handle while traveling to prevent the cover popping up. Hamilton Bowes #1 Strongest - RV... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BWQ9MLF?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Hi All, I don't know if this helps be we also backed off on the 2022 model and opted to go for the 2023 model that is scheduled for mid-March delivery. I also asked about Truma and this is what Josh from sales emailed us back: "Good morning! The Truma A/C that we us is the Truma Aventa ECO. It does not have a heat strip in it. But, the Truma furnace, water heater, and furnace will all be on one control panel. I hope this answered your question. If you need anything else, do not hesitate to contact me." I hope this adds to the discussion.

We keep our Oli EII @ 55psi also. For a couple reasons. 1. I have calculated the weight for the Oliver while towing, the tongue weight, and the weight on both my front and rear axles of the truck with everything fully loaded for towing. 2. The truck uses the same psi and all I have to remember is 55 psi for all the tires. 3. I figure that at 55 psi it’s a little high for the Oliver but it allows that if one tire goes bad the other three tires still have enough strength to carry the load. If I remember correctly I did the calculations for 6500 trailer weight. Not that I am planning on driving on three tires on the Ollie I just wanted that extra safety factor so by the time I found out that a tired gone bad I’d still have time to get it parked over on the side of the road and maybe limp it to someplace where I could change it without getting someone hurt

I keep the tires on the Outlaw Oliver, Hull #050 set between 60-65 psi. I formerly ran them all at 80 psi. I think that is too high. As for running them at 55 psi, I think that is fine for most owners. The reason I run more is our trailer is heavier than most all the others (raised bed option, twin 5200 pound axles, 10 ply all steel tires, disc brakes). As has been said MANY times in the past, everyone should buy and install a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). There are many brands available, Do your own research and select one based on your personal needs and wants.

42 to 45 psi. 50 at the very most. 80 psi is the maximum that the tire can take, it is not at all appropriate for a little trailer; running double the ideal inflation pressure will beat up the frame, hull and your personal belongings😳 Have you been finding stuff shaken up, rearranged, and or lying on the floor? Does your television fall down? BTW, Did you ever get a tire inflator? You started a thread asking about it and sort of dropped out. John Davies Spokane WA

To be clear, since I weighed in on this, the video states the same things as the Nature's Head user manual I linked - that cleaning the interior of the bin is unnecessary and in fact may inhibit composting a bit since that matter that's left behind will give the composting a good start with the fresh material when refilling. However, the video and manual note that *if you want to periodically clean dried on solids from the inside of the bin* that you should only use water or a combo of water and vinegar - no "sanitizing" type chemicals which might inhibit composting bacteria from doing its thing. So yes, some periodic cleaning may be desired or possibly needed (we have yet to see a need but we're only a bit over a year and a half in). And for sure there's some work either way. It takes maybe 5-10 minutes ish after 3+ weeks of use for two adults to do a swap out of the full bin contents for some new moistened peat or coir. I agree that folks should pick the tech that they think will work best for them. I'm not here to pitch the compost toilet - I am simply sharing what I've learned about the regular maintenance (and I'll also note that as someone who tends to camp w/o water hookups, I really appreciate not having to use water to flush a toilet - for me this is the big selling point for going w/composting, as I think the maintenance is kind of a wash between the two types of toilets/tanks, so long as you keep your black tank blade valve lubed or you avoid getting the wrong things into your compost bin).

If you are germ-phobic, don't get it. (although it's actually very hygenic.) If you have delicate sensibilities, don't get it. If the thought of wiping down the bowl if your aim isn't perfect makes you faint, don't get it. If the thought of putting your TP in a bag after wiping freaks you out, don't get it. If you plan on mostly camping in sites with water hookups and dump tanks, don't get it. However, If you consider yourself sort of rough and tumble, get it. If you plan to boondock, get it. If you're comfortable talking about (joking about) BMs, get it.

My front reflectors failed first...so I had Oliver Service sell and ship me the replacement reflectors for a few $. Like others I found them a bit tricky to remove initially, but after realizing that the paper left behind could be scraped off with the plastic razor blades it went much faster. I also like the idea of finding a flexible DOT approved sticker as mentioned earlier. In my case bought a similar set of 2 each the Red and Amber 3M version from Amazon as my backup for the next time I have to do that repair. I threw them in my travel parts kit.

This is not correct btw. Per the instructions for the Nature's Head toilet, you just empty the bin out into either a compost bin where it can go on to fully compost (and then be used on ornamental, NOT food plants) or into a trash bag that goes into the usual trash waste stream, and then you refill the bin with more compost medium (moist peat moss or coconut coir), and the residue left behind from the prior load will serve to help the population of beneficial bacteria build back up. And they are quite strident in their documentation to stress that it is vital NOT to sanitize the bin with bleach or similar cleaners. But for sure, as you note, it takes a while for the material to fully compost, so if you're on the road for a while you'll be disposing of the partially composted material in the trash. The nice thing is that for two people, we've found that we can go *at least* 3 weeks before needing to empty the bin, and if there are gaps of time between weeks of camping, we can go longer as the volume shrinks over time. The benefits of that partial composting include no poo smell even if you are working with an opened bin as long as you let the last "deposit" sit for half a day or so before doing the work, and it really isn't disagreeable to do the emptying at least from a smell perspective. Since it's not fully composted, though, you should assume there is still some fecal bacteria, and just as you should do if you have a full black tank to empty, you should probably be wearing gloves and you should be thoughtful about cleaning your hands and avoiding spillage (which is not hard). If you let it continue composting in the toilet (or a separate compost bin) at home after camping, you can eventually consider it fully composted, i.e. free of that nasty fecal bacteria. I would refer to manufacturer documentation of how long that takes versus social media or web forum claims in that regard. We, btw, put toilet paper in the bin along with the poo deposits, and it's been no problem other than that it can make the crank a little hard, but not impossible, to turn until it's decomposed a bit which it does relatively quickly. Given how rarely we camp with full hookups, the composting toilet has been great for us and I would absolutely choose it again if I were buying another trailer.

There is another option that a few of us use (I learned this option from another Oliver owner on our delivery day). We have the standard flush toilet in the camper but since we took delivery of our Ollie brand new, it has absolutely only been used for #1. No solids, no toilet paper ever go into the black tank. #2 is done either at the campground restrooms, or roadside rest stop restrooms while traveling, or if absolutely necessary, using the bathroom in the camper, but then #2 and toilet paper go into disposable camp toilet bags (bag is placed in the toilet while doing your business) and then disposed of into a suitable trash receptacle. Makes life with the black tank very easy. Keeps water usage to a minimum. Takes a very long time to fill up the black tank before it needs emptying. No toilet cleanup/no scrub brush needed. No stuck/clogged drain valves, easy black tank emptying, easy black tank rinse. Trail Essentials Toilet Bags, Certified Biodegradable and Compostable; Use and Bury in Ground –Includes Convenient Water Resistant Carry Case https://a.co/d/ab7IGyb

If you are going to camp without hookups the majority of the time, go composting. If you will have hookups the majority of the time go with a conventional toilet. We have a regular toilet since that was all that was available back then, we do boondock and can go 4 or 5 days before we need to dump. We’re usually ready to move anyway. I like things to be simple. When my hot water tank gives up I will replace it with another tank, not a Truma. I don’t want a composting toilet because the flush and dump of the regular toilet is easy with very little to go wrong. That’s just me. Mike

@Lois We love having a compost toilet. It saves so much water! We don’t find it difficult to clean at all and emptying the urine container is no big deal. I was uncertain when we got the compost toilet but now I’d never go back to a traditional toilet in an RV.

Lois, You will get hundreds of opinions on the pros and cons of standard and composting toilets. I would suggest you use the search window a really great feature to learn about which system to consider. It has been discussed on here a lot. One thing for certain please do not be misled by the word compost. It takes a long time for human waste aka “hazmat” to reach its full compost state where it might be useable in a garden or as a fertilizer. You will need to to clean and sanitize the compost toilet and dispose of the “compost” properly in a dumpster or trash receptacle somewhere. With a compost toilet you will also need to dump your Ollies gray water at the dump station if where you camp does not allow gray water to be drained onto the property. Gray water with food particles can attract ants, insects and rodents. So lots to consider of which system is best for you and most importantly how you plan to camp. Also consider checking out YouTube University videos on the pros and cons of a compost toilet. You will see some real scoop on compost toilets pun intended 😅. We chose the conventional toilet as it totally suits our needs. I have zero desire to clean a compost toilet or dump a sitting urine bottle every few days. Let the comments begin!! 😊 Best of luck with your choice. -Patriot 🇺🇸

Based on the posting by @hobo, I contacted John Halter, Owner of Zarcor. We have scheduled installation of a Zarcor window on our 2022 LEII, Hull #990 in August 31. John is sending me paperwork for the free window and installation. Following the installation, I plan to post an update with photos, and possibly video of the installation. My thanks to @hobo for providing the information on this opportunity. Don

Interesting! Can you please start a new thread about this with a descriptive title so others like me can find it a year or three from now? I wish I lived nearby, I could swap this for you for a couple of doughnuts… This way it is super easy to inspect the contacts of that great big relay: Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

Did you have an opportunity to partake in the “Pitchfork Fondue” whilst there???

I'd say, certainly, brass is stronger. But, plastic has been fine for us, for 15 seasons. I think using the trailer a lot, vs sitting around, also makes a difference. Our poor little power boat seems to have some minor failure, every other time we take it out, because it's the least used of the toys, maybe? Granted, it's 20+ years old... but not much more than our Ollie, and far less than our 40+ sailboat. Since our daughter grew up, and, we no longer take it out more than a few times a year, instead of once or twice a week, it seems to be more prone to problems. Stuff does happen. Boats and trailers move, stuff breaks. Sadly, often at the most inopportune times. Maintenance, and regular use, are keys. Imo

Those nonreuseable sharkbites that we've used are labeled EvoPex. The nice thing is, if you've done the job right, green shows in the slot, when properly connected. (Ask me how I know.. ) Carry a good cutter. Buy fittings at any ace, home depot, lowes etc. along the way. Make a good cut, giving yourself an inch or two of grip room plus depth, mark the proper depth, (borrow @rideandfly's sharpie, if you don't have one, and you should), push to fit, and done. Sharkbites are slick. Imo. They're also pricey. We don't carry any fittings. These days, widely available. Then again, we " live on the edge," but we carry drinking water, so we can certainly survive til the next hardware store. Only had one plumbing fail in 15 seasons , and pretty sure our fault, not winterizing properly and promptly. Ymmv

I just did the same! Although I miscounted 1 “L” fitting and one “T” fitting so I have 2 more to do. That being said, any of the connections that have come lose in the last year were replaced. (this has happened to us twice in less than 5K of miles on the road 😬) For such a nice trailer at such a high price, these should definitely one standard with brass fittings. They are even easier and faster to install than the plastic alternative anyway, could save a small amount of time at the factory.

I'm on my second summer in NC with the Houghton and I've used it a LOT. I regularly use our Ollie as a quiet place to relax year round even when at "home". I do agree with all of @katanapilot's reasons, pretty much in that order too. My wife and I both agree that it's easily the best "luxury" modification we have made to our Ollie (second would be installing a dedicated shower mixer with the High Sierra head). @connor77, I tried to sell the lightly used Dometic on Craig's list for about half of what it's worth (as suggested by @Trainmanabove). I only tried Craig's list as I didn't want to deal with shipping. Never had any interest or offers so I gave up after about a month. Still sitting in my garage today. No chance I'll ever reinstall it, so I may end up giving it away - I'll wait until you have sold yours though. 😉

I thought I would bump this post since I was asked about the Zarcor window shade while at this years Rally by a few new owners. It’s a nice mod passed on to me by TopGun and naturally allows us to see who is knocking at the door. As mentioned we ordered tinted glass to match the Oliver tinted windows. A top five mod of ours. Hope this helps those that asked about it at the Rally. Happy Camping!

Extra hose and fittings is a great idea and doesn’t take up much space or weight, that’s a great idea ScubaRx! Thanks Mike and Carol! 👍

Glad the issue was resolved quickly. What you’ve done looks great. Like Steve, ours have held up well for about 60K miles but now I’m inspired to do some plumbing work! Mike

We've owned two different Oliver's over the past 12 years. Collectively, we have traveled over 150K miles. I have had one fitting to break and it did cause a mess. I agree that brass fittings are better than plastic and they should be using them. I always carry several feet of tubing, a few different brass pex fittings, and the tools to replace them in case that ever happens again.

Hi John, that was my thought when this happened. I agree, I expected better too but it’s all good now. These fittings got teeth, like a shark and it won’t be happening again, that’s for sure! 👍

I understand why (money) plastic fittings are used but it couldn’t coast more than an extra $30 to do it correctly and use brass fittings. At this price I would expect the best materials to be used during manufacturing. John