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There is an entirely opposite side to this subject. I have seen three trailers with frame damage due to weight distribution being used on 3/4 and 1-Ton trucks with trailers that were designed to be pulled by lightweight vehicles. These frames cannot counter the stresses that a 1-Ton truck produces by the time the weight distribution system is torqued enough to level it out and it destroyed these trailers and campers ended up stuck here until they had repairs done or purchased another trailer. I agree that a one ton does not need a WD system to tow an Oliver I will leave the litigation stuff to the pros in that department.

The three side windows on our 2017 LEII fogged last year so on our way home from our annual west trip this past March, we stopped at Suncoast Designers in Hudson, FLA. We stayed in our camper while the windows were being repaired without any issues. The guys removed our windows one evening and replaced them the next afternoon. The lifetime warranty is one of the main reasons we opted to go to Suncoast Designers. I would recommend them as everyone there was very accommodating during the process. I had called them and scheduled the service last year before a price increase that took place in January of this year and they honored the original quote. They have about 15 or so sites with 50 amps and water. There is a dump station centrally located in the parking lot as well. We were the only “small” camper there. The rest were all class A motor homes. Some having every window removed for repair.

Trip to Doughton Park Campground NC on the Blue Ridge Parkway. First camping trip to Doughton Park. Cost is $10 per night with the geezer card. All of the campground roads are paved. There’s no water or electricity at the campsites and their restrooms don’t have showers. They have a uphill dump station that makes dumping Ollie easy. When filling the fresh water tank could only fill to 70% due to grade at fill area. They have plenty of hiking trails. The picnic area was a beautiful place, especially for sunsets. We will be visiting again.

The fact that trailers can actually be damaged by use of a weight distribution hitch with too heavy a tow vehicle is an excellent point. It would be important evidence supporting a defendant in a personal injury suit, driving a 3/4 or 1-ton tow vehicle, arising out of a trailer towing accident. It supports using a WD hitch when it is "required, and not using one when it is only "recommended."

Nite Ize Cam Straps

"Jumping in late here. The Andersen hitch weighs 66 pounds and will have to be subtracted from your cargo carrying capacity. " Not a problem - I have nearly 2k payload with the Titan XD, so I'm feeling ok with that, and thank you for thinking about it. I just put a tonneau on my TV and will be adding that as well.

Hi, i want to thank everyone for yours good advices. I really appreciate it. MERCI A VOUS TOUS!

Like many others here, I have gone through many tow vehicle iterations with our Hull #050. A Tahoe, Sierra 1500, Silverado diesel 2500 and now a Silverado diesel 3500 SRW. We’ve never used a WDH (probably should have with the first two). I don’t know of any reason to have one with your big ole truck. The attorneys that weighed in are reassuring and my opinion is that you’ll be just fine without it. As far as your English is concerned, you’re doing great. I’d like to hear most of us trying French-Canadian!

I love the CGI compact outdoor table-comes in 2 sizes, I have both. These are very light weight, compact aluminum folding tables, very sturdy. Available Amazon. I place one outside the Ollie door and one in the clam. On the table by the door it is so useful for placing objects down either entering or exiting Ollie. Sometimes I'll put my coffee maker on it at night, then I can make coffee without disturbing husband in the morning. The tables fold up very small for transport. Bought about 2 years ago-I think they will last a long time.

About five years ago I changed ours to angle from the front right to the back left. This moved all the empty space from behind the clothes to in front of them.

An update: We had a very helpful discussion with Steve Landrum while my brother, an electrically savvy engineer, was with us. They were able to conclude that the power converter under the dinette was performing appropriately. The next day Ryan confirmed that the settings used to program the Blue Sky were appropriate, so that is not the source of the problem either. Following that, Progress stalled because we are camping on the Olympic Peninsula, and have not had enough sun to do the test of the Blue Sky Controller that Ryan suggests. It will likely be next week before we are able to do that. Also, I had thought I had a photo of the battery wiring after the new batteries were installed, but it turns out I do not have photos, and cannot confirm that they were installed correctly. I believe they were installed correctly, but I have no way to check. As soon as there is more information, will post another update. Thanks everyone for your help with this. We are grateful that it is possible to continue our trip. Mary

Jumping in late here. The Andersen hitch weighs 66 pounds and will have to be subtracted from your cargo carrying capacity.

I forgot to mention we do use an Anderson WD hitch that we got from Oliver.

Welcome, Richard We have Hull#996, twin beds, optional aluminum tray on the tongue and the standard ceramic toilet. The only thing we use the tray for is to store chocks and hoses. As full-timers we are pretty well loaded up and sit at 6800 lbs with a 675 lb tongue weight. We started our journey after many trips to the CAT scales to make sure we were legal. We are just below our truck's GVWR, by 150 lbs, after taking 120 lbs out every time we travel and putting in the Oliver, which takes the Oliver to 6700 lbs. And that's with empty tanks! But with everything we need including a full fridge and pantry. That does leave us the opportunity to fill the fresh water tank before heading into boondocking territory. Pretty much we now have to get rid of something to get something. I think you will be getting the newer 2 way fridge. We have the 3 way and, although small, it suits our needs. We saw the 2 way at a demo during the Oliver rally this year and saw the size of the freezer in that unit. We did not like it for sure....way to small for us. So I would definitely be in the market for a portable freezer. Then again, we full time. You might not need the room. When we started looking at buying a trailer, the wet bath was a no-go for us but we couldn't find a dry bath trailer to suit us. I found the bigger trailers were nice but we would need a bigger truck. We gave up looking for a while and then started looking at fiberglass. Long story, we bought a new Casita, with the wet bath of course, and just hoped it would be ok. The Casita bath is quite a bit smaller than the Oliver. We were definitely fine with it and I laugh at myself now for so much worrying about it. Don't hold me to this but I think you would get your investment back should you decide you can't live with it. Best of luck with your decision. John

see Updates below Update: some have reported back that the holder now shipping doesn’t fit the new 7pin plugs Oliver now uses. The plugs a MM bigger than the holder. An alternative is to tuck your 7 pin up under the fiberglass cowling on the tongue. The 7 pin fits snugly there out of the rain for storage. This afternoon my wife said.... "I noticed the tail lights of the trailer on this morning. It's not hooked to the truck. Are they supposed to be on?" When I went out to look and sure enough the rear tail lights were on. I went immediately to look first at the "emergency brake" switch and then at the front 7 pin connector...which has a "rubber cover" on it to keep water out. We had 2" of rain in the past day and that rubber 7pin cover did a much better job of keeping the water in. I drained the connector, blew it out and dried it with air. Then cleaned it and lubricated it with electrical silicone grease. The lights are no longer on. I'm assuming this was a draw from the house batteries through that connector. Passing along if of any use to folks in the future. If there's a similar post somewhere I didn't find it in a quick search. Craig Short

Ok, that last pic of the low bridge makes me anxious. we don't really have those things out west. once i start going on longer trips that take me to the east coast, i'm sure i'll encounter those and hopefully not ruin my Ollie!!

Thanks! Yes, still in NC, but not far from music center in Va on the BRP. That’s what we like about camping on the BRP, if you don’t go hiking, a drive on the BRP always works. There’s a a detour around a bridge on the BRP at Rt 18. We drove through Elkins on Rt 21 to the BRP to Doughton Park. After crossing into Va on the BRP.

Yes that's the one, have both sizes. When I wash dishes outside I set one up by the outside shower-so handy

Those photos are calendar worthy, @rideandfly. That's pretty close to Galax Va, right, but still in NC? (Crooked road, music center, etc.) We're going to have to check that out! Thanks!

@Kathy Tewart, is this the table you mentioned? If so, I think that's just great. I love the telescoping legs! So versatile. I like to do cooking prep and dishes outside, and longer legs on the table would really help the back. We have two similar aluminum tables purchased from Walmart in 2008, but no telescoping leg. GCI makes great products,, so no doubt yours will last a long time. 15 seasons on our WM tables, usually 100 to 150 days of camping.

That might be the reason but 15% is acceptable, although heavy. There are plenty of posts here on Nature’s Head - do a search, if you don’t find what you want, start a new thread. Best, Brian

Hokieman, where did you get the little blue cushioning pads that are shown under your battery buckles/straps?

For all those interested in this topic - note that the OP was originally asking the question about repositioning the closet rod in reference to the Elite I. Bill

Thanks all for the responses! Brian, the 26' has a great layout and tons of storage but unfortunately also a very high tongue weight, I suspect that might be the reason why it was discontinued in 2020. From my CAT scale results...trailer weight = 6820lbs and tongue weight = 1040lbs (15.2% of trailer weight!). I believe I can convince my wife to go with the wet bath, but it will take a lot more convincing her that the small fridge will be ok when we go semi-full time! It is good though to hear some folks can go 1-2 weeks without having to restock the fridge!🙂 Any comments on the Nature's Head composting toilet, I should probably start a new thread for it? Thanks again!

New video! Oliver Camp Chairs!

We actually had Oliver change it during one of our early maintenance trips for stuff under warranty. My wife hated where they had it and I believe they changed it for free. Ours is a 2918 Legacy Elite I

The Rabbit thermal glass, that I hate. We have 4. I tore the nonskid ring from the bottom, and slightly more stable now.

I’ve towed my Elite II with four trucks. A 2012 Toyota Tacoma (supercharged), a 2016 Ram 1500, a 2020 Ram Rebel and now a 2020 Ram 2500 Diesel. The first three were all with the Andersen WDH. When I got the 2500 the WDH was sold. We’ve towed about 20K miles without the WDH. The 2500 definitely does not need any weight distribution assistance. As far as sway, there has been none. If I had a 3500 I wouldn’t even think about a WDH. Mike

Lithionics are 12v., so certainly parallel. Parallel adds up the storage capacity (amp hours) , serial adds voltage (as in golf cart 6v batteries, wired first in pairs in series, then parallel with two pair .) All our systems are 12v in the Ollie, so that's the voltage goal. Glad you are trying to learn your system. Any other questions?

I have some Rabbit glasses with that really narrow bottom. They tip like crazy. I only bring them out when necessary. I should have taken them back.

I think a lot depends on where your trailer is stored (sun, snow, tree sap possibilities) and your gymnastics ability to cover. I'd pm a few mainers who have responded about difficulty of snow removal, or if they even bother, with a cover. The calmark is really expensive. Probably 1/3 to 1/2 the price of ceramic coating. Our Ollie owner friends in Minneapolis area stored theirs outside from 2009 to 2021, with no ill effects. But, they are maintenance fanatics, and waxed regularly. I can tell you their trailer looked like new last October when we camped together for a few weeks. It's a really big decision. I wish you well.

I am a retired lawyer. I concur with John Davies' statement. In contrast to the "recommended" language in your Ram 3500 owner's manual, my 2019 Tundra owner's manual states that for trailers over 5K lbs., weight distributing hitches are "required." From a legal standpoint, the difference between those two words is huge. As an illustration, if I failed to use a weight distributing hitch on my Tundra when towing an Elite II, I would expect that failure to be considered negligence per se. As a result, I would likely be held liable, per se, in an accident where I lost control of the vehicle/trailer. If you choose not to use a weight distributing hitch with your Ram 3500, any plaintiff seeking to prove that your decision to not use a weight distributing hitch was negligent would be looking up a very "steep cliff." Night and day difference in a courtroom. If I had a Ram 3500, I would not use a weight distributing hitch towing an Oliver Elite II.

Roger, I agree with @John E Davies and others here. As a former Law Enforcement officer, you should be more concerned with things like overloading, bald tires, lights not working, etc. If you are involved in an accident, regardless of fault, Law Enforcement and your insurance company will look at those things, especially an improperly loaded trailer. US Law Enforcement is sometimes more reactive than proactive when it comes to trailers but I have seen many accidents where the trailers were grossly overweight and had other faulty equipment and the operators were cited heavily if not taken into custody (in the case of injury or fatality). With your experience towing a 5th Wheel and your 3500 truck, you should be more than prepared. You won’t even know the Ollie is back there. Hope to see you on the road sometime. Travel Safe! Brian

Looking for the perfect fit containers for your Ollie’s garage storage? Here they are!!

There are as many positive reviews as negative. So I guess it just comes down to personal decision. You are quite lucky you don’t have to make that decision. Of course we all want what’s best in caring for our Ollie’s.💗

"Recommended" and "Required" are two entirely different things. It's similar to an engine should use 91 octane for best performance but it is fine with 87 octane. It is up to you to decide, but personally I think it would be crazy to use an Andersen hitch with your heavy duty truck. Any decent defense lawyer would immediately show that your Ollie is perfectly fine with a dead weight hitch. I do recommend that you make sure your tires and brakes are always in good shape. That will have more effect on any possible accidents than the kind of hitch you are using. Your English is fine.... John Davies Spokane WA

Hello Richard - We just sold our 30’ Airstream Flying Cloud and purchased an Oliver LE II. Unfortunately, it won’t be ready until March 2023. A few points to share. First, tongue weight. Are you saying your Airstream has a 1,000 pound tongue weight? Our trailer had a GVWR of 8800 pounds and 10% would have put us at 880, we never got a over 600 on the 30’ trailer. I am looking forward to a lighter tongue weight though my truck can handle more than an Oliver can throw at it. Second, wet bath. 4 years ago I wanted an Oliver and my wife couldn’t get past the wet bath so we went to Airstream, After more than 400 nights (we full-timed for a year) she was frustrated with the lack of insulation in the trailer. We joked it was a 2-season trailer. She wanted a 4 season trailer. While browsing through a travel magazine she saw an Oliver ad and asked, did you know Olivers were 4 season trailers? LoL - we sold our Airstream in 10 days. She now embraces the wet bath, and as @Mike and Carolmentioned, cleanest place in the trailer! Lastly, the fridge. @Kirk Peterson mentioned having a second portable fridge in the truck. We plan to do that as well. However, the 2023 models will have the Isotherm AC/DC fridge (no propane) which is a 4.5 cu ft model and is actually very roomy. This is the same model in the Kimberly travel trailers and my brother has one on his 41’ Cruisers Yacht and loves it. After full-timing for over a year, we don’t think it will be an issue. Hope this helps a little. Welcome to the forums! There are so many people here with much more knowledge and experience than I have and they are always willing to help. Brian

All Olivers are weighed at the factory prior to delivery and the numbers for any particular Oliver are posted on a required tag (usually on the driver's side aft of the marker lights. Having said this - most Elite II's will weigh just shy of 5,000 pounds and the hitch weights will be just shy of 490 pounds. With two 3,500 pound axles the result is that most Elite II's will have a load capacity (which includes anything you put in the tanks - fresh water, grey water, and black) right around 2,000 pounds. Fully loaded for a two month trip to include tow full 20 pound propane tanks my twin bed Elite II weighs just a tad over 6,000 pounds. But, certainly we have owners that push that 7,000 maximum weight very hard and others that consistently tow just below the 5,000 mark. No, the fridge size is fixed due to the molds used in forming the fiberglass. However, as Kirk says above, there are a number of owners who carry an extra fridge in the tow vehicle.. I'm certainly more like Mike and Carol in that I can store more than enough food in the fridge to last at least a couple of weeks. As Mike says above - the wet bath is really no big deal unless you are well above what one might call "normal" size. Good luck. Bill

We were a bit wary of the wet bath as well, but it is no big deal. We don’t mind it at all, shower then squeegee and wipe a little with a small towel and done. Cleanest place in the trailer. We find that we can pack the fridge with enough food for at least a couple of weeks or more. When we’re out for over a month we stop by area grocery stores, need to do that for fresh stuff anyway. There are quite a few full timing Oliver owners. Maybe a few will chime in. Mike

Welcome! See this post from earlier today with specific weights. Truck Tow Rating Explained

Camp side chat from Metamora, Mi.

Good question Mike, I have not heard of any problems related to keeping the charge wire connected. I called Battleborn during my install and asked that question. They said they had not heard of any problems either. I disconnected mine as a precaution, pending more information. There is a motto amongst some Engineers “In God We Trust, all others bring data” 😀 Attached are some quick notes I made for myself, as I quickly forget my own research. Disclaimer to All: I am NOT an electrical expert, so please forgive any technical errors. If you are a legitimate electrical expert, please enlighten us all with details.

@SeaDawg Got it today! Adding it to my arsenal! Thank you for the tip.👍🏼

Well keeping the "pot stirred" just keeps things going, let's face it, things do change over time. This is no different that those asking the question will a Tacoma pull an Oliver Elite II, the answers are always the same. I know for me I would never want a Gladiator, or a Tacoma to pull and Oliver Elite II, but just wanting to hear from those who try it and they think it works for them.

The sticker you posted previously does show the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight rating) of 8750 pounds. That is the heaviest it can ever legally weigh. If you were to weigh the truck with full gas tank and no cargo on a commercial scale and subtract it from that number, that figure is what you have left for payload. That method takes into account any aftermarket stuff a previous owner might have added, like a really heavy rubber bedliner (100 pounds) or heavy offroad accessories like steel bumpers and skidplates, up to 500 pounds 😳. The factory payload sticker represents how the truck left the factory, before a dealer or an owner started adding stuff to it. Keep in mind, if you want to increase the payload a little you can remove stuff, for example, take out the rear seats and install a cargo platform. John Davies Spokane WA

Your GVWR is 8,750. You need the empty weight of your truck as optioned to subtract from that number. I think you made a great choice for the TV. Larger brakes, higher payload, etc. Also the color will match perfectly with your new Oliver!

Our bath window failed about 2 years in. Not just fogging, but about a half inch of water trapped between the panes. No warranty either. It wasn’t terribly expensive but it did rub me the wrong way.

I'm surprised the seals are failing that quickly. I'm just now getting some "fog spots" on a couple windows in our 2008. There's a company in Hudson that will remove the window, replace the seals and gas, and reinstall for $250 a window. Another in Arkansas, but you're closer to Hudson. We haven't tried them yet, so I can't recommend. But I called them for pricing. My issue is they bed the window with silicon, and I'd rather use butyl. Haven't decided which way to go yet. And the fog spots are small, but two windows. https://suncoastdesigners.com/rv-services/defog/

Fast forward to 2020... Since I am unable to find other posts about this issue, I'm curious if anyone else has had windows fail. We just had our street side/aft window replaced during our Ollie's annual checkup. Unfortunately, we are out of warranty so that added $400 to the bill. Now, on the road, we've noticed the other street side window has failed. What are we doing wrong? Any suggestions? (While in storage, streetside faces east & Refectix in all windows.) Thanks, Chris

A word of caution. A jumper wire can turn on the lights. But, as was done at the Rally, the bright LED lights of the Ollie can be offensive to other campers. So maybe should only be done at an Airstream Rally to outshine them?