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Mt. Pisgah and the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway is a gorgeous area with some of the highest elevations. The Smoky Mtn Expressway is also a really pretty drive. My wife and I rode our dual sport motorcycles from the Smoky Mtn Expressway all the way to Front Royal, Va several years ago. It was a memorable week long fun adventure trip. We live in the foothills of Western NC and have spent time at Mt Pisgah. So glad you enjoyed the beautiful vistas of the BRP…it’s a national treasure for sure. Check out Mtn Mitchell and Grandfather Mtn as well for some incredible views. We love living in the western NC. 🇺🇸 -Patriot 🇺🇸

I use this on our Dometic Penguin it fits great, no birds or bee nests. You will have to google it. I think I ordered it from camping world $20 on sale at the time. There shipping was snail mail slow. -Patriot 🇺🇸

In 1993 while living in Saint Louis there was a prediction that the "next big one" was certain to happen any day now. Therefore, all of the home owner insurance companies raised their rates in order to help pay for this event. I'm guessing that by now the insurance companies have enough in reserves that they will be able to make the Mississippi flow in whatever direction they choose.😇 Bill

We arrived at Mt. Pisgah campground on 9/22/22 and to our great surprise and pleasure met Hokieman & Mrs. Hokieman, owners of hull 797. We own hull 997. It is always great to be at Mt. Pisgah, and even more so since we’ve made new friends.

If you're still there, we've enjoyed renting kayaks at Lazy Otter in Mills River, also hiking at Devil's Courthouse and other hikes nearby.

Everything is better with bacon, right? 🥓 😄 I love grilled corn, and also steamed/roasted in the husk in foil. I strip the husk back in two pulls, strip the silk, place each ear on foil, cup it up,, and pour some water in the trough. Seal by folding three times. (Saves the water of soaking the husk.) I can cook that on the grill, or nestled on the edge of the coals of the fire, turning frequently. Grilled corn (husk pulled back) gets a smokier flavor, and requires more attention. I like elote, Mexican street corn. Camping version requires adjustment for things I actually carry: sour cream vs Mexican crema, plus mayo and chile powder and/ or Mrs dash Chipotle for the finish, and parmesan vs cotija for the sprinkles. It's not authentic, but it sure is tasty.

I use what Oliver recommends this ASI 335 - and have been happy with it. Do an online search for the best price. I also wax but never use a buffer on decals only a clean Terry cloth. Patriot 🇺🇸

Ordered to keep as a spare if needed. Thanks Frank C!

Yes, these are NevRLube hubs. Different spindle nut and procedure. It was done correctly. Today's trip was encouraging. First, braking power was greatly enhanced. Until now, my brake controller setting had been on 5. That was way too high for the trailer today. I had to lower it to 2.5 to get balanced braking power. Second, the temperature difference was only about 20-25 degrees today (96 on the left wheels, 115-120 on the right). Granted, it was a much cooler day than previous trips, so that was probably a factor, but I'm still encouraged by the smaller differential. Now I'm wondering if the problem was the left brakes. New auto adjusting brakes are supposed to be adjusted manually when first installed. I wonder if that didn't happen on the left side, so the right brakes were doing most of the work and overheating. When the tech reassembled the brakes this week he might have corrected the problem. Or maybe the right brakes just overtightened over time and the problem will return. Will keep monitoring. Fingers crossed.

I do carry an assortment of Sharkbite fittings with me at all times in the event I should need to do a plumbing repair while on the road. However, there have been several posts concerning the possible failure of these fittings (unless performed exactly correct) in the various abusive (read that as vibration and flexing) environments that are common with travel trailers. Bill

You are correct that it would hold better and be much safer directly under the welded beam. Say the jack stands were placed adjacent to the beam with the weight of the trailer resting on them. If the trailer shifted and slipped off, the stand would either take out the fiberglass on the outside wall or punch up through the floor. Also remember to always do work under the trailer while it is securely hitched to your truck.

The braided supply lines with 1/2” female pipe thread ends are available in various lengths at any hardware store like Lowe’s, etc., along with the Sharkbite fittings to go on the existing water lines on the trailer.

I went to winterize my trailer yesterday and my valve was very hard to move. I think a up grade is in future. Thanks for you help in identifying this issue. I hate to be lazy but could you share the info on the lines as well. I like the modification. Swamp

Not a Truma problem but the issue did manifest itself as very low HOT water flow at all faucets. Problem of low hot water flow was the same whether on city water or using pump & fresh tank. COLD water flow was good at all faucets. And I’ve done the decalcification/cleaning process annually. Did some troubleshooting and was initially thinking it was a Truma problem because flow to the hot side of all the faucets was good if I bypassed the Truma at the bypass valve on the Truma cold water inlet. Fearing a very expensive Truma repair, I dug a little further. Opening the Truma drain lever and removing the Truma screen filter, and turning the bypass valve back to normal operating position, and I saw very little flow emptying out of the Truma drain. There really isn’t much inside the Truma on the inlet at that point to even get clogged up, it’s just a direct port into the screen filter, so low flow draining out pointed back to a problem at the plumbing going into the Truma. I removed the bypass valve and found the rubber seal inside had degraded and swollen (see photo), restricting the flow in the normal position. Found a CAMCO replacement on Amazon that’ll be here tomorrow. Hopefully the seal on this CAMCO one holds up better than the original one (different valve manufacturer). I really think a lot of these plumbing components aren’t tested with the chemicals using for RV maintenance like the anti-freeze winterizing solution, or vinegar/water or bleach/water sanitizing solutions, leading to issues with degradation of the seals. A pretty easy replacement of the valve but I’m also going to use this opportunity to redo the cold inlet and hot outlet plumbing connections on the back of the Truma to change to stainless braided flexible supply lines. Not a fan of the rigid plastic connections used by Oliver initially in those locations. Some owners have had the plastic hot water PEX fitting break at the brass TEE on the Truma outlet. With all the bouncing down the road, and thermal expansion and contraction when using the Truma, I want flexible connections there like some of those other owners have upgraded to. Camco bypass valve link to Amazon: https://a.co/d/eGqkhrA

The 19 definitely didn’t have the tranny cooler. Gen 1 & 2 did and the folks I know with them never had issues. Glad to see it back on 4th generation. Just annoying that the code I read off the transmission fault suggested an open servo gate. Think I read it is a $50 part. But…no transmission rebuild allowed. Rideandfly - that’s great gas mileage. I was getting 13.5 until we hit MO. Had a strong head wind pretty much all through Missouri and Kansas. 70-75 punching through the wind brought us down to 11. Overall from NC to Denver 12.2. Probably the addition of the battery and generator brings the truck weight up / mileage down. The Ford transmission really holds gear in tow/haul and seems to favor sub 2000 rpm’s. I have to be at 72-73 on a flat to get it to bump up to 10th. It will hold 9th from about 65 - 72 again on flat road.

We know that view well, and it's simply amazing! Like @Patriot, we feel blessed to even be part-time residents of WNC. (Our camping property is 40 minutes away.) If you are still there, tell Mr and Mrs H hi from us. And have a blast. I'm sad we can't be there this week. Which way are you headed from there? Not too far down the parkway, probably 35 minutes, the visitors center near east asheville/Fairview (53a off 40, don't remember the parkway milepost number, but drops down to us A74) is beautiful and interesting, as is the folk craft museum nearby. Great short film about the creation of the parkway, and interesting exhibits. And, should you need anything, once you drop down onto A74/240, you're close to Walmart, home depot, Lowe's, kohl's, aldi, Petsmart, Highland Brewing, etc. You'd never know it on the peaceful and amazingly beautiful BRP.

Yes, decals get wax.

If you don't wax those decals, you will have one heck of a time getting bugs and other "stuff" off. I always give my decals a bit of extra wax just to make sure they are as "sealed" as I can get them. Bill

How beautiful!!!

Your welcome, always glad to help out. 😊

I always wax decals, but never compound or polish over them.

@topgun2 I am sure they do and, no doubt, that was the same seismic zone I am referring to. Not looking forward to anything like that happening. Cheers, Brian

Reelfoot SP is nice except there is little to no cell service. That lake was actually created from one of the biggest earthquakes this country has ever seen. The New Madrid, MO earthquake was so powerful the Mississippi River ran backwards for a time and formed Reelfoot Lake. The area is now part of the New Madrid Seismic Zone and we are waiting for the next big one! Brian

THANKS FOR THE SUGGESTIONS. WE CAMPED AT REELFOOT LAKE STATE PARK IN TENNESSEE AND THEN LAKE OF THE OZARKS.

Here's another "for what's it worth story". If you zoom in real close, I think my new truck is located in the bottom right corner, Florida panhandle looking lot. It's the white one. Your 2022 SuperDuty F-350 XLT has been "Built" and is currently awaiting shipment. Built Your vehicle has been built and we are arranging shipment to your dealer. This step could take a few days to a week. Select the "Learn About Your Vehicle" link for information and videos about your new vehicle. Ford Accessories Order Confirmed 02/08/2022, Step 1 of 5 , Completed Order Confirmed02/08/2022 1 In Production 08/22/2022, Step 2 of 5 , Completed In Production08/22/2022 2 Built 09/13/2022, Step 3 of 5 , In Progress Built09/13/2022 3 Shipped Step 4 of 5 Shipped 4 Final Preparation TBD, Step 5 of 5 Final Preparation 5 Vehicle Details Ordered On 02/08/2022

Compare what you watched him do to these steps: 1- After the hub has been replaced and the spindle nut is started, spin the hub with one hand while tightening the nut with the other. 2- When the nut is hand tight, the hub will still turn but with possibly some resistance. 3- Using a socket of the appropriate size, tighten the nut until the hub can no longer be turned by hand. This process is to properly seat the bearings into their races. 4- Back the nut off with the socket until you can once again turn it by hand. DO NOT allow the hub to spin during this step. If it does, retighten with the socket. 5- Tighten the nut by hand until it stops. BACK OFF the nut to where you can insert the cotter pin. This could be up 1/8 turn. 6- Spin the hub to make sure it’s not too tight. Install the cotter pin. Note: Some Dexter spindle/nut combinations do not use a cotter pin but rather a spindle nut retainer which I much prefer. Same steps apply.

!!!! DO NOT USE THE JACK OR JACK STAND ANYWHERE ON THE FIBERGLASS !!! The jack points are on the galvanized steel subframe at the locations indicated by the stickers. Those are the main frame rails that support the trailer. ALWAYS jack on the steel subframe.

@Brian and Brandelyne, thanks for the kind comments. I was concerned that I had caused you alarm about the degree of the ventilation problem. I don't think it so serious it should cause concern over your pending delivery. A bit of a nuisance with available solutions. I apparently gave you the impression I have owned multiple trailers. I have not. Our Oliver is our first RV. Not having had any prior experience with RVs, I did a lot of research before selecting our Oliver. A significant factor in our selection of our LEII was the information provided on this owners' forum. The postings appeared to me authentic, with no apparent influence by the Oliver organization, including postings of both criticism and praise of the product. The participants in this forum have been very helpful in my RV education. I was also quite impressed by their ingenuity in making improvements and modifications to their trailers. I try to return the favor. Don

No, the bad bypass valve still felt normal when opening and closing it. The faulty seal inside the bypass valve wasn’t noticeable until I removed the valve. The new CAMCO bypass valve is installed and works well so far. One nice little detail of this CAMCO valve is that the positions are labeled (open or bypass). And I changed all water lines into and out of the Truma to braided flexible supply lines and brass fittings to eliminate the issue of breakage of the rigid plastic connections that some owners have had. Camco 37463 3-Way By-Pass Valve Replacement - Brass https://a.co/d/8qur0uz

Btw,,we're average sized people, im 5'4" or so, husband 5' 11" or so, and the elite has served us well for 15 seasons. Do I wish we had a queen bed instead of full? Yes, of course, but we don't. Plenty of storage, for us. Everything we need, nothing we don't, as far as equipment. We camp with one tiny dog, under 10 pounds. She sleeps on the small dinette cushion seat. We store three bins of stuff under the bed, as we keep the large dinette made into a bed, all the time.

@Brian and Brandelyne As you have likely seen in the comments, ventilation during rain is an issue to some owners and not to others. I offer the follow comments based on our experience owning our LEII since mid-February. Since I have expended my time and about $50 on the louvered ventilators, you can count me among the owners who want better ventilation capabilities. The week we took delivery there was constant, heavy rain in Hohenwald and surround areas. We also encountered heavy rains between Hohenwald and Dallas during our 10 day return trip. Anytime there is more than light rain water can readily enter partially open sliding windows. There were several nights when we had opened the windows slightly open (3-4 inches) for ventilation and were awakened by heavy rain and water entering the cabin through the open windows. This is especially noticeable when the open window is above the bed where one is sleeping. We have only a curb side awning, which I have tried extending 1-½ to 2 feet when rain is falling (or expected) to shelter the partially open curb side window. When the awning is extended this short distance it generally prevents rain from entering the partially open window. However, a large quantity of water accumulates in the awning. I had expected the rainwater to run off the ends of the awning, but this was not so. I was alarmed to see how much water was held by the awning and became concerned it would damage the awning. Our awning also has a motion sensor, which will automatically retract the awning if winds are moving it. We have had the awning retract during thunderstorms. During another trip, we were camping in western NC, near the Blue Ridge Parkway. We had left our dog in the trailer while we went hiking, as she was not permitted on the trails. Rain was not expected and temperatures were mild, so we left windows partially open on both sides of the trailer. About 2 hours later an intense thunderstorm appeared. We had small umbrellas with us, but still got rather wet. Upon returning to the trailer, we found wet beds from rain entering the windows. On the same trip, we were camping at Paris Mountain SP, near Greenville, SC. We received heavy rain a couple of nights we were there. So we have become cautious about having windows left partially open. I had read many comments on the forum about the need for ventilation to prevent condensation. We have used the Maxx fan and the bathroom fan to help circulate air in the trailer. When operating these fans, fresh air must enter from somewhere and the trailer has few places to admit any significant volume of outside air, hence opening windows becomes necessary. Consequently, not being a keen on sleeping in a wet bed, I was very happy to see the forum post by @csevel with her clever solution for providing ventilation, especially during rainfall. Thus, I decided to follow the louver ventilator design to have a solution available for a problem I expect to encounter regularly. The cost was relatively low and the solution appears likely to improve ventilation, with lower risk of rain water entering the cabin.. I agree that the sliding windows on our Oliver are more likely to admit rain water when opened than are awning type windows, which tilt out from the bottom. The tilt of our sliding windows further aggravates the problem, as there is no protection from rain falling directly on the lower part of the windows. Also, I have read many forum posts about the need to keep the weep holes along the lower window track clear to prevent water accumulating in the window tracks and spilling into the cabin. I have also read more than a few forum posts about various over window awning/hood designs by Oliver owners. I suspect many of these designs result from experiences similar to ours. There are also many forum posts about Oliver owners installing EZ Gutters over the window, as I also recently installed. I can think of no reason to install these gutters over the windows than to reduce the amount of rain flowing over the windows. I was aware of the vulnerability of the Oliver sliding windows to water entry prior to placing our order. The risk seemed manageable. I was also aware through my due diligence research before our Oliver purchase of very significant water leakage problems common to most RVs due to structural integrity issues. The Oliver construction, with no major seams on the roof appeared to me likely to prevent most of the water leakage issues experience with other brands. I have found reports of water leaks in Oliver trailers to be quite rare. If Oliver offered a choice of window styles, sliding or awning, I would likely choose awning, assuming that option was also double pane insulated glass, which I understand most are not. I am not aware of any Oliver trailers ever having awning windows. This was not a deterrent to our ordering an Oliver trailer. We are happy with our purchase. Regards, Don

Unless something has changed, our shorty elites have no outside accessible storage, other than the bumper space for sewer hose. I'd say a 7000 pound tow rating would be fine with the shorty elite. Too close to maximum with the larger elite 2, as @scubarx said, unless you're willing to really put your trailer and gear on a serious diet, and stick with it. I'm happier if tow vehicle weighs more than loaded trailer, and trailer weight is the old thumb rule of 80 per cent of towing capacity. Can it work? Sure, in flats and mild hills. You won't likely be happy with a maxed out weight trailer behind any vehicle. It just is not as enjoyable. Or nearly as safe.

According to Toyota, the 2023 Sequoia (in 2WD) will have a maximum tow rating of 9,520 pounds. A 4WD version of this third-row SUV will only be able to tow about 9,100 pounds. The full-size, truck-based SUV with the highest tow rating is Stellantis' Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer. The 2022 and earlier models were limited to 7000 pounds and maybe a bit more. That’s cutting it close on safety and capability.

It depends on whether your Sequoia has the big engine and the tow package. Lots of Elite II owners tow with Tundras and Sequoias. We plan to tow our Elite II with a 2019 Tundra, with the 5.7LV8 and the tow package. If your Sequoia is comparably equipped, you should be o.k. But, you will need an Andersen weight distribution hitch, the only one that works well with Olivers. The most significant limiting factor will likely be your payload capacity, which should be listed on a sticker inside the driver's door. A loaded Elite II will likely have a tongue weight of between 550 and 600 lbs. Tongue weight is added to occupant and cargo weight to determine total payload. Don't exceed the payload capacity listed on your sticker.

Because of the weight and price, we are looking first at the Elite I. Our current tow vehicle is a Toyota Sequoia but I am uncertain that it could handle the Elite II. Thoughts? Ed

Coming from a Little Guy Max, are you looking at the Elite I or the Elite II? As noted above, the Elite II has a basement storage area. As I recall, the Elite I does not. I recommend you view the excellent 2021 model walkthrough videos available on the Oliver website.

If both panels are the same (or close in specs) you are better off running them in series. This increases your voltage but not your amperage. Since your controller is downstream from the port it will see the low amperage before it gets to your controller where it increases. John

You might also consider securing the backof the water heater to the frame with a strap or L brackets. My water heater had an issue which included a fire, and one of the requested steps upon repair from Truma was to firmly attach the back of the water heater down to the frame it's sitting on. (The back of the Truma is sitting on a frame member for the trailer.) After about 3 months, I heard back that the water heater I had was found to have an improperly torqued internal gas connection from the Truma factory. They told Oliver Service that upon tear down they found the torque issue was linked to a manufacturing line situation where their Torque tool wasn't properly calibrated. Not sure what batch of units that impacted but they eventually fully refunded my replacement unit.