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Everything went pretty well, thankfully all of the different things people have written online has helped. The Dexter China made bearing are still looking good at 7K miles. So I repacked the old bearings, in 2 years I will replaced the bearings with Timken. I have always packed my bearings by hand, after doing one side of the trailer by hand, I decided to pick up a bearing packer. I purchased a Lisle from a local auto parts store. The packer did a good job, although it was very hard to push done. I had to put the packer on the floor and push down with all of my upper body. THis saved me a lot of time vs doing it by hand. I saw a Gearwrench packer online, but no one had one locally. The Gearwrench had a smaller diameter than the Lisle. It was still big enough for the Oliver bearing. The smaller diameter should have made it somewhat easier to press down. I have read that someone used their foot to press down on the Lisle unit, and it worked without breaking it. I really like the clip to hold the axle nut in place. I thought it was pretty cool over using a cotter pin. The Dexter dust caps are ill fitting at best. To of them almost I had purchased Balkamp Dust caps from NAPA as suggested in the forum. I tried putting my first dust cap on with a Dust Cap application tool. I had to pound like H_ll to get it on, Like an idiot I just kept pounding. It’s on now, It is going to be really darn hard to get that off in 2 years. The caps are suppose to be 1.986” OD, Balkamp measured out @ 1.998” OD at the outside edge and 1.987-1.990 next to the flange. The ID of the hub is around 1.975. That is 0.025 of interference. I went to NAPA and measure all the caps that they have in stock. They all measured the same. I decided to use the bench grinder and grind down the OD at a taper. I took a couple of taps to get it started, and 3 good wacks to set it in place. I had one lug nut that was mangled fro the factory. I had to pound a deep well socket on the lug nut. Once the lug nut was off, I had use a drift punch to get the lug nut off. The outside of the lugs nuts are a thin sheet metal. I went to a local tire shop and bought enough solid metal chrome lugnuts to replace all cheap lugnuts. They match perfectly with the old lug nuts. I also bought 2 spares just in case. I was suprised that the tires where not balances. I got all of the tires balanced. hopefully the trailer will ride smoother. I decided to lube the suspension since very thing is easy to get to. All of the zerks took grease with the chassis jacked up and wheels of except the 3 zerks around the rear tire and the street side. I tried jacking up the axel and this didn’t help. I was resined to pulling apart the rear suspension, but then I thought I lubed everything last year with all tires on the ground. I put the wheels on, lowered the Oli back down and I was able to get grease on those 3 bolts. Not sure why? It is lubed for now. The things I forgot: To chalk the emblems on the inside of the chrome dust cap wheel covers. I think it was John Davis who suggested this. Although 2 of the emblems already have a small area where the thick rubber coating is delaminating. They are good for now, but I may need to try to find some nice looking dust cap wheel covers to replace the originals. I completey forgot to get the spare balanced. Sorry for the long winded right up.

IF I have cell service, I prefer this site: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?w0=t&w1=td&w2=wc&w3=sfcwind&w3u=1&w4=sky&w5=pop&w6=rh&w7=rain&w8=thunder&w9=snow&w10=fzg&w11=sleet&w13u=0&w16u=1&AheadHour=4&Submit=Submit&FcstType=graphical&textField1=48.1662&textField2=-123.7058&site=all&unit=0&dd=&bw= It has consistently been spot on compared to Weather.com & SkyTower 13. The Windy app is nice too. It even has tide information. If we don't have cell service, we cross our fingers.

Your furnace fan uses about 3 amps when it is running. How long it runs in a day depends on your thermostat setting, both day and night, and whether you have any solar gain (heat buildup) during the day. If you keep it at 70 degrees all the time it is going to run very often during the night. What is your comfort level when sleeping? Do you each have warm sleeping bags or plain blankets? How warm will it get outside during the day? I set the temp to 58 degrees when I am by myself, in a summer sleeping bag (35 degree rating). My wife wants 65 under a bunch of blankets. I don’t think anyone can comment constructively about your situation until you tell us how you both sleep and if you are OK with it getting colder inside than your home usually gets. These trailers are well insulated, they are quite slow to heat up during the day and also slow to cool down at night. You are going to have to experiment, but one night isn’t going to kill your batteries. Just be sure to run the fridge on propane, and try to do do any “energy hungry” tasks (charging phones, running the microwave) early in the day so the solar can catch up before dark! Don’t start cooking a couple of frozen tv dinners at 6:00 pm! If you are not camping directly in the open, you will have to use your generator. FYI when I choose a site in summer, I try to get one with afternoon shade and morning and or noon sun, to reduce heat buildup. In cooler months I try for wide open (no shade whatsoever) to maximize solar gain and solar charging. Google Earth helps to find the right kind of site to make your solar panels as useful as possible, by studying the tree cover and sun direction... John Davies Spokane WA

Not really. Yes, there are more Elite II’s so the conversation trends that way. Elite I’s are just as important, though fewer in number. There are differences between the two, but there is a lot of commonality. Don’t feel slighted, continue to contribute as an Elite I owner. Our senior members @SeaDawg, @bugeyedriver and @ScubaRx all are/were Elite I owners. You won’t find more knowledge and insight than you will get from them and other Elite I owners here on this forum. Mike

Thank you, Mike. I just reached out to SeaDawg about our first trip tomorrow without hookups and it's going to be a cold 29 degree night. ScubaRx seems to be an Elite II owner now and bugeydriver a 2008. Sure would be good to somehow get the newer Legacy Elite owners to comment on this forum, not to imply that we can't learn from the older models, because I am personally "an older model" and know how it is.

We were accustomed to separate single beds in our pop-up A-frame. Since picking up our Elite I Hull # 1209 on August 11, we are trying a single bed across the back for my wife, that we leave in place. I use the dinette bed across from the galley, putting it up each evening. This keeps us from having to crawl over each other during the night. It also creates more space by not having the large dinette and opens up a seat on each side in front of her bed. I simply made a plywood support and use the small fiberglass extension that was in the closet. The 4 small side cushions are the middle of the bed and we have a 3 inch memory foam over the cushions that extends across the back. By no means will this work for everyone, but we're not very large so it seems to be working well for now. Having lots of small pillows, that I recovered, helps for lounging around in the evening while watching a movie or reading. The valances are on 1x2 poplar with the fabric stapled to it and velcro holds them in place very well so far. I borrowed Foy's ceiling panel design. I did have him make me one of his beautiful shower mats! Ron

Nope. The barrier is part of the toilet, and too low, imo. No leftover pieces, anywhere. We're pretty good at reading and following instructions. 🙂 I've "mastered " the villa. It's a long learning curve. I would still not recommend it, for an Ollie. And certainly not for a bathroom with many guest users. It's too big, for one thing. I've not seen the Tiny in person, which would probably fit, but I've read a number of negative reviews. it's a very expensive portapotty, imo. If I were you, I'd be looking carefully at the nature's head, as so many people here really like it.

So I've had time to consider this a little more, and make a correction to my earlier post. The Elite 1 has a GVWR of 5000 lbs. The OEM tires it came with are BF Goodrich Commercial LT225/75-16. Please correct me if I'm wrong but tire pressure/load ratings seem to be the same between different manufacturers for the same size and type of tire. So, for the LT225/75-16, its load rating at 70 psi is 2440 lbs. (off the Toyo chart I referenced earlier in this link). This gives a combined load rating of 4880lbs. This is the pressure I have been running these tires with no issue. I misspoke earlier when I said I ran them at 60psi, I do use 70psi, brain fade I guess.... I have not scaled my loaded, ready to travel Oliver, but think that 70psi is a reasonable and safe starting point for highway travel for the Elite 1. I can see why OTT sets them up this way. Once off road, on gravel and traveling at reduced speeds for extended periods, I might lower it down to 60psi. My 2 cents. Dave

Sylvansport Dine-O-Max Camp Kitchen.

We never camp without our Sylvansport Camp Kitchen. Another favorite accessory that we love! Show a picture of your camp kitchen, love seeing everyone’s set up.

If you have a thin foam sleeping pad, bring it along, you can lay it between the mattress and wall to cut the chill that seeps through that area. I really like the blue “egg crate” ones, but they have skyrocketed in price. $46 on Prime (!), I paid less than $20 for mine locally. And I use it when I am up on the roof, to kneel on. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-Closed-Cell-Foam-Blue-Camp-Sleeping-Pad/634956813 John Davies Spokane WA

There are not many good “solar” sites in A (RV) loop at Mt Pisgah. Some sites can be reserved and some cannot. We normally camp in the summer when we’re looking for shade, but sites A10 and A15 look like better solar sites. The map previously posted should indicate if the site can be reserved. We’re visiting the lower elevation part of the BRP around Doughton Park NC today.

Keep in mind your day length in October, it is really hard to recharge with only a little DIRECT exposure when you only have maybe nine hours of adequate sun. The first hours at dawn and dusk don’t contribute any power. It is much easier in summer when the sun is more directly overhead for many more hours. The panels don’t work much if partially shaded…. Consider using a portable panel so you can “chase” any bright spots near your site. You can modify a standard unit so it will work fine fifty feet or more away from your shaded Ollie. This is especially true for your LE1 since you have less built-in capacity both in the batteries and in the roof panels... Here is my 100 watt Renogy panel. This size unit, tilted and directly facing the sun, potentially increases your 240 watts of roof solar power by 40%. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5478-how-to-remote-mount-the-controller-of-a-suitcase-solar-panel-not-inside-the-trailer/ But a 1000 watt gennie (using the onboard converter) charges much much faster than an extra panel ever could…. John Davies Spokane WA

I have a 2021 Elite 1 and have slept several nights in the 30s (never much below 30). I usually heat the trailer to about 60-65 when go to bed. I turn the furnace off or very low (50) and go to sleep. By the morning, the trailer is High 40s - low 50s. It consumes only about .2 to .4 volts of my battery (run the fridge on propane, not DC). I hope that helps. Have fun and enjoy the trip. Bill

Thank you all! This is what I wanted to know. Years ago, when we got snowed on at Mt Pisgah in the old popup, we were fine. Now, my wife is not quite the camper of those old days, so I have to consider her comfort a little more. We keep our winter home thermostat usually on 65 and we don't mind layering up. We were up on the BRP last week at Mountain River CG and fall color was very noticable but now for sure, it's here even in Greene Co.Thanks again!

Best to use your power cord at a campground, supplied by Oliver, and plug into their 30 amp outlet.

Yes, that is normal. I had the same issue when I tried to plug mine in at home. I had to use a non GFCI outlet at my house.

I repacked the bearings last winter and they were fine at that point, but I plan to replace them this time around. I currently have 15K miles on the trailer and one more trip planned in a couple of weeks. I have the Timken bearings to replace them with ready to go. Like you, I purchased a bearing packer and it worked well. Also when we got our trailer I found out that the tires were not balanced. I contacted Jason and he said the tires were supposed to be balanced, but the supplier had failed to balance the tires. I took it to a tire dealership and got them balanced. I think it was something that was just related to the time we got our trailers. Ours is a 2020 that we picked up about the same time as you based on our hull number, 676.

I agree, it would be good if more new Elite I owners contributed. Steve (Scubarx) was an original Elite I owner. He stays in close contact with the factory and is very knowledgeable about all Oliver models. You should be fine at 29 degrees with the furnace. Lots of other Oliver boondockers rely on their furnace overnight without issues. Good luck! Mike

We’ve camped in cold frequently and ran our furnace overnight. Never an issue with the batteries. Usually, the sun recharged quickly the next day. A few times when we were under tree cover or particularly cloudy weather (Glacier and Teton NPs) we ran the generator the next day. Mike

Thank-you John, Frank & Mike; clear very helpful replies.

On my TV I tried about 10 times and then I did a factory reset. It was after doing a few updates. Then it has been fine since.

I wanted a diagram for the Oliver manual using the solid state relay with neg. trigger. Disclaimer: The wire colors in your hull may differ use a DVM to figure it out, Thanks to bhncb for the info, The diagram took longer to make than this mod.

Never mind about picking an ideal spot for solar, if you are talking about Mt Pisgah on the Blue Ridge, there won’t be any suitable sites. You will need to run your gennie daily. DARN TREES….😳 John Davies Spokane WA

Thank you, Mike. I just reached out to SeaDawg about our first trip tomorrow without hookups and it's going to be a cold 29 degree night.

Split this off to its own topic. For those of you who would like to read their comments, here's a plain text link to this video on their channel, which may make it easier for you. https://youtu.be/nrvLZilFvnQ As someone who lives in a high humidity area (coastal Florida), I would definitely say that running the a/c fan on high instead of auto is not recommended, in our homes, @SteveCr. That, along with weak batteries in the remote, probably contributed to their issues. Let's see what their followup video shows. She didn't have a comparison with the old ac, as it was their first time camping in Florida ( i think that was in comments.) We've not used our Houghton ac sleeping in our little camper overnight, so I can't comment on its performance with humidity that we generate cooking, breathing, and showering.

Sorry to hear you might be having trouble with your new Ollie. Since you are a new owner, first let’s make sure you are looking at the right valve when you say it appears the handle cable isn’t connected. The gray tank DRAIN valve is under the access hatch under the street side (driver side) bed near the rear of the trailer (see photo below). It is NOT under the dinette seat. The two valves under the dinette seat closest to the bathroom are the black tank drain valve and the gray tank anti-backflow valve (prevents gray water from sloshing back up into the shower pan when traveling, activated by the pull handle near the floor by the toilet, or by the switch in the closet if you have the optional electric valve). Some owners have pulled gray tank drain handle but then looked at the valve under the dinette and wonder why the valve didn’t move. Once you confirm you are looking at the correct valve when pulling the drain handle, then it’s a pretty simple matter to see where the problem is. The cable is held into that aluminum cylinder (circled in John’s photo) by a set screw. The set screw may be loose or even missing. If missing you should be able to get a replacement at any hardware store.

I’m not sure there is a thread. Just look at the valve under the street side bed, most likely the inner cable slid out of the “guillotine” fitting. Or possibly the outer housing clamp slipped. This valve is used everywhere, there should be lots of videos…. You can open and close it with your fingers if you have to. John Davies Spokane WA

We use Weather Underground, Weather Bug, Fox Weather and Weather Channel. Discussion on other methods HERE. Mike

Final update (I hope). Just returned from a 500 mile trip to midstate NY. All 4 brake drums are running approximately the same temp now. I'm thinking the left shoes are finally broken in and all 4 brakes are working properly now. 😀

We are one of the registered Oliver owners who show our trailer to those thinking of buying an Oliver. We created new "trading cards" to hand out as appropriate to visitors and for friends we meet on the road. In this instance we've also included a QR code, which when scanned with a smart phone or tablet will show the link to our blog page where we review various campgrounds, and list some of the many accessories Oliver owners find useful. Please give it a try and see if scanning the QR code takes you to our website: https://4-ever-hitched.com Craig

I think the easiest way to think of solar is it's just another battery charger. If you don't want anything charging your batteries, include solar in your list of chargers to turn off. I have Lithium batteries as well, and I don't keep any of my battery chargers on all of the time because the Lithiums don't always like to be at or near 100% as you mentioned. Our hull #688 (2020) has a nice solar cutoff switch in the cabinet above the street side bed. Hope this helps!

On deliver day for my Elite I, they told me the pressure was set at 70psi. I checked and it is. I'm still determining what I need and want to carry and getting organized after a few trips. Will camp this week at Mt Pisgah and be without hookups for the first time. Then I plan to go weigh and reevaluate all this info.

I also like the front a bit higher. In addition to water drainage in shower, I sleep head forward and like it to be higher than my feet. It also helps me keep the refrigerator door from getting away from me and swinging back to the entrance area. That can break the door hinges if it lock out too many times. Thanks for the tip. GJ

My 2020 LE II came with a factory installed bubble level installed on the upper left wall inside the rear storage garage. When unhitching, I first use the tongue jack bubble level along with Anderson levelers to get close. Then I go to the rear and fine-tune the port to starboard leveling using the stabilizing jacks while observing the factory installed bubble level. I will note that I didn't discover this factory installed bubble level in the storage garage until months and several trips had passed after picking up my LE II.

We use our iPhone level app easy peasy done! Gotta love tech! 😎

Indeed. For about $1.50 each get several (Similar to these). I stuck one on the tongue like Rideandfly, one by the Ollie's door and another one right under the bath window. I thought about getting bigger bubble levels like John Davies but I simply didn't like the look and since I always get out of the truck to take a look around the area I'm pulling into anyway, these smaller levels don't really cause me any more work. Having said this - I do have my "eye" (read that I've got a price set on Camel, Camel, Camel) for a LevelMatePro like AlbertANDTerri have, but, I'll need to get a decent smart phone first 😏. Bill p.s. they do sell those simple bubble levels with a white base that matches the Ollie better versus the black base.

This small level has worked well for a few years, believe there was an adhesive on the bottom. Used a 1' spirit level to check it a few weeks ago, still working fine. https://www.amazon.com/Johnson-Level-Tool-125-Cross/dp/B000LDETSU/ref=psdc_4989299011_t3_B01N704G45 https://www.johnsonlevel.com/News/SpiritLevelInformation

Our first Oliver siting in the wild! I-71 Nortbound just north of Columbus, Ohio. Thursday, Sept 29 2:45 PM Orange graphics on the front. 👋👋 And then an hour later, we saw another one, also heading north on I-71, but a bit south of Columbus. We’re either of these someone on here? Y’all having a secret rally I’m missing out on? Meanwhile, we’re in our squaredrop at Caesar Creek State Park, where it is supposed to get to 40 degrees tonight. Brrr!

😂😂

I was excited to see Oliver TT at Overland Expo Mountain West last weekend. My Kimberley T3 Kruiser was on display at Kimberley Kampers USA booth with every Kimberley product on display. Oliver was set up with a beautiful Elite II right behind us. Had many conversations with the Oliver crew including Scott Oliver. Kimberley and Oliver products are both excellent hand-crafted trailers with different uses and attributes. The Oliver and Kimberley people sent many potential customers to one and other during the course of the three-day event. It was the first time Oliver has been represented at an Overland Expo and I’m pretty sure Oliver will be back—Scott said it was very productive. It was great to see how Oliver has improved the Elite II since I purchased mine in 2015. I owned it for four years and have great memories of my travels in the Elite II.

A little camping truth/humor!

My favorite campground accessory, (partner per se,) is my husband. Next, my friends that we camp with. We don't carry a lot of stuff, but travel a lot of miles. 2nd most important is my tea kettle. Not for nothing, but if you're new to camping, please don't buy a truckbed full of stuff for your new trailer. What you need depends on your camping style. If you don't even know what that is, wait. And buy it later. My rule has been not to buy it, unless we needed it at least twice or three times. Our 2008 came with many things that we never, or rarely used. We bought some things that we never, or rarely use. I carry three good knives, a sharpener, 2 cutting boards,, a wok pan, a skillet. And a small pot, with a lid. I know that sounds spare, but I'm a previous restaurant owner, and I can do most things without anything else, and we don't have a microwave. Trust me, you don't have to carry the contents of a home kitchen to enjoy good healthy meals. I could see a clam, if you have electric awning. We like sitting out in the rain, if it's not too heavy. Life is good, camping. Just, don't get carried away. Too complicated =less fun.

Yep, I've been setting my air pressure to 60psi in my Elite1 (stock LT tires) for highway driving with no ill effect. After reading all this, I may air down to 50-55psi for wash-boarded gravel roads where my speed is much slower, maybe even lower? I think ultimate tire pressure used is a decision one makes based on vehicle weight, speed, and road conditions. Certainly, all the pressures listed in the charts are for normal highway driving and that is a safe and reasonable starting point. Dave

A 2” aluminum receiver would work IF the walls were not made thinner - simply removing the inner sleeve as others here have done is very unwise from a strength perspective. Some of the very few RV rated rack brands like 1-Up USA use an internal lock that would literally destroy an aluminum part! If I were to do it, I would buy this very strong steel unit and through bolt it on top of the Oliver cross beam with a heavy insulating pad to reduce corrosion. The part will rust and you will have to repaint it regularly! Ultra-Tow Step Bumper Receiver - Class II, 3500-Lb. GTW, 2in. The risk with using an actual tow rated unit is that somebody might actually hook up a trailer to it! I would remove any labels at least and maybe add an Oliver label about 150 pound weight limits. The safety chain openings could be cut off, but in reality they would make a great location for a BIG intimidating cable bike lock. Like this one… Master Lock 8156DPS High Security Cable with U-Lock This is how these racks should be built by Oliver IMHO. The aluminum small opening is a joke in many ways. It just makes people mad. I think it is due to potential liability. John Davies Spokane WA

Fellow Oliver Travel Trailer Owners, Happy Camper Solar is currently in negotiations with Oliver Travel Trailers to offer new, fully patented solar accessories in the near future. These products are designed specifically for the Oliver Elite and the Elite II. These units are fitted on the rooftop with the solar panels. The tracker automatically picks up the solar panels and adjusts the panels vertically and horizontally AUTOMATICALLY all day to keep the panels directly pointed at the Sun to gain maximum solar efficiency. The first question in most Oliver Travel Trailer Owners mind is probably “ How Much ?” This is a part of the on-going negotiations. The units will be installed and serviced by Oliver Travel Trailers. At the upcoming Oliver Travel Trailer Owner’s Rally , I will have my Oliver Elite at the Rally with the ST 200 mounted on the rooftop. The rooftop unit is fully functional and we will be demonstrating the unit at the Beach Pavilion where the vendors will be located. In addition, I will also have the Solar MAXX, a portable mobile solar tracker that is easy to use and sets up in just a few minutes. All 3 products contain highly advanced electronics that automatically track the sun so your Oliver Travel Trailer receives significantly more solar energy than your panels lying flat on your rooftop. Next week I will be posting additional photos / video. I will save technical questions/ answers for the rally. My two partners,Joe McGinty andBob Starling, senior level electrical, electronic and energy engineers will be able to personally address your questions and demonstrate how the solar trackers work. I look forward to seeing you at Lake Guntersville State Park. The enclosed photos are the Solar MAXX Portable unit. Coy Gayle