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That is REALLY common with tandem axles, it is called shackle flip. Mine does it on both sides whenever I service the bearings. The easy peasy way to fix it is to find a parking lot with curbs, island landscaping works great, then drive both the wonky side tires up and along the curb. Bang, it will flip back where it belongs. You can do it on city streets too but it is harder, you have to find a curb cut (driveway) and be a lot more precise in your steering,. I don’t understand why this isn’t in the owners manuals. I bet Oliver Service gets really tired about talking about this. I have had to fix it on “Mouse” maybe a half a dozen times. John Davies Spokane WA

Most probably already know of this problem but it's a new one for us. Pulling out of last night's camp site this morning I knew something was not quite right. I got out and looked around the trailer in the cold winter rain and did not see anything wrong, so we trekked on to our destination some 300 miles away. All along I just knew there was something different. The gas mileage was a little worse off by about 1 1/2 mpg and things just sounded and felt a little off. I blew the poorer mileage off because of rather stiff north west headwinds and hilly countryside. I just couldn't put my finger on it until we arrived at out destination, pulled up onto a relatively level concrete pad and Wendy says " wow, this right side really needs to come up" during our leveling process. We looked around and indeed the left side was quite a bit higher than the right. Then we started looking around and found one of the suspension parts was different than the other side. We remember someone driving from Florida to last year's Oliver rally had experienced a failure of the suspension on one side and remember the effort it took to remedy the situation. We're in Wetumka, OK and immediately thought "well, who's going to help us out here, in the middle of nowhere?" First reach out was to Oliver via a service ticket followed by a phone call shortly afterwards to Oliver's service department. Hannah is an Angel!!!! We thought this problem was going to be a nightmare. Hannah calmly told us she had seen this problem on occasion and told us that an axle part had flipped over and the fix was to lower the nose to the ground and it would flip back. Keeping Hannah on the phone we tried the suggested action to no avail. Rats! She said try jacking up the nose instead. We did. The axle part was starting to move and Hannah warned us of a loud snap. And the snap was loud, and the trailer shook, and the trailer was level again!!!!!!!!! YAY HANNAH!!!!!!!!!! We had hit a very large bump in the road on the way to our previous stop; big enough to scrape the flap under the bumper of our tow vehicle. We are very thankful it was an easy fix. Just in case this happens to you... Another testament to the quality service you get from Oliver 🙂

Wow - I would have been totally freaked if this had happened to us - thanks so much for sharing! While the method used in this video is not as good as the 4x4 you all mentioned, at 2:37 you can get a feel for the sound of the correction-flip. Thanks again!!

Isn't the English language wonderful? Specifics, specifics! You need to raise the tire that is connected to the axle where the shackle is in the correct position. By doing this you take the pressure off the shackle that has been "flipped" thus allowing it both room (to unflip) and lack of resistance (pressure) so that it can unflip. All of this occurs on the side of the trailer that has the flipped shackle. In my example it really doesn't matter if you put the 4x4 under the front or the rear tire. Nor does it matter which shackle is flipped. This is because if the front shackle is flipped and you put the 4x4 under the front tire - nothing will happen as you drive forward over the 4x4. But, as you continue to drive over the 4x4 with the rear tire the front shackle will flip back to its "normal" position. This same principal is true for JD's solution using a curb. Hope this helps! Bill

In the Oliver Service department they use a 4x4 to take care of this "problem". I've never had it happen but I'm prepared none-the-less in the event it does. A word to the wise - whenever those little hairs on the back of your neck stand up and/or something just doesn't seem right - do a through check looking for the source of the concern. Not only will it calm your hairdo but it could save you a bunch of money too. Bill

7 years and our windows are fine. Mike

Yep - just place the 4x4 in front of the tires on the side of the flipped shackle and drive slowly over it. Be prepared for the rather loud "clunk" sound.

When exploring new territory, particularly off the interstate system, you can't always find a truck stop with big lanes when you need to refuel. Getting into, and then out of, a tight, busy gas station in Cuba, New Mexico made me glad our Elite II is no larger than it is. We had not adequately planned ahead for fuel, and that gas station was apparently the last one for many miles. We wanted to leave Cuba with a full tank, so we pulled in. It took some nerve-wracking maneuvering in cramped spaces to get our rig safely back out to the road. We don't want or need anything bigger.

In these days of shrinking campsite availability, it's really nice to know that our Ollies fit in spaces that others have to reject. We've been given, and found, some really awesome campsites, over the years, in small but beautiful sites.

I like the double pane windows for insulation and noise reduction. I have had to replace one window due to fogging so far after 4 years of ownership. It was the small bathroom window. A fairly straightforward DIY replacement if you’re handy with tools/home remodeling projects.

This video recommends jacking under the axle. I would NOT do this without contacting Oliver first. The Dexter axles are not meant to be jack points. Several owners have damaged their axles by using a jack under them. The nose all UP and all DOWN is great info.... Thanks OP.

We had a Jayco Eagle with a single super-slide. The room inside with slide out made it feel very home like as I remember and we really liked that. Conversely, the super-slide was our biggest headache and worry. It was quite finicky opening and closing, was a source of constant water leaks, needed constant attention regarding debris on top when camping in areas with overhead trees, and added a lot of weight to the camper for it's relative size. The camper pulled okay but you had to be very mindful of it going down the road, as in very reactive to side wind and passing trucks. At 34' it was a bear to get in and out of a lot of camp sites. And the last thing I remember was that it was built so flimsy. The walls and partitions of paper thin plywood and staples just felt like they could fall apart at any time with the next big bump. No insulation to speak of and the windows were just cheap. We got rid of it after a few years just to cut our losses before it was impossible to sell. It was a feeling of total relief when the buyer handed us the payment in full. Knowing the history and quality of the Oliver products and the customer service reputation has me very much at ease with this substantial purchase. Can't wait for delivery day! Oh and to answer your wife's interest in the ladies feelings, my wife pushed hard for us to go this route instead of the larger toy hauler. She is most excited to explore the "unknown" to us, in our quaint little camper. She chose the name Ollie-Haus because it will be our home much of the next several years. 😍

We have some heavy snow here today in Michigan!🥶My front and back yard turned into a winter wonderland! IMG_0824.MOV IMG_0823.MOV

Yes, when the shackle flips that side of the trailer droops down. It is very easy to spot by looking in your rear view mirror. At least it is on mine, with the bubble level mounted there. John Davies Spokane WA

Originally, my wife thought the wet bath might be an issue. After 5 months of owning an Elite II, we both agree the wet bath is a non-issue. I'm 6ft tall and I don't have any trouble taking a shower. So as other mentioned, it depends on what type of camping you want to do. For us it came down to Oliver's reputation for high quality construction and taking care of their customers. No shady RV dealers to contend with. Easy to tow, hitch, setup and tear down. We can tow the trailer just about anywhere my truck can go. I wouldn't say the Oliver is an overlander per se but it's boondocking friendly and you can choose to add solar, lithium batteries, composting toilet, etc... I know some folks just want the basic package as they frequent campsites with shore power, water, etc...It has great resale value if for some reason you have to sell it. Also, there is a wonderful community of Oliver owners that take great pride in their campers and support each other. There is a sense of calm when I'm in our Oliver. Perhaps other owners can relate. It feels very clean inside and the molded fiberglass is very easy to wipe down. So far we have been very pleased with our Oliver, no regrets!

No, we do not let the bathroom window just drop. We slide all the windows “normally” and don’t slam the door. Things last longer when treated with care. Mike

I'm with Mike & Carol - 7 and fine. Bill

Hannah at Oliver service said raising or lowering the trailer tongue to it's extreme will work most of the time. When I raised my trailer tongue I had a 6x6 block under the front Oliver jack and it worked. So I don't know if it would have worked had I not used the 6x6. I think I would hesitate using a jack on the axle as well. The Andersen leveler seems like a good alternative. Use both levelers or just 1 (on the same side) ?

I agree 100%, Bill, I just couldn't see the problem staring at me. A tilt to one side usually occurs when we pull off the leveling blocks so that was normal looking. You can bet it is now boldprint on my predeparture checklist! John

Did you winterize? 😂 Mossey

We were camped near Asheville and were meeting @topgun2and his wife for lunch in Brevard. We checked the GPS which showed that the shortest route was also the most scenic, mountains and back roads. BIG MISTAKE! Besides being way late for lunch we had some very frustrating moments when small back roads didn’t match GPS and cell coverage was lost. Out came the paper atlas. Lesson learned! Mike

This is good to know! I’ve never heard of it. Thank you for sharing it.

My wife is the one who insisted on an Oliver once we got inside one. She is about 5'4", so the bath seems plenty big to her. She likes how easy it is to clean. She also loves the fact that it is hypoallergenic. She has a significant mold allergy. With almost no wood inside, Olivers are much less likely to develop mold and mildew than most trailers.

This is our fourth, and smallest, trailer. My wife wanted the Oliver more than I did and she still likes it better than I do. She'll tow this trailer, too.

I had the same crazy thought before we picked our 2022 Elite II in November, but with regard to a compressor fridge rather than adding an Isotherm Intelligent Temperature Control! After learning about absorption fridge RV fires, and that Oliver is putting compressor refrigerators in the 2023 models, I asked if a compressor fridge could be installed in our 2022. Nope, because the compressor fridge requires a different Elite II hull design, and we didn't want to incur the substantial additional expense of going with a 2023. So, I determined to see how the Norcold absorption fridge performed in our Oliver, then consider swapping it out for a compressor fridge down the road. For the 10 days we used it in Tennessee and driving home to Idaho last November in cold temps, the Norcold performed well. Time will tell how it performs in warmer ambient temps. I agree with you: see how the compressor fridge performs before deciding whether to add the Intelligent Temperature Control.

We've had a few double pane windows fog. We did not replace them. We took our trailer to Suncoast Designs in Hudson, and they pulled the offending windows, resealed, and reinstalled. Much more economical than window replacement. (I checked.) There are companies that do similar work around the country. Mind you, my trailer is 15 years old next month. Fogging occurred on the sunny side windows a couple years ago, at over 100k of travel. I do think the double/thermal pane windows make a difference. I have triple glass at sticks and bricks home, in Florida.

We had an Escape owner stop and look at our Oiver on his way home to Canada. Back then there was a concern about importing to Canada ( since solved). He asked if I would like to see his. After the Oliver it felt claustrophobic to me, but what really got me was the table. It was as shaky as my mother's old wooden ironing board. If the first thing you saw was that quality??

As for the wet bath, it was a big concern of mine as well. I won't lie, I miss the big shower and dry bath in our last fifth wheel. Luxury. Being 6' myself, washing my hair in the Ollie requires bending over, which I don't love. However, so far the other Ollie advantages - including its compact size, quality, and solar/lithium - have outweighed the shower drawbacks. Last summer we got the last available site in a COE campground. It was designated as a tent/pop-up site but we fit just fine. This year we're staying in a state park we couldn't fit in before, even with our 27' travel trailer.

After 4 years of camping and towing with our Elite II, I wouldn’t want to be towing anything any longer than 25’. The Oliver size gives a lot more freedom for travel overall and is still very well equipped and comfortable. And it’s not just about campground site choices, although that is a big factor, both for site options and cost at campgrounds. Longer/bigger spaces cost more at most campgrounds. It’s also taking into consideration things like getting in and out of gas stations, parking spaces at restaurants and other roadside stops and attractions, very narrow construction zones, etc. We have even encountered roads with length limits because of tight corner switchbacks on steep climbs. The Elite II is a nice comfortable compact trailer that is short enough, narrow enough and low enough to avoid most of the common obstacles you will encounter on the road like low clearance bridges, tunnels, etc. The Zion Mt. Carmel Tunnel in Utah is one example that we drove through. There is a 7’ 10” width limit and a 11’ 4” height limit. Anything over a combined length limit of 50’ for tow vehicle/trailer combinations is completely prohibited in the tunnel. Anything much bigger than towing an Elite II and you have to arrange (and pay for) the park rangers to allow special access with traffic temporarily changed to one direction only instead of two way traffic so larger vehicles can fit through the tunnel. My wife and I are both retired and we do extended trips of 4 to 5 weeks on the road and we are very comfortable in the Ollie. And we added a shower curtain with 3M command hooks so it gives us a “dry bath” setup. The shower curtain can be easily removed to take outside to dry.

We camp mostly in public campgrounds. National Parks are generally the most restrictive, size wise. Most have some sites that accommodate big rigs but an Elite II size camper can fit in most any site. State Parks vary but usually have larger sites. COE and USFS campgrounds also vary, the newer ones can fit about anything, but some of the older or more remote campgrounds can be restrictive. It’s not just the size of the campsite to consider but also maneuvering truck and trailer during the back in. There have been a number of times that the site was just long enough for our Oliver, but backing it in proved to be challenging due to the narrow road or obstacles. I watched a guy trying to back in a trailer, probably 28’ or so, into a spot at a Tennessee State Park and it took him a couple of hours. He tried everything, to include going around the loop several times to change his angle and also going the wrong way to see if that would work. His frustration was evident. Mike

I have pulled into CG late (traveling, not 'camping') , and have the Ranger say we are mostly full. Look at the LE2 and say but we got a small site that you will fit into. Enjoy your evening...

I read this as running the flipped axle over a curb to raise it and correcting the issue. I also read this as running the flipped axle over a 4X4 to raise it and correcting the issue. So it appears to me that both John D and topgun2 agree in the approach by raising the flipped axle. HOWEVER, In Jim and Frances video at 1:50 he shows and states "Put it (The jack) under the axle that is correct" and then shows raising the correct axle and the "Wonky/Flipped" axle bangs into place. Ok guys, you now have me confused. Will both approaches work? Please clarify. GJ PS: Scotty: I agree with NOT jacking under the axles!

Thanks, Jim and Frances, for sharing that video. You just can't have too many options for a fix! John

Thanks for the reminder of just another reason as to why we live in the mountains of western North Carolina. We do get snow here, but, if it snows today it is usually gone by tomorrow. Sure is pretty though - at least it is until you have to go out in it.

Looks like the Mississippi cotton fields in October.

I did it just now. I had to consent to being contacted, that is OK since the fridge is coming from there and I am already getting hammered with emails.... John Davies Spokane WA

I don't know if the double pane small window these days is the same as our bath double pane, but I wish I had stuck with our original single pane, which had a complete frame, top and bottom. We had the double pane installed some years back. The moveable pane has no frame but the top, which is mostly silicon adhered. It separated from the top bars last summer. I forced it back into position. No fogging issues. It's just a tiny window.

PM sent back. The parts are spoken for. John Davies Spokane WA

That video is for an older analog version, not the new digital Intelligent one. The old one does indeed require lots of work. The new one needs a single hole in the fridge I think. Not counting the holes to mount the display, I am going to put mine under the microwave. John Davies Spokane WA

That's exactly what I was thinking when John posted this. I haven't even picked up my trailer yet and considering yanking the fridge! Slow down there, Steve!!

I want wing windows back.

That's where I thought we'd end up, having friends with both 17 and 21 Escape trailers. Which reminds me; we're still on the list to reserve one of the 23s! They're just now only making the second prototype, with at least one more to go before making 10 field trial units. Then production. Early last year I was expecting production in late '22, but now I'd bet late '23 might be even optimistic. And then there are the hundreds of people already on the wait list to place orders. Seeing what they're doing with the shower makes it not only tiny, but awkward to get to the bed, and for a 23, it seems like it will be crowded inside. Until I saw the Oliver, I didn't realize how open it makes a trailer feel having the bathroom across one end of the trailer! I'm so glad we ended up ordering the Oliver! Good luck in whatever you choose, @dennis

It really depends on your camping style. We love the size of the Oliver, especially the width which allows us to keep in at our house, we have a narrow driveway so the width was something we really wanted to stay 7’ or less. We spend most of our time outside and also have a pop up screen room which gives us added space even if it’s raining (it has side panels that can be attached). As for the wet bath, its actually quite large for a wet bath and with the curtain you can keep the half with the toilet area dry when showering. I do think if you are contemplating size and already feel that the Oliver may be too small and you are uncertain about a wet bath then I suggest renting a 25ft camper and a smaller camper and see how you feel in it. Try a wet and dry bath. It’s a big purchase and you certainly don’t want buyers remorse. If you are set on a dry bath and still want fiberglass look at the Bigfoots and Escape is coming out with a new 23 that has twin bed option and a dry bath. We love our Oliver and I don’t believe you can beat the quality and customer service but everyone’s likes/needs/wants are different, it’s just finding what’s is the right fit for you. Good luck with whatever you decide.

We purchased the shower curtain upgrade from Oliver. It works fine, although the curtain supplied is thin vinyl, which started to tear before we got home to Idaho from Tennessee. It can be replaced with a fabric curtain at some point. Yes, the bath is small. I am 6'0" and have grazed my head on the overhead bath fan when showering, as the bathroom floor is higher than the floor in the main cabin, limiting bath headroom. That is one of the tradeoffs. Yet, we remain pleased with our choice of the Elite II based, in part, on the size being "just right" for us, for the same reasons detailed by other posters above, including ease of towing, parking, fitting into some campsites, storage, etc.

Don’t overlook the issue of maneuverability and width when visiting National Park campgrounds. I speak from experience of having gone into some campgrounds where the 8.5’ width and length of the other trailer I was considering (Bigfoot 25b25T) would have been a burden. The fact that the Ollie is 7’ wide and the wheels track close to that of the Tow Vehicle make for a very “sneaky” approach (as well as retreat if the need arises to back out of a twisty and narrow campground road). Sure, there are times I wish I had more room inside but ONLY when I am sitting inside the trailer. When towing down the road and finding a campsite I have never regretted the Oliver. I have camped in areas where I am certain I would not have been able to visit in the bigfoot. The right trailer for you is the one that gets you out camping. Best wishes in your decision

Hi Dennis, We were also on the attack concerning a wet bath but actually don't mind it at all now. It does add to the moisture content inside the trailer, especially on rainy days, and drying the towels outside when you can helps a great deal. We were in a Casita for 2 years (full timers) and really, really appreciate the added room inside of our Elite II. We don't do the National Parks much ( crowds) but for the most part it has been very rare to find a spot too small. As Mike mentioned, maneuverability is important and we also have been in spots and had to disconnect to park alongside or in front of the trailer. So, going from the Casita to the Oliver leads us to believe we're inside a mansion every time we go inside. FWIW, IMO, if you think it's a little small and you really don't want the wet bath, you'll probably be unsatisfied with the Oliver. For us it the Cadillac of fiberglass and the service from Oliver is the best there is so we're as happy as we can be. You might consider renting a bigger rig and see how you like it before making a costly mistake. Another point is resale of a "stickie" vs fiberglass. Best of luck with your decision and retired life, John

It depends where you are. Out west a lot of the forested national park campgrounds were built when trailers were small and 25 feet is probably a pretty good top number. Above that your choices will be limited. Different for dry camping in the desert and commercial campgrounds.

I have one of the four fold types that makes a platform. As you say - it’s a good tool. Three points was one of the things I violated in this exercise, and that’s with me growing up sailing and always knowing where my points of contact were. Anything that starts out with “That’s not really the best stability I have ever set, but it’s just one branch” is likely not going to end well.

We've rented a lift in the past for tree work. Now, we just hire it done. And, recently installed gutter guards, to avoid those trips to the eaves. I don't want my husband up on those ladders either. Our shortest gutter is 15' above the ground. The other is around 30'. We do have scaffolding and ladders, and use them for some projects, but the older I get, the more I hate heights. When I was young, I was totally fearless. Not so much, these days. I still get up there, when absolutely necessary, but we have younger friends and family that are more sure-footed and stable who usually volunteer. (They don't want me to take another tumble, is my guess.)

https://letsrv.com/the-rv-gray-water-dumping-guide/ John Davies Spokane WA