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I like a towing speed of 63-65 mph on a good smooth road. We get a consistent 12.8mpg overall on each of our typical trips of 4-5K miles. I can set the cruise and relax. I can control speeding up and slowing down with my left thumb on the steering wheel and the heads up display on the windshield gives me all the info I need without ever moving my eyes. On the other hand, I’ve on occasion found myself doing 80+ mph. Like on US-50 across Nevada where you may go 40-50 miles without meeting another vehicle or coming to a curve in the road. Just because towing with a 10K pound truck makes this feel comfortable doesn’t mean you should actually do it. Slow down, enjoy the trip and don’t hit a 900 pound elk.

I too have ben watching KYD for a few years. I was very surprised hearing the number of 67 mph as this has been my maximum speed for open relatively flat interstates for awhile now. In wind, rain and gloom of night (I very rarely tow at night) the max speed goes lower. Also being in a fair amount of traffic will decrease my maximum no matter how fast those other guys are going. Having said this - it really gives me the nerves to be doing 65 in the right lane while things are passing me at 90 plus just a few feet away. Bill p.s. I really liked the parts about - if it feels to fast - it is too fast.

Interesting as I do the same. Usually on the first day on the road I start out a bit nervous, high strung, anxious, etc. All the details of the trip are going through my mind - did I remember to pack everything? Are all systems as good as I can get them on both the truck and the Ollie? Did I remember to pack enough money, emergency supplies? What is that exit number for cheap gas? Etc., etc., etc. However, after about an hour or so I'm over there in the slow lane, enjoy a bit of music and watching the world go by. While basically not having to "worry" about running into the traffic in front of me, there is simply more time to actually see what is happening on and around the road. I've accepted the fact that it will take me 15 minutes to a half hour longer to get where I'm going and THAT is OK. There really is no need to hurry since I've planned my stop for the night early enough in the day that I have plenty of time no matter what happens (i.e. traffic delays, tire trouble, or even showing off the Ollie at a gas station/rest stop). Such a joy to be on the road and not worried about virtually anything - no NEED to rush as those days are over. Why didn't I do this sooner?

Our tow speed is normally 65. It’s always traffic and weather dependent. I will say that on I-10 west of San Antonio I will set the cruise control at 70, speed limit is 80. Mike

Tom and I watched this video last night (we have been following KYD for a few years now) and it was excellent. Bringing Olive home, we were mostly towing 60-65 mph on the highway, but every once in a while we would see that we were close to 70 mph because the Elite II tracked so well, you couldn't feel it back there. Going through the Poconos, I captured a nice sunset in the tow mirror of our Tundra, which also confirmed that Olive was indeed behind us. 😀

Happy Valentine’s Day Oliver Family!💗

We tow our Elite at max trailer towing speed, on the interstate, and secondary highways. And, max tire speed. We don't get carried away, but with a 5.7 hemi towing a little Elite, we don't sit in the slow lane, all the time, either. Best tow speed is where you are comfortable, imo.

It’s nice to not have to think about pay load or travel comfort on a long trip…a great choice in TV’s! 👍🏻

65 mph is the sweet spot for my bride and I. We spent many years in the “hammer lane” during our long careers commuting. So now at this stage in our lives we just enjoy the journey and set the cruise and let the 8 wheels roll! David

We’re in E section too and will stop by. I’ll have my banjo but since I’ve only been picking for a couple of years I’m not sure I’m good enough to join in unless everything is in G with I, IV, and V chords! 🪕. We haven’t had much owner music at past rallies. Mike

One of the reasons I stopped cross country motorcycle trips.😵

Banjo! Damn... I'm sorry I quit the bagpipes years ago! Seriously though... We will be in E-19 and I'll have at least one Ukulele with me. We could share around some charts beforehand and pick a time and place to meet. Should be fun.

No contest on a tow for the LEII. 3/4 ton or 1 ton. Not much difference in price, lots of difference in cargo capacity. Don’t waste thousands and thousands of dollars moving up every few years (which you will do). Buy big and, as Tony says, “fuggedaboutit”.

If you stick to lower named paved roads, this is generally true. But, always look ahead for construction, and travel advisories. Your tires,,windshield, and gelcoat will thank you. We've done the Alaska trip many times. (Well, four.) Every trip is different. Denali highway is gravel, but great unless recently graded and lots of sharp granite exposed. (Tires) Upside, it's amazingly beautiful, and worth several nights in pullouts. Take it slow, if you see a princess bus coming,,slow way down. Your windshield will thank you. Princess buses just keep running at max speeds. The ice road to Prudhoe Bay/arctic circle sign can be a mess, if it's raining. Or, has recently rained. Ditto, chicken highway. Beware of soft shoulders, and steep dropouts. Gravel on the us side . Side gravel roads to interesting places, in the Yukon and Alaska, can also be challenging, in rainy weather. If you stick to paved roads (we haven't), you'll be fine. if you're careful on construction zones, and have protected the front of the trailer, you'll be fine. We love the Yukon. One of our favorite places, in the many countries we've camped in, and, we will return. Someday soon, we hope. Lots of great Yukon territory campgrounds right off paved roads, cheap fees, free firewood. Some are easily accessed, others aren't.. read the milepost. With family commitments this year, we won't be doing another trip to Alaska, but another year (we hope) will make it possible. We have delivered rvs for a friend of ours,,and it's been a different and amazing trip, each time. We've camped all over the 🇺🇸 usa and Canada (plus Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, Patagonia, and more) but the Yukon, and the Richardson highway on the way to Valdez, are among our favorites. North to Valdez is an amazing drive. Take your time. We never miss that . Get that bucket list done. And be prepared for no cell coverage. If you need constant communication, get at least a GPS based spot, or something. We have found free pullouts with Verizon signal, on Alaska, but can't count on it. Many of the yt campgrounds had no signal, on either service We carry tmobile, and Verizon, on two phones, and often have no signal, in rural remote areas, which we love. Have fun. Many great campgrounds just off paved highways, and it's an amazing trip.

OK - looks like you got the ball rolling! I've not seen a Rally schedule - yet - but, unusually there is nothing "formally" scheduled for Thursday and Friday nights. So, after everyone has supper on their own and/or an adult beverage or so you are free to wander around, meet up with friends, go up to the Lodge to watch the sun set (or simply watch it set over the lake from the beach) or just try to relax from your day's adventures in Ollie land. So, for at least a couple of hours (I think that the campground quiet hours start at 10pm) you can pick away. Hopefully others that enjoy this sort of thing will either show up at your place or agree to meet for some music and laughs. Bill

Bill, We gonna be in lot E-17 from 5/15-5/22/2023 at Lk Guntersville RV park for the Rally.........I'll have my Guitar with me for some old classic country & gospel...come on by! This being my first Oliver Rally I'll probably follow the music crowd as I'm not sure what to expect at this point. Vic

Finding a half ton truck with a payload of 2,000 lbs will be a challenge. I towed with two different half tons and found them to be fine tow vehicles although payload was in the 1,500 lb range. The Andersen WDH was required. The past couple of years we’ve had a 3/4 ton diesel and the difference is noticeable. No WDH, no worry about what we throw in the bed of the truck. Our payload is just north of 2,000 lbs. Towing is relaxed, no drama. I also use it as my daily driver, no issues. Of course around here big trucks are the norm. Mike

Sorry for the thread hijack - but I trust you musical types that are going to be at the Rally are organizing an evening of picking! Just let us know what campsite or area and we'll be there. Bill

OK... thinking Friday night around 6pm at the Beach Pavilion. BYOC and BYOB. I'll put together a list of about 10 popular songs that people know the words to. Or, maybe have handouts with just the words so folks can sing along. I'll post a google drive location that people who play instruments can download the charts from . After the singalong, we can have a signup sheet for an Open (no) Mic, and folks can perform for us. Simple and easy. Who do I have to sweet talk to schedule the Beach Pavillion? Scotty

Ditto for me. On rural interstates though, I usually adjust my speed to match the predominant speed of most truckers. Out in Oregon that seems to typically be around 67-68 MPH. If I catch up to a trucker going at least 65 MPH I will follow it. If I start getting passed by trucks (which I hate, especially in the rain), I will speed up a little bit and drive with them. And I will admit that under ideal conditions in remote stretches of Interstate, I will cruise at 70 MPH. On two lane roads I drive 50-60 MPH depending on conditions and I don't try to keep up with the trucks. I will typically slow down in heavy crosswinds/headwinds but only to save on fuel. I find the LE II to be almost impervious to crosswinds.

Two weeks ago I finally got around to installing the replacement rear window in my LE2. I had planned to do it after Christmas, but decided to wait until we had a warmer day (low 60's), thinking that the butyl tape that seals the window would compress more easily when tightening the self-tapping screws that hold the inner and outer window frames together. It was definitely a two-person job. The hardest part was to properly align the inner frame screw holes with the slot in the outer frame that the self-tapping screws penetrate. After placing the window assembly in the hull opening, I opened the sliding window so I could temporarily clamp the inner window frame in place while I fiddled with aligning the screw holes. When I was ready to install the self-tapping screws, my wife held the window assembly in place from the outside of the trailer so that I didn't push the window assembly out of the hull opening - the butyl tape would not have held the window assembly in place against the force needed to get the self-tapping screws started. I waited a few days before caulking around the outer window frame to let the butyl tape compress more. I was able to tighten some of the self-tapping screws a bit more, and could see that the gap between the outer window flange and the hull had decreased a bit. I removed the original caulk around all the other windows (caulk on rear street-side window had yellowed within three weeks of delivery) so that all the windows would have the same type and age of sealant.

Agree, we like using the cruise control, too. Our highest mileage/Ollie tow day so far was 720 miles, without use of cruise control that day, long towing day for us. We normally shoot for 250 miles per day, but needed to beat a hurricane back to NC on the high mileage day. Last experiment towing our LE2 with our 2022 Tundra on interstates & 4 lane roads. Set cruise at 63MPH yielding 61MPH GPS speed for following test. Tow haul mode used with 7th gear and engine speed at 2150 RPM. One way test from Crossville TN (TN plateau area) to Denver NC yielded 15.8 MPG. Round trip from Crossville TN to Howenwald TN and back to Crossville yielded 15.5 MPG. During the last tests while climbing a 5% grade reduced speed to 55MPH and dropped down to 6th gear. Met some very nice folks this day. Took this photo at a TN rest area on a trip home from Colorado when we had a 2016 Tundra. This was taken during our trip with the longest towing day:

I couldn't agree more - this is the time of life to slow down and enjoy the journey! Speaking of showing off an Ollie, I'm including a picture of Olive at the first Bucc'ees we have ever been to in Crossville, TN. We had been hearing about this "gas station" (not a comprehensive description, although we did get gas there) in various YouTube videos for years and it was quite the experience! The bathrooms are truly amazing (the only time on the trip home I chose to use a public bathroom instead of our personal one) and we had a darn good brisket sandwich too! 😀

We watched the episode last night as well. Some good information for sure. On our old trailer, a 23ft Rockwood mini-lite, I kept it at 65 mph at all times. That's just the speed I felt most comfortable driving. With the Elite II, I find myself going closer to 70 mph, because it pulls so well.

I finally settled on an F-250 as our tow vehicle. The previous two tow vehicles we used (a Ford Expedition with max tow package and then a Nissan Armada) just didn’t have enough payload rating or cargo volume. The F-250 I found is an XLT model, so not luxurious by any means, but it’s not totally stripped of all creature comforts. It’s a basic model with cloth seats, remote start, power windows, power driver seat, but no sunroof, no heated seats, no leather, no nav system (I just use my phone) etc. What it does have (and the main reason I bought it) is 12,600 lbs towing capacity (no WDH required or recommended) and an insanely high (for a “3/4 ton truck”) payload rating of 3,334 lbs., so no concern at all with carrying the weight of driver and passenger(s), the Ollie tongue weight, truck bed liner, truck bed cover, 2 bicycles (on a bike rack over the bed cover), all the camping gear, camp chairs, folding picnic table, tools and road emergency gear, etc. in the bed of the truck. A bit of a stiff/rough ride when not loaded up or towing, but when loaded and pulling the Ollie the ride is great.

GRP: I am one of a number of Oliver Owner's that are using this Rubbermaid container in the front basket. It has gone through many rain storms without taking in any water. It is a Rubbermaid Action Packer 24 gallon container and I bought it on Amazon.

I’m that wife in the passenger seat that says slow down if my husband slips over 65!😬 I’m most comfortable at around 30..lol..but that’s frowned upon on the interstate! Seriously, 65 max! I’m a horrible passenger, I admit it. I’m very nervous when we are towing. It’s not my husband that worry’s me, it’s all the crazy drivers around us.🙈

That article is not a general "camping" article, it is about dealer inventory and commercial RV parks. I haven't been out since late last October, but I saw no sign of large numbers of empty campsites in the state parks and forests around here... tho in the off season (October and on) the parks do have vacancies mid-week, but certainly not on the weekend. Yes the dealer lots are once again full. Maybe people are finally getting fed up with the outrageously high cost of parking your trailer cheek and jowl with 100 other trailers, just so you can plug in. 😉 John Davies Spokane WA

Never driven to Alaska, but we did do the train trip from Fairbanks to Seward. Beautiful, but we hated being on someone else's schedule. We recently watched a series of YouTube videos on a channel called From She to Me. It is a couple our age in a pleasure way van, and their sightseeing interests seem similar to ours. They did a 2019 trip to Alaska, and covered it in a 16 video series. We found it was really interesting, and definitely something that we'd refer back to if we ever make the trip. Here's the link to the playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLky6TgiimtQ9WqdGXyK_I6Hh2efO-F4V3 I hope that helps a little bit

Since I store my Ollie away from my home I do not have it readily available. So, I simply don't remember what type of "blade" fuse is necessary - but - you can always simply pull one, take it to WalMart, Ace or any auto parts store and get a "kit" that includes a couple of fuses in the most common sizes plus a fuse puller (beats looking around for a pair of needle nose pliers). You will also need a couple of slow blow fuses for the jacks. There was a recent thread for those here on the Forum or you will find a yellow plastic/rubber protective case near the top of each jack. Inside that case is the slow blow fuse. Take it out, run down to your local NAPA store and buy a couple. Bill

You will not have a great deal of trouble finding places to camp, especially if boondocking. There are spots, Laird Hotsprings comes to mind, where dropping in could be a problem in the summer months but normally it is easy to find a spot. Do you have the capacity to charge from your tow vehicle? If not, consider a small generator like the Honda 2200i. Even with solar panels finding the sun in June can be iffy. The roads are generally quite good but do not pass up an opportunity to top off your fuel tanks whenever possible. On our last trip from Washington I hauled two full 5 gal gas containers but never needed to use them. If you doubt your tires condition, change them out ... it can be a long way between good tire stores. I am assuming you have a good GPS? If not, it is a good investment. I carry tire chains for the truck and cable chains for use on one axle of the trailer. Never had to use them during spring, summer and fall months but have encountered snow. The horror stories about endless miles of bad dirt roads and lack of services are very old history. Condition of the roads will vary from very good to not quite so good but the main routes are quite pleasant. It used to be that you could hardly make the drive without losing a windshield but that has not been the case for 15 - 20 years. The only stretches of dirt / gravel will be sections under repair as pretty much the whole routh has been paved for years. Have fun and enjoy - your Oliver is more than a match for the trip! Just one last thought - give yourself a lot of time (two months if possible). Your round trip is likely to be in excess of 7K miles and every few miles will present an opportunity for camping / hiking / fishing and enjoying a truly spectacular part of the world are limitless. Have fun!

The only way you will find a light duty truck with high payload is to look for one with minimal options. Every little extra you add reduces the payload number, especially stuff like that power sunroof and fancy multipurpose tailgate…. Compare the payload of a stripped work truck to a loaded luxury version. (For the HD trucks a diesel option just decimates the payload, these big diesel engines are massive cast iron and very heavy with many complicated emission components.) And every aftermarket part you add later also takes away pounds, a canopy and thick bedliner alone might weigh 300! If you plan just a few short camping trips annually, maybe some trips for household chores like lumber, a stripper would work fine. But it will be a relatively horrible towing experience on really long trips. People like those posh interiors, but they come at the cost of reduced practicality and capability. The newer Ram heavy duty trucks with coil or air suspension ride and drive very nicely. The interiors are car-like. At the very least you should test drive some big trucks, just to see how they feel. Then you can start to narrow your search. A LE1 trailer opens up many more options for TVs. Keep that in mind. John Davies Spokane WA

💯agree with all the above! Especially no WDH and no concerns about payload or tongue weights while towing a ready to camp OLEll. 👍🏻 David

If you want that much towing capacity AND that much payload WHILE TOWING (which is good), none of the 150/1500 level trucks is optimal. I tow with a 2019 Tundra, which only has a 1460 lb. payload. When towing an Oliver Elite II, which has tongue weight in the 500-600 lb. range depending on how it is loaded, we are right on that payload margin. Not ideal. And, we use an Andersen weight distribution hitch because is is mandated by the Tundra owners manual. The Andersen works well, but is an added hassle when hooking and unhooking the trailer. I have been a Toyota guy for a couple of decades. I wish Toyota made a 3/4 ton pickup. That said, you will be much better off with a 250/2500 level 3/4 ton truck, or maybe even a 1-ton, which limits you to Ford, Dodge and GM/Chevy. No Andersen WD hitch required. And, safer on the road because the tow vehicle will outweigh the trailer. Why don't I tow our new Oliver 2022 Elite II with a 3/4 ton pickup? Because this is a historically bad time to buy a new truck. I can't justify the remarkable price differential between what we paid for our 2019 Tundra in 2019 and what it would cost me to buy a new Ford F250 or Chevy/Dodge 2500 today. But if I were buying now, it would be a 2500 or even 3500 level truck for towing our Elite II. Good luck with your decision! And, please report what you decide to buy, so the rest of us can learn from your experience.

I currently own a 2005 chev. 3500 crew cab duromax diesel pickup. Before that a ford power stroke for 10 years. Both performed great for years...over 250k miles each with no major engine issues. My current dura max is pushing 300k miles...so I'm considering purchasing a new pickup when I order a trailer. I've talked to friends, my mechanic, truck owners I run into a the fuel spot and grocery store parking lots, youtube videos. The more people I talk to the more answers I get to the question...should I purchase a new diesel engine pickup with all the emissions equipment required today. The neigh sayers explain that with todays emission equipment they run too hot and burn up over time. And I wouldn't get 10 years out of the vehicle like I did with my last two pickups before the emission stuff. I would welcome any thoughts out there?

Great video by KYD.

Happy Valentine's Day to you too!

I like what you've done to the place!😃

I know in Michigan our State Parks are jam packed! Getting a reservation for a specific park you want takes planning and luck, you have to be on the reservation site 6 months prior to the date you want, finger on the trigger to click the reserve button at exactly 8am! We love our state parks but this year opted to just do a few and camp more on our private property in northern Mi to avoid the reservation challenge.

Wow - I think 720 miles in one day (towing or not) is a long day for virtually anyone! Great information and that's good mpg in quite a hilly area!

The Costco black with yellow top storage bin fits in the basket. Because of the shape of the basket there's a little gap in the front. It seems water tight, but I just put chocks, jack stands and things in there that don't require absolute water tightness. That's not answering your question, but my two cents worth. John

I do not have experience with this particular trashcan. However, I think that smaller is better - its not exactly like there is a bunch of spare room in the bath area😉. Bill

Dennis, I know what you mean when it comes to trying to find information about specific vehicles' load and tow capacities. On line factory information is general at best and really doesn't help much with specific vehicles that are on the market. I for one always want to have more tow vehicle than I need. I have a general rule to never tow regularly on the ragged edge of a vehicle's capacities. And when it comes to leisure travel like camping in a travel trailer, leisure is the guiding principle. Having plenty of tow capacity and power makes the driving portion of your adventures comfortable and easy compared to running a light vehicle hard and just getting by. With that said I would say if you are looking at getting an LE2, I would highly recommend a 3/4 ton truck at the least. You won't have any need for a diesel, and even though they are powerful and efficient power plants, they come with a lot of complexity and additional cost of maintenance that you don't need to deal with if you aren't pulling maximum loads regularly. A larger gas engine is more than enough for pulling an LE2. You won't get the best mileage but again, you will travel with ease. For any tow vehicle, be it 1/2 or 3/4 ton, I would stick with trucks equipped with trailer tow packages with upgraded suspension packages. This will help to maximize your payload and eliminate the need to constantly calculate how much gear you can bring along. It's always good to be mindful of what you are loading into the truck, but with a substantial capacity you will quickly get a feel for what you can bring along safely. As others have mentioned, it's nice to not have to worry about needing a WD system to counter tongue weight. Most trailer equipped 3/4 ton trucks will not need a WD hitch. Here's Ford's web site with links to many of the towing guides for their various vehicles. This will provide a lot of research material for specific models. The guides also contain a lot of educational information about towing in general. https://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/ Here is a web site with a tool for looking up the window stickers for available Ford vehicles. You can look up trucks on Autotrader and filter your search for Ford trucks. They list the VIN on each truck add. Copy and paste the VIN into the search box that's about half way down the page, hit enter and it will open another window with the Ford window sticker. You can quickly see if a truck has the payload packages to serve your needs. Also you can see if it's loaded with lots of accessories which will lower the payload capacity. https://lancelhoff.com/how-to-get-ford-window-sticker-from-vin/ I don't know if the other manufactures offer a way to look up window stickers for new trucks, but you may be able to find a web site that offers a similar tool for those brands as well. Good luck with your search.

Welcome to the forum Rene. A great place to learn more about Oliver TT. Now is a good time to read as much as you can in Oliver University. It will really come in handy when you get ready to place your final order. How exciting! Take your time when considering a new tow vehicle. No one ever said I have too much or too large of a tow vehicle. Think cargo capacity when selecting a TV and how much time you will be actually driving. We started out with a half ton Tundra and it was not long after we bumped up to an 1 ton diesel, by far a much higher comfort level on longer trips, ridiculous amount of power, better mileage, engine braking, and much more cargo capacity. There are many options out there. Best of luck with your choices! Patriot🇺🇸

Interesting..something does not sound right. I can run the Dometic AC with an easy start and micro wave without any issues with my Honda. The new Truma Aventa we are having Oliver install in May will require the power of our eu3000is. As of right now the Truma Aventa can not be installed with an easy start as it will void the Truma warranty. We’ll learn more in May once we get the Truma installed,

I have run both the Champion 3500 duel fuel and a Honda 2200 converted with the Hutch Mt gear as a single and/or paired (two 2200's) successfully from the quick release propane value at the nose of the trailer. I have found the generator can get starved for fuel if I'm running the furnace and refrigerator at the same time as the generator. I simple turned off one of the appliances inside the trailer to run the generator.

If I understand this exchange right, you plug into the generator but your batteries are not accepting a charge?! If so, try the following: Plug a heavy duty, 3 way, grounded plug adapter into your generator. Your extension cord plugs into one side and put a neutral/ground bonding plug on the other. Follow the links to find on Amazon. Our built in surge protector can detect an "open ground" on generators as, well, they are not grounded. I have to do this with my Honda 2200i and it works perfectly.

First, thank you all for being generous with your time. I found many detailed answers in the forum and the broader community was a major factor in deciding on an Oliver. This will be my first travel trailer. It is perfect for me and my wife and our two miniature dachshunds. Kids started college and we are still a few years out from retirement. But we can see it coming up fast. My wife is a history teacher and I own my own business - so we spend most of our time in California (Ventura County) and summers and holidays in Williamsburg VA. My toolbox consists of a wrench and a roll of duct tape. But I am up for the adventure and look forward to acquiring new skills. I have to say I am very impressed with all of you and look forward to getting to know you. Rich and Christine Mutell

In our 2019 foray to Alaska, we found a campground that had a wash bay that you could use for free. In Mississippi the mosquitoes will eat me alive every evening. During our four month trip to Alaska, I didn't get bitten a single time. They were everywhere and lit on me often but apparently out of respect or perhaps fear of catching something from me they just moved on.

Regarding #9, even better is to dump gray for 3 seconds, then black, then rest of gray. This lubricates the sewer hose so that black contents doesn't stick to a dry hose. I'm now the proud owner of Kleen Tank of the Tennessee Valley. If you want your Ollie tanks professionally cleaned, give me a call at 865-224-8400 or go to www.kleentank.com Cheers, Scott Hull #961