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Aftermarket trailer brake controllers have commonly been installed by auto electrical shops for decades. They were not even available from some truck manufacturers until the last decade or two; they were almost always installed after the factory build. Trailer brake controllers are available for your specific Titan truck for as low as $175: See this link, for example: https://www.etrailer.com/bc-2022_Nissan_Titan.htm?style=without+factory+Tow+Package Installation may cost double that amount--get quotes. I strongly recommend you contact a reputable auto electrical, or auto mechanical shop, or two or three, wherever you live and get competitive quotes. And, I strongly recommend that you don't tow your Oliver again until it is installed, and you know how to set the gain to properly control the trailer brakes. It is a critical legal and safety issue. If you are involved in an accident towing your trailer without a trailer brake controller, your insurance company may try to decline coverage. I would not even consider taking that risk.

You can have one installed in your current truck. Go to any local RV dealer, truck mod shop or trailer dealer and they should be able to do it.

Well, this TV shopping might be a bit more difficult than I thought. Ford dealership only had 1 red (not one of my color choices) 2500 and said they are having a hard time finding them. Almost an $80,000 price tag. The Chevy dealership had 1 2500 Dodge that I just didn't care for and NO 2500 Chevy. So, I went home and got on CarMax and found a few Chevy and Dodge possibilities, with no Ford options. Mileage from 10-45k with price tags from $40-55,000.00. With the price of trucks right now, might end up with new to me instead of brand new. I did test drive the one 2500 Ford and was happy to see that I enjoyed driving it and will have no problem using it as my daily driver to work also. My work is just down the street.

For those who are curious, I called Oliver and sent them pics of the fiberglass damage. Their suggestion (short of bringing it back to them in Hohenwald) is to use a reputable marine fiberglass shop. Their experience is that RV repair shops don't do nearly as good or work on fiberglass as a shop working with it all day every day. As for color they suggest that they can color match it at the shop and didn't give me a color code or number. So hopefully Tuesday after the Holiday the local fiberglass shop will get back to me and I can see if they agree with what Oliver told me as to color matching.

If you do this routinely you could add a pair of 48” long cargo tracks and tie down straps or bungees, because your gear is undoubtedly bouncing up and down, even if they don’t shift visibly on the mats. Plus in a hard stop it will keep them secure. https://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/collections/l-track-versatie These are GREAT items, very versatile, as their name implies, and you get 10% off your first order if you subscribe to emails. I have Mac’s parts all over and in my Ollie. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2790-how-to-aircraft-tiedowns-for-the-storage-tray/ https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2759-how-to-closet-tie-down-rings/ https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2758-how-to-wire-cable-clothes-line-full-cabin-length/ You could also carry the small 6x6 Clam shelter there. The bigger ones are too long. John Davies Spokane WA

I can add an additional idea. We have twin bed configuration. On occasion I go on photography trips without my wife. I completely take out the mattress on one side and roll out a couple of yoga mats to create friction on the fiberglass surface. I use the space for my photo gear (4 packs, tripods, flash gear, computer), plus some other gear the is normally packed deep in the back of the truck that I want to have easy access (packed in crates). The bed wing with the upturned edge does a great job containing the gear. I love having easy access and a place to stage/clean/recharge my camera gear each morning and end of day.

Melody, while I am sorry you already bought your truck and have some rearranging to do now, I am very thankful that you asked the question. I am in the market now for a new, or at least maybe new to me, and all of this is so helpful. I am getting my TV situated before I order my LE2 a few months from now. Thanks for all the amazing information everyone!

The Oliver trailer has no brake controller. The Oliver brakes are controlled by the brake controller on the tow vehicle. Since your tow vehicle has no trailer brake controller, you are basically towing with no functioning trailer brakes. A very unsafe situation, especially in any hilly/mountainous areas. If your vehicle had a trailer brake controller it would look something like this on the dashboard, a digital display with +/- buttons to adjust the trailer braking, and two small squeeze paddles to manually apply the trailer brakes when needed. Just because the tow vehicle has a pin connector on the bumper, that does not automatically mean the tow vehicle has a brake controller

The Isotherm fits through my door opening with 1/2” to spare on each side. I did tape down the protruding wires on the compressor so they would not catch. John Davies Spokane WA

It is possible to replace your brake assemblies with units that have a mechanical “parking brake feature”. That system is operated by cables and a lever that mounts on the tongue. It is designed to be left on ALL the time you are parked. It also provides extra stability when you are camping by stopping the rocking of the tires. It does not replace chocks! If you mounted the actuating lever out of sight, under the tongue or in the doghouse (propane cover) it would be a fairly effective theft deterrent. If your existing brakes are worn or corroded, this would be a sensible upgrade. Dexter Electric Trailer Brake Assembly with Parking Brake - 12" - Left Hand - 6,000 lbs John Davies Spokane WA

@Rivernerd,💯 truth. I felt the same way about our 2014 Toyota Tundra Platinum 5.7. We sold it and bumped up to a 1 ton diesel F350. What a difference in ridiculous power, much more cargo capacity, better mpgs, amazing engine braking, superior handling and a huge difference in comfort on long trips. No Andersen WDH to be concerned with. There is really no comparison. 👍🏻 Patriot🇺🇸

RE your comment above ( ...and perhaps pulling the pin to the brake locks so they are always on...) DO NOT pull the pin to leave the brakes on all the time. Doing that will only work until it depletes your batteries then you will have no battery power, the brakes will release and the trailer can be rolled away... On the other hand, it is recommended to routinely pull the pin to check to make sure the safety mechanism is functioning properly, this amounts to an emergency braking system in the event your trailer breaks loose of your tow vehicle on the road, it will help slow it down, or at least it will cause it to have skid marks into whatever it careens into as it freewheels into something. I too have a Proven Industry lock but I upgraded the puck lock to an Abloy Sentry Cylinder in a Steel Ft. Knox puck lock body which I bought from Ft. Knox Locks. it ended up costing almost $400 for the set (Bulldog lock by Proven and an upgraded Abloy cylinder in a Ft knox Steel puck-lock) but for the nearly $100,000 piece of equipment I'm looking to protect it didn't seem out of line to spend that much. Puck lock with ugraded Abloy key cylinder (which is virtually unpickable) https://ftknoxlocks.com/shop/ols/products/abloy-sentry-cylinder-in-ft-knox-steel-puck-lock-body Proven Industries locks https://www.provenlocks.com/ I didn't like the aluminum puck lock that came with the Proven Industries lock so that's why I opted for the Ft Knox puck lock and use it with the Proven Industries bull dog coupler lock. It's a very nice combination.

Off to YT University I go! 🙂

You use the manual lever to apply the brakes fully, to test your adjustment setting initially, and when towing over different road surfaces, for example smooth asphalt versus slippery gravel, and as the brake shoes wear in. The trailer brakes need to be adjusted “as needed” for best operation, don’t just set them once when they are new and never touch the controller again. In theory you need to be able to put on the trailer brakes if the trailer starts to sway, but a properly loaded and maintained Ollie just doesn’t sway. Fingers crossed. John Davies Spokane WA

Thank you for your input and welcome. I am definitely leaning towards at least a 3/4 ton. Going to test drive trucks tomorrow.

Hello, Yes you do need a break controller. In most states it’s required when towing a trailer that weighs more than 3,000 lbs.

[Note a version of this was originally posted in the Oliver Trailer Owners Facebook group - wanted to share it here as well.] Quick tip: if you fill your fresh tank and then can’t get the pump to pull you can break the suction lock by hooking up to the boondocking port and running water through the pump into the tank. Full details below. Thanks to the authors of several threads that I can't find for the life of me again that suggested the cup fill, city water, and the boondock method that ultimately worked for me. If I can ever find those posts again, I will properly credit them. Full details Picked up Reset LE I Hull 1030 today after first year service at the mothership. Staying tonight at the campground, and since it’s predicted to be 20F overnight did not want to leave a hose out to freeze. So, I put a half load in the fresh tank for onboard water needs. I know the pump was working at drop off since we did a Harvest Host night on the way out and all worked fine. After filling the fresh tank, I started the pump and it ran - but ran continuously. No water flow at the kitchen or bathroom sinks. Based on posts in this forum I checked filter screen for plastic chips. While there were a few in there it was not enough to block flow completely. I also used the trick of filling the filter screen cup with water to try to get it to prime. No joy. Of course, service is gone for the weekend at this point, so we are alone on the campground trying to figure out what to do. Searching the forums turns up the suggestion to fill the city water side then switch to tanks. Did that and did not get the pump to prime after switching back to the fresh tank. Finally came across the idea for breaking a vacuum lock through the boondocking port. Hooked up the campground water to the boondock port with valves in boondock configuration. I turned on the water and ran the pump for about 5 seconds while I could hear the tank filling from the boondock port. Turned off the water to the boondock port and reconfigured the valves to normal and started the pump. Got pressure and flow immediately. Success and no frozen hoses overnight.

I completed my rear jack inspection and re-greasing last week, finally. Look like it was the first time since the jacks were installed at Oliver. Unlike @John E Davies my gearbox has no drive area, however, it was certainly time for new grease, no question. I gears looked brand new with no signs of heat strain (no brown areas). I think it was @John E Davies or @SeaDawgwho mentioned to loosen the three Allan nuts under the gearbox in order to spin the passenger-side gearbox in order to get it around the edge of the fiberglass edge. It worked like a charm. Thanks! I cleaned out as much old lithium grease and replaced it with fresh Mobilith SHC PM 460 White Lithium Complex Multipurpose Grease. I even setup my phone to video record the sound and to check for any movement of the jacks under load. I did not notice any movement, but I will double check the jack bolts that go through the frame. Others have reported them as loose as one full turn. I cleaned the jack legs too and inspected for any damage. They both looked with only road grime on them. I coated with a dry lube and worked them up and down a couple times. I forgot to take a pick of my grease job. But, looked just like John's grease job, only white instead of red. LOL Also updated my maintenance log. Don't forget to do that.

One thing about a tow vehicle: size!. However, but f you are still going to go to work, where do you park it at work? Staff usually has to park away from the doors. A parking spot for a big big tow vehicle maybe be way way out back. A small hike after a long trying day can help clear the head and heart, unless you are on the night shift...

In my humble opinion if you are the only one sleeping in it the couch makes all the sense in the world. If someone is going to sleep there it will be a very narrow bed indeed.

Hi everyone, my name is Steve and I have placed my order for a Legacy Elite II and the estimated delivery is June 20th. I have done very little RV camping, but it has been a plan for many years. My wife and I used to dream about retiring and traveling the country in an RV. Sadly, she passed away before we could realize that dream. I am 64 and planning on retiring once I hit the magic 65 in September. In December, I purchased my tow vehicle. Took a trip up to Hohenwald a couple of weeks ago and met with Jason at Oliver. I toured the factory and pulled the trigger on the new trailer. Still have a lot of learning to do-- there are days and days of videos on YouTube about Olivers and also just RVing in general so I've been binging those 😄 Really looking forward to this summer when me and my pup will hit the road!

YES!

JDE, tracks are good tip and simple project. thank you

@Rene, Very wise, good for you! Patriot🇺🇸

Lots of good advice on brake controllers given, but be sure you are seeing the big picture. As several folks here have mentioned, it is illegal to tow your trailer with your truck, and you are exposed to liability in the event of an accident. Your insurance may not protect you. Before you modify your truck with a brake controller, you should evaluate the entire truck for towing capability, as just adding a brake controller may not be all you need to tow a 6000 lb trailer with >500 lb tongue weight. This includes payload, tow capacity, axle ratio, hitch load ratings, 7-pin connection, and the anti-sway compatibility with Andersen WDH. I might be overlooking something, but you get my point. It’s not difficult to figure this stuff out yourself, and if you do, you will that much more familiar with your tow vehicle and towing in general. Your initial idea of selling or trading the truck for an appropriate TV is worth looking into, and you might consider another brand in a 3/4 or 1 ton capacity.

I plan on getting the brake controller install and getting it adjusted correctly before my next trip. You may have all saved me from a bad accident as I naively thought that the Titan was breaking the trailer and the controller just adjusted the amount of breaking power. I didn't realize that No Brake Controller means No Brakes at all to the Oliver 😒 I think the reason why it didn't come with a brake controller was due to the Auto parts shortage and the auto manufacturers were shipping to the show rooms without a lot of the electronics. Now they seem to have more trucks. It looks straight forwards to put a brake controller in my Titan as there is a void in the area where it should have been. Hopefully, the wire harness is somewhere behind it. I am still in two minds as to get a newer Titan that has everything I want. I will keep you all posted on the progress. I have 9 weeks to my Utah trip get this resolved one way or another.

There are a several videos on YouTube I suggest you watch to see exactly what a brake controller does and how to use it. It’s a very important thing to know how to use and to have when towing.

So sorry this happened but glad you got your Ollie back. I have hitch lock but have been thinking about throwing an AirTag somewhere in the Ollie. Might help find it faster if it ever goes missing and they are cheap enough to put a couple in the trailer.

correct. FYI - Just for the fun of it - a little history Oliver lesson: The first "Twin bed" Ollie ordered with the one bed as a "couch" was a former owner that went by the Forum name of "Windcrasher". He was from northern South Carolina (Greer) and was involved in (I think) the oil shale business mainly in Pennsylvania. Because he spent winters in PA, he was also the first (possibly the only) to have his Oliver fitted with tank heaters too and he even had an extra 110 volt outlet in the closet so that he could plug his computer printer in to print reports for his work. During the time between placing my order and getting delivery I watched his Oliver video on YouTube more than 75 times - there wasn't any Oliver University or Oliver videos out there except for his.😵 Bill p.s. for what its worth - I believe that Twist was only the second twin bed to be ordered with the "couch" option.

There are some National Forest Service campgrounds that require the site be occupied on the first night of the reservation - if not then they cancel the rest of the reservation. Unfortunately even this is abused in that I had a camp host tell me that people will set up a cheap tent on the site (i.e. occupy the site with the tent) in order to get around this requirement. Shame! Bil

Gelcoat has a color/number code, and you can order it through a marine supply/fiberglass supply. (In St. Pete, FL, fiberglass productsis our go to source.) . Last time I bought it, for the boat,, one quart was the minimum. And, like every other chemical these days, expensive. Marine tex is pretty close in color, not perfect, so you could just dremel it out and fill in. Or, see if Oliver has the correct color in stock. Gel coat repair is a multistage process.

Really interesting. Both my beds have the wing and are same width. The extra $299 cost I assume was for extra cushions you get for the back of one side.

We have an Amcrest GPS GL300 tracker. Whenever our Elite II is: (1) away from its fully-enclosed storage shed next to our home, and (2) not connected to our tow vehicle, we turn the tracker on. It requires a subscription fee, but we enjoy the peace of mind. I have read anecdotal stores of such trackers being used by police to find stolen trailers. In your shoes, I would leave the tracker on whenever it is parked in front of your home. The tracker is in addition to two different kinds of Bulldog coupler locks, which we install when leaving the trailer at a campground unattended.

Yes, you don’t want to leave the black tank drain open - just when dumping. For the gray tank I usually leave it closed until I dump. If you want to leave it open it shouldn’t pose any problems except you won’t have gray water to flush through your hose after emptying the black tank. Mike

@Big Cat, we have an older Hull, in our upper cabinets we only have the outer hull as a barrier. We use a GPS device from Trak-4, and it easily provides coverage from inside. We've used it for a couple of years and have been pleased with how it works.

Several years ago, I installed a SiriusXM receiver and antenna in the attic. The antenna is between the insulation and the outer hull. I don’t know what size GPS you are working with, but it’s very easy to put it between the insulation and the fiberglass outer hull at the back of the trailer in the attic. If it’s small, it would not be noticeable to someone looking, but you would be able to easily access it. Mike

First - thanks everyone for your thoughts and ideas. Here is an update, sorry for the delay but we were traveling from Hohenwald to Willow Beach COE near Little Rock AR today and I did not want to type a detailed update on my phone. To update - I had left the kitchen sink hot water faucet in the "on" position, hoping that the sun would warm the curb side of the trailer, which fortunately in factory campsite five faces the sun as it rises. I started getting a slow drip, then a faster drip, then a small stream. Within the space of about 90 seconds from that first drip I had full flow on the hot side and the water quickly heated to normal hot water temps. Using the diagram above that Mossey posted, that behavior seems to strongly support a frozen section of line "D" - between the tee that goes on to the bath sink and the kitchen faucet. After I had full flow I used the "pump test" to see if the line appeared to be losing pressure - turned off everything and waited for the pump to start with no water use - and I am hopeful that we escaped without a split line in this incident. Now the question is ... "Why?" I need to see why I am not getting enough warm air in the space between the kitchen cabinets and the hull - or does that line run between the hulls? I don't know - if an LE I owner has dug into the sink guts and has advice I would appreciate any guidance. I am hoping to have time next weekend after we are back in our Dallas home base to do some intensive mapping of the lines under the curb side seats and behind the drawers. I also will not rest easy till I have eyeballed line "D" and the fittings on each end and make sure that there is no residual damage. Reading the other threads on the forum about hidden leaks behind the sink area has me twitching at every unidentified noise this evening, listening to see if it's a leak. 🙂 Again - thanks to everyone who jumped in on this thread and gave ideas and advice. As TopGun2 pointed out - the factory campground is not that helpful a place on a Saturday (LOL). That's the major lesson learned - never do a Thursday / Friday service visit - always make sure that there are people at the mothership when you are there!

Synthetic grout and white nail polish. Ask a lady to pick out the color as us guys are color blind... At least that's what my wife says. Then clear nail polish over that and poof gone to 99.9%. They will never see it. The bad new s that you, on the other hand will see it every time you walk by it. However, the not so good news is that in time your eyesight will diminish and the brain will forget about it. 🙂 GJ

Nice work! However it would have been an ideal time to install this! This is one of my top (5) favorite mods that I am really glad I did. You will see there are no screws used to secure the frame on the new model Ollies just a small clip to insert. Also the newer frames come with the sealant already attached to the frame. A thanks to @topgun2 for suggesting this mod!

As long as you are replacing your 4.2L 6 cylinder F150, I strongly recommend you spend the extra $$$$ to buy a 250/2500 level 3/4 ton truck. Or even a 350/3500 level 1-ton. Our tow vehicle is a 2019 Tundra with a 5.7L V8 with tow package. It is barely enough to safely tow an Elite II, even with an Andersen weight distribution hitch. There is lots of helpful information in this thread entitled Tow Vehicle: Good luck!

Welcome to the family. You will not regret getting a Oliver. Best trailer made. Doing a lot of research on the trailer helps with the wait. Buying the stuff to put in the Oliver is fun.

Hello Rene and welcome !! I think you made an excellent choice!! I found these forums very helpful in my search then in my options. Don't be afraid to reach out to members on here. They have been very helpful with my questions.

Hello Bristol, I agree with the others. If you are going to be traveling alone then the couch option would be a good choice, but if you have or will be having a traveling companion then the twin beds are the way to go. I think topgun2 suggestion to get the twins and use one as a couch is the best of both worlds. You never know when you may want/need that second bed.

Hi Melody, and welcome to the Oliver forum. Like the others have advised prudently, you will be considerably outside of a safety margin towing the LE2 with your current truck. It's age concerns me on top of it's lower capacities. A few things to help you get started. On driver's door post of every vehicle is a sticker that tells the load capacities for that specific vehicle as it was delivered from the factory. You never want to exceed any of those capacities. And in reality you should get a vehicle that leaves you a safety margin in each category. It's very easy to overload a vehicle's cargo capacity when loading up gear, people and pets on board. Add in misc. stuff in back and then add the tongue weight of the trailer on the back of the vehicle and surprise, you're over weight. Then you also have to determine how much the trailer weighs fully loaded. That falls under the Tow Capacity on the sticker. This is one you can't afford to be close or over on. The only way to get this number accurately is to weight the trailer loaded on a commercial scale at a truck stop. That's not how you want to discover you're 1200 pounds too heavy for the truck you're using. Lastly everything hooked together and loaded can't weigh in at more than the combined weight rating (GCWR) on that sticker. As you can see there's a lot to consider in a tow vehicle when considering a specific trailer to pull. If you are settled on an LE2 than that shortens the list considerably as to which tow vehicle you will want to buy. There are plenty of capable tow vehicles, but those capacities mentioned will rule your choices. There's lots of RV and Truck web sites and Youtube channels that can really get you up to speed on what those choices are today. I will say if not new the lower the mileage the better. Pulling a trailer is a lot of work on a tow vehicle, enough that it's considered "severe duty" by the manufacturers. With that term in mind it's always good to have more tow vehicle than you need. The farther you are from that vehicle's maximum capacities the less wear and tare you will be putting on the vehicle. One last thought. Getting the load going down the road with ease is a matter of comfort and enjoyment. Controlling the load during unexpected maneuvering, and getting that load stopped in an emergency situation depends on your trucks capacities compared to the load it's pulling. Better to have plenty of truck. Keep asking questions if you can't find answers and good luck finding a the right truck.

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

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.

It was very good to see you in Quartzsite this week. I hope you had all your questions answered and came away with some good information that proves useful to you.

Rene, welcome! You made a good choice. We will definitely be looking for you out on the road! Mike

Congrats on your decision to get an Oliver!! You are going to love it! Nurses are awesome, such big hearts. Thank you for what you do.💗

Chuck, The table looks great. I hope you don't mind, I re-posted the pictures in a format that more people will be able to view online without having to download them.