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I have respect for the elegant and creative solutions on these mods. I have given my voice on prior mods to the trailer bumper rack system. I spent 20 years as an executive and partner at Yakima Racks and can speak from experience. There is a good reason for the factory set weight limit. The length of the back half of the fulcrum (trailer axles to the trailer bumper) is many times greater than from the axles of any TV to its bumper. Not to mention the forward distance from trailer axles to the bulldog hitch. Consider these distances and the vertical distance the bulldog hitch instantly travels up and down when your rig encounters dips, rises, steep driveways and potholes. The results of these encounters are nothing less than absolute violence at the trailer bumper. The forces applied at the trailer bumper are magnitudes greater than almost all receiver hitch systems are designed to withstand. Of the many receiver hitch mounted bike systems Yakima produces, only one is approved to withstand the extreme forces of being mounted to an RV bumper. I cannot judge your mods and if they will withstand the test of time. The test of time being constant vibration, sudden jolts, and that once in the life compression or frost heave that rocks your rig like never before. The scope of actual experience of trailer bumper systems within Oliver users is very small as there are 1,200 +/- trailers on the road compared to the well more than a million Yakima systems on the road. I can only advise to operate with an abundance of caution when modifying your bumper system and or exceeding the factory load limit.

When we bought our Oliver, my wife and I had many discussions about how and where to store it at home. We finally decided to have a carport installed in front of my shop. This morning I was walking down to my shop and did a double take when I saw that an oak tree had fallen onto the carport. When I got down there, I saw that although about 10 feet of the carport was crushed it did not crush down to the Oliver. The carport did its job and as soon as I get it repaired, the Oliver will be going back under it.

We purchased the receiver option from Oliver. The receiver from Oliver is a 2 inch receiver with an insert to make it 1 1/2”. When I got back to Oregon, I went to a local machine shop and had them remove the insert. Now our 2 inch bike rack fits perfectly. Between the rack and both bikes, we are still under the 150 lb limit. We have towed almost 7 K mile with this configuration and we have had no problems. Good luck with your outfit. Carl

I’m with BIll on this one. It depends. When I towed with 1500’s and the slope isn’t too steep it probably would hold everything at a stop. With a my current 2500 and torque at 900+ I’m not sure. The trailer wheels may not turn but the truck/trailer may not stay stationary. When I adjust the gain I don’t ever go for tire skids on pavement. Gravel, yes. On pavement I judge the amount of drag when I apply the controller and go from there - you learn to feel where it should be. I routinely apply the trailer brakes first thing when we start out in the morning to ensure the grab is enough and to work any moisture out. Mike

FWIW, the Ford F250 available through the posted link above has NEARLY DOUBLE the payload capacity of our Tundra--2883 lbs. vs. 1460 lbs. Payload is the single most important criterion for towing safety. That F250 would be a great tow vehicle for an Elite II.

That’s a big tree! Sure glad your trailer was not damaged! Mike

One thing to keep in mind regarding pickups. Regardless of 150/1500 series all the way up to 350/3500 series, the overall size or footprint of the truck is essentially the same. You will have small variations in overall length depending on the size of the bed and some cabs are slightly shorter or longer. Point being they are all full size trucks so regardless of capacity, they are all basically the same size. Also as close as you can get as far as on board features when comparing, the prices are relatively close as well. A well equipped F150 with V8 engine and towing packages, will not be much less than an F250 with similar equipment and a gas engine. If payload is important to you, it's better to look the direction of the heavier series trucks as opposed to just getting by with a half ton and limited payload for nearly the same money in the end. Just trying to throw out thinking points since you are at the decision stage right now. You know your budget and comfort level best, but it's most economical as you know to do this once and get it right rather than revisit the TV purchase process a year into owning the Oliver.

As is everything. For times such as these.

Rene, Ultimately the choice of what new TV you buy is yours. Regardless of what brand truck you decide to purchase you may really want to factor in how long your warranty is post sale. All trucks now are what I call rolling IPads jam packed full of very sensitive electronics. Like you have pointed out, purchase a truck that fits your needs and most of all your budget. I think everyone would agree, the price of new trucks and cars has really gone up. All the more important to do your homework and not feel rushed to buy. It will all work out. Patriot🇺🇸

I would use Autotrader.com and look nation wide. Only consider trucks that have the price listed. You shouldn't pay more than the sticker price. Some dealers are listing slightly below sticker occasionally. It'll take some work on your part but you can find a descent truck if you work at it. Here's an example of a nicely equipped F250 that would pull and LE2 with ease and no WD hitch required, and it's window sticker below with all included options on this truck. https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=664480564&listingTypes=NEW&driveGroup=AWD4WD&startYear=2022&endYear=2022&makeCodeList=FORD&modelCodeList=F250&city=Greenfield&state=IN&zip=46140&searchRadius=0&trimCodeList=F250|Lariat&marketExtension=include&isNewSearch=false&showAccelerateBanner=false&sortBy=derivedpriceASC&numRecords=25&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fnew-cars%2Fawd-4wd%2F2022%2Fford%2Ff250%2Fgreenfield-in-46140%3FsearchRadius%3D0%26trimCodeList%3DF250%7CLariat%26marketExtension%3Dinclude%26isNewSearch%3Dfalse%26showAccelerateBanner%3Dfalse%26sortBy%3DderivedpriceASC%26numRecords%3D25&clickType=listing https://www.windowsticker.forddirect.com/windowsticker.pdf?vin=1FT7W2BNXNEG40020

Doesn't have to be diesel, either. Our GMC 6.0 gasser tows our LE2 just fine. We've been from Tennessee up I-81 to mid state NY and points in between so far. While diesels are clearly the best for towing power there's a premium to be paid upfront and for maintenance.

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!

Hello Steve! How exciting to have placed your order! And up coming retirement. I will be placing my order this year also. My retirement is still a few years away but I absolutely love the RV lifestyle. TV shopping these next few weeks. Test drove a Ford 2500 today! Good luck on your coming adventures!

Any theft deterrent that we can employ, short of standing outside our Ollie's with a shot gun, can be defeated. As in the military, the best defense has multiple layers to slow down or degrade the attacker. I also submit that our security devices should minimize storage and weight for travel. Here are my suggested layers of defense: Layer 1. For long term (Not Occupied), I start my security prep by lowering the trailer tongue. Simple. Free. No added weight. Layer 2: For this layer I use two items suggested by John D years ago: Unlike the Proven Ind. cover, they easily fit into a kitchen drawer and weigh a lot less than ten pounds. They are a deterrent that some bad guys will walk away. I cover them with large coffee can or a bucket for both weather protection, and also so that passers by can't see what I have in store for them. Most do not bring the power tools required to defeat these devices. For those really serious thieves that do have the power tools please proceed to Layer 6. For those less prepared thieves that do not have the power tools, please proceed to Layer 3. Layer 3. After they get through chewing their way through Layer 2, they then will likely try to dead lift our 640 pound tongue weight. However their sore backs quickly veto that approach. They have a eureka moment when they see the front jack. They eagerly remove the cover and activate the jack to raise the bulldog onto their hitch. But the jack does not work because I removed the fuse. They cut the wires and splice them around the fuse. But drats that does not work either because my DC Master Switch is in the OFF position. So sorry guys. More time burned. Layer 4: Now they are really getting nervous as their 60 seconds and gone plan is out the window. But determined they are and they fetch their vehicle scissors jack that is buried in their TV. But to use it near the tongue, that you will recall is near the ground, requires them to excavate a small trench. They waste time figuring out that they can move the jack aft and try to raise it from there. But that typically means that the jack will not extend high enough to get the bulldog over their super duty truck hitch. Sorry for your back injuries from trying to power lifting our 640 pound tongue weight. More time wasted. Layer 5: In their haste, they had failed to notice that I also have a security lock on the Bulldog. More time wasted to saw off that lock. At this point the dumb ones give up on my Ollie and go to yours. But the Professional thieves have a different path entirely. Instead of taking the time to attack hardened steel, they bypass them entirely. They back up their truck to the bulldog, grab our safety chains/cables and wrap them tightly around their hitch and run them through two carabiners. Fasten them and hall ass. Truly 60 seconds and gone. Layer 6: But wait, you took a few seconds to bolt and double nut your safety cables/chains to together up under the fiberglass propane tank cover. Now they have to go fetch real tools to unbolt or cut your grade 8 steel bolt. More time wasted. Layer 7: Your last straw of hope in getting your trailer back is that tracker you placed over Ollie. Why here? Because no double bubble and better reception overhead. The above are the best seven of my 12 "Home Alone" fun things to mess with thieves. But if you want to explore others consider: Exploding dye packs, trip wires to screamers, and my all time favorite is an electric fence transformer grounded and attached to the frame of Ollie. 🙂 GJ PS: My favorite fun movie is the Christmas Special "Home Alone". I liked the original one the best.

I would not suggest towing any Ollie , or any other trailer, without a tow package.

Welcome, Melody. I don’t have anything to add to the good advice above. This is the right place to get your questions answered! Mike

Totally agree with needing a more capable Tow Vehicle (TV) for 99+% of all owners. The less than 1% are those that remove the tires and have Ollie on blocks parked at their dream spot. That said, what JD stated is correct in that the twin axles are rated at 7,000 pounds. However, if you were to plot the weight of all the owner's (for over a year), and loaded for camping, the OE2's it likely would look like a very flat sort of bell curve. The curve likely would start at about 5200 pounds and end up at about 6,600 pounds. The vast majority I would postulate would be between 5600 and 6200 pound. There would be just a few outliers from the curve below and above this range. Welcome to our family! GJ

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.

I too had a machine shop remove the insert for our two inch bike rack. It has been rock solid.

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.

I finally received an undamaged fridge from West Marine. I set it on the cabin table (lowered position) and ran it for a few hours on 120 volts AC. When I first turned it on, I thought it was dead, then I saw the fan spinning and felt the compressor. Yep, running…. I did this sound test from 12” away from the compressor. Woohoo! I haven’t seen an actual sound reading before. I am blown away. But not blown away by how the inside looked “as received”. Nothing was damaged. I am doing extensive carpentry this weekend. John Davies Spokane WA

Melody: There are many half ton trucks that are NOT capable of pulling a heavy Ollie with high truck payloads. That said there are a BUNCH of OE2 owners using highly capable half ton trucks and even a handful using SUV's such as the Toyota Land Cruiser. I'll not (again) dip my toes into brands but you can search TV's on this forum and you'll get many scores of valid opinions. For example, there is the diesel vs. gas perspective, the gotta have a super duty perspective, and of course the gotta have a 4X4 perspectives (just to name a few) all with valid justifications. Just keep in mind that those valid posts are based upon each owners perspective about their rig (TV and RV) and how they use it. Some of those factors include: HOW THEY WILL USE THEIR RIG & WHERE TV payload weight? (Includes weight and number of seats needed, Etc.) Ollie weight Where they intend on towing? (Mountain roads, Flat Land, Near Others or boondocking alone well off the grid, etc.) What kind of roads will they be using or not using? (Interstate, paved, paved bad condition, maintained fire roads, bad fire roads, etc.) Is the TV your daily driver or is it a single purpose vehicle only used to tow Ollie? How many of the four seasons do you expect to normally use your rig? Your driving style (Aggressive, normal, and uber conservative for example) .And I am sure that there are other considerations that my fellow members could add to the list. WHAT ARE THEIR TV and RV METRICS? Axle ratings and the fully loaded certified actual loads on each Combined gross weight ratings of the rig and actual weight "all in" What towing characteristics does their trailer model exhibit? For example is it stable under tow with no sway such as OTT's are. Point is that opinions from any specific owner that their XXX TV is great/poop to tow an OE2 is useful only if they make clear what their use is. If they did, then you would know if it's germane to your use. Please also keep in mind that the MFG tow ratings are traditionally suitable for flat land towing on good roads. If you expect to be using your OE2 under more severe conditions, you need more capable TV. And there are many of suitable TV's half ton and up. So if you really want to get the best recommendations from your Ollie Family, you would be well served to draft out your thoughts about the above "meat balls" and your expectations for towing your OE2. GJ

In my circumstance the current version of RV trackers are lacking. My rig is in a dark barn on top of an Oklahoma mountain for 8 or 9 months a year. None of the top trackers have that kind of battery life. As you suggested fixed camera systems are likely the best option in my case. Something simple as a ring camera facing Ollie is the best option I can think of for my circumstances. Regardless, here is a fairly recent summary of the top three RV trackers that may be of interest for those that have access to their RV on a more frequent basis: https://campersandcampfires.com/rv-gps-tracker/ GJ

Thank goodness your Ollie was under that shelter. It won't be inexpensive repairing the shelter but I'd bet that it will be a bunch LESS expensive repairing it versus repairing the Ollie. Thanks for the pics! Bill

Doesn't matter. It's a very low torque application.

Layer 7: Your last straw of hope in getting your trailer back is that tracker you placed over Ollie. Why here? Because no double bubble and better reception overhead. What tracker do you use and how is it attached or hidden? That's a Fort Knox approach to keeping your Ollie. Thanks. I use the Proven Ind. Lock and their puck lock when it's outside by our garage. Thinking of security cameras next. You'd be surprised at the number of boats and trailers secured with only a cheap Masterlock that I see when walking in the neighborhood. John

Given the sad experience you describe at your local dealerships, I recommend you consider a "fly and drive" possibility. Search deals on the web, even if they are a long way from home. If you can find a truck that works for you in, say, Texas, you can fly there and drive it home. There are a few dealerships in the nation that are doing business that way. If you read my post in the Tow Vehicle thread, you know that we still tow with our 2019 Tundra because right now is a really bad time to buy a truck. I can wait because the Tundra works for us, just not optimally. You can't wait. So, if the "fly and drive" method doesn't pan out, you my need to pay the premium for a used truck. Good luck!

You could still take taylor.coyote up on his generous offer and simply take the hitch with you when you pick your Oliver up. The guys/gal in Service would be more than happy to install it for you and set it up properly. Bill

No problem. You will be on a steep learning curve. Some coaching from the staff will lower the hurdles. I purchased my trailer used and when through the learning curve without much help. You will likely thank yourself for simplifying your life with the hitch. best of luck. You are off on what can be a great adventure.

Wow that is a very generous offer! If I had a bit more experience with hitches and towing, I would take you up on it, but considering I’ll be picking it up in Hohenwald and towing back to Birmingham, if feel more secure having Oliver do the setup. I’d hate to screw something up for my maiden tow!

Doesn't this depend on a whole host of factors - steepness of the slope, weight of the tow vehicle, quality of the surface all eight tires are on, etc.? p.s. there are a ton of videos on YouTube explaining how to set up a brake controller. People unfamiliar with brake controllers would be well served to watch several of these videos until they fully understand how they work. In addition, the owner's manual of the tow vehicle covers this if the vehicle originally came equipped with a trailer brake controller - read it.

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

@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🇺🇸

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 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

Steve Welcome to the Oliver family. You made a great decision in following through with your order. Soon you will need to decide on colors and other options just prior to Oliver starting your build. Since you live in the south, I would suggest that your consider the Truma AC package. It is a lot quieter than the standard AC unit.

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!

Hey Steve, glad you are following through and living your dream, although significantly modified. This is a great community and a good place to get any questions answered. If you make it up to the rally it would be great to meet you. Mike

You are!

That a good idea- Google says Lake Guntersville is only a couple of hours away, so I could come up for a day trip!

Haha! Well, I guess I could retire in June, but I do have the luxury of working from anywhere, so I'm going to see how it turns out if I try to work from the road in the Oliver. If it works OK, I may continue working just to accumulate more cash for retirement. Otherwise, if work cuts into my free time too much, I'll just say "so long!". Health insurance is the only other issue, so I was thinking I would wait until I can sign up for Medicare. I definitely have learned that time is more valuable than money, so that's not lost on me! Best to start living the dream while I am still healthy and active.

You guys are the best. I wish I had asked this question and been a part of this forum BEFORE I purchased the truck. Oh, well, nothing that can't be undone. I feel like I am amongst friends. 🥰

Steve, Welcome and congrats on your order! It will be here before you know it! Now is a great time to hit the books in Oliver University. You will be much better off on delivery day! Lots of great info on here as well. The search bar is your friend! 😊 Patriot🇺🇸

I've towed for years and wanted a heavy truck this time around. My former truck which we still own is an F150 with the 5.4 engine and tow package. You will love the 5.0. V8's are great engines and I've heard the 5.0 is really strong. You may like the tow experience better with a weight distribution hitch but I have no doubt you've got plenty of truck. Looks like you are set up for fun times down the road.

Hoorah. Ollie lives! Stolen rig returned! Police found it behind a stolen tow vehicle behind a locked gate (locks cut) in a rancher's field less than a mile from the police station. It was stuck in the mud and two people who had been living in it had gone out to get a friend to help them get out of the mud when the rancher arrived, and the thieves raced away. Police didn't catch them, but they did find identifying evidence (jail release papers) and opioid detox meds from the jail pharmacy for one of them. Of course, most of my gear was stolen, and a lot of their stuff was in it. Thank goodness for the fiberglass inner hull which will make it much easier to clean/sanitize. There's work to do: negotiating with insurance, broken off stabilizer jack to replace, spray paint on the hull, stolen spare tire and fiberglass cover, destroyed door lock, wrecked entry stair and scratches on the hull, plus cleaning, fumigating and replacing contents, but we will be on the road again this spring and summer. So here's my question: fourteen years in my driveway in a big city, and never messed with before. Reasonable quality hitch lock and motion detector lights. What all do you folks recommend as security systems. You can bet I am paranoid, and short of trying to build an enclosure, what do you folks do to keep your beloved rigs safe? Thanks, Angler, Hull #27 470257C6-C213-48CD-8B61-9549EEBF0A7F.heic 502D75D4-929A-499C-A8A7-E01237E6022A.heic

Thanks for the welcome! It's a 2022 Ford F150 4x4 5.0L V8 with the Pro Towing package. I bought it strictly based on the 13,000 lb. towing capacity. Pretty sure it can handle the LE2, but I've heard quite a few folks now say that it may be a bit small? Too late now! 😄 But, I think it will be OK, we'll see! Certainly not close to the monster you are driving~

Hi Melody, welcome to the forum, I agree, you don’t have enough power to safely tow an LE2 which can weigh as much as 7000 pounds. Compare the power figures for your engine vs the big V8. You might be able to CAREFULLY tow it home to Florida from the factory, but the first steep grades you encounter will show you that it just isn’t going to be satisfactory. You will 100% need to upsize your tow vehicle, or downsize your trailer. Considering the age of your truck, it makes sense to get a more modern, more powerful, much safer truck. John Davies Spokane WA

A quick look on the internet I found this https://www.ford-trucks.com/specs/2006-2/2006-ford-f-150-specifications/ Without knowing more about your TV I would say looking at these charts that towing the Elite ll might be more than your TV should tow. I know I would not want to tow with that. I think the Elite ll weighs almost 5000lbs empty. I figure that after we put our things in our that we are pushing 6000 lbs.

Absolutely it helps, thank you and nice setup! Brian

That looks like a great solution to me. But go ahead and follow your instinct; cut off the ears and grind them smooth. As it is now, it shouts TRAILER HITCH. See above comments about morons towing stuff behind their Ollie. You don’t want to tempt a future owner! I really like the Duplicolor ceramic caliper paint, it requires no primer and once cured, about a week) it is tough as nails. It goes on beautifully and flows out smoothly. John Davies Spokane WA