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I hope those who buy a 3500 Dully have another trailer they tow in the 20,000 lb. range, or you are just throwing away money. trainman

Hi Everyone, This is a few weeks out of date as this pesky job keeps me busy. But I wanted to share my experience while it is still fresh in my mind and hopefully some of these comments will help, especially for 1st time travelers. I suspect a few of the veterans of the group will reflect fondly on these rookie mistakes. In no particular order: First Night: 1. Stay at the Oliver Travel Trailer campsite when picking up your Ollie. I suggest an AM pickup so staff is still around during daylight hours. The walk-through was awesome. After years of looking at YouTube, it is very much different to be in your trailer. It's actually YOURS! There is a very distinct "new-trailer" smell and it is even better than a "new-car" smell. Lots to go over, and much of it gets lost when you are on your own. I must have made the walk from my campsite to the office at least 10 to 12 times. All of my questions immediately answered. But some simple things that just needed to be fixed / corrected. And a few "what is that sounds" and "is this normal"? They were so patient and kind (especially Hannah). 2. It was COLD. There was still ice on the trees but the heater did it's job. The cabinets and closets stayed pretty cold, but overall I was comfortable. I do find in very cold temperatures the vents in the front of the trailer did not produce as much heat as the bed vents. And those vents don't rotate. I broke a blade and Hannah came out and replaced it in no time. 3. Get a sewer house wrench. One of those Camco ones. Perhaps it was the temperature, but I found it very hard to get the hoses on and off. 4. Practice dumping at the Oliver Campsite. But you have to make sure the Ollie is off the hitch so gravity could do its job. There was a fair amount of grey water still left when I got to the next campsite. Luckily it was grey. First Time Towing: 5. For some reason, I was worried about a Brake Controller. Never using one before, I used a Bluetooth one on my Armada and it was pretty simple to change and configure. Basically drive about 20-25 miles per hour, hit the button, and see how the trailer breaks slow down the truck. Adjust as needed. I did need to adjust this a bit throughout the trip - but it was easy once I got the hang of it. 6. With the Anderson hitch, It was a very comfortable tow. I took it easy and went down Natchez Trace Parkway. Not many cars on the road but it was perfect to ease me into the trip. I mostly just stayed at KOA's as I felt it was easier to get pull through sites initially. The second day I took State Roads to Texarkana, and by the 3rd Day I was comfortable on the Interstates. I do recommend easing into it if this is your first time. You'll get the feel and that nervousness wore off over the first few days. I did stop and torque the tires as directed. Made me feel like I knew what I was doing - even though I never owned a torque wrench in my life. 7. Yes - in freezing temperatures, don't hook up your hose. Fill your Fresh Water tank. The KOA host told me next time, I could also just open up my grey tank and key the water dripping all night. But that leads me to my next experience - everyone along the way was very kind and helpful. 8. OK - this was a BIG ONE, probably the biggest safety issue but having a checklist matters. When I arrived at my second campsite, I noticed the receiver pin was half-way out! Follow a checklist! How it got loose, I have no idea. But luckily I had a pin-lock and was able to put it on. First Time Getting the Look: 9. People LOVED asking me about my Oliver. Gas stations, rest stops. Wal-Mart (shopping, not camping). I stayed at this KOA Resort in Tuscan AZ with full-timers in these massive Diesel Pushers - they stopped to ask me about My Oliver!! You'll feel good towing this behind you. For those in the know, they know quality. Only issue ... my Stove Glass came loose. Seems there are tiny bolts that hold the screws on and it most likely was not tight during the install from Dometic. The road shook them off and I suspect they are somewhere in the bottom of the trailer. I did find one in the drawer. Overall, I was a bit nervous. But for you first timers, you can do it. The team at Oliver has your back. They want you to love your Ollie, they want you to enjoy it for years to come, and they want you to be safe. I felt very much supported through the entire process. Thanks again to all of you for your advise too. Much appreciated. Look forward to meeting some of you soon. Rich

We have had very good luck with the Garmin Overlander. If you are into more backwoodsy stuff the topo option is useful as is the campground database for those times where there is limited cell coverage. Mounted ours on a Biltright base with a long arm to hang over the front of the dash ... keeps the unit out of the windshield and gives easier access to both driver and passenger.

We have 5200lb axles on #75 2015 LE2, running 50PSI in the tires since 2016 when we purchased Ollie used from the original owners. Same here, drawers stay closed, and no issues. Here's our Ollie's spring pack:

We frequently go in the wrong way too to get the front-high elevation correct.

Planning is not my strong point so I’ll have to take your word on that! I just take life one hill at a time. Mossey

We leave home with a full fresh tank. Other two empty. Sometimes we’ll travel with a full fresh and nearly full black and gray. If we’re leaving a campsite and there are folks at the dump station I’ll just keep on driving and dump when we arrive at our next campground later in the day, unless we’re going somewhere with no dump station or hookups, then I’ll get in line. We also travel with a water softener…. Mike

John, I agree with @snakeriveridaho - the airbags will level your headlights and then some. The trick is to find the happy medium where your headlights are level and you are not bounced out of your seat when you hit a bump. I usually run about 20 psi when loaded down and 10 psi unloaded. I cheaped out and decided not to get air on board, or the remote, or the app, etc. Old school, manual air fill is fine by me. One week before we pick up the LE II. Brian

You are correct that all delivered new Legacy Elite II’s will come with a pair of the same 5200 pound axles that have been supplied on the Elite’s since 2008 and for the reasons you stated. However, the same four leaf spring pack that has always been used with the 3500 pound axles is being retained rather than using the five leaf spring pack that is normally used for the 5200 pounders. Their reasoning behind this is that it gives the trailers a softer ride. Effectively, this means the new LEII’s will still have a GVWR of 7000 pounds since that rating is determined by the measurement of the weakest link in the suspension system.

I would start by vacuuming the discharge hose just behind the street side rear tire. If no Joy then: Remove the air distribution cover inside your Ollie, you will see two tubes that come into the 14" X 14" roof penetration. Suggest you disconnect at the "T" that connect the two tubes (from the small drain cups that are outside the roof penetration) and the line that drains down. Then vacuum suck out the contamination/crud that way. If that does not work try a copper wire with the end bent so as not to poke a hole. If that does not work, you likely will need to remove the Dometic and service the cups and lines from above. GJ

We always travel with a full fresh tank as well, so we have water for rest stops on the road, and also to be prepared if the destination campground has water quality or availability problems. I like being prepared, and a well stocked Ollie can provide shelter, food and water for an extended time.

You are correct, of course, that my application of Newton’s laws is rather simplistic and for it to be realistic, it would probably need to executed in a vacuum using wet ice sliding on wet ice at a constant temperature. My singular intention was to try to dispel the constant fear that carrying a full tank of water will significantly affect your fuel mileage. My real world experience is that I’ve never been able to tell a difference.

Sounds like you pushed forward with confidence. Congratulations and thanks for the nice report. Even having travel trailer camped a lot in the past, a new rig to us will come with it's customary unfamiliarities. Looks like you were more than successful. A couple of things I learned years ago as a newbie. Never be an early bird checking out on Sunday morning. The Type A's that live and work on a "Railroad schedule" are there waiting in line and you can feel the tension if you're unable to get in and out in 7.2 minutes. Also regarding checkout schedule, staying Sunday night and checking out on Monday or even Tuesday is very pleasant, especially if you enjoy a little quiet solitude. A lot of camp grounds and especially state parks are ghost towns by 1-2 pm on Sunday.

Two trucks back I had an F350 Diesel Crew Cab Dually 4x4. Unless I was planning on pulling an extremely heavy 5th wheel or hauling a full sized truck camper, I would not buy a dually for camping again. The dual wheel configuration will be of zero value pulling and LE2. They will get in the way a lot, they preclude you from most car washes, you won't be able to rotate tires without dismounting the tires from the rims, and the finders are always at risk when entering any tight space. My fenders got hit by other drivers while sitting in parking lots two times in five years. Also duallys are terrible in snowy conditions compared to single wheels. I've owned two 6.5' beds on full sized trucks in my two trucks since the dually. I've built a house, a 36x26 finished garage and remodeled another house from top to bottom and built a one car garage using the short bed trucks. Never once did I feel I needed a long bed for the many loads of materials I hauled to do those jobs. In other words the short beds were more than adequate. One truck back was a cab and a half configuration with the short bed. Often I wished I had gotten the crew cab, even though it was always just my wife and I. The back seat just wasn't very useful and the few times folks rode back there it was less than comfortable. The one caveat with it was it was the shortest of the last three trucks and was a joy do drive around. Leap forward to the current truck. F350 Crew Cab 4x4 with 6.5' bed. The first thing I got for this truck which was purchased with the LE2 in mind, was a fiberglass camper shell. There is more than enough secure storage in the bed under the cap. We even got a fitted "Airbedz" inflatable mattress that's the size of a queen bed. If we happen to have guests travel with us they could sleep comfortably in the back of the truck, plenty of room to stretch out. The new truck is still much more maneuverable than the old dually, is very easy to daily drive and the back seat is very spacious. I can't think of what I would do different if I had to get another new truck. I think you will really like the megacab and I think it's worth the other "sacrifices". I really doubt you'll feel like you have insufficient storage with the short bed, but you will have an easier driving truck. Regarding the 30 gallon tank, there are aftermarket companies that can fix you up with a larger replacement tank even with the short bed configuration. Now I'm going to go there. I was in love with diesels years ago. Nothing could convince me that a gas engine was worth even a consideration. Move forward a few generations and with the epa required "clean diesel" fuel and exhaust management systems, the only way I would buy a diesel would be if I was pulling more than 15000 pounds regularly. I like the power and fuel economy of a diesel, but I don't like the astronomical costs up front, which is mainly because of the additional epa equipment added to the trucks. But I also don't like the added maintenance requirements and expense that comes with the new diesels. You mentioned trying to save money by getting lower level trim packages, but you could also save 10 grand or more up front by skipping the diesel. And you would get a much simpler and easier to maintain truck with a standard gas engine. I don't blame you if you are in love with the diesel choice, I get it. But that's another "feature" that you really don't need at all if your main load is an Olliver LE2. Oh, did I mention diesel averages a dollar more a gallon. I know they get better mileage but there went a lot of the "advantage" until the fuel prices come down a lot closer the gasoline prices, if they ever do. With epa regs tightening up over the next decade the price spread will probably get bigger. There's my two and a half cents.

Yes, as the tube enters the foam gasket to attach to the cups. Make sure that butyl caulk is still sticky and is firmly stuck to both the foam and the drain tubing. You don’t need to worry about the tubing itself being clogged somewhere, the back flush will blow out all of the crud growth in the tubing. I also used a stainless worm type hose clamp to make sure that the heater hose (or whatever type hose) is firmly attached to the Oliver condensation drain. Also don’t worry about access to the cups, the water will flush everything and actually overflows the cups onto the roof. I wouldn’t run the water at a high flow or for much longer than just a few seconds, probably less than a minute is gracious plenty to get er done.

Yes John! That’s it! Thank you. Darn search feature just doesn’t work. David

My condensate tubing used to plug up on a regular basis. One of the tubes located in the ac inlet area just behind the inlet filter was slightly kinked and wouldn’t drain well so would plug up often. Once I straightened that out I’ve not had any issues. To clear the plugged line before I eliminated the kink, I used a short section of 3/4 in heater hose and adapted it to a garden hose. The heater hose fit perfectly over the condensation drain underneath the trailer so I would simply back flush the drain line. The water would overflow the cups forcing built up crud out onto the roof. You should also make sure that the soft caulking that’s around the two drain hoses as they go through the roof seal (just behind the ac inlet grill/filter) to the cups is complete. Otherwise water from the cups can wick back into the trailer and drip through the inlet grill and onto the floor.

Well - not so much. Builtright charges $20 for that support plate if you order it along with the platform. Matt (president of Builtright) agreed to send me just the platform and I agreed to pay the $20 plus shipping. Therefore, by not ordering the support plate along with the platform I actually paid shipping twice - once for my original order of just the platform and then again for the shipment of the support plate. So, save yourself some money on the shipping costs by ordering both at the same time with the "PRO" version, if you have interest in hanging cell phones, TPMS systems, GPS's, laptops, rearview camera monitors, etc. off your dash. Bill

Great deal! I have the same GPS and I probably didn’t need the bracket but I bought it anyway. It went together seamlessly. I also opted for the 67 Designs Carbon Fiber Amps plate and a short Arm. This allows me to connect the magnetic part of the GPS mount to the amps plate and I get unlimited adjustments for viewing. I am going to mount my TPMS on another short arm and use a mag-mount on it, also from 67 Designs. This company has several examples of Built Right products on their page. Brian

A bit of an update for the Builtright platform. Last month I took delivery of my new 2023 Ford F-150. This truck has a 12 inch info screen versus the eight inch screen that was on my 2017. I knew that the "tray" in the top of the dash of the Ford would be larger (due to the screen size) in the new truck, so, I removed and sold the old Builtright platform (easily done here on the Forum) and bought a new one, way back before Christmas. The installation of the new platform is very similar to that of the old one given that Ford continues to use the same type of plastic clips to hold just about everything together. Unfortunately though, in the area directly above the massive screen where the dash tray meets/joins the trim at the top of the screen, there is very little securing these two pieces together. Thus, with the weight of the platform plus a Garmin 890 hanging off of it, I felt that there was too much flex in the plastic that would eventually cause fatigue in that plastic and there was a bit too much vibration in the 890. So, I contacted Builtright and even though they do not normally sell the support bracket for the platform separately, the president of Builtright made an exception and put one in the mail to me - great customer service. Since this support bracket actually bolts to the metal subframe under the dash, there will be no flexing and/or vibration through the platform. I'll post some pictures after I receive the support bracket and do the re-install. But, if anyone is considering the purchase of this product for a Ford that has the 12 inch screen then I'd highly recommend that they get what Builtright calls the "PRO" model since this includes the support plate along with the platform. Bill

Glad you got off to a good start. We have had strangers follow us down the road into our neighborhood as we return from a trip who want to talk about the Ollie as we are trying to get it parked in the driveway.

Kirk, we’ve had two water softeners. The first was an 8,000 grain unit that we used for a couple of years. It was heavy and had to be carried in the truck. It did do a good job. I found a very small one, just 3,200 grain that would fit upright in the basement and was not heavy at all. The big one is now used for truck/trailer washing and the small one goes with us camping. You can see it on Amazon HERE. It’s worked well for us. Mike

We have a pet starling his name is Ditto He loves to eat crickets and stink bugs. He lives in our store and when the stink bugs come in in the fall they don’t have a chance. The interesting thing is that when he catches one he rubs it all over his feathers before he eats it. It’s smell must do something maybe like insect repellent for mites. Maybe you need to get a pet starling. IMG_0186.MOV

That is awesome, I do have dual batteries and would be using up-fitter switches. I just don't have the means to make those parts right now. If you have a machine shop and are planning to duplicate this I would gladly pay for a second set of brackets. Definitely gave me something to think about. I read he was installing an air tank in the spare tire area. I have seen some installs where it takes the place of the spare. Not interested in that though. Are you going straight from the compressor or to a tank first? We are also registered for the rally, sounds like a good time. Brian

I love my LEDs. I call the high beams my landing lights. As good as any I've seen on an aircraft. Speaking of aircraft, I love your "Tug" and "Tail #" reference in your signature line. I hadn't thought of that but I like it.

Nice to know you have positive experience with the heavier spring pack. Makes it an option down the road.

I specified the 5200 pound axles during the 2013-14 build of Hull #050 because Jim Oliver told me to. They came with the 5 leaf spring pack which fully rated them to carry 5200 pounds. We've towed it about 100K miles over the past 10 years, been to every state including Alaska. I've never had anything to break, drawers to open during travel or cabinet doors that won't stay closed. Virtually 100% of those miles have the tires at 80psi (which I don't think is a good idea, despite it still being recommended until recently). The easiest way to soften the ride is to lower the tire pressure. We now run about 60psi although tires are rated for 110psi.

This is a fairly well known artifact of LED headlamps in general. People find them too bright. I like you approach (same as mine) little taste of SuperDuty high beams usually does the trick! Brian

Having a 350 crew cab truck you wouldn't think air bags would be needed with the lite tongue weight of the LE2. Unfortunately we often get the brights flash from oncoming cars at night thinking I'm driving with high beams, even with no load on the truck. I've confirmed my headlight aim is correct and it still happens. As has been mentioned by others, our truck rides much taller than most stock trucks, but the problem is actually due to the projector beam LED headlight having a very focused cut off line for the top of light beam. with the slightest rise in the road contour you can see the focus line rise above the eye level of the oncoming car. For that reason I have already purchased the bluetooth controlled air bags for the rear suspension to make possible correcting headlight aim while loaded. If your new truck will have LED headlights, I would recommend you get the factory leveling system. Oncoming traffic will appreciate your effort. BTW, sometimes folks will just turn their brights on instead of just giving a quick flash. If they are far enough away to not cause a safety concern, I will give them a quick taste of the high beams, I call this an appreciation flash. When they see how bright the actual high beams are, they appreciate the low beams much more.

We run with full fresh and empty gray/black whenever possible. Having a full tank of water we KNOW is good is just smart planning. It eliminates both health concerns and concerns with some ultra hard water scaling issues that more than a few camp grounds provide.

If there are campers lined up behind us at the dump station, instead of rinsing the black tank, we just dump a bucket of water into the toilet with our normal mix of a cap full of Calgon water softener and a cap full of Dawn dish soap and do a complete black tank rinse at the next opportunity. If I am patient while waiting in line, I expect the same from those behind us. It also gives us a chance to start our dump procedure. I do try to check out the dump site while I coming into the campground so I have an idea of what to expect when my turn comes. I have even gone into a dump from the wrong direction when the slope of the drive would leave me tail high and it was beyond the reach of the front jack. Most RV’s dump from the middle, so the slope may not be a challenge for them. The main thing to remember is go slow and think it through. Mossey

Congrats Rich! Sounds like you are having a good time with your new Oliver. We had our share of noob moments! I could not remember how to turn on the water pump. I new about the one in the bath but I couldn't find the one in the cabin. Looked everywhere. Several times I checked the water levels in the fresh and gray but did not notice the water pump switch! When I found it I felt like an idiot! Another one was turning off those touch lights. I forgot they were touch lights and I was getting annoyed that every time I turned on the master switch all those lights would come on. Then it dawned on me, those are the touch lights. Once again, I felt like an idiot! 😁 I haven't found the need to unhitch the trailer when dumping the gray tank. I just put blocks under the front jack and bring the trailer up to where it starts to lift the back of the truck. The same thing I do when putting the Anderson fishtail on. To get that last little bit out, I just rock the trailer a bit and it usually comes right out.

Murphy’s Law always applies! 🙂

What about Murphy’s Law? 😂

Hi Steve, that’s a very loose interpretation of Newton's law. And that example of the extra weight of full tanks only applies in an ideal world with frictionless surfaces. Frictional forces must always be taken into account in the balance of forces with Newton's laws. In that cartoon illustration, the frictional force of the crate sliding on the floor must be accounted for. The crate won't keep sliding on its own. You have to keep pushing, even to maintain a constant speed. And the heavier the crate, the harder you have to push to maintain a constant speed, because the frictional force increases in direct proportion to the weight. In the real world, every extra bit of mass in the trailer and tow vehicle absolutely will require additional energy to move, even at a constant speed on a level road, for several reasons: -Rolling resistance of the tires increases as the downward loading on the tires increases. -Wheel bearing friction, etc. all increase as well as the mass increases. -Even when towing at a constant speed on a level road, a change in direction (making a turn) is a change in velocity vector (which is still an acceleration) that requires more energy as the mass increases. And of course we don’t drive indefinitely on level roads at a constant speed. There are hills, stop lights, etc. that constantly require acceleration, so more mass means more energy needed.

But then there's Gerrold's Laws of Infernal Dynamics: 1. An object in motion will always be headed in the wrong direction. 2. An object at rest will always be in the wrong place. 3. The energy required to change either one of these states will always be more than you wish to expend, but never so much as to make the task totally impossible.

@Steve Morris, I've taught a bunch of people to use dumps. But, I encouraged them to just put clean into the toilet/ black tank. Cleaner water everywhere. Much nicer experience if there's a first timer mistake.

If you are talking about attaching and detaching the sewer hose from the trailer, there is no need. Leave it attached. Just cap it and put the hose in the bumper.

And don't let anyone distract you. That includes spouses and dear friends. I have a rule: DON'T TALK TO ME WHILE I'M HITCHING UP/UNHITCHING. I've damaged campers by breaking that rule. Luckily, nothing serious and no injuries, but still... We were at a campground where a guy dropped his new fifth wheel on his head because his son came over and was talking to him while unhitching. He went out in a helicopter and the police rinsed the blood out of the back of his truck so his family wouldn't have to deal with it when they came back. (This was also an abject lesson on the importance of always chocking your trailer wheels before you unhitch.)

I have had many similar experiences with interest from all types of campers. Most had never heard of Oliver. Once I was pulling out of a gas pump and had someone pull up directly in front of us in a pickup truck, blocking our exit and forcing me to brake. He wanted to know about the OEII. I answered his questions, and did not admonish him over his inappropriate action and dangerous driving.

We have a GMC crew cab, long bed, dually. It's huge. It's my daily driver and, for the most part, it's OK for that. I just park a little farther out in lots, because it's longer than a standard space. No issues on the roads, but I have run over over a few curbs in various driveways. And, be real careful in drive-throughs! My turning radius is similar to the Queen Mary, but there's TONS of storage under the Diamondback bed cover. We can carry all kinds of camping gear in the truck. I actually need a hook to reach stuff at the front of the bed. Such a big truck kind of negates the compact size of the Ollie. We're almost 45' long end to end, so we still need reasonably large sites for camping. The dual wheels add considerable cost when it's time to replace tires and contribute to the aforementioned curb crawling. But they certainly give the truck a solid grip on the road when towing. No sense of sway when towing various trailers. Previously, we had a crew cab, short bed, dually Ford, which I thought was perfect for hauling our fifth wheel. Really liked that configuration. But, the fifth wheel had a lot more storage than our Ollie. In summary, I think if I was buying another truck as an Ollie hauler, I'd go with an extended cab, long bed, single rear wheel. The crew cab is overkill for the two of us, so an extended cab would help a bit with maneuverability. The long bed gives plenty of storage. And the dual rears aren't necessary for the relatively light and well-mannered Oliver.

If anyone wants to make the block I made, here's the list of pieces you'd need to order: #3075 Extrusion, 24" #4303 Bracket, 4 pieces #4302 Bracket, 2 pieces #3320 Bolt Assembly, 14 pieces You'll also need some stainless ¼" or 5/16" bolts to fix the block to the hull. I think most can be 1" or 1.25" long but you'll need two 3" bolts for the two vertical ones that go through the bed extension. I used lock nuts and large fender washers to spread the load against the fiberglass. I also cut off all the bolt ends around the bed side with a dremel and cutoff disk and filed them smooth so not to damage the mattress or cushions.

OK - you asked for it! Do you rent out Ditto? Whatever you do - DON'T pick up one of these little creatures with your bare hand - they do really stink.

Paul and Santina, We picked up a few dozen in Eugene, OR, on the second of October. I have continued to find one or two, every time I am in or around the trailer. A couple of days ago, I found one alive in the Hypervent, under one of the beds! That is almost five months later! They just keep coming! When will it stop? Andrew