Leaderboard

We spent alot of years working to restore fish passage for Alewives in Maine, and still get home every spring In time to do it all over again.

Many new Olivers have the pristine appearance of their beautiful white gelcoat while exploring this wonderful nation. They are truly pieces of modern art to behold as they roll across the highways and byways. During WWII, it was fashionable for American bomber aircraft or fighters to be decorated with intriguing pieces of artwork (Nose Art) which provided an emotional connection for the aircrews as they "went about their business" during their wartime missions. Some of us have chosen to add a personal, meaningful touch to our Ollies as we carry out our "mission" of exploring this land and have chosen to place some sort of art, or motif on the front of our beloved Ollie which helps guide us along the nation's highway, byways, and back roads displaying a bit of our character, history, or interests to others who come across our paths. This thread is a place for us to show our frontal artwork to our Ollie family and perhaps say a few words about it. I'll go first. I'm on my second piece of art, the first one developed cracks after 12 years and 111,000 miles. My companion dog , Bosker, now graces the front of my trailer . . . eyes gazing into new horizons wondering what adventures are around the next corner. Those of you who have placed a bit of your personalty "up front" please share it with us. Tell us how it is meaningful to you . . .

After we came up with the super-imaginative name for our Oliver (The Trailer) we decided we’d let someone else design a logo. I asked a local artist to combine a big star (Texas you know), some compass points and the Oliver winding road, in red and gray. She did a great job and I installed it at our first campsite after pickup (Land Between the Lakes - May 2016). We had the design printed at a local print shop, they did two and I still have one when this one gets too worn.

The inspiration for my nose art was my two Border Terriers. And of course, also the fact that my wife did not wholeheartedly embrace a travel trailer as an RV of choice. She would have preferred a Class B or C if she was going to move out of the Hampton Inn. The hard part was finding a silhouette that was an accurate image of a Border Terrier and was not copyrighted. I found this one on Etsy and bought a piece of the artwork and asked for permission to use it on my caravan, as he called the Ollie. He was impressed that I had even asked for permission and was kind enough to send me a soft copy to use as I pleased. I added the script to the original and Oliver printed for me. Mossey

I am a bit surprised to hear Oliver did away with that hide away storage under the NS table…. bummer. We sure like ours. We also like the basement pass through door as well. Patriot🇺🇸

So from that 1,390 pound payload limit, subtract the Elite I tongue weight of 400 to 500 pounds, then subtract the weight of 3 adults (500 to 600 pounds), and subtract the weight of the Andersen hitch (~50 lbs.), subtract the weight of Rock Tamer mud flaps if you add those to the hitch (~50 lbs.), then subtract the weight of EVERYTHING ELSE that’s ever been added in or on your tow vehicle (floor mats, mud flaps, cargo liner, tools, etc.) and that gives you the remaining payload number left for your camping gear. It gets used up surprisingly fast when you honestly count the weight of EVERYTHING that wasn’t in or on the vehicle from the factory. We started towing our Elite II with large body-on-frame SUVs (a Ford Expedition EL with HD tow package first, and then a Nissan Armada). On paper, both were fully capable of towing the Elite II (both did require the Andersen WDH), but the reality for camping was not ideal. And the EcoBoost V6 engine in the Expedition felt overworked when towing in the mountains. We carry a lot for extended road/camping trips, and while both those SUVs had plenty of cargo/payload weight rating (around 1,700 lbs.) and towing capacity, the reality was that cargo VOLUME became a bigger issue for long camping trips. We carry two camp chairs, a 9’x12’ outdoor rug, a folding picnic table, a drying rack for clothes, a portable grill, an extra 20 lb. propane tank, tools and emergency roadside gear, two bicycles, an ice filled cooler, portable solar panel, etc. so I was getting close to the payload weight limit and also just ran out of space in those SUVs. We now use a Ford F-250 and no more worries. Towing and camping are much more enjoyable now.

Cool thread. I’m not putting a Vargas style pin-up off @DebMon the front, though. 😉 I know what mine is going to be, but I’m not sharing yet. Two nights ago I was smacked in the face with a bit of inspiration, and I can’t wait to turn it into a graphic. The name will be revealed two weeks from tomorrow, though. 😁

I've got a real soft spot for the pooches. Bosker looks quite contented displayed front and center.

The issues some owners are having with the Truma AC leaking is concerning. We are scheduled in May at Oliver Service for the swap out of our Dometic Penguin and install of a new Truma Aventa. Hopefully by the time our install happens these details will be corrected. We will need to be assured by Oliver Service that they have addressed any and all issues regarding the installation of the Truma Aventa. I have a call into Mike Sharpe. Followng…. Patriot🇺🇸

Two bungee cords, one at the whale tail shackles, and one at the midpoint of the chains. Simply drape them over the tongue. You can keep the rear one in place all the time, even when towing. Use the front one to secure your 7 wire cable to the top of the hitch when towing, to prevent dragging and damage….. John Davies Spokane WA

I would never use a router or die grinder inside an Ollie! A jig saw will go through that fiberglass without making very much mess, just tape down a vacuum hose near your cut. I did this one under the fridge with a jigsaw, it took some hand work near the duct with a hacksaw blade because I did not (yet) have an oscillating tool. It is hidden and neatness was not a priority. I just ordered this Dewalt at almost half off. DEWALT 20V MAX XR Multi-Tool Kit, Oscillating Tool, 6-Speed, Quick Blade Change for Multi-Tool Needs, Cordless (DCS356D1) Plus some generic carbide cutoff blades. EZARC Carbide Oscillating Saw Blades, Multitool Blades Quick Release for Hard Material, Hardened Metal, Nails, Bolts and Screws, 3-Pack I can’t justify the cost of German tools and their proprietary accessories (Fein) for casual home projects…. John Davies Spokane WA

You would need some kind of weight distribution and since Andersen is your only option, we’ll go with that one. Take another 65 pounds out of your cargo capacity. Assuming your current vehicle has all the stuff that JD listed above: Three average passengers, 450 pounds. Gear for three, who knows. Technically, you’re within the limits. Realistically, it will be a mediocre experience at best. I would expect this experiment to last a year at most before you trade for a more capable tow vehicle.

That’s disappointing. There can’t be much cost savings in avoiding cutting out that small opening and dropping in a wooden box. Sounds like I’ll be pulling out the Fein oscillating tool!

We were too, actually, we didn't hear about it. We were looking forward to it and pulled off the table top only to find a smooth surface. Surprised and disappointed. When will you be at Oliver to get your A/C installed? We will be there the evening of the 15th for an appointment on the 16th. BL

Interesting, but the video is four times too long, that man does like to hear himself talk. I think hydraulic disks plus ABS should be standard on every Ollie. They don’t need sway control but they sure do need a reliable, “transparent” brake system. Like your tow vehicle. ABS for Trailers? Montana Owners Forum The big questions are: how much $$$ and how hard is it to retrofit on an older trailer? John Davies Spokane WA

That’s a bummer!

After a long wait, the day finally came last week. We picked up our LE II and could not be happier. We camped in it for two night on electric and water and then two nights dry camping. Temps were between 30 and 50 and we could not have been more comfortable. We have been on the forums for quite some time now so I won't introduce myself. Looking forward to meeting new people and putting some faces to forum names at the Owner's Rally in May. This is a picture of our campsite at Mousetail Landing State Park about an hour from Hoenwald, TN. Cheers, Brian & Brandelyne

I just googled “US map of states visited”, there should be a few to choose from.

Yes, it was expensive. But at the time, there were not other options in the market due to Fein's patent. It's saved the day countless times, and well worth the expense over the long run.

@John E Davies I have the same tool and it gets used in more applications than I ever thought possible. What a great price too! BL

I use a bungee cord hooked into the Andersen whale tail pin and wrapped around the Bulldog coupler when parked.

I had a water leak from my Truma AC in LE II #1304. It was right after our pick-up of our new trailer. It rained hard in TN at that time. We took it back to Oliver and they waterproofed the screws of the Maxxair fan and it fixed the problem. Water was running from the Maxxair between the hulls and to the Truma and drip, drip in the trailer.

@Brian and Brandelyne PM sent!

One of my concerns when opting for the Truma water heater, AC and furnace package in our Hull #1291 was service. I knew that Truma will sell repair parts only to "authorized" RV service centers, including the Oliver "Mothership." Living in the Idaho mountains, I do most of my own auto and RV repair work. I figured that in the event of a failure, if I can't get Truma parts, I can just replace the entire Truma unit with, for example, a Fogatti water heater or RecPro air conditioner. But, the way Truma "whipsawed" you by withdrawing the AC install offer after you had towed your Oliver 5 hours one way, takes customer disservice to an entirely new low. Thanks for posting about this outrage. Anyone considering anything Truma, beware!

Can’t wait to see the process and results posted here. A good plunge router with an edge guide would do a nice cut there too but either one will be VERY messy! BL

I did not say WD hitches "reduce" tongue weight. I said "mitigate", as in mitigate the effect by transferring downward force back to the front axle of the tow vehicle. This is only if the vehicle is designed to withstand the forces exerted by a weight distribution hitch. My point is that some vehicles specifically do not allow the use of a weight distribution hitch (uni-body design). I'm not familiar with the OP's vehicle so I'm posing the question they need to establish an answer to. I'm also pointing out the cargo capacity and tongue weight are two different capacities designed into that vehicle and that you can be within the cargo capacity and still exceed the tongue weight capacity of the hitch. Most hitches have information on them stating tongue weight capacity, without WD hitch, and with WD hitch. If a WD hitch is not approved it should say so on the hitch or in the owner's manual.

Weight distribution works to distribute the tongue weight of a trailer up to the front axle of the tow vehicle so that it will sit more level and handle/brake better. That being said the weight distribution systems do not "reduce or mitigate” tongue weight or allow you to tow beyond the capacities of the vehicle.

there are a ton of these available HERE Bill

Yes, the “secret” storage that I planned to soft-line and store items you might want out of plan sight. The NS drawer is still there and you can opt for the lower door to the basement, we did not since we might one day want a lagun table. We wanted to live in it first to make that decision. BL

We took delivery of our Oliver LE II last week and we got the Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT tires in LT225/75R16. I really like the tread pattern and have had good luck with these tires before.

Hello Mossey, The Truma service center in Lakeland Florida installed my Aventa Eco last December. It did replace the Dometic ac which had a Dometic drain kit. The Truma drain kit connected to the existing Oliver drain hose so that Truma drains the same as the original Dometic design. Water draining on the roof was a concern for me also....along with the noise. On low fan speed the Truma much much quieter.....about 60 decibels on my inaccurate iphone app. I jumped on the Truma installation discount and then ended up selling the Dometic (with the easy start removed) for $400. So I tell myself I came out ok but time will tell....one thing is for sure....won't miss the Dometic. Steve

@SteveCr Thank you for answering my question! So now I have more questions. You may have already stated who did your installation or I may have forgotten who did it. I’m guessing it was Truma in Orlando or Elkhart. You have a 2021 LE2 which I assume came equipped with a Dometic A/C and the Dometic drain kit. Did the Truma kit tie into the Dometic kit Oliver installed? Thank you for your patience with my questions, but I will say that condensate draining onto the roof was/is more of a concern for me than the noise so many complain about. And I think that’s why Baskin Robbins has so many flavors of ice cream, there’s something for everyone! Mossey

2021 LE2 Below is another thought from the Aventa operation manual. Not sure if iced up condensation drains would allow interior water leakage under certain circumstances. When Truma installed my Aventa at Lakeland Fl, I asked if they would perform a water leak test. The answer was "NO". They relied on their installation practice to insure water tightness and had no reported problems. Since December installation I have not suffered any leak issues. It has not be subject to snow/ice.....just the liquid stuff. I believe a Truma installation manual came with my unit. I'll look for a diagram/parts list and post if found. Steve

Even with Nev-R-Lube bearing cartridges installed (which we also have on our Hull #1291), it is still a good practice to check hub temperature at gas stops. Nev-R-Lube cartridges do sometimes fail. I use a Klein infrared gun. If one hub is consistently hotter than others, I know I have a problem that must be checked out sooner rather than later.

Welcome, James! Here’s what I use: I won this at an Oliver rally, seems to work pretty well. I also use these. This Bulldog collar is used by many owners. I lock it with an Abus lock, both from Amazon.

Or - You could always go with one of these - 😁

2021 LE 2 Timken counterfeits or WBA app wonky... Last year, I bought Timken bearings from Rockauto to replace all the original wheel bearings. I used the WBA app to authenticate them. Oliver service performed the work. Oliver saved the original China bearings for me to keep as "road spares". In preparation for repacking this year, I purchase six seals and two sets of Timken bearings to have on hand, if needed. These bearings were also purchased from Rockauto. I checked them with the WBA app....which indicated that both of the set4 and set17 bearings were counterfeit !! After sleeping on it, I started trying to find out more info on the WBA app....revisions...updates...reliability reviews. Most of what I found was marketing speak. I decided to delete the WBA app from my iphone (originally downloaded in 2022) and download again. This time the app approved as genuine both of the set17 and one of the set4. Once again I deleted and downloaded the WBA app. I rechecked all the sets with the same result...one set4 counterfeit. Next, (without another delete/download) I very gradually moved the iphone camera over the counterfeit set4 CR code without the bar code in the image.....and before my very eyes the counterfeit set4 transformed into genuine Timkens. I share this with the group for anyone who uses the WBA app for authentication. So, do I have genuine or counterfeit? False positive?...false negative?...scam WBA app? I've bought OEM parts from Rockauto for years without incident. I guess the bottom line is to do the yearly bearing maintenance and carefully inspect them. I'll look forward to how last years installed "genuine" Timkens look this year. Steve

We are so excited for you! We loved Davy Crocket and want to get back there. We are just like you in many respects - first time trailer owners, still newbies as we only picked up in Oct 2021. Unlike you, we have but one mini dach and we roll coal down the road vs. a quiet hum 🙂 We are so happy with our "Lucy" and am sure you will be tickled with your Ollie!

Welcome, I will be very interested to hear how your Rivian does with 6000 pounds of Ollie behind it. I am sure you have fully researched the pros and cons, such as having to find a secure place to park and disconnect the trailer when recharging the truck. This article is useful. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a38911919/rivian-r1t-towing-tested/ What does Rivian say about weight distribution hitches? John Davies Spokane WA

Welcome Rich and Christine. I second Patriot's suggestion to stay in the area for a few days. It's so tempting to get it and high tail it back home. We picked up #1290 in November and tried everything out. We had one issue that I didn't address at the time. I had smelled an odd odor, but I mistakenly thought it was just new furnace smells. It was a small propane leak. It's being fixed now, but it was a two month wait to get it into a local shop here. Lesson here is to be very thorough on pick up, test everything, and if anything is not quite right, address it before leaving Hohenwald. Oliver is paying the local shop to fix it, so it's great knowing that once you leave, they still take care of you. It's a good company. Great choice for your first trailer. There's a lot of junk out there! Happy travels. John

R & C - Welcome to the Forum and to the Family. Hopefully you have spent much of your time here in the University and I'm glad to hear that you have already found some interesting things here. Good luck on your delivery - do not hesitate for a moment to ask those questions, take pictures and have anyone repeat showing you a process or function that you do not feel comfortable with. I'm sure that you will find the people at Oliver to be a bit different as compared to those in virtually any other company you have ever dealt with. This really should not be a surprise in that they are now "family". Let us know how it went and we always like pictures. Also, let us know if we can help in any way. Bill

John, the new wheels will still be 6 bolt on 5.5”.

I took this photo this morning of one of the Elite II’s on the showroom floor. Rodney says this is the tires and wheel’s they will be using on the 2023 models. He did say that their existing stock of 16” wheels and tires will be used first. So, it may be as late as March of ‘23 before the new models will start to be delivered with the new sets.

I purchased a set. Thanks for the heads-up.

The Dexter video is very helpful. https://youtu.be/GnH-h3W9XvI As mentioned before the complete bearing sets must be replaced, you can’t leave the old races in the hub. And the seal and grease cap must also be replaced. So new bearings, seal and grease cap on each axle. Here’s the tools/etc. that I used for my recent replacement of the bearings on all 4 wheels: Breaker bar & 3/4” lug nut socket for loosening the lug nuts to remove wheel. Screwdriver to pry off old grease cap. You may have either a spring clip or cotter pin as the axle nut retainer. Mine have the spring clip that can be reused. Cotter pins should be replaced. The axle nut should come off by hand since it’s only supposed to be finger tight at final assembly. Seal puller from Harbor Freight to remove old seal. Brass and steel punches to drive out old outer races. Brakleen to remove all old grease from hub and axle spindle, and clean the inside of the brake drum while you’re at it. Also check your brake pad thickness while you have the brake drum off, Dexter says 1/16” minimum thickness for the pads. A bearing driver set to install the new outer races. A good high quality grease to pack the new bearings. A dead blow mallet. A wooden block to install the new seals. A 1-1/2” socket for the axle nut. Torque wrenches for the axle nut and lug nuts. I use two different ones because of the difference in torque settings. The axle nut is to be torqued to 50 ft-lbs. to seat the bearings, then backed off and finger tightened, then install the retainer clip or cotter pin. The lug nuts are 120 ft-lbs. I don’t have one single torque wrench that can cover that range for the axle nuts and the lug nuts, so two torque wrenches in my tool box. Grease cap driver tool to install new grease caps properly. Follow the Dexter video. And I carry all of this with me, including spare bearings, seals and dust caps, in my road tool kit, along with a heavy duty scissor jack, a full ratchet/socket set, small air compressor, and other common hand tools. Flat tires and wheel bearing failures have been common points of failure that leave people stranded. I like to be prepared. Mad Max was the Road Warrior, call me “The Road Worrier” 🙂.

Chris, just go to your local industrial bearing supplier, ask for genuine Timken seals and bearing SETS (bearing and race matched pairs) for a standard Dexter 3500 pound trailer axle, they know exactly what is needed. Buy four extra inner seals to carry as spares. buy some extra cotter pins. Then you are good to go. This is not rocket science, these parts are ubiquitous, but finding high quality parts is the real problem, not Chinese crap with zero quality control, or worse yet, Timken branded counterfeits. The bearing store will have the genuine ones. A bearing or seal with Dexter stamped on it is crap too. Use Redline CV2 and repack every 12K to 15K miles. There is NO need to repack more often if you keep an eye on bearing temperatures. IMHO. Boat trailers need that frequent servicing because they get dunked into deep water while the hubs are warm, and the sudden drop in pressure sucks water in past the seal, contaminating the grease. I don’t think this is an issue with your Ollie. Use high quality parts, and a high quality lubricant, no worries. You do need to recheck your hub bearing play after say 1000 miles, the new races can shift ever so slightly and you may need to tighten one more slot on the adjuster nut. I rechecked mine and three of the four needed a little extra tweak. FYI you can remove and drive in races and seals with a big hammer and an old screwdriver, but proper tools make the job SO much easier, and you will not swear nearly as much. A seal puller, bushing driver set and an axle cap tool are great to have, if you have room to carry them. Buy this for sure, check prices because they vary wildly: … If you also buy a water heater pressure relief valve removal socket, you can nest the two parts, wrap them in movers stretch wrap (U-Haul), and they don’t take up much space at all. John Davies Spokane WA

I have received a couple of Messages asking about this, so I guess I should post some pics. This is an older ARB Classic 50 quart cooler, I picked it because it is tall and narrow and that makes it accessible from the rear passenger window of a tow vehicle, I remove the left rear seat of my Land Cruiser and anchor it solidly to home made tie down points. It would not be at all good for it to launch forward during a collision. NOTE: You can't effectively anchor this to an installed seat, the soft foam allows too much motion, and the leather or cloth fabric could be damaged. Door OPEN: Door CLOSED, window down: Because the hinge is on the far side, the lid opens easily. Or it can be removed entirely by "popping" the hinge which has tow little spring loaded ball detents (twist the lid to one side): Tied down hard to the center seat attach point: And in front it is strapped to a length of big chain that is bolted to the two front seat mounts, using 3/8" stainless carabiners for the two ratchet straps to pass through. It is ROCK solid and will not shift on bumpy roads: ***** There are air vents at the two back corners (below the hinges) down low, it is imperative that these be kept open, don't allow cargo or a loose jacket to go down there and block them, or the unit can't cool.***** Note, on a Land Cruiser 200 the AIRBAG warning light will illuminate if you take out a rear seat, so the fix is to install a small resistor in the warning harness connector, the white one at the bottom of the above picture, to fool the computer into thinking that there is a seat installed there. There are instructions at a number of different LC forums, this is very common. Power comes from the center console round 12 volt socket when towing, and from the trailer when parked: ... https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/3247-how-to-external-solar-dc-power-cable-using-factory-furrion-port/ The compressor uses about 1 amp and cycles on and off, depending on the heat load, if you reduce that "delta T", the temperature difference between the cabin and the fridge, it will use less power. Add sunshields to south facing glass, park in shade, pop open the sunroof, etc. I normally use it as a freezer and keep stuff really cold, so it can be turned off for a few hours in the daytime or overnight and the contents will not thaw. Highly recommended for long trips, especially to places where food costs are high, or grocery stores are infrequent, like Alaska! https://www.arkportablepower.com/blogs/news/17808136-the-arb-fridge-freezer-and-battery-life-what-you-need-to-know John Davies Spokane WA

What bhncb said above if you are doing this service at home. However, if you are interested in carrying an "emergency" pack to be used in the event you have a problem on the road, you can either simply buy a third (or forth ) set of bhncb's recommended parts, wrap them up in bags and rags, or you can get something like the picture below to carry around with you. I've been carrying two of these for the past five years for the "just in case type of thing" plus a small can of bearing grease and (thank goodness) have never needed them. Bill

There are a lot of unnecessary parts listed in that kit, some you can't even use. All you need are the bearing cones and races and a grease seal. Everything else can be reused unless you damage or lose something. The bearing sets are available for $5-6 and a seal is around $3-4. Those bearing part numbers listed are correct for your axles but they are also industry standard numbers that every bearing manufacturer uses. Timken specific numbers to search for a cone and race set are: SET17 (for the inner), SET4 (for the outer), and then 473336 for the seal, which may be in either a National or Timken box.. Sometimes pricing will vary between buying a SET part number and the individual numbers. For instance: SET4 versus L44649 and L44610.

Personally, I think it’s an interesting question and I’d like to know the answer. But having said that, I do think that the default assumption should be that Oliver has done it correctly. Particularly since this is a safety issue. For what it’s worth, the wiring diagram in my Dexter manual doesn’t show a fuse either, nor is it called for in the installation text. While I agree that it seems logical to have a fuse, it also seems logical to have at least one bit of supporting documentation before we all start messing with our braking systems. Searching around the internet, I can find discussions asking the same question for other trailers, but no answers other than opinion. So the only thing I can say for certain then is that the lack of a fuse isn’t something unique to our trailers.