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We were coming back to the Great Southwest after a month on the road to Key West, and running Goodyear Marathon/Chinabombs we experienced our first and only (knock on wood) right rear tire failure. We run TPMS, which worked perfectly, but a catastrophic failure happens in a couple dozen micro-secs. On a smooth secondary road in good WX, didn't hear anything - but we felt a slight tug and pulled over to inspect. What was left of the tire looked like a "ghost" - only belts and chunks of tread rubber, totally see-through. Fortunately, the relatively slow speed (25-30mph) may have helped to save the wheel well and we didn't experience any significant secondary damage. Limped over to a Discount Tire a few miles away and bought 5 Michelin RIBs. Thanks to having a spare axle!

Hi everyone! I upgraded to a 32 inch. I installed a Sylvox 32" (made in china, but cant find one made in the US.) Its a smart TV with all the bells and whistles. its also a 1080 dpi, so its sharper then the original Vizio. It is also a 12 volt/DC so I don't need to run the inverter to watch tv. I needed a new adapter plate I purchased from Mount-it! (an MI-782), the same people that made the original mount. (an MI-4211). Just bolted the mounting plate to the old stand and then attached the TV to that. It swings up out of the way just fine, and is much nicer to watch then the old 24". I have a 2021 Elite II with the standard floor plan. Got any questions, Id be happy to help out.

We leave it OFF most of the time while camping and only turn it on (COMFORT mode) a bit before we want to take our showers. Keeps the propane usage to a minimum. I also don't like leaving propane on if we are away from the camper for sightseeing/day trips, so when we leave the camper, the Truma is off and I close the propane tank valve. We typically camp at full hookup campgrounds so the fridge is running on AC. If you leave the Truma in COMFORT mode it uses more propane and it gets annoying at night hearing the Truma cycle on and off frequently to keep hot water at the ready. I should add that we rarely camp in cold weather. We are 3 season campers, spring, summer and fall.

We had the dark blotches on our window glaze also...(1st pic) Judging by the debris found in the track, it appears the PO never cleaned the glaze or removed them to clean the tracks (we've only owned our Hull #226 for a few weeks, FYI.). After soaking in bleach over night most of the blotches were dissolved, but the glazing still didn't look fresh. In addition, over time, the strips tend to shrink which caused 1/4" - 3/8" gaps on either end (see second pic). Decided to replace the glaze strips with new white ones... Could've gone black, but we'll see - maybe change them in a few years, who knows. There's definitely an "inside" and "outside" of the glaze strip to consider when installing. See pic #3 - the longer edge goes toward window ("inside")while the shorter lip orients to "outside." Pic #4: shows new glazing being installed into the window sill track... The plan is to simply keep the glaze strips on a regular maintenance schedule and keep them from "blotching" as long a possible. R&R of the strips was definitely an opportune time to clean out the debris collected in the tracks!

Steve, We leave it Off until we need it and then turn it to Comfort. It heats the water in 15 to 20 seconds so, we don’t see any reason to leave it on. As soon as the need is done, we turn it to Off. If the temperature will be below freezing, we put it on Eco and leave it there until the temperature gets above about 36 degrees. Eco keeps the water temperature At 42 degrees or above. Even at 25 degrees overnight, it only comes on once or twice. I hope this helps you. Andrew

I checked DuPont website. From the data sheet on their products…… “Cured foam is combustible and will burn if exposed to temperatures above 240°F (116°C). Do not apply GREAT STUFFTM foam around heaters, high heat lamps or recessed lighting fixtures, radiators, furnaces or fireplaces where it could contact heat conducting surfaces. Do not use GREAT STUFFTM foam inside electrical boxes or panels (applications around the outside of the boxes are permitted).” See attached. 0901b8038095d125.pdf

I think that the absorption refrigerators are dinosaur's and because of their many safety hazards, will at some time be eliminated from all new RV's by code changes. Only a matter of time. Pre solar and Litho's, this was not possible. Now days, it is very possible to boondock with a 12V refrigerator. GJ

I'll keep my F-150 for sure. Drats I'm a Sequoia fan but their marketing team missed the mark for some of us. For example: Don't want the third row. Don't want just a 1360# payload so ditch the hybrid system and increase the payload! Must have the Center Transfer Case with ability to select 2H, 4H, 4A, and 4L capability. Factory ability to TPMS four of Ollie's tires. Camera system that allows an Ollie rear camera to be added in at a reasonable cost. No dealer markup. At $65K+, surely they can provide a more capable machine for our boondockers. I figure in about 3 or 4 years, Toyota will have gotten the message. GJ

Our trailer will have the full Truma package. I've read and watched the videos on use, winterizing, decalcifying, etc. What I'd like to hear, is how *you* actually use the settings. For simplicity, there's OFF, ECO, and COMFORT, and I know what they do. Without regard for propane use, it would be in COMFORT mode constantly. To save the most propane, it would be OFF constantly, and put up with cold showers. For sub-freezing weather, there's ECO. Somewhere between is a balance of convenience and comfort. Is that OFF all the time, and then turn it on COMFORT mode just before use? Or something else? What do YOU do? Thanks! 8 Days!!

I installed a 32 LG Smart TV and I wrapped the cords in a WHITE cover - like Oliver should have done 😉 Charlie.

Thanks gang! So, that's three for three to use as I'd anticipated. I appreciate the affirmation!

I keep ours off when not in use and then in comfort when hot water is needed. We have antifreeze option and as others have said, it circulates constantly and is a bit noisy while sleeping.

I'm obsessive about staying on top of pressures and doing visual inspections of each tire before, during and after every trip and today it paid off. Not sure if it was caused by a defect in the tire or by running over something, but going to stick with my OCD and change all 4. Inspect your tires frequently!

That would work as it is "Minimal-expanding, low pressure foam that will not bow or bend window or door frame". Use the expanding type and you would have a huge issue and mess for sure. I made that mistake on some window frames ONCE. It was not funny at the time, but it sure taught me a good lesson about how much power expanding foam has. GJ

I looked over my first one today at a dealer, a TRD Pro. I did not see a sticker since it had been sold, but it was listed at $80k. I think it looks great from the back, OK from the sides and front. There are two butt ugly FAKE air vents on top of the hood, maybe they could be removed without requiring a repaint, hopefully they are just 3M taped on. A sales guy opened the hatch for me and said how very disappointed all his sales buddies are with the miniscule cargo capacity of an 8 passenger vehicle. If I had one, all center and rear seats would have to come OUT and a storage platform system installed. I am sure the aftermarket is all over this problem. I also think the turbos will be a long term maintenance headache, if they cannot be dropped straight down from the headers. Some pics: I wondered about the 33” spare tire underneath, it sticks way down, almost as far as the straight axle pumpkin, and will drag unless an owner adds some spring lift. The very pretty twin exhaust tips will be easily crushed too. No tow hooks up front or a place to install them. The breakover angle is horrible, but removing those boards would help some.. This isn ‘t a Land Cruiser 300, no way. Maybe we will see those in a couple of years. I can buy a lot of fuel for my LC 200 for $90k…. My daughter bought a RAV4 Hybrid XLE there today, the dealer is family owned, does NOT mark up prices or force unwanted dealer add ons. Woohoo, one very happy young lady… her first new car. We took up a better set of tires, Yoko Geolander A/Ts to replace the crap OEM “high mileage” ones. We still got 40 mpg on the 90 mile drive home. John Davies Spokane WA

As Oliver's tire purchasing practices seem to be in flux, I would wait until you actually take delivery of your trailer before purchasing tire covers. Those tires won't be exposed to much UV between the time you get back home to order tire covers and when the correct size tire covers arrive. I wouldn't risk ordering the wrong size just for those few days of exposure.

I had a somewhat similar problem with the bypass valve. Turned out to be degradation of the seal inside the valve. Seems that some of the winterizing or disinfecting solutions can attack the seal material in the valve It’s an easy replacement Link to the old thread discussion below.

Thanks. The net is from Raingler. I love them, there are two in my LC200. I am a firm believer in restraining flying cargo or animals in the event of a collision. I had a net and a welded steel Milford Cargo Barrier from Oz in my old LX450. Here is the Raingler Super Duty net: https://raingler.com/collections/ford-f250-f350-vwr-heavy-duty-cargo-nets Your do most definitely need door and front seat drool guards from Amazon. Older or injured dogs need assistance getting in, steps or a ramp work OK. John Davies Spokane WA

Didn't think about condensation possibilities, GJ. I think I might fill the void with block styrofoam, then tape over. The 2020 Elite 2's seem to have something like that. Thanks, John

I vacuum them, then use a damp microfiber towel and wipe them down.

One issue with eliminating airflow around the control board is that over time, especially in four season environments, condensation will result and the control panel can for sure be degraded. Back to the air movement and thinking outside of the box: Would a can of "non-expanding" foam be feasible for fully sealing the refrig and the compartment? Would make removal for service a PITA, but for sure it would stop the wind into the cabin issue. In your original post, you mentioned smelling gas at the rear of the trailer. For our model, we purchased the rear and front extra propane ports option. Designed mostly for BBQ's. This could also be a cause of intermittent gas leaks. You new sniffer would work great on this. GJ

Did you cover this hole with aluminum tape? The outside vent “system” should be completely air tight. That prevents propane gas and air leakage into the cabin and also keeps out bugs. Can you post a link to the seal you used? Thanks. John Davies Spokane WA

Got that. Just threw it in for Elite I owners, like us, who might look at this thread in future years . Thanks for that. Our isotherm/truckfridge requires much less ventilation from what you stated. I don't know why. I'm remembering (could be faulty) about half. We also rarely camp in high heat conditions, but no issues whatsoever in the past years. More ventilation is better than less, for sure.

Great video by KYD.

Lucas Red & Tacky is a good choice. I've been using the similar Mystik JT6 NGLI #2 Hi-Temp grease for trailer wheel bearings (Lithium Complex, non-Moly), spring shackles and tow vehicle lube points for quite some time now. Works well, is affordable and easy to find. I don't know if this is still the case, but at trailer pick-up (late 2018) I asked what wheel bearing grease they use, and this is what they told me was in our bearings... Boat trailer wheel bearings and gimbal bearings get Quicksilver High Performance Extreme Grease (NGLI #2, Calcium Sulfonate-based) because of its higher level of water resistance.

@skalywag This tool made quick work of cutting the new black seals. It provides a nice and clean edge on the seal. It’s also very handy If you decide to install rain gutters over your Ollies windows. It was worth every cent of the $8.00 paid. If you lay your new black trim in the sun it for 20 minutes or so it will cooperate much better after being coiled up when shipped if you live in a cold climate. Enjoy your install, just passing it forward. 😊 Patriot🇺🇸

Some more pictures of the track mount that show a little more detail. Painted the track with white epoxy enamel since last pics and it now blends in much better. The locknuts in the front of the mount are only adjusted once when installing and the two knobs in the back are used to lock the mount in place while traveling and then left slightly loose while in use to allow the easy removal of the TV and access to emergency window. Used a 4" wide piece of white rubberized tape on the back of the mount to prevent marring of the track and add additional grip when traveling.

Don't know what type of aluminum they are made of, but they seem to be strong enough for this application. I've used it on several trips already and haven't noticed any bending of the channel lips that hold the bolt heads, but will keep an eye on that going forward. Inside the cabinet I reused the original large metal plate that the factory TV was mounted to. Countersunk the track so the screw heads were recessed and then used lock nuts inside the cabinet. I think I used 6 per side. The TV bracket itself is the same one currently used by Oliver. I used the knobs included in the track kit to mount the TV mount so I'm able to adjust the mount tightness by hand. I'll get some better pics soon. It's actually very easy to access the rear window in case of emergency. I can grab TV, pull it forward, and then slide it right off the track which gives me more room than if the TV was there in the folded up position. This is the main reason I didn't recess the channel into the cabinet which would have looked more aesthetically pleasing, but wouldn't allow such quick access to the rear window. My favorite part of this mod is that the TV can be slid almost to the back window and the seat space below is now usable with the TV down. Makes the space feel so much larger even though the TV is so much bigger than what was there. Almost like having a wall mounted TV.

No streaking issues at all with the black window seals. I tossed the white seals in the recycle trash bin. Patriot 🇺🇸

Our two dogs “alarm” when one of us uses hand sanitizer after getting into the truck. 20 seconds later they both sneeze, one time each. John Davies Spokane WA

With the help of Mike Sharp at OTT, I think we may have identified why the Norcold control panel leaks outside air into the trailer around the upper front control panel . It is unlikely related to the combustion seal that seals the mounting fin of the refrigerator to the cabinet, nor is it due to an incorrectly sized cabinet opening. Norcold appears to have engineered an approximately one square inch penetration (hole) between the back of the trailer and the inside front of the control panel. Mike provided the following picture of what the backside of the control panel looks like before the refrigerator is installed. Note there is an approximate 1 inch square hole in the circuit board. This allows a direct path for outside air to enter the Oliver, basically negating the effectiveness of the combustion seal. Everyone's Ollie with this 3-way Norcold unit probably has this defect. A simple fix (hack) would seem to be to tape over the 1 inch hole on the circuit board. Unfortunately, there is no way to reach the back of the control panel to do so without pulling the refrigerator out. Mike was going to take this up with the engineering committee to see what, if anything OTT could do without running afoul of the Norcold warranty. Hopefully when Johnwen checks in with OTT next month, we will know more about what can be done about this, including whether Norcold will accept any accountability. OTT has gone to extraordinary lengths to make the Oliver a true 4-season (and safe) trailer. It is unfortunate that Norcold appears to have undercut OTT's best efforts.

Well the project I’m working on isn’t quite as cool as yours that’s for sure, and is just getting underway.. but I thought I’d share.. All the potential storage space around the propane tanks has been nagging me for some attention… It just seems like a perfect place for things I don’t need very often but need a dedicated place to be stowed in Dearie. So I installed 1/2” hardware cloth in the bottom to keep stuff from falling out, and have got a couple of plastic “tubes” set up.. one for the grease gun and related stuff, the other for the winterization pump and the like. I’ll stash extra lengths of pex in a 3” capped PVC pipe that will be lashed to the hardware cloth behind the gas bottles, probably along with emergency short term winterization gear. I already have a garden hose that I use to flush the black water tank that lives in front of the gas bottle, and there is a fair amount of space in there for “something”… just gotta figure out what that something might be.. Judging by some of the older posts on this thread you have a very cool shop John, resulting in a small pang of jealousy on my part, though I’m not complaining about my workspace…. Dearie in the dooryard.. working out some storage solutions…

I am installing new (manual adjust) brakes on the rear axle, so I wanted to check the magnets before covering them up with the drums. I pulled the breakaway switch lanyard and then performed the nifty “Big Wrench Test”: And the “How Many Amps Test”: Check, now it is time for the drums to go on, I already swapped out the supplied bearings for Timkens. I have never even once found a bad brake magnet, but this does check the quality of your electrical splices - it is always better to find mistakes before you go too far into the job. John Davies Spokane WA

I bought Timken wheel bearings quite a while ago and finally got started on replacing the old ones. I always hand-packed bearings, what a mess that makes. I finally decide to treat myself to a Lisle Handy Packer. No more messes. Well, at least they are not as big. This is Redline CV-2 grease, the good stuff. Isn’t this a cool pic? John Davies Spokane WA

A photo of our new 2020 Ollie Hull# 634 during our 4 day shakedown at David Crockett Campground. “Thin Blue Line”

Our first night in Hull #444, at Montgomery Bell State Park. We are learning.

2023 F-150 3.5 EB, Super Crew FX4 Lariet! I think Ford has closed the gap. Mossey

Is their KBB dealer rating 4.4 out of 10?

No thanks…. John Davies Spokane WA