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Thought this might be an interesting read for Oliver TT owners. This is quite an achievement especially helping folks who have might require or need this type of specialty tub. https://www.lewisherald.com/story/2023/04/20/news/oliver-fiberglass-celebrates-milestone-of-150000-safe-step-walk-in-tubs/6028.html Nice job Oliver!! Patriot🇺🇸

That tub partnership kept a lot of great people employed during the downturn and trailer hiatus. Great news on the continued successes.

I feel lucky to own one, though it does come at the expense of non ducted heating and reduced galley storage.

After 3 years, for reasons too numerous to mention, (with the exception of one 300 mile trip) hull 98 hitting the open road again. Starting 5/17 - Grand Canyon, Bryce, Canyonlands, maybe Arches, depending on crowds, Tetons, Yellowstone, and my wife is flying home to Maine from Bozeman on 6/4, and a friend flying in same day to do some fishing in Montana and Wyoming for a week or two before heading back east. Not the best time of year for fishing due to snow runoff, but we’ll be out there so won’t pass up the opportunity. Gray Ghost is 7 1/2 years old now , so new tires, wheel bearings, shocks, batteries and changed out the water pump. Carrying a spare propane regulator. Found the first leak since I’ve had it coming from the porch light over the dinette, re-caulked that. Others checked out fine. The caulk around the bath fan was missing 1/4” chunks, but wasn’t leaking. Upon removal discovered it was bedded in plumbers putty, with a protective silicone caulk around the outside. The plumbers putty was like new, and not leaking, so reinstalled the same way. All systems go (🤞🏻)…..

In the menu and under forums, as well as a button near the top right is "Unread Content", which shows a list of all threads that are new since your last visit, or unread in general. When this list is presented, there is a large ball or star to the left of the thread title. Clicking on this takes you directly to the first unread post. The ones with stars are threads that you have participated in. My typical forum visit (on my desktop) is to poke the Unread Content button, and then once the list is presented, I'll Command-Click (right-click?) all of the balls or starts I'm interested in reading. This opens them all up in new tabs. Once done, I mark all threads as read if I skipped any, so that I'm caught up for the next visit.

We became interested in Oliver travel trailers during the time they paused production of Ollies, further learning about other products they produced. One of the reasons we wanted an Ollie was because of their expertise with fiberglass.

https://olivertechnologies.com/about-us/

https://www.lewisherald.com/story/2023/04/20/news/oliver-fiberglass-celebrates-milestone-of-150000-safe-step-walk-in-tubs/6028.html

We bought our Oli and truck on the same day 2years ago yesterday. Note not from the same person. It has been a great 2 years of camping both boondocking and with utilities. I have learned so much. Trying to find the campground I made a wrong turn and had to back out, then I found the park office to ask directions to the campground and then had to back around to get back out. Then finally back into the space. Each time backing up without a problem. 2years ago it took about a half a dozen shots to make it into a camp space. Also a reason to celebrate this will be the first weekend without rain. Going hiking today to see some of the waterfalls at Silver falls Oregon. Sorry if the picture is upside down. I can’t seem to get it correct.

Thanks for your concerns John, No I do not have a electrical certification but have a electrical background, and I am working with a good friend who is a electrician. There is proper clearance on front and back , but time will tell with the heat , I have Govee thermostats that will monitor the space and alert me if its over 95 degrees. Your right we may have to put more ventilation and fans to blow out into garage as necessary. I would like to find room for a small mini split that I installed in my last trailer It was a 12 volt mini split. It was not efficient enough, It was a experiment and I would go with a 120 volt next time. It kept campers one room comfortable 75 degrees below 92 degrees outside. I am looking at upgrading the a/c this winter, have been looking for the best route to go with a heat pump. Yes heat could be a issue. time will tell. That is not a recommended mounting (have looked at many other forums they mounted horizontal with no issues) I did mount my other unit that way and the fan ran full blast when charging the batteries, but never overheated in higher temps. I could program the victron to charge at a slower rate and it was not a issue. I will definately keep eye on temps. 4 years of running my old unit never had a issue in same enclosed space, this unit is only charging 4 batteries and the other unit I had was charging six battleborns. I could run my ac approximately 6.5 hours stopping and starting every 7 to 10 minutes in 100 degree temps. The cover on the bottom and top can be removed for service also. I agree with you on there batteries, thats why I went with battleborn. I trust the BMS in the system. There are smaller, more compact manageable Lithium Lifepo4 batteries out there Lion energy and even batteries that are half the price out there. The BMS is the proof in the pudding , I put my full trust in there technology of BattleBorn . I have 3 x friends with the same Victron system and love it. Warranty is not a concern. I am not retired quite yet another 5 years , we camp from 30 to 45 days a year and that is pushing my time off already. Before I know it the system will be out of warranty. Yes safety should be my primary concern , mounting it that was is unfortunately only option in a oliver, cannot find another proper location that is high enough. This is a learning process , I am learning the oliver Elite II ins and outs and appreciate all of you for posts. Thanks for all your input. Time will tell. Here is a picture of my older first try system. Yes its messy. Definetely could open a can of worms here!

Don’t think it was butyl tape.. thought I would find that, or 3m 4200, or at worst 3m 5200… the color was off for butyl tape that I’m used to. In any event, on and not leaking, even after pressure washing. Will post photos of trip..

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.

Hi, I'm J.C. and at the point where I have to think about retiring and preparing for it. Knowing the time is something I can't revert back, wishing to learn from wise folks in the forum. Totally new to RV life yet, hoping to do most of national parks in both Canada and US, and play golf around the country in my retirement years. Thanks for sharing your experience and wisdom with me. /JC

Done.

Tubs were the original Oliver family fiberglass business. The trailer builds came after and were a VERY low volume business, more a “labor of love” as a side business (hobby?) to the main business of the fiberglass bathtub operation, rather than a full blown volume trailer manufacturer like Airstream. But that tub manufacturing gave Oliver a very strong knowledge base and manufacturing experience with fiberglass to do the trailers successfully (just look at the Airstream business disaster with their fiberglass Nest trailer). Each early Oliver trailer was unique and customized based on customer input (shout out to Steve L.) with a lot of experimentation on different options (different color hulls, bed storage risers and nightstand safe are a few examples) and even some different layouts (there is at least one early Oliver with a basement access door on BOTH sides of the trailer with full width basement storage). It took Oliver over 10 years to reach the first 500 hulls built. When we took delivery in 2019 (Hull 461) they were still only building about one to two a week, and that’s how they built their reputation for providing very personal relationships with their customers. The demand for Oliver trailers went way up as the RV camping craze boomed during the pandemic, to the point that Oliver had to adopt more of a true production line type of manufacturing, with reducing / eliminating some options, combining options into “packages”, no more customization, etc.

Zamp solar is having a great sale on their Legacy suitcase solar panels. Up to $250 off. Check out their website. Life is good!

Don't forget the Stillwater river! Luckily no flooding this year. However there is still a lot of snow pack up high. Have a great time, be safe.

@GrayGhost: Nice looking rig, brother! You'll have a blast in the Rockies - fishing may be tough as you've noted, but hey - "...a day of fly fishing in tough conditions is better than any day not fishing!" Tributaries off the Yellowstone, Madison, Gallatin, and Big Horn will be awesome - any you'll be right amongst them! Keep 'yer line tight! Cheers!

Naw, just the last 4-5 months

The BF Goodrich LT’s is what my 2015 came with. 7 1/2 years later, they were still like new, no cracks whatsoever, and plenty of tread, but due to age replaced them anyway… with the same BF Goodrich LT’s.

Have a wonderful time. Glad to see you back put there. We'll look forward to photos. Ps, in all likelihood, that vent may have been bedded with butyl tape, then caulked to resisst uv/stay cleaner. That's how we installed our new one.

It's getting harder every day deciphering what is domestic, as almost nothing is completely. Fortunately there are web sites for organizations that specifically research products and companies to get the information we seek.

If you decide to visit the North Dakota badlands, the south unit of TR National Park, and the Medora, ND area, there are a few options for camping. The National Park campsites were full in July when we were there. October should be better for finding an opening. Most of the National Park sites we saw in the South unit campground were shaded. By October the leaves should be down so the solar should work better. Avoid the RV city park in Medora. They were literally stacked slide-out against slide-out. We drove out of town to check out Sully Creek State Park. It was wonderful and I can’t imagine why more people weren’t there. Downside was no electricity or flush toilets, though they did have showers, water, and a dump station. Our Campsite was marked by a stake on the edge of a field with the bluffs in the background. I think it was site #8. Our nearest neighbors. There was some generator noise off in the distance. Our camper is the one in the far middle of the photo. Neighbors look closer that they actually were.

Here is another photo of the area mentioned south of Wall including our LEII, our Land Cruiser, my wife, a cell tower, our closest neighbors, and wild mountain goats on the hillside under our trailer. Great place to park for the night. Ken

Mike, 8miles south of wall sd is badlands dispersed, as you're going south look to your left, you'll see cell towers, when you are parallel with them there is a barb wire gate that you have to open and close, but it's a great spot, plenty of room, quiet, and "free". The entrance to badlands state park is a 1/2 mile to the south, highly recommended, and free with the geeser pass. Steve

Replacing xantrax on my Oliver Elite II 2021. Can't beat power assist on Victron components (Uses battery to meet power requirements when specificed amount of current is set) I have had Victron Multiplus in my old camper and I am crying for the first time , I hate drilling into this beautiful Elite but can't get wires from upper cabinet to lower components without drilling. Going to install Victron MPPT - 100 /30 for outside solar panels 400 watts of ground deployed solar panels Victron Orion 12 volt to 12 Volt charger for vehicle charging and for a Pecron 500 amp hour battery I have under the bed. Victron Smartshunt for monitoring batteries Victron Cerbo GX for the brains of the operation all components plug into and are monitored by this device. Victron small touch screen Built wood support for Multiplus much heavier than xantrax probably double. (I did not lift or look at weights but had a friend put in place) (6 back surgeries lifting days are over) Here are some pictures Had one heck of time getting hole centered perfect to drill. Went as far as I could in corner of cabinet . . . . . .Little scary but turned out ok. Going to work on Battery box holes at same time and maybe add ventilation for batteries at same time. Thanks to everyone for posting information on ventilation Take care Montana Oliver

Which it's doing again now. https://www.rvia.org/rv-roadsigns-quarterly-forecast#:~:text=2023 Spring RV Roadsigns Forecast&text=The new forecast projects 2023,493%2C300 wholesale shipments in 2022. It's good that RVs are only a secondary product for Oliver Mfg. That helps them weather RV sales fluctuations like this when other RV manufacturers might close their doors permanently.

Maybe someone has tried it? Good reading on AirTags https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/apple-airtag-tips

@Nightfog: This is definitely very "sage" advise from @Steph and Dud B! We've recommended the rental option over the years to several close friends that wanted to start "travel trailering" - some did, some didn't. Those that decided to delve into the lifestyle, did so in a wide range of rigs. But all had several attributes in common: 1. Adventuresome, fun-loving; 2. Out-of-doors oriented, golfers, bikers, fishermen, backpackers, etc.; 3. DIY'ers: 4. Pet lovers; and 5. Cold beer enthusiasts, HA! The cost point for renting a travel trailer or RV for several "ice-breaker" trips falls into the "drop-in-the-bucket" category when considering the initial cash outlay and maintenance costs for a personally-owned rig. IMHO, 100% worth it. For example, we started decades ago backpacking, car-camping, transitioned to "pop-up" tent trailers, and finally to hard-sided 4-season(ish) TTs. It was a flat learning curve for us along the way - especially before the internet days and forums such as the one you're on right now. Your learning curve about this topic will be much steeper by gleaning information and knowledge from the experiences of the OTT members (or any from other TT forums, for that matter). Our advise is to try it on for size, and see what happens... It could be a new and exciting chapter for your retirement years - or an event where you end up on the living room couch for a few nights! Just drop the hammer and find out which one, brother!

@SeaDawg: Wasn't familiar with the design - so we looked it up... https://www.eriba.com/gb/en/caravan-models/eriba-touring Very cool Euro design, for sure. Would like to see one in person!

In the early days, their go to caulk was 3M 4200 and MMA 300 High-Performance Methyl Methacrylate was their adhesive of choice. I don’t recall ever seeing them use 3M 5200.

Probably easier to sleep, too.

Maybe this needs to be a separate thread, but what tire is Oliver putting on new trailers today? Anyone know. Also, just to confirm, are we saying the Michelin Defender LTX M/S should also work well? I'm trying to see what max PSI they go up to. My current Michelin LX goes up to 80 PSI max. Naturally they should never go that high for the Oliver. EDIT: Well, I did find your'alls older tire discussion. Still, too many choices. Dang it I have my heart set on Michelin. And for no good logical reason either. That's stupid too, I know. LOL https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/7437-wheels-and-tires/

Thanks @Geronimo John. That's funny that you linked THAT video. I watched that one just the other day. eTrailer does a pretty good job with the vids. I'm wondering how many curse words that job will entail. LOL Take care!

Have fun!

This happened tome recently. Very easy fix. Drill out the two rivets. Tighten up the nut inside the housing and then put two new rivets back in. Easier done than said. Good luck

Revisiting my post above, I don’t think you can complete this repair without drilling out the rivets. The nut and washer have to be trapped in the chrome base which is still attached to the bottom of the cabinet. The hole in the cabinet that the wiring passes through is not large enough for you to work through to line up the washer and nut. And of course there is no way to get a wrench on the nut to secure it either. And I will add that the lights I installed are screw mounted, not riveted. The lights Oliver installed are riveted. Sorry if I miss directed you with my first post! Mossey

Good luck on that one - since Michelin doesn't make them for a 16 inch wheel anymore. THAT is the reason that Oliver changed tire manufacturers. Bill p.s. please be very careful on tires of that age - they may look perfect on the outside but you really can not see what's going on inside the tire.

DYMO Label Maker with Adapter | LabelManager 420P High-Performance Label Maker, Rechargeable, PC and Mac Connectivity, Bright Backlit Display, Easy-to-Use, Portable, for Home & Office Organization This price has dropped 46% since I added it to my Wish List a couple of years ago. I just ordered one and a bunch of generic bulk packed tapes, the Dymo ones are from europe and are $$$. Plus a padded case (this unit doesn’t come with one). Reviewers comment that the 420P fits it fine, it is returnable if that is incorrect. Case Compatible with DYMO Label Maker LabelManager 160/280 Portable Label Maker, Label Printer Storage Organizer for AC Adapter, Tape Cartirdges and More Accessories(Box Only) Black You can get flexible nylon tape for wires or cables. It will print up to 4 lines on wide tape, for example addresses or barcodes, rechargeable battery, computer interface, etc. Make an Ollie label, stick it down, add a strip of regular clear tape on top for protection. It will beat printing from my iMac, laminating, trimming, and sticking down with double sided tape. I hope…. These are a blowout sale, this price may not last long. John Davies Spokane WA

Thanks for setting the record straight. I really questioned the accuracy myself. That is why I posted two articles. Buying real US products is important to me. I try very hard to avoid products made in China, or products made by Chinese companies if I can.

Hi J.C. If you haven't started doing this, start subscribing to some of the popular RV channels on YouTube. There's a wealth of knowledge they share, their experiences and many of them are very honest about the typical obstacles and difficulties that can come up that you should be prepared for. Just to name a few, Long Long Honeymoon , Keep Your Daydream, CheapRVliving, Today Is Someday, All About RVs, RV with Tito DIY........ there are many more but these are all good and will give you plenty to watch and learn about. Welcome to the forum and good luck.

Don't wait to retire longer than you have to. Things can change on a dime and take time away from you. That's my best advice. As for RVing, consider renting 1 or 2 and trying the lifestyle before you commit big dollars to a new purchase. Some people find it isn't for them. Don't expect a problem-free idyllic RV lifestyle like you see on RV ads. You'll need to be flexible and handy with basic repairs on the road. Read, read, read RV forums. Good luck.

I follow Escape pages and I like mods done by Johnny Hung. He made a few with solar panels that slide out from back and both sides. Not only do they provide more solar power, but they act as exterior shades over the windows.

We did, too. We ordered one from Oliver that didn't fit our 2019 (they apparently have changed the one they use since then) and found one on Amazon that did fit. It looks a little different than the original but fit the existing screw holes.

You must relocate the portable panel’s controller to the trailer. I am using 50 feet of aftermarket heavy gauge solar cable and it works fine. It greatly increases the theft risk! If you are not out there observing all the time, you need to figure out a way to secure it to something big like a concrete building block. It also is a SERIOUS trip hazard! https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5478-how-to-remote-mount-the-controller-of-a-suitcase-solar-panel-not-inside-the-trailer/ John Davies Spokane WA

As I understand it, an ST rated tire has a stiffer sidewall. A stiffer sidewall should help eliminate any (or at least minimize) side way sway caused by flexing sidewalls. I must also say I have never noticed any sway while underway with my 2017 Michelin LT rated tires. If you was to stand at the back side of the Oliver and push and release, push and release you would see the sidewall flex. That was a concern, when picking up our unit that it had LT rated tires instead of ST. As the same tires were 10 ply we figured we would give them a try as they had performed very well on plow trucks. It turns out it was really a non issue. Think it would be nice to know that replacement tires are readily available most everywhere. Now for the important "stuff": do I have enough instate firewood and wine for tonight?

https://www.rvforum.net/threads/goodyear-endurance-tire-reviews-anyone.130815/ I am NOT a Goodyear fan, but I think these will be fine, I don’t especially like the tread design for the kinds of roads I travel sometimes. The Michelins on my Hull 218 were 29.3 inches overall diameter, these are 1 inch smaller, so the frame will ride about 0.5” lower to the ground. I do think it will affect how the trailer looks. Not so “tough”. I have to buy new tires next year, I may just downsize to these tires with five new wheels. Does anyone know what wheel Oliver will use? I would buy this (old price shown) or something similar. There was a thread about this a while back. Smaller usually means cheaper when applied to tires, wheels, and brakes…. https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5542-has-anyone-considered-down-sizing-the-le2-wheels-and-tires-to-15”-with-5-on-45”-lug-bolt-pattern/?tab=comments#comment-58171 By downsizing I would make my trailer super easy to mod with disk brakes, 😬😬😬 and a future owner might like having “current” Oliver tire and wheel size. Choose a slip on rotor version and then add Nev-R Lube idler hubs. No more bearing repacks, and you can carry a complete hub as an emergency spare…. https://www.kodiaktrailerbrakes.com/Kodiak-3500lb-Slip-On-5-Lug-Disc-Brake-Kits-10-inch_c_641.html John Davies Spokane WA

Ideally, they'd add a 1" or so spacer between the mount and awning. Then they could lower the awning back down to meet the roof with a seal, just 1" further forward, and there wouldn't be any obstruction from the mounts at all. Even though I don't have the vertical dam on mine, it's still the mounts that collect the garbage. I think a clean, unobstructed seal would collect far less gunk, and be much easier to spray out with a hose. I also think that they could use a stiffer and easier to clean L-shaped gutter rather than trying to seal it with the soft gasket.

I thought about going to ND also but figured I’d be pushing my luck late October. We should be able to visit Wind Cave NP and Badlands NP from one camping location?

During our return from the Boler Rally in Winnipeg we traveled down through North and South Dakota. We saw all the National Park units in both states. Several of them had campgrounds for about $8-10 per night.