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I see sale pending on JD's classified. Congratulations, John! You're going to miss your little Mouse!

Mr. (Mrs.?) Osprey got take-out for dinner.

I'm not sure about the right price: it's what a buyer is willing to pay and a seller is willing to accept. However, I do have a comment about used trailers. Yes, a new-trailer warranty is nice and reassuring. And there is no doubt that Oliver has a solid parts and service team which, in my experience, is very willing to help. However, there is also something to be said for a pre-owned trailer from an owner that has truly used the trailer, conscientiously fixed what needs fixing, improved what needs improving. We bought ours new, but spent more time than I expected troubleshooting and fixing things in the first year. We replaced interior lights (Oliver provided new ones), the inverter (after Xantrex gave up trying to guide me in repairing it), the radio (which Oliver graciously replaced), the table (which cracked apart where mounted in brackets to the wall), and updated battery firmware. We had Oliver repair a few minor fiberglass blemishes and straighten out the rubber strips between body and frame after a year of ownership. In addition, we installed a see-through door window, made and installed mudflats, installed rain gutters over the windows, etc. John has done much, much more to his trailer, and by all reports, has done (and documented) it very, very well. This, in my mind, creates value. My point is this: a new trailer with full warranty is good, but there's also substantial value in a trailer that has been fully road-tested, fixed, upgraded, and is really, truly, "ready-to-use." Fritz

I'd go with, "Cassette Toilet Access." More believable.

Exactly right on! Securing our toys is a matter of increasing the bad guys' task time to defeat our measures. However, without a means of detecting and assessing their efforts with some sort of an alarm system - their task time can be as long as the time we are away from the trailer to get what they want. The Proven hitch lock slows them down considerably - and provides a deterrent for those thieves without tools. If, the they bring proper tools to this caper, the deterrent factor goes away. For that matter, with a pre-drilled $130 Bulldog coupler, the bad guys only need to remove the two through bolts, toss the Proven-locked coupler assembly, attach their Bulldog and drive off. Having just removed our Bulldog this week, guess it'd take less than 5 minutes time before pulling chocks and driving away with a $75k+ Ollie, not a bad investment. Regarding the battery compartment lock, given the value sitting on the battery tray - some thought could be given for an engineered locking mechanism for the battery tray latch. Making the latch lockable would further provide a reasonably cost deterrent and simultaneously increase their task time. Again, if they bring tools.... Just our $0.02 worth.

Unfortunately, if someone knows there are expensive batteries in your compartment, and they want them bad enough, no latch/lock will stop them. They'll just ram a crowbar into the compartment door and rip the fiberglass apart. Keys will keep the curious from looking but they won't stop a determined thief. At least the cut keys would stop someone with a paperclip from opening the compartment.

MAX Burner, unfortunately I did not take pictures of my friends AC install. I am planning to take pictures of my install next week. My friends old AC unit had the manual controls on the bottom of the air distribution/return cover, which we were able to reuse. On my AC swap next week, I should be able to use the thermostat control box from the old Penguin AC, that would allow me to use my existing wall thermostat. I hope it all goes as planned. I will keep everyone posted. Alan

Having owned sailboats, motorboats, airplanes, and now TT's - we've learned that maintenance schedules should be developed, maintained, and executed. Otherwise, having such toys becomes the proverbial "hole in the water, air, or ground" that you're just throwing money into without benefit. Cheers to the Ollie Family!

Yes, it has a controller and a temp sensor wire built in, though I leave it set to OFF while not in use since the fan will run on low speed once the temp is over 70f. I almost always run the fridge on AC but it seems to extract about the same amount of heat no matter what power source the fridge is using. Here's the model. Might be able to find it cheaper elsewhere since it's gone up around $30 from this seller since I purchased it. It's designed to attach to the grill itself but I couldn't get that method to work with the amount of space I was dealing with. Just used parts of the kit and mounted it to the vent frame instead. TITAN cooling fan

Same for 135.

It was on hull 193. Mine is located high and in back of the refrigerator. It is accessible through the upper exterior refrigerator vent. The power switch is on the main panel in the foyer. And in a pinch you can remove the upper vent panel for some convection cooling. Mossey

Mud dauber nest attached to fan blades. I had peered into the flu and saw the typical dried mud dauber mud crumbs. I took the plunge and removed the fan. Sure enough there was the nest and mud on the blades where it had been attached. Cleaned the blades, tossed the nest and reassembled the fan to the Aqua Go. The hot water heater is back in business. Thanks so much for the hints. By the way the screws are T15 Star drive. I was fortunate and had a long enough magnetized screw driver that allowed their removal with less chance of loss. And one more item. The mud dauber came by while I was working and said, “What the heck!”.

FYI, last week I helped a friend replace the AC unit on his (some other brand) trailer. He was replacing an old Dometic Brisk model with the new Dometic FreshJet 3 Series 13,500 BTU. The install was pretty straight forward (plug and play), it only took a couple hours for two amateurs to complete the installation. My friend was able to reuse the existing control panel from his old unit. I was not able to compare the noise/sound difference between the Brisk and FreshJet, but I am really impressed with the FreshJet compared to my Oliver’s Penguin model. My friend and his wife say that the new AC is a game changer and will allow them to travel more in the summer season. I ordered a FreshJet for myself this past weekend from RV Parts Country, and to my surprise it arrived to my home in East TN in two days. My friend and I are planning to install it on my Oliver late next week. I will post more information after the install. Alan

This little doe was just outside our door today in Lewiston, Michigan.💗

A few pics of the TV install to follow. When I first installed it and connected to the Internet, the movie Fletch was streaming on the Samsung network! 1985 OMG! Then pic with TV off and soundbar installed. Next pic shows the slim profile and a final pic shows the Samsung network, and notice the HDMI input, currently no HDMI input powered up. The TV can swivel left and right and front and back. Pushing the TV back gives the best viewing angle when lying in bed.

I agree 100%. We had some issues our first couple of years. Once we got those corrected it’s been smooth sailing since. Things still need to be tightened, lubed, adjusted or replaced but that’s to be expected because we tow and camp all around the country. Mike

Don’t know about screens, but I am sure there is a solution. You should be very sure to clean off ALL the mud, the fan blades are balanced and any concentrated mass like that mud will throw that off. It will eventually make noise and maybe damage the bearings. I bet the fan assembly is pricy! A simple dust accumulation may affect airflow a little , but it won’t affect the balance. John Davies spokane WA

It was our 1st post!! Normally just reading everyone's questions and replies. Thank you!

No factory fan on hull 45 but I added a double fan with auto controller to the upper vent opening. Amazed at how much heat it removes when set to high speed.

We're getting kitted-up to head out to Eagle Nest, NM tomorrow to escape the heat wave. During a routine light inspection this afternoon, Magnus has OK'd the LED Bumper mod.... Apparently, we're good to go, according to "Big M." WOOF!

Yes! Accessing the battery compartment with a tire iron or pry bar is a simple feat, regardless of the keying of the latch. Fiberglass pops and cracks with minimal stress. I am thinking of doing exactly what you describe above (locking the tray slide). If anyone has done this already please post your solution.

Agreed. If I were a thief and wanted in to either our battery or basement hatches a simple wonder bar or large flat blade screwdriver would suffice, no matter the keying of the latch. Luckily for us, Oliver battery placement is not industry standard and most people would not expect batteries to be housed there. However, I am toying with the idea of placing a static cling label on my battery compartment which states, "Sewage Dump Access".

They are called combustible gas detectors. The best ones have both visual and audible alerts. I like this one, available from Amazon for $32, if you can get it delivered where you are: https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Detector-Portable-Combustible-Explosive/dp/B07FSVCSSL/ref=asc_df_B07FSVCSSL/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=343320284310&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1399517356399337030&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029558&hvtargid=pla-656039150139&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=68608912305&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=343320284310&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1399517356399337030&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029558&hvtargid=pla-656039150139 Combustible gas detectors can enable you to find leaks in places you can' reach with a soap+H2O solution. The closer you get to the leak, the louder the alarm (if properly calibrated), and the greater the number of LEDs lit on the visual display. Yes. The propane line that feeds the water heater runs from the forward propane tanks to the aft location of the water heater. The leak could be at the water heater, but you might smell it along the path of the propane line. Also, the water heater is easier to access (from the outside) than the interior area under the stove. I would try a soap and water solution now to try and rule that out, even before you get a combustible gas detector. It could be as simple as a loose flare fitting at the Truma water heater. I would also daub a 50/50 dish soap+H2O solution along the path of the copper propane line as it runs underneath the trailer to the water heater, and to the rear quick connect fitting, with the line pressurized (by having the propane tank valves open). You may find a leak along that line. Good luck, and please report what you find!

Thanks again, SeaDawg! BTW, no that's not reflection of safety glasses. LOL, looks that way! That is a reflection that shows OTT did not get the back corner round, just an imperfection in the round and finish of the back corner. When I received the SAMSUNG 32" M80B 4K UHD HDR Smart-TV/Monitor, my first thought was, "this is a thing of beauty!" The picture is amazing, as the picture has a 3D look to it, with 4K UHD HDR resolution! The entire monitor measures 12mm thick (<1/2"), across the entire screen except for a 4x4" input panel in the rear that protrudes another 1/4" or so. Looking at the input panel, I was worried at first, since there is only one micro-HDMI input and a USB-C for computer use. NP, I could add an HDMI switch up above for additional inputs. I require 2 HDMI inputs, for the Blu-ray player and the Dish Satellite Wally receiver (more on this later). This is a smart-TV/Monitor, meaning it has no TV tuner, nor RF cable input. So, I cannot add an antenna for broadcast TV (one project off my list) and you cannot connect cable TV from an RV park. NBD, I think I tried that once, never again. A real TV would be 2-4" deep and black. The TV was supposed to come with a VESA mount adapter, to be connected to the ceiling mount. Well, this was Amazon used and it was missing. They got me one later, but I installed without it. I decided to mount the screen merely using 3M 4950 VHB Tape. This tape is STRONG! On our Class-C, I used it to tape the Solar panel mounts to the fiberglass roof, no screws used here, and this TV is only 14 lbs. I used my jigsaw with a medium steel blade, to cut a 4x4" opening in one end of the TV mount, to surround the input panel behind the TV. I covered the entire face of the mount with VHB tape (clean both sides with rubbing alcohol) and pushed it, massaged it onto the rear of the screen. There must be a good 20 square inches of tape contact, and this TV is not going anywhere. I don't have assembly pics, and it was difficult to get a decent picture after everything was mounted, but here it is -

Hell bent for leather Life in the west…

CRM, does your added fan have an integrated thermostat? This is a smart upgrade, given the Dometic fridge gets that hot. Is it always hot when running the fridge, or hotter when running on LP? Amazon item? Let us know if you have a part # or source. Thanks

@SeaDawg: We've only had them installed for about a month or so. They have yet to be tested in windy conditions, but the effort it takes to open and close the main hatch is equal to a few pounds of force. The door just stays wherever you place it - we're thinking its going to be a nice upgrade in those cases when you're exiting the Ollie and not realizing the wind has kick-in and now being able to control the door. Cheers to all!

Can you post some pix of the SOB install, just curious... This sounds very promising. Thanks for the post!

Where @John E Davies mounted his would pretty much hide white screw cover dots. Just a thought.

@RustyMDThat’s terrific , I’m glad that you found the problem!

John, thank you!

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/woman-gored-bison-yellowstone-national-park-rcna94791 Stay a safe distance from wildlife. And, keep your pets contained. Please, pass it on to new campers. I know all of you experienced folks know better. And we all read the signs. I see these articles all the time, with great sadness .

Glad to hear that @rangered My ollie is still waiting in line for the replacement. I’m hoping it happens this week.

Promising update from Jason… “I am currently working with a company for a latch that is promising that has several unique key codes so the code would only duplicate about every 50 – 125 keys. I have not yet received the new latch & will have to do some R&D and then get engineering approval but you might reach back out to me in a few months”

Just guessing here but is your flue blocked or is the fan not operating / jammed? If you have the antifreeze kit is the yellow flue plate removed?

Tonight’s Yard Art

Snow Foxes

If you do decide to replace the lock on the battery door, I'd suggest replacing the one on the basement door at the same time. Having only one of them with a better key sort of tells people there's something special behind that door.

That photo makes me smile. (Farm girl.)

I barely had time to grab my phone. Little guy wandered across the driveway, in the distance. Wnc. Fairly skinny, and young. Likely recently separated from momma.

We bought our Olliver just 5 weeks ago. We went to see it solely because it is so unique, and after selling our Bigfoot Class-C I thought we should instead buy a lite TT for the seasonal camping we do. Ours was priced quite a bit less than your asking price, and even so, I thought, "no way we're buying this, spending over $50K on any TT! We always joked about the $100K AS TTs we would see at campsites. Thought, why do people like these and spend so much money? Then ours was for-sale locally. We liked the owner who is respected in the community, it appeared well maintained and had the features we required (solar, inverter, mega Ah battery bank, Sat dish, etc.). With a little research, it appeared if we passed on this, we would have to research online and long-distance and likely not do any better. The prior owner even dropped off our Oliver, parked it in our RV space and connected the shore power! LOL I rarely buy new, when good used is available. Like I've bought over 50 used cars or trucks in my life, and I can only remember buying 4 new cars. Would not have a custom home built, though prefer to find the perfect old house on a beautiful property, even if it will require 100s of hours of my own effort. I would prefer to spend less used and provide the M&R work myself. But that's me, as I have the tools and skillsets. However, I'm an odd-ball and I realize 90% of people buy new, especially at this price point, and "call the guy" when service is required. One suggestion is to simplify your ad. Write up only the big options and improvements and less of the little ones (e.g. the Zerks). I write like you do, but I see the guys who sell vehicles in 1-2 days, writing little to nothing in their ads. I had a party overlook my Bigfoot, because as he said, "We're looking for something more original" (the guy had no understanding of RVs.) While I had completely rebuilt the Ford suspension, did all maintenance replacing all fluids, belts, hoses etc. on an 18-year-old rig. Designed, sourced and installed a solar-inverter-battery system from scratch, new large-screen A/V system, new AC, 2 new fantastic fans where they had vents and no power, and the list went on-and-on! I had volumes of posts on their BOCI Forum, 8 pages alone on my solar upgrade project. Yep, over-modified for some. The man who bought our unit low-balled me and he was not at all interested in upgrades I had made. I did OK, but lost some money since he did not see value in the upgrades. I thought, how long to our next offer. I got him up $1500 and we ended up $4500 under my asking price. In seeing your ad, understanding the perfection of your unit, I thought this... It must be worth it (as others here have confirmed). Given prospective buyers with available cash for such a considerable purchase, would these buyers prefer to spend $75K for an extremely well-maintained unit, or go directly to OTT and buy a new one for $100K, while enjoying the new-buyer experience, having the warranty and manufacturer support? Buy new? Or save a lot buying one that will likely need work. Your Ollie sits in the middle. And this creates a very small market niche for your unit, and it will take time. My Bigfoot was on the market 5 months and the dollar loss upon offer seemed better than waiting another month or more. Best wishes and GLWTS!

Actual age, with our ollies, is pretty much meaningless, if properly maintained. Mine is 16 seasons young, and no one believes it's true age. It's all about the owners devotion to care. Yours is quantified, and verifiable.

Elk in a field along the roadside, Oct 2022, Orick CA

Almost got this little guy with the lawn tractor today. Just a baby. Saw him hop at the last second. Was able to relocate him to a safe spot while I finished the lawn.

When I leave home for the road I always alert the Neighborhood Watch group who perform random walk-thrus of the yard and sometimes stop and have a bite to eat and rest for a while. Anyone who thinks moose are not good security only need surprise and corner a moose once.

Airborne

I would add a full roll of paper towels, a 5 gallon "Home Depot" bucket (or simular), and a boat throw cushion. The last two items are optional, but trust me if you are my vintage and choose to skimp on them ..... you will regret having done so. 🙂 GJ

Just so everybody is on the same page, the bearing Kit shown above is for the 3500 pound axles used on the Elite II's through 2021. In 2022 Oliver started installing a 5200 pound axle on the Elite II models. This axle is the same size that has always been supplied on the Elite's except it is de-rated to a 3500 pound weight capacity due to using a 4 leaf spring pack (3500 lbs) instead of the normal 5 leaf spring pack (5200 lbs.) These new axles are now standard with Dexter's Nev-R-Lube Bearings. If you have a 2021 or earlier Elite II with the standard bearings they cannot be replaced by the Nev-R-Lube style. There were changes made to both the hub size and the spindle size. The complete axle would have to be replaced. If you have a 2021 or earlier Elite I it will require the standard bearings for a 5200 pound axle. If you have a 2021 or earlier Elite II it will require the standard bearings for a 3500 pound axle. Advantages with Dexter's Nev-R-Lube Bearings: * No need to pull the hubs to repack the bearings or replace the grease seals when checking the brakes. * No more inner and outer bearings. Just one sealed bearing cartridge. * Pre-set adjustment means installation is easy and human error is virtually eliminated in bearing adjustment. * Pre-lubricated at the bearing factory providing resistance to contamination. * Sealed for life which means increased durability and reliability and no more bearing maintenance. * 5 year or 100,000 mile warranty against defects in material and workmanship. I do want to emphasize if you do have a trailer that has the Nev-R- Lube bearings installed there are periodic checks that need to be performed to make sure they are in good working order. Nev-R-Lube Bearing maintenance needing performed every 12 months or 12,000 miles. 1. Elevate and support the trailer unit per manufactures instructions. Never jack the trailer up on any part of the axle. Always jack the trailer up on the main frame rails of the trailer. 2. Check for excessive wheel end clearance by pulling the tire assembly towards you and by pushing the assembly away from you. Slight end play is acceptable. 3. Rotate tire slowly forwards and backwards. The wheel should turn freely and smoothly. 4. Excessive wheel end play, restriction to rotation, noise, or bumpy rotation should be remedied by replacing the bearing unit. Note: A slight amount of grease weeping from the seal is normal. Excessive leakage may indicate abnormal bearing operation. The important thing to remember is that even though this bearing is sealed and does not need lubricated it still needs to have a yearly inspection for the end play. Having this checked will hopefully keep you from having wheel bearing issues on that next adventure you are planning. If there's a downside, it would be that if/when you need to replace them it will cost a lot more than the old style bearings and seals. A sealed Nev-R- Lube bearing Kit -42MM CARTRIGE & ATTACHING COMP, FITS 5,200 LB & 6,000 LB AXLES - Part #K71-997-00 will cost over $300 per wheel. I would be remiss to only replace one at a time.

LevelMate "For trailer leveling, I use the LevelMate Pro by LogicBlue. I purchased it and had Oliver install it for me on delivery day in the closet because I was not confident that the attaching screws would be too long and pierce the visible side of the fiberglass. This system works like a charm, and I have verified its accuracy using a 4' level.“ I use a Levelmate Pro also. I was worried about the screws inside the closet so I used vhb tape. Occasionally I check with bubble level, it’s still stuck in place.

It is not much help - but I have offered rv space on my property to a few traveling Oliver owners. (just hit me up - we are in Mid TN.) Water and sewer, and with a little Macgyver-ing, 120 service. Any port in a storm - six foot rule - not with standing.