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I’ve been thinking about installing some type of shade or deflector shield on each of the curb lights along the bottom of Ollie-Haus to reduce the harshness for folks camping nearby. After considering numerous ideas, I decided to buy a piece of 1.125” aluminum “Z” extrusion and cut into 5 inch pieces to serve as stick on shields. (Edit) https://www.mcmaster.com/7062T16/ You may be able to pick this up locally and save the high shipping charge. Metal supermarket is a good source around the country. I chose this method as it seemed to me an inexpensive, easy, effective and non-permanent modification that should do the job. I painted the pieces glossy white to match the camper and installed with clear double sided silicone tape. Here’s some pics of the results.

I assume from your post that other than the wheel rim there was no damage to the Oliver - wheel well, tire fairing, brake lines, brake wires, etc.? If that be the case then consider yourself to be very fortunate. Certainly there is a margin of safety in having two axles versus only one. And, a big thanks to that driver who alerted you to the problem. When purchasing my 2023 F-150 I too considered getting Ford's trailer TPMS. But even though it would be nice not to have yet another of these screens in the cockpit of the truck, the price was much higher than simply getting a stand alone TPMS. Also, I've found that having the stand alone TPMS I tend to monitor it more often. There are numerous brands on the market that do a great job of monitoring both pressure and temperature for the trailer and the spare tires on the truck and Oliver. I simply went to YouTube and Amazon, looked at features, size, reviews and price to get the one I liked best. Glad that you are OK. Bill

We had almost the exact same encounter with a blowout about 12 years ago in FL traveling on a secondary road at about 45mph. At the time we didn't own a standalone TPMS. We didn't realize the right side rear tire blew until we pulled over at a convenience store for a pee - walking back to the rig we saw what looked like a "ghost tire" (formerly a Goodyear Marathon) with only the radial material left on the rim. With a TPMS (which we've had ever since), at least would have known when it blew and proceeded accordingly rather than driving for an unknown distance on 3 good wheels/tires. Glad no injuries ensued....

I installed a dimmer switch such that just about all lights (inside and outside) the Ollie are dimmed. Your solution certainly is a bunch cheaper! And, easier to do too. Bill

I'll add my two cents and say that I hae been using Meguiars pruducts with good results. I like the rolling warehouse platform idea, but dont have room to store one. The best item I use during cleaning is a Werner podium ladder ( https://www.wernerco.com/us/products/ladders/step-ladders/PD6200Series/PD6206 ). It gives me the ability get close enough and high enough to do the roof and is easy to store at home.

We've used a "target" for years with our SOB and now our OTT. We only had approximately 9" of clearance on either side with the SOB, now much more with the Ollie. Whew! Parallel lines work for us - but the absolute game changer with when we added a front hitch to the TV... The camper had to been consistently placed correctly in its "spot" or like, @Townesw mentioned, we can't move stuff around it with the bay door closed. With the front hitch, you just steer the camper into place - no more "raised-voice" commands from Magnus and the lovely spouse. HA!

I have the TST also and monitor all eight tires. Four on the TV and the four on the trailer. It came with the repeater, but it hasn't been necessary. It does take about five minutes to start registering on the display, but after it does, it cycles through all the tires. It gives great peace of mind. John

TPMS is the first thing we install on every trailer. Learned the hard way with trailer #1.

Well, that was a PITA. So sorry., but really glad for the persistent motorist who alerted you to the flat tire. We have the TST tpms system. Though we haven't needed the repeater, there is one available to boost the signal forward to the display unit if needed. I think a few other brands sell a booster or repeater, as well.

"BRAVO ZULU" goes out to @Mike and Carol and I stand corrected! We used the same ones, Bill. Thanks for the clarification... Cheers to inexpensive and effective mods - great post idea, @Wandering Sagebrush!

Make sure your Truma water heater main switch is set to the 'on' position. This switch is located on the water heater itself and can be set to either the up or down position. The center position is off.

To be fair - I believe it was Mike & Carol that first had the idea of mounting the one door magnet to the bottom of the bath door and the other magnet to the INSIDE of the dinette seat nearest the bath. This arrangement provides just enough "holding" power for the bath door, hides one of the two magnets for a cleaner look and is easy to do. The one that I used is similar to THESE. Bill

I totally agree. Using the front hitch I can get the Oli within a couple of inches most times on first try.

Simple solution! Very good idea! Thanks for sharing. Upon closer examination of the first image it appears that the new courtesy lights are different from the “older” ones. It looks like the new ones are much brighter.

I've had a front hitch on every one of the five tow vehicles we've owned and I've been preaching this sermon for years. Maybe folks will listen to you.

Oliver doesn't have a video. Found this and thought it might come in handy. I just order the Truma tablets on Amazon.

2023 Elite II with Truma A/C, Truma on-demand hot water heater and Furnace, Isotherm frig. Setting uo at campsite once shorepower was connected the Truma Control Panel showed Alert diamond in center at bottom control panel. When selected the code read W255 W. The manuals provided on flashdrive to not list this error code. A/C would not come on when selected. Anyone have full listing of error codes. I think it is associated with power rocker switch behind exterior access panel for on-demand water heater which we were instructed to turn OFF when preparing to leave for next camping location. Mike Griffin

I have a lot of stuff in my shop. I’m getting rid of a lot of it but I still have to put our Oliver in an exact place to maximize space and be able to move stuff around it. A few years ago I made marks on a line parallel to the side wall with a paint pen then placed soccer cones on the marks to guide me while backing, keeping the tires close to the line of cones. After the trailer is in place I store the cones an a shelf by the door. Saves a bunch of time when storing the trailer.

Welcome to the Oliver family and the forum! Steep learning curve those first few days using the Ollie. Just tested mine with the unit switch off and that is the code that popped up on the control panel when I tried to turn the water heater on inside. Not sure why they are saying to turn off the unit switch for travel. I would personally only turn this off for storage.

A thermal camera won't find moisture. It only displays the surface temperature.

Good idea! I like nestling up in the dinette seat corner, but the window shade is not comfortable to lean against. Gonna look at the ‘white’ boat seat cushions for the fix. Thanks

We've been at altitude with cool temperatures for the past 3 months between Montana and Colorado. 2022 Oliver with 27000 miles on it and the original tires. We had a blowout on the aft driver's side. I travel at 61 or 62 mph but have very seldom approached 70 mph when descending on the back side of a mountain. I'm only posting this because I did not realize we had a blowout until I heeded a following motorist's flashing headlights, signaling me to pull over. He probably followed me for 5 or so miles and I thought he just wanted to know more about the trailer. We inspected what we could view from the side view mirrors and could not see anything wrong or out of place. I could only see the front tire with my standard sized Silverado side view mirror. We finally pulled over when we came to a place where the road became wider. We did not notice any odd noises, vibrations, or any visual clues that anything was wrong. Our normal 60-62 psi was indicated that morning via our ProSmart, smart tire pressure sensors with our smart phone app. We have no way of checking pressure while we're driving as the bluetooth range is very limited. So, lesson for me.....I will install internal pressure/temp sensors that can be read through Chevrolet's "driver information center". Again, I had no idea anything was wrong until someone notified me to pull over. The aluminum wheel was also damaged beyond repair and while I found the correct sized tire, Discount Tire had to install it on, what appears to be, a trailer rim.

@johnwen I’m glad your tire failure only resulted in a dented wallet and y'all are safe! Hope your remaining vacation and return trip home is safe and uneventful. Mossey

16 inch Cooper Discovery HT3 LT 225/75R16 M+S 6 bolt pattern

Well, As I type this I'm right on the North Carolina beach (TopSail Island) enjoying sun, sand, surf, fresh shrimp for dinner tonight, etc.. Therefore I do not have access to either my Ollie and/or any information on my dimmer. About all I can tell you is that it is similar to THIS one. I didn't want my dimmer to scream "dimmer". However, there are a bunch of these 12 volt dimmer switches available on Amazon or West Marine. I tapped into the main supply wires located above the curbside bed and mounted the control panel just to the left of the storage cabinet above that bed but aft of the kitchen cubbie. Good news and bad news - good news first - it works great. I am no longer blinded by the airplane landing strip of lights running down the center of the Oliver. I'd certainly do this mod all over again. However, the bad news is that virtually all lights are dimmed at the same time - both inside and outside. Obviously, I've not been so bothered by this as to take the time and effort to change the wiring such that this was not the case. But, there have been times where I've wanted or even needed brighter lights on the outside and I had to go back inside to make the change - yes, I known - "poor baby"! Bill

@topgun2/Bill, could you please post details on how you implemented a dimmer for the lights? Thanks, Don

It's also easily removed and restored to original if ever desired. I do like the idea of a dimmer as well.

We used @topgun2's magnet mod, too! We placed a strong magnet on the inside of the dinette seat compartment with silicone tape and screwed another magnet on the corner of the door. This way, there's nothing "showing" on the outer gelcoat of the dinette seat... Holds the door open nicely.

Very clean mod! Looks effective for its desired function! Great pix - thanks for posting.

Great idea ! Another game changer is a magnet mounted right there at the same light ... positioned just right to catch and hold the bathroom door open when you want. I got the idea from Topgun. First tried Command strip... but it didn't hold up so I eventually broke down and screwed it into the fiberglass.

I always like a "target" when backing my Ollie - makes good sense. Bill

Here’s a suggestion for making the dinette more comfy. Not exactly elegant, but it does a reasonably good job, and you don’t get in trouble for stealing a cushion from your significant other. It’s just an old floating boat cushion…

Here is the “How to” video of how we added two shelves inside the closet.

After reading all the classifieds of Ollies for sale because of "health reasons," and one person who said they bought their Ollie "one year too late," we decided to push ahead with our purchase before actually retiring. Then it happened to us. Steph was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer in July, just two weeks after we took delivery of Eggcelsior. Our little Ollie allowed us to find last minute reservations at state and COE parks and get away a bit during the initial treatments. The change of scenery was good for both our souls. At the moment, Steph is doing spectacularly well, with no cancer detected in her last PET scan. She's not cured, but it's very, very encouraging! We've pushed our retirement up a bit and we're hoping we can continue to enjoy good heath and get out in Eggcelsior as much as possible in the coming years. I think the message here is: don't wait for retirement to live your best life. We've seen friends and coworkers put off their adventures, waiting for a retirement they never got. If you've got the means to get out there and have your adventures now, in an Ollie or not, strike while you can. You just never know. Be safe and well, everyone. We'll see you on the road!

My new propane leak detector has a seriously intense green spot that lit up the front half of the cabin at night, plus it created a bunch of green dot reflections. There is no reason for it to be so much like a miniature sun! I applied a single 1/4” square dim dot on top: Much better, but there is nothing that can be done about the disbursed green glow inside the unit. I added two round dots to my inside-the-window Furion radio antenna to cover that miniature red sun. https://lightdims.com/index.php Highly recommended to dim your interior! I have to use a sharp knife to pry them up, mine don’t simply peel off. My small pack came with a larger full sheet of material that can be cut to whatever shape you want. John Davies Spokane WA

My wife’s new Acura RDX has a crazy bright hi beam indicator, it is simply blinding at night on a deserted road. One would think that the dash programming would dim it when it is really dark outside 😳 I added a single dot over part of the symbol, it should be less bothersome now. If it still is too bright I will remove that and put a bigger dot over the entire symbol. I really like these dots, highly recommended! John Davies Spokane WA

It kinda gives a N’awlins red light district vibe to it.

I bought two of the dimmers you linked to and swapped them for the Porch Light and the Outside Courtesy Light switches. The dimmer switch requires a ground wire. When I pulled the panel out I found that each switch had its own ground wire. For the time being I am using a couple of brass washers on the front panel for the switch nut to tighten against. The dimmers do a great job dimming the outside lights.

Great idea! A few years ago, while waiting for the Aurora to appear, I covered all those annoying little lights with band aides. It was all we had in the middle of nowhere Canada. 😁 More recently, after a Blue Ghost Firefly tour where you were required to cover your flashlight with red cellophane, I had an aha moment & decided to tone down my LED reading lights with red tail light repair tape. You can still read by them, bugs aren't as attracted to them, & they are less jarring in the middle of the night. Full confession, I also put the tail light repair tape on the curbside porch lights & LOVED the results. Some may not care for the pinkish glow ... (I'm going to try a different brand of tape next time.) Chris

One slightly off topic comment….. for five camping seasons I have been hating the back lighting on my Furrion radio head. The normal mode is very bright, when I switched it OFF by pressing the POWER button It dimmed a little and showed the time. I have been pulling the circuit breaker for it sometimes….. until I finally read the @#$&* operating manual, a week ago. Does a long press sound like a logical design? Not to me. But now the display goes completely black when I turn it off. John Davies Spokane WA

This is good news for this lifelong insomniac. Using bits of masking tape is getting old and tacky. Studies may support this desire to sleep in the total dark. In my forays into astronomy I read that research suggest that the human eye can detect as less than ten photos. What the brain does with that is another matter. I've also explored dimmer switches for the lights, with no conclusion. A new topic on this would be welcomed.

Topgun2 Would love to hear more about this dimmer switch! DIY'able?

Shortly after picking up my Ollie, I took it back and asked Service to install an electronic dimmer switch. It works great but it does nothing to all those LED lights scatter about - the fridge, the radio, the fan (when on), etc. I did place a small piece of electrical tape over that LED on the TV! Certainly this "Light Dims" product can help. Bill

I agree. Why? Wish they'd all auto dim at night, but the stickers look to be a good help. My husband is never bothered, but I am. He says my eyelids must be thin, lol. I hated even the lights on the panel of the previous dometic fridge. I don't know if they woke me up, but they sure kept me awake. I sometimes resorted to a towel over them. Thanks for the link.

That 3rd light, beyond dirty/plugged weepholes, is the biggest culprit , ever . Yes, inspect caulking, but most types of caulking is good for several to many years. Butyl is good for longer, but I seem to be in the minority on that love affair with synthetic butyl. Put the rv eze gutters on. Clean the weepholes. Watch the 3rd light Wax on/wax off, with your choice of products. We've probably had 10" of rain in western North Carolina this season. My only problem was a heavily clogged weep in one window track. Easily solved . I'll never make light if the situation, as my husband knows. My spot on the bed is the back, three windows, and the 3rd tail light. I'm usually the one who "knows" if we're have a small leak. That's a rarity, and in the past, always a weephole, or that 3rd tail light