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This was put in to use our last trip and we loved it, especially the kids. No more picking up heavy 3 gallon containers for drinking water. Faucet magnetically attaches to base and can be turned or moved. Easy 1, 2 tap On/Off. Easy to clean and store easier than other water containers we have used. As much as I would like to just use on board storage H20 it never seems to taste great despite keeping it clean and tank treated. We added a 10 ft tube to make it easier to place where we want it. It came with a very short one. You can just use the connector from it for the new, longer tubing. Links below: https://a.co/d/8Toxx09 https://a.co/d/iH6ZA6w https://a.co/d/gpyMZqu

Got an awesome Glidecoat applied by GCI in Murfreesboro before our trip. Not cheap but looks better than the day I picked it up 6 years ago. I know there is already a lot of posts about them, just wanted to give them another thumbs up! Great job guys. Link: https://www.cgidetailing.com/olivertraveltrailers

It appears to me that Oliver owes you reimbursement for your replacement coupler. I recommend you submit a service ticket. Oliver has acted responsibly when advised of manufacturing errors in the past.

I just checked our 2022 LE2, 2" Bulldog. Ours is rated 7,000. Outside of surface rust, ours looks fine. I intend on sanding rusted areas and applying Rustoleum in two (2) coats when we get home. I need to check the underside for the guset. Update: guset is there

Hey guys, I think I may have just figured out why this happened. If I am thinking about this correctly, looks like to me the wrong coupler was installed from the factory. 5k instead of the 7k coupler. Maybe one from the Elite I got put into the Elite II pile, they look identical, except for the notorious gusset. Just noticed this when I was looking it over again.

I forgot to mention that I have the Timbren SES suspension enhancement installed my Tundra as well. Link: https://timbren.com/products/torttn-toyota-tacoma-tundra-2000-2023-rear-kit This and the Anderson Rapid hitch make leveling the TT easy and work great to help eliminate: squat, roll and sway on the Tundra. I seldom have any porpoising, so I have not really looked at changing anything like the gen in the front basket or the two bikes I usually carry in the back. The Oliver pulls amazingly down the road and off-road (My real frustration with a WDS). But saying all that, I have heard WDS enough times during these discussions to where I am seriously looking into getting one. I wanted to say thank you again for everyone's input and a healthy dialogue. Best, Mike PS. I did submit a report to the NHTSA and have sent an email to BD.

Nope you're spot on. One can dither on the % as it changes for every trailer. Regardless the idea is to have more than you need to prevent bad words. Having the great scale like you have is a wonderful way to check as over time it surely will change based upon so many factors. But knowing what it is compared to past voyages is the "Gold Star" approach. Yep..... virtually 99.998% that I am aware of do. in fact, I have never seen any of those 2/1,000th unicorns, but likely it was a milspec WW2 Jeep product or one of those super cool vintage Dodge Power Wagons. Neither of which would make a very practical TV for a lot of reasons that are irrelevant to your this topic. 🙂 However since OTT has well over 1,000 trailers on the road, there likely is a 1/2 ton that does not need one, and I would bet it's a beautifully restored WW2 machine. I FOR SURE WOULD NOT attempt to do so even with a master welder of the highest skills. And my Grand Pa was one. I for sure do recommend getting with BD and seeing what they say and will do to remedy the situation. I'll bet they want yours and will send you a new one. GJ

There is a ton of discussion on this and related topics here on the Forum. Don't be fooled - in virtually any situation the Oliver Travel Trailers do NOT sway. But, this is NOT the purpose of the Andersen weight distribution hitch (for the most part) with regards to Olivers. ALL 1/2 ton trucks that I'm aware of REQUIRE a weight distribution hitch. Yes, I know, your Tundra pulls your Ollie without any problem. Well, so does my Ford F-150 and it has a rated towing capacity of north of 12,000 pounds. But, Ford requires the weight distribution hitch for any hitch ball load over 500 pounds. I'm no engineer but I'm certain that there are other factors involved like braking, frame construction, steering, etc.. And, if you drive without a weight distribution hitch and are in an accident then it is likely that some well paid lawyer will investigate to try to determine exactly what your tongue weight was when you had that accident regardless of it being a factor in the accident or not. Certainly I would not want to risk my financial stability on a bet of being 15 pounds under or (over) the general 500 pound weight on the hitch ball number. There are also additional benefits of the Andersen - reduced porpoising/bouncing for one, and, perhaps additional safety margins for another. Yes, the Andersen is not cheap nor is it always "easy" to hookup and it does take a couple of additional minutes to make sure that it is ready to go. I doubt that the lack of an Andersen had much to do with what happened to your Bulldog one way or the other. However, the Andersen is still worth very serious consideration. Bill

There you go! That’s the answer and we should all check the coupler installed on our trailer and make sure of the weight rating. Thanks, a sigh of relief from me.

I love my Andersen WDH! Both of the TV's I have pulled our Oliver with required it. If I have to use it, I may as well embrace it. I can usually connect at least one of the chains and if I can't connect the other side, I just pull out of my campsite and turn away from the connected chain, letting the truck pull the whale tail around. If I can't connect either chain, I will connect the ball and coupler and raise the back of the truck up until I can connect one or both chains. If that makes you uncomfortable, while the TV and Oliver are connected and ready to hit the road, back up the TV onto whatever leveling equipment you have, which will raise the ball and coupling up, making the distance the chains and the TV shorter. Pick your battles! Or just keep beating on it with a sledge and eventually, one of you will submit.😉 Mossey

It is funny you posted about this water pump, we were in REI yesterday and I saw it on display. It caught my attention because the below picture is what we use at home. I find that these bottles of water are readily available while traveling. Mossey

And- They are nice guys too! Bill

Sadly, I won't be able to make it this time. My work is about 90% remote but the other 10% rears its ugly head at times. This is one of them. I'm sure we will meet up sometime in the future. Everyone needs an IT guy around. 🙂

LOL. I see you are a wise ole fellow! Great idea. Now if you can figure out a line to get the TV end of the Anderson replaced for free with the larger ball, we'll all stand up and cheer. At least those who are running the 2" versions. :-0 GJ

Leaving Jackson Hole to pick up hull 1491 “Carlotta” on Monday the 18th. Furthest east we’ve ever driven! Never had a truck - never had a trailer (actually had a Coleman pop-up many years ago, but was too busy to use it). Doug & Jill

Greetings All, I've been away from my computer and the forum for a few months, while soaking up the mild Florida winter sun and playing with amateur radio. This year I plan to bring my radio with me, so I hope I make contacts with some other Oliver hams out there. It looks like I'm seeing most of the usual suspects here in the forum -- just a couple of hours on here, and I'm already psyched up for the next camping adventure. I'm glad I spent time perusing the forum, too, because I learned something new, as usual! This year I'm heading back to the Rockies but I'm traveling through Texas to see family on the way. I'll be missing the Solar Eclipse party out there, but I'll be passing through a couple of weeks later. I'll keep my eyes peeled for Olivers on the road. All the Best!

I just submitted a ticket through service online to make them aware. I explained what happened with pics. I will post when I hear from them.

I just visually inspected my 2" Bulldog Hitch and it appears solid. Even though our Ollie is a LE1, It has a 7000 lbs capacity rated coupler and It has the gusset which seems to be adequately welded (visually). I am thankful for this thread to make me do this inspection and I'll be keeping an eye on it and how this issue gets resolved.

Another solution: install turnbuckles into the extra chain length required to connect the Andersen WD hitch to the Oliver. See the thread embedded below. Just loosen the turnbuckle on the side that won't reach the whale tail until it is long enough to reach, then tighten the turnbuckle once the whale tail is straight. All of this can be done while standing. I carry Robogrips for this purpose:

We've been using the "Travel Berkey" for over 10 years or so now... Fits nicely under the flatscreen and travels in its custom bag under the forward dinette seat: We can easily re-fill our drinking cups when thirsty at night without getting out of the rack.... Works for us at least.

@rideadeuce Hull 313 has the gusset

DEAL!

Quite likely. My guess is corrosion ate it alive over time and got to the point of failure under normal driving loads. If it were mine, I would want do know how the failure came about, and that is likely a BD effort. Hopefully we will be an update down the road. GJ

in case folks wonder about the data on receiver hitch. Here are two labels from trucks we’ve pulled out EII with. The F150 required the Anderson Hitch, the F350 has plenty of margin and automatic auto-sway control so no sway or load leveler hitch needed. F150 Hitch Label F350 Hitch Label

Yep - it, indeed, is difficult to understand exactly why the manufacturers do not make this fact a bit more apparent. With Ford, unless you lay on your back with your head under the receiver hitch, you will never seen the label that gives you this 500 pound limit. I don't know where this information is located for the other brands - but - even though it may be stated in different ways, the bottom line is that the requirement is there. Again, I do not believe that there is much correlation between your Bulldog failure and not having a weight distribution hitch. However, @MAX Burner makes a good point about the increased safety margin that the Andersen just might provide. I seriously appreciate your bringing the situation with your Bulldog to everyone's attention. Hopefully your situation is a one off deal, but, by alerting us you just may have saved a bunch of trouble and even someone's life. Bill

@rideadeuce If Bulldog does in fact send a replacement coupler, be sure to request the 2-5/16" coupler. Ask them to ship it to my house and I’ll buy you the beverage of your choice!😎 Mossey

No disrespect intended, but I do not support the above statement line. The 2" BD is an excellent coupler for long long term use by our OE2's, unless we are exceeding the max gross weght of the trailer plackard (7,000 pounds). 1. The use of the 2 5/16" BD's came about from concern with the ball wear caused by the design of the Anderson WDH. Not out of concern for the need for additional safety margins. 2. BD likely has millions of their 2" couplers in service and has an impecable reputation as being one of the strongest couplers on the market. 3. Yours likely failed form one, or some combination, of these causes: a. Over Loading b. Exposure to salt environment(s) without extensive cleaning after such exposures c. Failure to control rust over long duration d. Factory defect You should contact BD and discuss. I suspect they will replace yours and want yours back for analysis. Gj

@mountainoliver @Steph and Dud B That is very interesting. Mine definitely did not have that gusseted welded section where the break occurred. I wonder when they made the change and why they didn't put out a recall if that is the case. Or mine was just defective from the factory. More pics of others pre-2018 might be interesting. @Geronimo John I didn't see any signs of galvanic corrosion. Bolts, aluminum and steel around bolt sleeves looked good to me. @MAX Burner I am just curious. How can the max tongue wt max be 485 lbs when the TT dry is 4900 lbs. A basic rule of thumb is tongue wt max 10% of total wt. Through various online sources, I have always considered the V-8 Tundra's to be in the 600-700 lb range. I would appreciate any input on this. I mean if you can overload your max tongue wt with a 55lb generator in the front basket I would be shocked again. And correct me if I am wrong, the Tundra pulls the Ollie incredibly well without a sway bar or WDS. SO why not just OEM the 2-5/16th coupler instead of the marginal 2 in. Lots of variables here to think about for me personally and fellow owners as well. BTW, we are back home safe and sound in good ol' Tennessee!

Probably the MORryde 3000 system, but yes please post the part# for the Morryde Equalizer they install. Here's a nice video explaining/comparing the most popular RV and trailer suspensions, ie Morryde, Lippert and Dexter.

Located 8,750’ up in the CO Rockies. We get 300+ days of sun here so why won’t my solar panels produce power?

"On the road again!". Ramblers, I do feel fortunate that nothing serious happened to my family or anyone else on the road. When saner minds prevailed and after a few hours of sleep. I got out the tools and took off the broken coupler and headed to a Bulldog dealer (A and A Hitch) in Bradenton, FL. Mechanic/welder since 1985, said he had never seen one do that. Upgraded to the 2- 5/16 in coupler. 12,500 lb pull capacity and 1875 lb tongue load. A and A Hitch drilled the holes for me. Weight distribution device was never used (not needed?) pulls like and sits like an arrow, tongue weight always within spec (Yamaha 2200 gen since day 1 in basket), maybe 20K on frame, 2018 Tundra pulled without incident since day 1, mostly beach, MI and CO trips. Special thanks to @Mossemi and others for feedback and willingness to help. It really made me feel better and helped me make a better decision on how to rectify. Also, when looking at the broken coupler you can see where there was a seminal break that is rusted and then the subsequent clean fracture. The only thing holding it together was the top plate that was bent up. Check proximal to the neck for cracks. This happed without warning and I did not see the cracks from the outside. Side note: I like the gray paint. It may help someone see cracks vs. the standard black. Best, Mike

@Jason Foster last year was my first time going to ANY type of rally. I had a great time. I'm a solo-camper and, like you, not too found of crowds. This rally is not really a crowd, more like a sizable group of like-minded folks. LOL. I met a bunch of great new friends. I REALLY enjoyed walking the grounds early in the morning taking photos on the lake. The HUGE lake is super peaceful in both mornings and evenings and the relaxed nature of the group was inviting. I've tried to come out of my shell a bit by simply walking up to folks sitting by their campfire to say hello. Everyone is super warm and friendly. I guess if they weren't they would not show up. LOL I may end up needing to work a bit myself, but I'm an IT guy, so have internet access will travel - well, I'm trying to do that more at least. Trying to get more nerve up to do that more often as I approach retirement. I also kept busy last year helping several folks fixing small, minor issues on their rigs or show them around their new rigs - some new, some previously owned rigs. Some of the big questions I found was about hooking up the rig with the Andersen hitch system, which most folks don't spell correctly. LOL - hopefully I just did - hehe. Hope to see you there. Cheers,

@Boudicca908 - just curious, what's your HAM call-sign. We're usually monitoring 146.520MHz on the road, FYI. 73's OM!

Duplicate. Sorry.

You should send this to Oliver immediately, as well as filing an NHTSA report. There could be other Olivers out there with the wrong couplers. A recall notice should be issued for all Oliver E2 owners to check their couplers and OTT should replace any others that might be found. The NHTSA is important because OTT may not have contact information for some older trailers that have been resold.

Watch out for the chickens!

Older Ram 2500 Cummins here, where the User Manual states, a WD hitch is necessary for loads over 5000 LBS. 5K LBS, 500 hitch weight at 10% means the same thing. Keep in mind this is a 2500, not the Ford F150. Of course, newer RAMs have much greater tow capacity. Many 2500 TV members here go without the Anderson WD hitch. I use mine, not just re the user manual, but I can tell the difference, FOR SURE, when descending I-17 to Phoenix, a quick 4000 FT drop in elevation, the Anderson certainly helps, mountain turns feel solid. I cannot stand the Anderson hitch hookup and screw the OTT setup video. What a total POS!!! Love to hit it with my 5 LB sledgehammer! It doesn't help but does make me feel better! Lately, I just loosen the two main nuts in the rear, mount it, drive down the road a piece getting TV and TT inline, then get out again, crawl under again, and tighten both sides equally. Showing about 1" of bolt thread on each side works for me. I recently installed Timbren's "Rear Suspension Enhancement." They are like rear axle airbags w/o the air (will never have an aired suspension product again, never, another PITA). The Timbren have 2 heights, to use the spacer or not. One is too tight in my application, and one is too loose! Go figure. I need to call them and talk engineer to engineer. The spacer is 1" and I likely need to make a 1/2" spacer to make it fit. When hitched to OTT, the Timbren is 1/4" to touching: Timbren Rear Suspension Enhancement System Timbren Vehicle Suspension TDR1525H2 (etrailer.com) Yep, some real cr@p happened to this Bulldog. I've had 4-5 of them and I would have to hit the one on my flatbed trailer 100 times with a 10 LB hammer, and it would likely be just fine. Hookup my trailer and down the road! Some kind of non-standard use or a weird chemical reaction must have happened here. I would love the read the official report. If the current owner was the original owner, better think about what was done to make this occur. This is NOT normal use, for sure, which the company legal team will argue...

I agree that the weld on the left looks a little sparse. Might have been the last one on a Friday and he was anxious to go buy a couple of six-packs! It would, however, be easy to strengthen it up.

The mechanic at A and A hitch outside of Tampa has been working there since 1985 and said he had never seen it happen like that and they are a top tier BD installer. I suspect you are right and that the missing gusset is the primary suspect for me. Still, I am glad to have upgraded to the beefier coupler at the moment.

CLARIFICATION: The "485-lbs" mentioned earlier was the MAX we've measured since we've had the tongue scale (purchased it 9 months ago). My understanding of the "rule of thumb" for tongue weight is that it should be in the range of 9-11% of the actual weight of the TT - not the dry weight. Could be wrong, though. We weigh ours a couple times a year using CAT scales at a local truck stop, usually at the beginning of the winter season (about 6800-lbs) and the beginning of the spring season (about 6600-lbs)-ish. We do this because our load outs are different for the two seasons. So, under the rule of thumb", our target tongue weight is in the 660-680 range. We've got a 50-lb bike rack and 75-lbs of bikes in the back which lowers our tongue weight somewhat. We still only get a measured 485-lb tongue weight in this configuration (full water heater, full 30-lb LPG tanks, full fresh water tank, empty gray/black tanks, full fridge, clothes, etc.). Have yet to figure out how to increase the TW to achieve the target - or if it's even necessary to do so. Like your Tundra, ours tows the OTT without effort (we use an Anderson WDH, however). Actually, the 485-lb TW is what we use to calculate our (rather light) cargo load for the Tundra which is 1400-lbs. If we ever get the TW in the target range, that's 200-lbs of "stuff" that can no longer be hauled in the truck bed (assuming we've MAX'd out the cargo load). Here's an example of our current TW right at 500-lbs without the bike rack/bikes (adds about 15lbs): @Geronimo John - do you remember your measured TW from last AUG? Hope this helps...

As you know, I had OTT build our Ollie with the 2 5/16 BD. Glad I did. But if I had not, I would not toss a perfectly good 2" BD until it wore out. The corrosion failure for this 2017 BB had to have occurred over a long period of time. Could have been originated from a single salt exposure (Sea or salted roads) environment. Once the corrosion starts, you would not need such an environment for it to continue to propagate down the weld line. If ignored all the way to failure. Either way, CAREFULLY inspecting our BD's (As well as all other rustable running gear) every couple of years and mechanically eliminating any rust and recoating should be added to our long term maintenance inspections. Especially if our rigs are stored in a salt air environment or are ever used on salted roads. GJ

@AlbertNTerri You had me thinking about the plastic bushings vs brass bushings, on my 2023 Oliver LEII I'm pretty sure I have the Dexter E-Z flex Equalizers with the brass bushings, per this video.

Newbies now owners

Is there any evidence of galvanic corrosion from the SS bolts, Bulldog and aluminum frame? I agree fully on submitting a report to the NHTSA. Your post has 85% of the info they will need. Process on line is easy. GJ

We're right behind you again, so stop over any time!

I really don't think you're in the minority. I don't like big crowds either, but I'll admit I do love to be in a big Oliver crowd. All of the Oliver folks that I see as friends are what I consider like-minded. Are you coming to the rally in Guntersville? I'm not a rally type of guy, but this gathering is not like any of the others I've ever attended. No pot luck suppers that likely will leave you with the squirts. No Karaoke night, although I have been known to do John Belushi's rendition of Joe Cocker's cover of the Beatles' With A Little Help From My Friends. Don't Ask. Just a bunch of Oliver-Centric folks getting together to talk, have fun and help each other.

Check your tanks! https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/EVAS-20-lb-Propane-Exchange-Tanks-Recalled-by-Worthington-Enterprises-Due-to-Fire-Hazard

Well, I'll be .... Sure enough, the metal box continues to NOT allow the door to be opened - there is simply no response from the truck with the doors or lights or automatic deployment of the step - no matter how close or in what position I place the box. However, as with Patriot's safe in the console, the truck started! I placed the metal box inside the console, outside the console, in the back seat, and under the seat - all with the same result. Interesting! Bill

My 2008 Ollie (hull #27) was stolen 2+ weeks ago, and I'm really bummed out. Starting the search for a replacement and happy to look at any used model that I can continue to pull with my Nissan Xterra (rated tow weight 5,000 lbs). If you are selling or know of an available one, please let me know.

Our first travel trailer was an EII. We loved it. Just enough space and no more. Lived in it full time for nearly 2 years, but pandemic and a serious back injury made us re-think many things. Built a house, sold the Olly and purchased a much larger trailer. It’s great, bigger tanks, queen bed, dry bath, bigger fridge… very civilized. This winter we decided to take our first long trip in the new RV. All other trips have been local (really local) and the truck and trailer did great. This latest trip has been an eye-opener. New trailer is an absolute wind brick. Mileage plummets above 45 (yeah, 45). Average for the whole trip has been 8mpg! I now realize just how fantastic the Olly was to tow. Super obedient, never felt the wind, often forgot it was back there. 12 - 14mpg regularly. Easy to park, clearance was never an issue. So warm and cool (new one is NOT 4-season and basically follows ambient temps). Seriously started looking at classifieds for a gently used Oliver. Sometimes, you don’t know what you got until it’s gone.