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Well, so it begins. I've read lots of others posts, put a lot of thought into it, put down some cash, and have started building the Ollie Shack. Living in northern Minnesota, I wanted to keep my LEII and TV out of the MN winters and in my building where I can tinker with all of my mountain bikes throughout the year and a place I can also do some different how-to videos for my YouTube channel. We have an attached garage now for our two daily drivers so this will be an add on. 30x40 with a 12' ceiling. I was going to build it myself but would rather be camping and biking in the summer and the wife doesn't want me up on a roof that high. Go figure! Should be done over the next month, weather permitting. So looking forward to the extra space!

There has been some unintentional misinformation posted in this thread about the 5-leaf Alcan Spring that is being sold to Oliver owners for retrofittiing. That being the weight rating of the spring packs. I've seen ratings posted varying from 2000 to 2400 pounds. During multiple conversations with Alcan Spring in Colorado, the owner Lew Weldon, has stated that the correct weight rating is 2750 pounds per spring for a total of 11,000 pounds. They supply exactly the same spring for both the 3500 pound and the 5200 pound axles, the only difference being the U-Bolts provided which is based on the diameter of the axle itself. The GVWR of both the Oliver Elite's is calculated using the weight ratings of the axles and the spring packs. The final rating is based on the weaker of the two. For those owners that have the 3500 pound axles, the installation of these heavier springs will not affect your GVWR of 7000 pounds. For those owners that either already have or have switched to the 5200 pound Nev-R-Lube axles you would now effectively have a GVWR of 10,400 pounds upon the installation of these heavier springs.

Chris and I met playing tennis in 1991, and 3 years ago we transitioned to Pickleball for the community and it's also a little easier on our older bodies! Chris has competed in a bunch of tournaments with her Ladies partner, and we have played a few mixed doubles together. Loved our visit to St George for this tournament last year and we are playing it again this week: Selkirk Red Rock Open in St. George, Utah | PPA Tour So, it had the makings of a great Oliver trip. Thought we would boondock a first night just 2 hours from home, then 2 nights at Valley of Fire Nevada on the way. Starting tomorrow, we will spend 3 nights at a St George RV park right in town to be close to the tournament. This was our first night, off Signal Rd in Wikieup AZ (pics below).

Good for you, a shop is the only way to go. I do not have to contend with the cold and snow, but here in Texas we have the heat and sun to deal with. Mine is 40 x 60, with 14 ft doors on each end so I can drive through…….no backing up at all. Steve R. Northeast Texas.

I'm starting to feel sorry for that horse. Yes, I do know he's allegedly already dead.

Use a wood toothpick and a bit of Tightbond glue in the hole. Don't over tighten it. Replace the other screw and they will match.

Thank you. It sure started that way until we ran into some unexpected weather. Last year, the tournament was early vs. late April. We drove into St George on April 5, 2023, and the temps were in the 40s with snow flurries. We had a friend playing Womens Doubles that day. We grabbed coats and hats and watched for a while. Our matches were the next day and it got up to the high 60s and the rest of the week was perfect! This year is a much different story, OMG! Getting ready the week before we noticed the forecast would be in the 80s for the tournament. But it got worse, and Chris is not a summer person at all. Driving out on Sunday, as we dropped 3500 FT leaving the elevation of the Prescott NF, it got hot and was in the high 90s the remainder of the drive. Yes, the pictures look nice, but what you can't see is Chris and Charley were hiding in the shade of the Oliver as the sun had just set. It was 91 degrees in the Oliver, when we parked, and it stayed hot until 9 PM. We were in the Sonoran Desert at 2000 FT, so lows got down to the 60s and we slept well. Right now, I can remember @Patriot writing, "I like options" when he was referring to carrying a generator, that I was not wanting to do. Living SW, we don't summer camp and weren't thinking of high 90s in April. The real issue was the next two nights, where we had booked 2 nights "no utilities" at Valley of Fire. How fitting is that name, when the forecast is 99 degrees? We wasted our reservation there and looked for a place with hookups to run the A/C! Ended up a bit short of our planned stay, two nights at Callville Bay RV Village Park, which we would not recommend. It's a park of rundown singlewides for weekend boating types, with 5-6 RV pads (picture taken Monday night). Today we head to St George. Looks like a great route, driving by Pinto Valley and Jimbilnan Wilderness Areas on the way to Valley of Fire. We will at least drive into the valley to take a look. Then Moapa Valley, Mesquite NV and on to St. George tonight.

This is unfortunate as many of us were quoted weight rating of 2k. Mine are installed so I am running them as I do not want to go back to the cake that Dexter installs on their axles. I know of at least two E2 owners who have towed with these springs (one for 5k miles and another for 1.5k miles with good results. I head out Thurs on a 1.5k mile trip with the Alcans. Thanks for posting this after speaking to Lew, Steve. I guess at this point it is tow forward and observe. Stay tuned.

We camped at Snow Canyon SP at St. George UT and Valley of Fire SP NV in September a few years ago. It was hot at both State Parks and had a wild rain/thunder/wind storm one night at Valley of Fire, but we did have shore power at both locations. Beautiful areas, hope the weather cooperates for the remainder of the trip!

Custom cover but it has some weather resistance, for the first time, built in as well.

For a little bit further clarification: I called and spoke with Customer Service rep Maria at the TST Office in Cumming, Ga. (770) 889-9102. I asked her if rubber valve stems can be used with the 507 TPMS bottle cap style sensors? She said yes. She went on to say, that an application requiring flow through sensors, it would require metal valve stems. To their knowledge nothing has changed in the install instructions with regard to use of rubber stems with the bottle cap signal sender. Safe Travels!

I too would do that if unable to stabilize with cam-lock wheels. I’m careful when positioning and once the cams are set it stays put. With the shape of the Oliver, the only potential point of contact on the sides is where the top and bottom halves are joined. However, extra caution is needed forward at the propane cover when straddling the tongue. The rear is not a problem.

We'd love to retro-in another door for the Man Cave - definitely on our radar. A drive-through is the top-shelf option, IMO. My only concern at this point is loosing the existing back wall which currently is floor to ceiling with metal storage racks... Someday, for sure.

Yes looks like they changed the Inverter disconnect switch from an Optifuse breaker to the same cut off switch you have for the solar panels above the steet side bed. Here’s a pic of the Inverter Optifuse breaker on our 2023 LEII

Yep - After the first of many cross country trips I just had to do something about the brick that came stock. The only "problem" with this saddle was when things got a bit racy shifting weight in the saddle simply wasn't all that easy. Bill

@Gliddenwoods I fixed the orientation of your pictures, and see below for a possible fix to your leak. Pretty sure you have 1/2" pex B piping in your rig, that's what we have in our 2023 LEII. I doubt you have the proper tools to crimp a joint to fix that leak, so the easiest way probably is.... 1) Shut off the water supply 2) Cut your pipe squarely and ensure both end are free of debris 3) Join the 2 end with a push to connect coupling like this You can buy these from Home Depot, Amazon etc. HERE's a link for Home Depot

You bet Ron, we all get by with a little help from our friends. I kept my appt this morning with DCT and still had all my tires balanced and rotated and stems switched from rubber to S/S. I think it’s the best path forward. 👍🏻

Good idea. Never thought about a sensor for the truck spare, but makes sense if I put one on the Ollie spare to also do the truck.

I take the sensor off the flat and use it on the spare.

What you have had is Li-ion NMC. Lithium but very different than LFP technology. GZ first LiFePo4 solar generator was the Pro 4000.

Beutiful Install, Im Jealous you have double the power with my Battleborns. I love the Victron in last two rigs I had , power assist makes all difference in world, I never blow a basic breaker on anywhere I plug into. The only issues I did notice is the victron when charging or running and getting hot vibrates and is noisy against the wall. I placed a piece of bubble foil behind the victron on my install for sound dampening and should have painted the surface with Lizard skin or some sound dampening material. How noisy is your unit when running? Just curious Thanks Ty I have ordered the new victron 12v to 12volt charger to charge my Battleborn batteries as the efficiency is 95 percent or more on the unit. I am going to charge those batteries with a Pecron all in one unit with two 300 packs attached. I like your install with bigger batteries and watch a lot of Will Prowse videos also. GREAT JOB!!!!!!!!

That's a nice one! I can't do a drive through either. Sure would be awesome and we have the property for it. The biggest issue is the amount of fill I would have to bring in due to the rolling terrain. This spot was the best for what I wanted to do at a reasonable cost. I'm having contractors build the shell and I'll do the insulation, wiring, heating, and finishing the walls/ceiling. I have lots of ideas so we'll see how it takes shape.

So, we built a ramp for the R90 to get it into the bed of the "War Wagon" and would routinely take it on camping trips to have a fun mode of transport whilst boon docking with the "'Ol Rivet Smasher"! Sadly, we can't manage that option anymore with the TUNDRA, but we still have the ramp. This pic was taken pre-Magnus at Catalina SP near Tucson - D with our sweet "Willa"... Kinda miss those days, but Magnus and Oscar are making up for it! HA! Ya'll keep the shiny side up!

Would somebody please bring my horse back alive? GJ

Like your scaffold idea. I personally would need several pool noodles on the trailer side though. GJ

I’ll get mine installed in 2 weeks then off to East Tennessee for a week or so before the rally. I’ll also tow forward and observe.

Based on the age of your trailer I suspect that you actually have an inverter/charger (I/C) rather than just an inverter. If so, that switch kills the power going back and forth between the batteries and the I/C. In one direction the current is supplying battery power to the I/C to be changed into 120VAC for the coach. In the other direction the current is supplying 12VDC to charge the batteries. You would want to turn this switch off while doing any maintenance such as unbolting cables or changing fuses. Also if you want to stop the batteries from being charged, you would turn this switch off.

@Gliddenwoods Along with the push to connect or shark bite fittings you will need a pex cutter as well. $8 at HF. You can also pushase 4’ lengths of 1/2” blue and red pex at HD or Lowes. I always carry a few spares of pex (link) for quick emergency repairs of our Ollie or to help someone else out. cutters- https://www.harborfreight.com/finger-release-ratcheting-pvc-pipe-cutter-62588.html Lowes - https://www.lowes.com/pd/SharkBite-1-2-in-x-5-ft-PEX-Pipe/1000386513 Lowes - https://www.lowes.com/pd/SharkBite-Max-1-2-in-Push-to-Connect-Coupling/5014120315 Fittings -

Yep! I placed a dish towel over the top of the door to keep the door from closing over the winter. If placed correctly, the door stays open but the light switch is depressed, shutting off the light. Or, add a separate switch.

Heavy but nice backup and works seamlessly with all their solar panels. 30 amp plug in back. 3600 watt inverter. 4kWh backup expandable to 20kWh. Lockable mount. The one drawback to installing the MP2 the way I did was that it has to be on for power to pass through (shore or gen) so I haven't figured out yet if the Yeti can only be supplemental power outdoors, etc or if there is a workaround so it can actually be main power backup. Best, M

@HDRider …or replace all 4 screws with aluminum plusnuts like these. ……or these should also work well https://www.facebook.com/share/v/QTPdcUrjpg3mfQu2/?mibextid=I6gGtw

We have the same tires...if I can them to ever wear out I'll probably switch over to metal stems then. 37,000+ miles and going strong (probably just jinxed myself ) John

We have TST Flow Thru

Absolutely! Several Ollie owners do. In fact - as long as you are thinking about getting a spare sensor for the Ollie, why not get two - one for your tow vehicle too. Sure does make checking the tire pressure in both those spares a bunch easier. Bill

I recommend the widest and tallest door you can get, you never know what you might want to park in there.

We have had a Goal Zero 400 Lithium power pack for 4-5 years. I got it as a back up to run my CPAP if home power goes out. I have taken it on every camping trip from truck camper to Oliver. I store it in the closet. I used the other night when we had severe storms for my CPAP and we charged our phones and my hearing aids. When we take our truck fridge, I use it overnight to power the fridge, and then plug it into 12-volt in the truck to charge it back up. I have their solar panel that I can take, but I find it bulky to take on a trip.

I would ride a west-east commute from Lakeway TX to the VA data center in SE Austin (TX-71/US-290). In a car or truck it would take you a full hour+ any morning, more in the evening, but on this beast an easy 35 min! 🤣 Loved that job, the year was 2014. I would ride the bike 2-3 days a week to work, other days in our Passat TDI. Both vehicles got 38+ MPG city.

Something I dream about!

We have sprayed on "lizard skin" insulation and none of that aluminum bubble wrap in our Ollie... so it's off to the TV when the lightning gets crazy!

We spent a few years together. An '08 R1200R at a home we had in Lakeway Texas.

Mike knows how to get 'er done the right way! 😂 Wish I had an "Ollie Hanger" like @Patriot! You really need to "wax" undercover or in the shade. I don't believe I could get a permit for one on my property without spending a fortune. Local government is getting a bit Californian around here. And it's so hard to hide from the sun in the SW. It's another sunny day in Arizona, and our windy season just started. A couple months of wind until everything gets toasty dry out here! Each year we wait it out 'til the summer monsoons come.

...with all the Touratec options possible!

If you like oysters, try the Coastline RV park near Apalachicola - real nice, but "buggy"... https://www.coastlinervresort.com/?utm_source=campgrounds.rvlife.com&utm_campaign=RVLife_Campgrounds&utm_medium=referral See y'all at the rally next month!

Just to be fair: I too have metal stems and have never had a problem. However, I never had a problem with rubber stems either. I think that metal stems usually make sense for those of us that have stem mounted TPMS primarily due to the reason John mentions above. But, if you tend to take your Ollie into really "wild" places where the stems are likely to be hit with rocks, deep ruts, brush, etc. then the rubber stems can be a bit more "forgiving" than the metal stems. Bill

Top right is battery indicator in red supplied by Epoch (quick visual). Under that is the Victron toggle for inverter and power assist control. Old Zamp controller area is for GX display. 2 green buttons inside pantry are remote battery shutoffs.

This is solid evidence that Oliver continues to do the right thing. Regardless of how the 5K rated coupler got to Oliver, Oliver installed it on an Elite II, and took financial responsibility for replacement when it failed, even after expiration of the 1-year warranty. This confirms one of our reasons for choosing an Oliver: a culture of integrity.

Yes, agree on the three step process Bill. I also appreciate the info on the products they are use. Keeping our Oliver under cover when not in use is a huge help in delaying the oxidation process.

Impressive video! Really like his three step process, results, and gloss meter.

I am going to be replacing my old Victron color display (push button) which took the place of the old Zamp solar charger. So yes, doing the same. For anyone reading the install, this is what I was trying to do without success so far, "The best place to insert a multiplus is inbetween the ATS (assuming you have a generator) or shore power input (if you don't) and the breaker panel itself. That way the shore or generator power will charge the batteries, and the inverter itself keeps the power on even without shore or generator. It also enables the power assist mode to function correctly, where you can dial down the current limit to match the available power, and then no longer need a power shedding device to avoid overload. Any outlets that have GFCI then continue to have GFCI as they should. Those that don't are probably better not to have GFCI, as heavy loads (air conditioner, electric heat) would end up often tripping the GFCI inconveniently and unnecessarily. The one drawback though is that you *must* then have the multiplus in on or charge only mode to have shore power pass through. If you turn it to OFF, there will be no power at any outlet, regardless of the presence of shore or generator power available. Also, no backfeeding. You don't want to deal with islanding, and you don't have to since the multiplus will do the right thing if wired correctly. Shore/gen (or ATS) is connected to AC IN1, and AC OUT1 goes to breaker panel. That's it. You *can* use AC OUT2 to switch additional loads based on other criteria (see relay assistant for control of ACOUT2 relay) but that would require an additional breaker as you couldn't then put that switched power through the existing breaker panel. Note that if you have an existing converter/charger plugged into power from the breaker panel, this will have to be removed/disabled to avoid setting up a loop (120->12->120->...) This is all assuming you have a single phase breaker panel, or one where the two phases have been merged with a jumper wire (also assuming 30a 120vac service here, not 50a 240/120 split, in which case get a multiplus2-2x). If you do have a 30a split panel (where an existing inverter has already been wired in) you would need to either connect it up the same way as the original inverter (one side of the split is "shore", the other side is "inverter"), or if you wanted to power everything through the multiplus (gain ability to operate aircon from battery) then you want to merge the two sides of the split (jumper between the two 30a breakers) and wire the multiplus in as above (shore/gen->ats->multiplus->breakers). I do this on a regular basis (upgrading mostly b, some c class RVs).