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And that’s a wrap! I just poked the button to print 60 copies, although I don’t expect need nearly that many. Everything is ready except Deb’s clothes, which she’s doing right now. Leaving as early as we can get moving in the morning. See ya Tuesday!

There are two more Zerks fittings in the center EZ-Flex mount on the frame - one facing fore, one aft, here's a couple pix to orient your perspective: Above pic show the forward facing Zerk... Above pic show aft facing Zerk... FYI: There's 8 zerks per side on our 2017 OTT...

To the people freaking out over the Dexter spring. If your spring is indeed defective it will fail very quickly, I have 3 of the original springs with over 80,000 miles on them, 1 failed, it took approximately 2 hrs for me to change it, when they do fail it’s generally not a catastrophic event, the remaining spring eye and shock will hold the axle in place. You will need to replace it asap however since the remaining spring is carrying more weight. Personally I’m sticking with the original design, e trl can overnight replacement parts anywhere in the USA. I to would prefer to buy USA made parts and will go with Stl spring next time, I forgot about them when my original spring failed.

Absolutely correct, Steve. We did the same procedure by drilling-out our spring plates for the 9/16" U-bolts. Not only are the U-bolts beefier, but the Alcan-provided nuts are 50% longer than those on the standard Dexter axle made with sub-standard Chinese spring steel leafs. More thread contact between bolt and nut = mo betta. This was one of the main decision points in going with Alcan versus Dexter spring packs for our application. Dexter's 5-pack springs are designed in the same fashion as the 1750# 4-packs - with the 4th longest leaf extending to only about 3.5" from either eyelet. This is the traditional break failure point that Steve's referring to in his description above. With the Alcan design, that 4th spring fills the gap by extending to the point where the 5th leaf starts curving for the eyelet. Another feature of the Alcans, previously discussed but adding here for clarity, is the larger walled bronze bushing - 3/16" versus 1/16" for the Dexters that had bronze bushings. This thicker walled bushing creates an even larger diameter eyelet = mo betta. Please note that the current Dexter 1750# 4-spring packs w/D52 axles are fixed with plastic bushings. I observed this first-hand last week when replacing our D35s for the D52s. Serious NOTE: Owners with the newer Dexters should determine if their axles are equipped with either bronze or plastic/nylon bushings. Why, you ask? If a rig's running gear is fixed with an axle kit using spring packs with plastic bushings and using Dexter EZ-flex wet bolts, the bushings will likely not last a season. The petroleum-based grease used for the wet bolts can decompose plastic bushings. Not good, IMO. The pic below shows Alcan's extended 4th leaf right to the curvature point of the 5th spring's eyelet - a robust design feature not found in either the 4- or 5-pack Dexter Chinese-made spring kits (FYI, the traditional breaking point with the Dexter 4-packs is about where the end of the 3rd spring is located, see below pic): Comment on Shocks: If one assumes that OTTs are "under sprung" - i.e., not heavy enough leaf springs, then the constant expansion/contraction rate that the Monroe's experience is very high. IMO, this wears out the shocks much sooner - and which were never designed for an "under sprung" suspension to begin with. Using heavier-duty shocks on the same running gear may last a bit longer but shock failure will occur sooner than if they were mounted on running gear of heavier design. The Alcan option may just allow our shocks to last their designed lifespan... who knows? Let's get some miles on these babies and find out! 'nuf said.

Greetings, My wife and I are the new owners of hull #962 (LEII), we bought it from Coach and JoJo last fall. We are coming to the Oliver family after being long time truck campers. Having a TC gave us the flexibility to also tow a trailer for toys and the like. Last summer we decided to change direction and sold the trailer, toys, TC, and pick-up. All summer long I watched the classifieds and waited. Back in Oct we drove to Missouri to look at a 2023 LEII but passed on it. Not long after Coach and JoJo posted their '22 LEII for sale. They had recently completed the Truma A/C conversion and as many of you know, Coach knows how to trick out a closet. So, we couldn't pass it up. This forum is amazing, both in terms of educational information and give and take between members. I enjoy going down some of the rabbit holes you all have created 😉 We look FWD to many years of Oliver ownership and the memories that come with it. Cheers! Craig and MaryLou

Steve: That's been my experience for defective springs as well. They go south quick. From materials sciences, most often for under rated springs that get over loaded, it takes more time for the overloaded alloy grain boundaries to propagate cracks sufficient for destructive deformation to occur. In such circumstances, the failure will generally occur at the highest point of stress concentrators, and that is usually at the end of the shorter section above the longest section. Just as we have seen in the pictures. Good thoughts. thanks GJ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ For some others: I have been stating that the 1750's are under rated for the load and for how we use our trailers. By this I mean that this spring does not have enough steel to earn a higher rating. It is not give license to believe that the Chinese were in bed with Dexter and they fraudulently conspired to spoof the rating data to increase sales. It only means that there is not enough steel at 11 or 12 pounds to do the job of a more stout spring that we seem to agree we need for our trailer weights and how we use them. GJ

Referring back to your previous comment shown above, the (Dexter) “4-leaf spring packs” have the known failure rate.

Welcome, welcome, welcome! You won't find a nicer and more supportive group of folks. Enjoy your new Ollie!

Around the year 2000 in took a broken 50 year old boat trl spring to St. Louis spring, with the request of 1 inch additional arch in the design, they made 4 of them to my exact specs, very happy with the results.

I too was concerned, so before proceeding I crawled into the basement and there is just under a 1'x 3'x 1/4" backer plate that the approximately 1' spare tire mounting plate is through bolted to with 4 - 1/2" bolts. Since the spare tire does not rest on the bumper box when hung on mounting plate (there is a couple inch gap between the tire and the box), the addition of the bike rack actually adds back the support of the Oliver cover by resting on the bumper box. In addition, I added the two ratchet tie down straps to absorb any stress of the assembly pulling away from the camper even though I didn't detect any movement when pulling on the rack. The weight is now being carried by three points (the massive mounting plate, the rack resting on the bumper box, and the angled ratchet straps). We stay on good roads when we travel, but I will still be checking everything regularly. I will update my post after a few trips to report what I experience. Thanks, Joe/769

So, two members have purchased the Dexter brand 2400 LB springs and more than 10 of us have purchase the Alcan product, rated at 2750 LBS. When I upgrade, it's Alcan for sure! It's not that everything made in China is bad, just literally millions of MADE IN CHINA products are of extremely poor quality (go ahead and take your chance on your $100K investment). The marketing slogan is Better-Faster-Cheaper though they often forget the first word is BETTER! When give choice, I will NEVER purchase from the CCP and will pay hundreds more for first choice MADE IN USA and second choice ANYTHING BUT CHINA. I need a bumper sticker that SCREAMS this sediment. I believe I also wrote this on page 6, or maybe it was page 9, no 12! I'll bet this thread hits 20 pages... The design of the Alcan has the second leaf fully extended to the full length of the main leaf. @ScubaRx just wrote it clearly in B&W, @MAX Burner mentioned it at least twice and I wrote of it before. No brainer, this is the cause of failure. Good ol' Dexter can make a heavier spring, but not a better one. EOF

Rodney told me the other day that he thought there were about 125 trailers registered. Looks like a good turnout. You got almost 60% on your list! Great.

D and I can attest to how quiet the Houghton unit operates. We did a side-by-side comparison last summer - first running the Dometic in "Zone-5 Afterburner" (its only mode) and attempting to converse inside with little luck. We then moved into John's unit a few yards away with his Houghton running - OMG, a significant drop in db level and we could actually communicate normally... My subjective appraisal as it is... Just say'n.

For anyone desiring the quality and design of the Alcan branded springs, be aware that they do NOT make a spring rated at only 2400 pounds for either a 3500 pound or a 5200 pound axle. Their only spring is a 2750 pound rated pack. Every spring that I have seen broken has been the fifth leaf at the point where the fourth leaf ends. The best design feature of the Alcan's is that the fourth leaf extends out to where the spring eye starts to form at the end of the fifth leaf. This dramatically increases the strength of the fifth leaf and virtually negates the possibility of a break occurring at the tradition failure point. This one attribute convinced me that these are the best designed springs available. I was not interested in a lighter duty 2000 or 2400 pound spring pack, so the 2750 rating was perfect. The spring pictured here has the same potential for breakage as the OEMs and would not be my choice.

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

Yea, don't mess with that Crazy Horse guy.... I've heard he will ride a pony 20 miles just to get one of Art's Beers! He just doesn't run out of feistiness! Geronimo John peeking back out from under the covers.

In recognition of 16 pages of “fun”, perhaps everyone should go back and read through the entire Post. And with that said, don’t tread on Crazy Horse!

So you want to keep it up. Ok, I warned you. So now the nice studious GJ has left the ring. _______________________________________________________________________________________ Punching back is his evil twin. My handle has been Crazy Horse (CH) for 30 years. So, after 16 pages of "fun", why would any owner now order out a 4-leaf 1750 spring? Maybe order out a 2,000-pounder or more if their needs so dictate. Maybe even think about a US made 2000 to 2400 four or if they like stiff rides a 5 leaf as that really smart nice guy suggested. But not a 1750 of any leaves.... But to answer your bolded statement above: Because this group is smarter than that to do so. Now you have to agree with that one! 🙂 Crazy Horse (CH)

GJ Update: "Properly quoted the "Every spring that I have seen broken has been the fifth leaf..." to the proper source = ScubaRx. Sorry for my error. GJ ScubaRX: Interesting that you are just now reporting the failure of the 5 leaf springs. Here I thought you were the hatchet man for the 4-leaf springs! LOL. Me thinks you have typo's in your post. 🙂 CJ

Mike just sent me this. Great pic. Not sure what manual that is in. I could not find it.

Welcome Craig and MaryLou! MAX Burner is so right about all the info found in this wonderful forum. Happy Trails, Wendy & John

Thank you for all of your work on this project! Wish we could be there... Safe Travels, John

Bill, I found this picture and post from John E Davies, the picture shows the position of the rubber strips. Not sure if jd's is the same, but looking at this picture from John, there's a rubber strip lenghtwise on the front of the box between the 2 gussets/L brackets (probably the 3/8" thick), and the 1/4" thick one diagonal in the back. Below is the picture and HERE'S the link to that post.

@CW. Craig/MaryLou - congrats on your new acquisition of Hull #962! @Coach and JoJo have passed along a wonderful example of an OTT to y'all, and you can make your mark on it by participating in these forums. As you already know, there's a huge compendium of information and experience from thousands of forum participants that await your searches for operating procedures, fixes, upgrades, and modifications. Welcome to the Oliver Family and we all look forward to your descriptions of "next adventures"! Cheers!

Craig and MaryLou, congratulations on your Oliver and welcome to the group! You’ve got many adventures ahead. Carol and I are both graduates of Leavenworth High School. Carol was born and raised in Leavenworth and we go back often to visit family. Small world! Mike

Excellent point! 👏

Paul: Thanks for your post. You basically shrunk down into a few sentences about 15 pages of posts. Really good to see your pictures showing how the 2400-pound springs have achieved their rating. Priceless. After all the negative vibes I have received from being "The Lone Dissenting Target" on this topic, it's nice to see some positive vibes for a change. In my research, and subsequent purchase, I learned that these springs do come with nylon bushing inserts as stated above. A few weeks ago when I ordered the 2400's, I also purchased brass bushing inserts. I'll switch them out in July when I install my springs. I apologize for not mentioning this earlier. But as you can sense, I was buried by "Confirmation Bias". Hopefully OTT will step in and give us their fleet recommendation on the 1750 topic. Way overdue. GJ

If'n that crick comes up much more, yo're liable to get yer feathers wet.

The original U-Bolts on my 2014 EII were 1/2" in diameter with a round top bend for a 3" axle. These were for my original Dexter five-leaf spring packs and 5200 pound axles. The U-Bolts you will receive will be 9/16". They would not fit through my mounting plate as it was originally drilled. I drilled out the holes to 19/32" and they fit perfectly.

I been following this topic and it got me to look at my springs and sure enough 1,750 pound four leaf springs were failing. I was leaning to ALCAN five leaf for replacement but when Geromimo John came up with the Dexter 2400 pound rated 4-leaf I decided that would be a better fit. My thinking is keep the ride as soft as I can but have springs strong enough not to distort them from the load that the Oliver puts on them. So this bumps the 7000 pound rating to 9600 pound rating and I think this should be sufficient for them to carry the load with out distorting the springs. I included a pic of the 2400# spring next to the worst 1750# spring. This is the differences in thickness of the leafs. The individual leafs are longer. I didn't think to measure the height before I started the job but when I had one side installed I measured from side to side and there was 1-1/2 inches difference at the wheel wells.

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

Safe Travels. See you tomorrow

This bull dog shock is a direct replacement for the Monroe 555001 https://www.4statetrucks.com/bulldog-hd-shock-absorber-replaces-555001-19-050000007 I've only have 300 miles on the Bulldogs shocks, They are so much better than the Original Monroes. I bought the trailer 10 months old with 5K miles on it. The original owner basically made 2 trips. One from the factory to Idaho via California, and another trip back to California. I followed the trailer for about 40 miles right after we purchased it. I remember thinking it odd that the trailer like to swayed side to side going down the freeway, but then never thought about it again. Then 2 years later and 2,000 miles, the trailer was moving everywhere on a rougher 2 lane paved road and truck/trailer became difficult the manage. I thought I would give the Bull Dogs a try. The Bull Dogs were the price was about the same as the Monroe 555001 online. Nothing ventured nothing gained. I figured if I bought the Monroes they would be trash in a year to two years depending on the miles I drove. If the Bulldogs make it 2 years then they will have out lasted the Monroes. Next spring I plan on new springs before we take our first big trip cross the nation.

Of course. Murphy's Law rules. Yes we can add him to the long list of us that have previously come to that conclusion. Including two Dexter Tech's. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The distinction that many are making is thinking that 4 pack spring sets are by definition always bad, and the 5 packs are good. Also that everything made in China is bad and everything made in USA is always good. Hopefully we can also agree that these logic lines are full of holes. What we do KNOW is that the spring sets rated at 1,750 pound rating of the OTT OEM OE2 fleet for many years are failing as a result of the spring not being sufficiently rated to the use. Not that it is always crap because it was made in China or that it is a 4-leaf spring. Now some of them may well have been. But Dexter has used those springs in thousands of applications just fine. But for our OE2's, they are failing because they are under rated 1,750 pound springs. Not because they are Chinese or 4 leaf. I think that the vast majority of respondents to this topic agree that a stronger spring is needed for the OE2 fleet. And that the path to take for their OE2's can be very owner specific. I believe that a higher rated more compliant 4 pack may work just fine for our and likely for the fleet use. As such, I chose to purchase the Dexter 2400 pound rated 4-leaf. But what I think, and what other specific owners think is best for their specific use is only relevant to the specific use. But that does not necessarily make it suitable for general fleet use in my opinion. But OTT as the OEM of future OE2's will be looking at the issue from a fleet perspective. It will be interesting to see what they feel is best for overall fleet operations. I think we can agree that it likely will not be the 1,750 pound rated 4 leaf spring set. But will it be a 2750 pound 5 leaf? I do not think it will be. So, I will wager a beer to any of the above owners that have gone with the ALCON spring set that that choice will not be what OTT goes with for the future fleet as the standard spring set. Want to take my wager, list you names below in the next 48 hours. GJ

I'll keep checking here and the Facebook groups until Sunday late afternoon, and continue posting PDF files if there are any changes. I'll print a bunch of paper copies Sunday evening to bring with me. We leave for the rally on Monday morning, arriving Tuesday

As mentioned in an earlier rant, we did the "ride-along" test before and after replacing the spring packs... Over a 3+mile course over improved but rutty country roads, there was no "felt" difference at speeds up to 25mph, before/after. Higher speeds may show different results. Riding back there wasn't anything like the difference riding in our 2016 (stock) RAM 3500 and our 2022 (almost stock) TUNDRA. Huge difference between the two. Although the RAM rode like a "buckboard" (I don't think it would scramble eggs) but the TUNDRA rides like a car, soft yet sure footed. Actually, I was somewhat impressed how stiff the ride felt before changing spring packs. DBo (Dusten Bowden, an 18-yr OTT Veteran) has concluded that OTTs are way under sprung for their construction. JFTR: He was very impressed with the Alcan upgrade and would recommend them for any owner, especially for those that have experienced 4-pack spring failure - as its a perfect time for upgrading. Someone correct me if I'm mistaken, but I believe Mr. Oliver insisted on 5-packs and 5.2k# axles on both his rigs... FYI and as it may be known, OTT is no longer installing 3.5k# axles on their new LE2 rigs (LE1's have alway had 5.2k# Dexters) - so, like Steve mentioned above, perhaps 5-packs may come in the future. We believe that will be an overall improvement to what we consider an already well engineered product. At the end of the day, the "spring-pack/axle" discussion boils down to individual camping style and personal preference, IMO. The probability of us breaking one or more of our previous 4-pack leaf springs, I'm sure, is a low one. However, I know how we roll - I'm the guy that would break a Chinese 4-pack halfway out on the 14-mile washboard road to Chaco Canyon or on the way to "Moving Rocks" near Furnace Springs, Death Valley. I'd have a spare 4-pack with me, of course - but another one would break on me on the way back after swapping! The discussion does not have a "go/no-go" solution set - it's an "it depends" solution, IMO. Like @Patriot sez, "Roll-ON", regardless... Cheers, All!

Good morning, Steve; Just downloaded your rally roster - excellent idea, this will be very handy to remember "who's who"... If it's not too awful late for updates, a couple missing data fields on our line for Site A-06 are: State: NM, and Trailer Name: Casablanca Many thanks for all your time compiling the info for this list - with everything else we do, your effort has not gone by un-noticed! Looking forward to meeting you next week and comparing notes. Safe travels, brother! Art ...and a couple Knuckleheads - WOOF!, somewhere in "middle TN":

This project is to create an inlet port for Starlink cable into the attic where I put the Starlink router. I decided to repurpose one of those TV/Sat ports. Below are the pictures of the Furrion coax inlets. The left picture is the original and the right one is modified by drilling a big hole using hole saw. This is the waterproof RJ45 inlet port I got from Amazon. Next steps are removing old Furrion and enlarge the cable hole. To my surprise, I found a nice gift from the factory hidden under the seal. No big deal, I can add a little bit of 3M sealant to patch that up. Then install the RJ45 connector, left picture is from the outside, right is from the inside. This is what it looks like after putting back the cover. Next is to fish the cable from attic down to the belly near the furnace and pull it along the back and plug into the RJ45 inside port. You will have to cut the cable and install RJ45 male connectors. There are a few video on YouTube about this. Then plug it in at the RJ45 female at the inside of the inlet. The cable end from the dish will be on the outside. Plug the router in and enjoy fast Internet!

You are correct, Generation 3 uses RJ45 connectors and I have confirmed that everything must be shielded. While I am thinking about it, for others ....... I first tried a hole drill on the outside connection but had good success with a router blade for my Dremel, very easy. One other thing for those considering this. I want my Starlink to be powered by 12 V and there is now a relatively inexpensive device that means you don't have to cobble together different devices -- https://www.trioflatmount.com/shop/p/gen3-12vconversion, the company claims it used 4.5 amps. So, all my stuff is due today so I will see if I can get it to work, thanks for answering.

Greetings! I was reading some great instructions for installing Starlink inlet ports on the outside of an Oliver. However, it was a pity that the installations required cutting and splicing the Starlink cable. That’s a discouraging and challenging proposition, so I just signed up to this Forum to share how I did mine without cutting the cable. My method was risk free, super easy and with quality results. The wiring is all plug-in with about $35 worth of Amazon parts. The router and modem is ideally located in the Oliver’s attic where there is an AC outlet and good WIFI broadcasting. Sorry to those if I've duplicated some of their installation methods, I guess great minds just think alike. I’ve provided a list of 3 Amazon parts, and recommended a few tools that are worth owning anyway: Furrion Mini TV/SAT Inlet #FTVINB-PS, $11.30 Penglin #PL252, RJ45 CAT6 female to female panel mount connector, two for $14.99 Juxinice 10’ long shielded RJ45 Cat-6 cable with a 90 degree angle connector, $9.69 Neiko #10194a step drill bit, or similar, $10.99 Generic brand 14’ fiberglass fish rod, or other Amazon options under $20 It’s a good idea to first test the parts by running an internet speed test both before and after plugging-in the new cable and connector between your dishy and router/modem. You can use any internet speed test such as Ookla or the Starlink App, and the speeds should be about the same unless the new cable or connector is faulty. Start your installation by unscrewing and removing the coax connector from the new Furrion fitting, then enlarge the hole with a step drill bit to accept the Penglin connector. This is the exact same Furrion fitting that Oliver uses for the outside Cable and Satellite TV connections, so you could use one of the existing ones if you don’t need the the satellite or cable connection. Find a relatively flat surface next to the existing Furrion cable/satellite TV fittings to install the new Furrion fitting (with the installed Penglin connector). Unscrew the storage compartment liner so that it can be pulled back to access the area where the connector will pass through. Using a step drill, make a hole big enough for the Penglin coupler to pass through into the storage compartment, and drill large enough holes so that the Furrion mounting screws will hold without chipping the fiberglass. The photo shows where I mounted mine, but it gives an illusion of being crooked and unevenly spaced??? With the storage compartment liner pulled back, the AC drain tube can be seen running down between the trailer walls. This is a good guide to fish the new Juxinice cable up into the Oliver’s attic compartment. The recommended fish rod makes this easy and you will have to unscrew and pull back the attic side panel for access. The 90 degree end of the new Juxinice cable will be plugged into the back of the Penguin connector and other end into the Starlink modem in the attic. That’s it! Replace the panels and your done. The Starlink Dishy cable will plug into the outside of the new connector and the Furrion fitting keeps everything dry when it’s unplugged. Don’t worry about the rumored proprietary Starlink wiring, this is just a pass-though connection and the internal color coding of the individual wires does not matter. I was a beta tester for Starlink when it first came out, and I still use the original Gen-1 round dishy at home and when traveling with the Oliver. We used to run the dishy cable though the outdoor compartment door, and we kept the router and modern under the bed close to the AC outlet. This was always kinking the cable, interfering with the compartment seal, and generally in the way. The quick disconnect was really worth doing, and wifey is happy that she doesn’t have to crawl under the bed to pull the cable though anymore. Watch for a future post on how to conveniently mount and store a Dishy pipe mast. Cheers and good luck, Geoff & Tanya

Updated Info: John, Susan, & Fiona, Hull #1045, "Jolli Olli", Indiana, Site F04

We don't have nearly the experience with Starlink as @Snackchaser, in fact we're still in our "personal beta testing mode." As I'm writing this, our SL is being powered by our 2kw inverter at our boondock location in North Texas. So let's try measuring the actual SL energy usage.... Condition 1: Our Victron SmartShunt reads our current values at 76% SOC, current draw is -0.55A, power usage -7W (with all electrical components off except for Fridge in GAS mode, Microwave LED clock on, SL off, and normal phantom draw). It's wall-to-wall sunshine now at about 0725 - solar modules are adding about 2.80A/36W into the BB's. Condition 2: Same background current draw as in Condition 1, but we energized the 2KW inverter. This bumped up the current draw to 1.08A and power usage to -14W. So, roughly, the inverter itself draws 0.53A or 12.7Amp-Hrs daily - just idling with no AC appliances being energized. Good to know number, IMO. Condition 3: All the same as above, except we energized the Starlink system. Current draw now up to -7.57A and power at -98W. The SL literature notes the unit will draw approx. 65W of power. Clearly, in our configuration, it's really more like 84W and pulling 6.5A. Without the SL energized, our phantom current draw is usually around 0.15 - 0.45A/-2 to 7W that's with the Fridge in the GAS mode and MicroWave in LED clock mode, and Smoke/LPG/CO2 detectors and various Victron components drawing a few 10ths of Ampere's. We're not that sad about the SL power consumption, however we're preparing to convert it over to a 12vDC system after this trip to save even more battery bank energy while boondocking. More on that upgrade later. Here are the screenshots of the 3 test conditions, FYI: Condition 1: Condition 2: Condition 3: If your "RV-style" of on the road needs reliable access to the internet like our's does (due to D's work requirements) the Starlink system is a viable option, IMO. It's been Uber-fast in cloudy/rainy conditions both day/night. Here's a screenshot of a speed test from this morning: More info to share later... Cheers!

There is a basic flaw in your reasoning, would a casual thief know that? 😉 A cable lock around a fixed object would make me sleep a little easier. FYI your awning mounts should have holes drilled as indicated by the arrow, later versions have a great big opening there. Otherwise it will trap water and debris and corrode them. Especially if you have not removed that pesky rubber seal… John Davies Spokane WA

And, many of our folks have done successful battleborn conversions, at very reasonable cost. Much depends on your skill/technical level, and available local talent (pro, or skilled friends.) We are fortunate to have both. Many aren't. Our younger, techy friends who can twist like pretzels in small spaces (unlike us) help us on many days. Be that as it may, we know our camping style, and how to manage limited power. We rarely choose camping areas that require power for a/c. (Twice or three times in 15 seasons?) Our style is way different from others, so don't get me wrong. If you camp in heat, you need different styles from us. I've probably said it in here a hundred times. Everyone has a different camping style, and there is not one that is better than others. The best one is what suits you. Tailor for YOUR needs and wants.

On the other hand he did indicate that it is very possible to perform a battery and charger system upgrade to lithium batteries, such as folks have done with the Battleborn batteries, but that was normally done by someone other than the factory. It just isn't a fully integrated system like the system currently installed on the new Olivers but it is very much an option for older campers.

If that "loaded" package gets you the Truma varioHeat, that's likely a big plus1 also. (Dometic ac is still standard. Quieter Truma is an upgrade.) Since 2022 (I think) they've added the neverlube axle, as standard. subject of some debate. We love our dc danfoss/secop fridge, but we liked both our 3way fridges, too, until they quit working. (I can fit a lot more fresh food in my truckfridge, self-installed, and live with the smaller freezer quite well.) We installed that electric fridge in early 2018, and I will say I'm extremely happy with its performance and reliability, now in our 6th season. Do you have an electric or manual awning on your 2020? I love our manual awning. New trailers get the electric. I think the new solar package includes slightly more wattage, and some victron gear, and an mppt controller? New owners could speak to the specifics. We like the victron components we've installed on our boat, but have been completely happy with BlueSky in our trailer, primarily because of their superlative customer service. We still have agm batteries, (2 x 105 ah 12v) supplemented with a Honda 1000 generator, and 400 watts fixed solar, up to 200 watts portable. We spent 152 days boondocking one year during covid, with a dc danfoss/secop compressor fridge, and that setup worked for us. (Note, power misers otherwise, and rarely camp where we need a/c. My particular setup wouldn't work for those who need a/c) Then, you get a new warranty with a new trailer. That's got some value, as well. How long do you plan to keep camping? What do you think you're "missing", and how many of the upgrades are you qualified to do yourself, or with the help of a skilled friend? For example, our truckfridge costs about $1k today. Labor free (ours), and most materials we already had. Miscellaneous materials probably under $250.

I agree that having litho's under the trailer would have advantages. On the other hand, if there was a fire, I would prefer they were accessible from the outside where the fire fighters roam. Even though our Litho's are inherently safe, one still see's Litho's burn on occasion.

I am not using cable to connect my TV to the router. I am using WiFi. My setup is very simple. Starlink provides WiFi access to TV and phones. For Netflix, I am using Netflix app in the TV itself to stream. For anything else, I am using my iPhone and connect it to the existing HDMI port in the back of the TV. This way, I can also get audio out to all speakers if I select "Optical" audio input at the Furrion. Please let me know if you have any questions. Hope this helps.

The Ollie bracket is structural aluminum, probably 6061T6 or similar, the same stuff used in the frame and steps. You can tell by how very thick the plates are and by the welds, they are big and sloppy looking compared to steel welds. Those particular welds are a little nasty, but they are fine in terms of strength. I suspect your Starlink mount is powder coated aluminum. You could email SL to ask. But since you didn’t have to disturb the coating (drill new holes) it should be fine. The shipping weight is 1.4 pounds, it can’t be a steel part: From your pics it appears that you live in a dry climate. If you lived in a wet one, I would recommend sealing the bracket really well. Corrosion can occur even when the materials are similar. I can’t tell from the images, it appears that the tube is wide open at the bottom. If not you need to drill a drain hole. Nice mod, I quite like it. It is clean and highly professional looking. John Davies Spokane WA

Nice writeup, thanks for posting all the pics! Cracked or broken gelcoat is due to an undersized hole or not heavily countersinking it before driving in the screw. Both are due to sloppy work….. Another option for access is to remove either of the two round red reflectors that are just above the ends of the sewer compartment. They aren't very visible anyway. I ran wires for my rear bike rack aux lighting that way. Some of the factory wiring is a little unsightly, isn’t it?😢 John Davies Spokane WA