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Looks like both Billdog and Monroe "Made in China" (So sad)

10 years ago we had a Revelco theft system installed in our F250. Back then it was $400. To date there hasn't been a reported theft. Remove the Faub and the truck is safe.

Thanks to everyone before me who did this install and shared it on the forum. Especially, a big thanks to @mountainoliver, @Geronimo John for all the info and pics. The install was pretty straight forward but not as refined as some. So happy to have gotten rid of the absorption fridge. Nothing to add except some pictures. I did end up copying a lot of things. Ended up using a little bit of VHB tape on bottom supports, 3/8 in HDPE for side brackets and used some better plastic to plastic epoxy. The other stuff I used did end up failing @mossemi (you sir were correct!) and ended up screwing (6) 1 1/4 in. SS screws through the backside for stabilization of the MPII. Glad I had the aluminum mount for backup. This time I used https://a.co/d/5IrB3w2 First part of install was quick and I forgot to take pics. Destroyed the Dometic fridge getting it out!. I will be done once I caulk and source some SS vents to cover the top and bottom holes.

The 2500 will feel much better and smoother when towing. HD trucks drive better hauling and towing. Without load, any brand 2500 will feel harsh and bouncy. If you buy a cap and keep camping gear loaded always it will drive somewhat smoother when not towing. I’ve been a long time Dodge truck owner. I wouldn’t want a truck with ‘Chevrolet’ written across the tailgate. That said, though I could not afford one, I would die for a GMC Duramax with 10-speed Alison trans! Best wishes, JD

The pictures interrupted the text. It has been corrected. Thanks for the alert.

As always, John E Davies has documented this project:

I'd rather notch up the AWG, need 12 buy 10, as this old mechanic is not spending ridiculous $$$$ for pure copper wire that is more waterproof or advertises nano-ohms less resistance. Marketing hype is the tedium of world we live today, OMG. Save your money, unless you care less and have money to burn (not me). BTW, the Southwire brand, Made-in-USA is pure copper, spec'd for residential/ commercial/industrial code. OTT installs marine grade cable in some places (not when using basic 14/2 rolex to feed the A/C, our most demanding 120 VAC appliance where they really should do better). I just installed a Victron 3KVA MP@ inverter and I could have replaced what Oliver had, 10/2 multi-stranded marine grade cable. I could have spent more money to buy the same. Hey, I'm not pulling my Oliver through salt water! Instead, I had over 100' of 10/2 UF-B, from a past project, which is direct burial cable (yes, waterproof) and I used this instead. It has say 40 stands, instead of 100s, who cares! I used the same cable type but 8/3 to wire my shed, 125 ft from our home electrical panel and it connects to the 30A RV outlet and wires to other 20A circuits for running lights and power tools, good enough, with spec.

It's hard to have enough spares for everything and me too! I've bought many spares we've never used. Want to be prepared but dislike wasting money! Two years ago, we were heading out in our Bigfoot Class-C on a 4-week trip to Page AZ (Glen Canyon), Mesa Verde NP CO up to Moab UT and the great NPs... We got to our first stop, a boondock nearby Sunset Crate NM. Stopped the truck to check the map and put the truck in park. When I was ready to continue, the truck would not come out of park. The P-R-N-D-L shifter would NOT move! What would you do? I took a deep breath and several more and stopped to think, why would this occur? finally, I thought of the brake switch. The simple electric switch behind the brake pedal that stops you from changing the trans position without having your foot on the brake. I got on the floor of the truck with this simple tool, bypassed the switch and we were able to drive to our campsite. Went to Napa a couple days later and they had the switch for $22. ALWAYS have one on these in your toolbox!

Sooooo, did you buy the right sized tool for future zerk removal? And what size was the right sized tool or tools? Mossey

I installed mine a few hundred miles ago...seem to be doing fine. Thanks, Steve, for the O'Reilly tip :) John

Certainly, more BTUs means more energy. British thermal unit (BTU) | Britannica If their BTU numbers are accurate, the 15K BTU should require 11% greater amperage other things being equal. I don't have the data you are asking for, but the 13.5K BTU Penguin II uses 15A high fan on a hot day.

I always had that concern about getting locked out of the trailer and truck if I lost my keys while on the road, so I mounted a small mechanical (no battery) combination lockbox from Lowe’s inside the rear bumper storage area on one frame rail and kept an Ollie door key in there, and then kept a spare truck key hidden inside the Ollie so I could always get access to everything if I ever lost my primary keys while out away from the trailer.

I might be wrong but this key is for the deadbolt not the electric lock?

Our nose "Art" has been posted elsewhere, but this thread seems more appropriate for another rendering... Here's "Casablanca" in the hangar with Geronimo John's OTT being attended to last week... Building closet/locker shelves in each. HA! Great time! OBTW: Here's the new shelves: Cheers!

Rabbit Hole: OK... how about jacking up one side with the rear levelers, remove the rims on that side (take them with you where ever you're leaving to), torque down a keyed lug nut on one or more studs on the rimless wheels...? I'm thinking that would really slow 'em down.

We generally camp where we want to visit vs. any "home base" idea. Take the Oliver with you! It makes it through narrow dirt roads and busy city neighborhoods. We will leave our trailer parked for a few hours during the day, sometimes much of the day, but never overnight. If I'm at a state park or any well-kept campground, we do not worry. When boondocking we will not leave for more than a half day and I will worry. You can add any hitch lock device, spend hundreds and it will not matter if they want to tow it away. All anybody needs is a simple lever jack, the kind that are used on cheap travel trailers and a battery-powered 1/2" impact gun. Lift the front high enough to chain it to a tailgate. Pull the fuses on your leveling jacks and when they recover your trailer these will need replacing and likely some body damage! Use a decent hitch lock and chain two wheels together on the side of the trailer that would be most noticeable (I've done this when leaving a trailer on a property that I will not see for months). This would slow them down better than anything, or chain a wheel to a tree or the campground concrete picnic table! 🤣

I use the "Collar" parked or driving. The chains are locked up when parked. I use the "Proven Industries Hitch Lock" I would like to replace the Puck lock that came with it with a Conical Puck lock so it can't be drilled out. I also have a 6 foot Abus hardened chain that I put through the Rims on one side when parked. Everywhere the I need a paddle lock I have used a 3/8 Abus granite harden lock and all locks are keyed a like. They are difficult to pick, and break. I know this may be overkill and nothing is fool proof, but the more difficult to steal, greater chance they will move on to an easier target. When the truck is attached, I have an Alarm system, and a way to keep from the truck from starting. A good thief can steal the Ford 7.3 super duty trucks in under 30 seconds. If the Oliver is attached and you are in a store you could lose everything. I am sure there are other tow vehicles that are just as vulnerable.

I also use The Collar and an Abus disk lock to secure the Bulldog coupler. Both were sourced from Heartland Lock. I prefer The Collar over other coupler locks, since it can be used to secure the trailer when both hitched and unhitched. In addition, I purchased a pair of chrome steel ball bearings from Amazon. I must give credit to @John E Davies. See:

After updating our tow vehicle from a 1500 to a 2500 and now a 3500 HD truck, I changed out the old 2"-7000 pound Bulldog coupler to the 2-5/16"-12000 pound version. Like Mountainman 198, I sawed off the shank of a 2" ball. I inserted the ball into the old coupler and welded it in place. I also welded down the locking lever. Just leave this hitch attached to your unattended trailer to slow down any potential thieves.

@Mike Spies Try this method while using Google's search function, you might find your own post. site:olivertraveltrailers.com 'GPS tracker' Mossey

Pretty cool new UI in Beta. Orion XS 50 finally shows up.

@mossemi I am not sure which version of software it started with but if you update to the newest official release you should be good. I was interested in trying the beta because it has the new Orion XS displayed. It is smart to wait for the official release because then all the bugs will have been worked out. Mike

Love the tech!

@wolfdds a very helpful post and glad Mike Sharpe was able to get you the link and info. Thank you for posting. It might be super helpful if the mods or the site administrator would create a “sticky reference” page on the forum for links such as this. It would be super helpful when traveling and may require fewer phone calls to Oliver Service. It would be much easier to find links than using the forum search function. How about it mods can you discuss the idea of a sticky reference page for links like this to be created? Forum members thoughts? Thanks!

I was able to find the part with Mike Sharpe's help. I am attaching the Barker parts list he sent me as a reference. He marked part #20 but that is the light switch. Part #9 is the up/down switch. Here is a link to the place I bought it from: https://pdxrvwholesale.com/products/barker-jack-up-down-switch-736-2300

As noted by @Patriot -- I frequently check the fasteners after travel. I have my tires at 55#. However, a couple of rough washboard roads have convinced me to lower my tire pressure more. Even though I go really slow, the vibration impacts everything. This last trip, I opened the Truma AquaGo WH (outside panel) to turn it on, and discovered a screw sitting against the panel door. It took me a while to figure out where it came from. That required me to go buy a TORX screwdriver (star-shaped), and Blue (medium) Locktite. I also purchased some other new tools this week, for dealing with Zerks. But that's another story. I wish we had a "recommended tools" list on the OTT Service Knowledge Base (a more robust list, I should say)... because sometimes you find a need and no hardware within distance.

Thanks for sharing this. This is on our list of planned upgrades.

The Atmos is a fairly new installation, as well. Despite the claim they don’t draw-in outside air, you may want to experiment using another dehumidifier at night while using the A/C in Sleep mode, or some other means to rule out the Atmos as the culprit. Just say’n.

Just for an additional reference point we’re currently camping in Winslow Arizona so take into account the local weather conditions. These are screenshots from my various camper sensors.

So update on install and vent closure. We have had high humidity here in TN and since closing the outside vents I have been getting alarms from my Ruuvi sensors. Cabin humidity has been climbing into the 70s and even 80s at night despite trialing the dehumidifier mode on Atmos. This is concerning to me. Anyone else that has closed their vents seen this issue. Thinking about maybe opening one of the vents to the outside. Any ideas? Prior to fridge replacement and closing vents humidity was staying in the 40-60% range

Thanks Mike, but this is one of the times when I wish that I wasn’t right! Great install and write up as we have come to expect from you! Mossey

Mike, nice work! The installation looks perfect. I know you’ll love it. These fridges are like your home fridge, they just work no fiddling to keep it cold inside!

That is an amazing area. It was probably in the '70's when I worked up there that I ate at some amazing Amish Restaurants.

Love camping in Canada. With the exchange rate prices aren’t bad. We’ve been from the west coast to “Lake of the Woods” near Kenora. A lot of public parks have power as an option at your site which takes away the loathsome generator serenade. Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan was not crowded and enjoyable. Banff is Canada’s version of Disneyland but incredibly beautiful. I agree that most border crossing problems are coming back into the good ol USA but.. One story - during the tail end of the Vietnam War some friends and I were crossing at Vancouver to get over to Victoria and go camping. We were only 18 or 19 and they were still worried about draft dodgers. I could hear the other three being interviewed - swearing that they didn’t smoke or drink, etc. I was last and the old guard wasn’t sure about us. He asked me the same questions and I said that while I had smoked marijuana, I really preferred beer. He smiled, said “Laddy, don’t we all”, and stamp, stamp, stamp we were in.

Your passport gets you in, and back out. If you are traveling with pet(s), make sure vaccinations are up to date, and carry a copy of their record(s). Don't carry weapons (or ammo) of any kind, as Canadian border patrol asks a lot of questions, and weapons are very restricted. Easier to leave them home. Check the latest rules on foods you can bring in, and amount of wine/beer/alcohol. (This is also true on re-entry to US.) We've done the crossings many times, and only once been searched (I think the border patrol had never seen a trailer like ours.) But, be prepared to be honest, and stay within published limits. There are still "random" checks at times that can take awhile. Usually, after a few questions, you'll quickly be welcomed to Canada by professional and courteous border agents . The folks around Montreal drive pretty fast, in my experience, but quite safely. Don't miss Quebec City. Camp somewhere nearby, and spend at least a day. It's historic, beautiful, and elegant. Like going to Europe for the day. https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-safety-consumers/bringing-food-canada-personal-use

US driver’s licenses are valid for visitors in Canada.

P.P.S.: Putting this in writing is helping me process my thoughts. The noise I sometimes hear now from the driver's seat reminds me of the sound manual brakes make when you adjust them until they lightly scrape on the drum. (Unfortunately, I haven't been able to stand next to the trailer while it's happening and Stephanie is less adept at recognizing and describing mechanical noises. If it happens again I need to find a place to get her in the driver's seat so I can hear it myself.) If I'm right, this may be a case of the auto-adjuster making that brake just a little too tight when it clicks up a notch, causing that shoe to drag just a little. On the highway, I'd never hear it and the light drag probably wouldn't heat the drum enough for my TPMS to detect. But it if it happens at low speed I could hear it with the window open. That makes some sense, but it doesn't explain why Steph says it goes "ping" and stops. Unless Steph was hearing the brakes engage as I stopped the vehicle? That would stop the dragging noise. And then when I release the brake it reseats or frees up just enough to stop dragging? Can someone check my logic here? (I really don't like these auto-adjust brakes...)

This mystery has been solved. A tech removed a loose nut from inside the offending wheel drum today. It was a brake backing plate nut, but all the nuts were in place as they should be, so it must have been an extra dropped into the wheel assembly at the Dexter factory. It was intermittent and wasn't found sooner because it would stick to the brake magnet and hide.

FYI. Bulldog has not made a run of these shocks in quite some time. If you order them from somewhere, make sure they actually have them in stock. Some places hit your card and then you wait until Bulldog makes a run and then Bulldog sends them direct. I was told my shocks should come this week. I ordered them a couple of months ago.