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Now 5 weeks into our western trip our Starlink Mini has worked flawlessly with usually 4 devices attached. With our use, the upgrade to the unlimited plan is the way to go and it still has the pause feature when we are not using it. I can’t imagine having to ever deal with WiFi at CGs or cell phone hots spots. As soon as I deploy the mini dish which takes about 5 minutes, it immediately recognizes our devices. I am glad I purchased the aluminum protective case/cradle. The mini is really light weight and could easily be blown around by strong winds if not secured or weighted down. The added weight of the aluminum protective case makes a difference in my field use experience so far. An impressive useful piece of technology. It was a frosty 32d when I took this pic here in Yellowstone two mornings ago. As long as SpaceX keeps those satellites sailing we are in great shape. Ha!5 points
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Thanks, have been in the forums some, not the easiest forum to move around in, but loads of sound advice and experience. The videos were instrumental in our decision to go with the Oliver, hopefully we will pick it up at the factory and do the tour.4 points
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Yes - at delivery you will receive an owner's manual for your year Oliver and for all of the optional equipment that you have installed. In addition to this, many owners have downloaded all things pertaining to Oliver's (in general) and specifically anything that has to do with their particular model so that they had that information available to them while on the road. Congrats on your new Oliver! You've got years of enjoyment ahead of you. Bill4 points
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FYI: I just received this recall notice when I logged into Amazon this morning, concerning this product. Progressive Industries 30 Amp Portable Surge Protector Kit, PSK-30. Follow this link to NHTSA.GOV for additional information. Mossey3 points
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Several years ago on a trip through CO, we made an overnight stop at a campground near Gunnison. It was dark and since we were in a level site I didn’t unhitch. In the morning, I noticed that the trailer battery was dead. As I looked around I discovered the pin from the BAS had been pulled out. I must have snagged it while getting something out of the truck in the dark. No matter how I tried to reinsert the pin, it wouldn’t go in. Upon reading the installation instructions I found that if the pin is pulled out for an extended period the high current from the battery will weld the contacts together! Needless to say our departure that morning was delayed. So if you pull the pin to test your BAS, be sure you don’t get distracted and end up forgetting about it.3 points
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Pull on that red cord in order to activate the breakaway switch. You should hear the brakes on the Oliver engage and you should not be able to move the Oliver without the tires sliding on whatever surface you are parked on. Of course - after you have conducted your test (this should only take 30 to 60 seconds) push the pin back into the breakaway switch. This should disengage your brakes and now you should be able to, once again, move the Ollie with the tires rotating normally. I test mine at least twice a year in this manner. Bill3 points
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Check under the back dinette seat and look at where the gray water pipe from the bathroom enters the gray tank. Ours was not glued just a friction attachment. Bumpy roads caused it to dislodge and not seal tightly. I glued ours in. Mike3 points
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In addition to gray tank additives we put screens in the sinks to capture any food scraps that we can easily dispose of.3 points
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@TxMN2020 now is the time to take a deep dive into Oliver University and also the forum. This knowledge will give you somewhat of a leg up on delivery day! Congrats on your choice of a world class Travel Trailer!3 points
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Let her know that there are several previous Airstream owners on this forum that moved to Oliver to get away from expensive repairs, hail damage, rotten floors, failing cabinets, popped rivets, and more. All you need to do is join an Airstream forum to learn there is a better option. 😉2 points
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You're going to fit in just fine here. Prior owner of our hull said he was selling it because he wanted more of a project, nothing to work on with the Oliver. 🤣 Since then (June 2023) all we've been doing are minor repairs and major mods! Though it camped fine when first purchased, it should camp much more comfortably this upcoming season. Only major upgrades still on my list is to replace the A/C with something efficient and quiet, likely the Atmos 4.4, and to upgrade the axles with 12" brakes and Alcan leaf springs as soon as our shows signs of needing repair. We purchased an older hull, first because it was listed on Craigslist in our hometown. Told my wife, "Let's go see it, but there's no way we're spending that kind of money on a travel trailer!" Had no idea what an Oliver was. Found out new ones cost twice as much, and we brought her home by the end of the week! I always buy used and enjoy restoration work. Same story re our tow vehicle. Hope you find a good used Oliver to enjoy as we have!2 points
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@TxMN2020 - Congrats on your new 2025 OTT purchase! You'll meet some of the finest folks around at the factory when your delivery day comes around at Hohenwald. Definitely don't be a stranger with these forums as any questions you'll have will have either been addressed in earlier posts or one of us will have suggestions for you to consider. We look forward to seeing pix of your future adventures with your new rig. OBTW: We're already VERY "jelly" over here of your newly designed bathroom door! Cheers!2 points
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Oliver recommends leaving the fresh water tank drain open while in storage. I do not follow that advice given that my Ollie is stored over the winter in a non-paved storage lot. I close the drain valve after I've made sure that the tank is as empty as I can get it. I do not use nor would I recommend using antifreeze in the fresh water tank while the Ollie is in storage (or any other time for that matter). Assuming that RV antifreeze would be used by anyone, this should not cause "problems" in that even if that antifreeze were to be ingested it would not harm you. But, there is really no need to have antifreeze in the fresh tank given that there is the "overflow" tube plus the overall size of the tank that would be able to handle any "expansion" of the water due to freezing. Therefore, why waste the money putting antifreeze in that tank in the first place? When I winterize my Ollie I do not empty either the black or the grey tanks after I've winterized the plumbing - of course I've emptied all three tanks and the water heater prior to starting the winterization process. This means that there will be a small amount of antifreeze left in both the grey and black tanks over the winter due to small amount that I pour into each of the sinks and the shower drain. I also pour about two cups of antifreeze into the toilet (and then I cover the rim of the toilet with plastic wrap to help prevent evaporation) in order to help keep the toilet seal from drying out. I've also used the water heater by-pass valve in order to close off the water heater so that antifreeze doesn't get in that that tank. Bill2 points
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There’s not much difference between the construction of new and old Oliver’s. The main difference will be the added components. There has been some updating of appliances, faucets, sinks, etc. Solar switched from Blue Sky to Zamp. Different fridge, AC, inverter and other items. The trailer and suspension are essentially the same. A lot of It depends on what the owner has updated or changed. We have our original Dometic fridge and AC but some owners of our vintage have changed those out. I just replaced our springs, shocks, brakes and bearings, so underneath we’re good as new. It just depends on what you want. If you find a used trailer ask about what they’ve done to change and update. It’s hard to give a year by year description of the differences. Mike2 points
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Olivers have made quite a few improvements over the years and continue to do so. I suggest you continue to read and research here on this forum and come to your own conclusion. If I were in the market right now I would really consider a newer 2020 and up preowned Oliver with Solar and Lithium batteries. Then again it all depends on how you plan to camp and use your Oliver. Better yet call Oliver Sales and ask to speak with a sales rep, they will be able give you some really great information on the progress Oliver has made over the last several years. If you’re considering a used Oliver do your due diligence. I suggest you take a look at Oliver University and the owners manuals for different YM are located there. Better yet, if you are seriously considering an Oliver take the factory tour.2 points
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Hopefully, these will be available in the US one of these days, or the shipping from the UK is reasonable. These would come in really handy for cleaning up some of the sloppy wiring we've all found. https://quickfixjb.co.uk/2 points
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While you are "in there" - Put some foam insulation around those 1/2 inch water pipes and add another layer of insulation wherever possible. Bill2 points
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Just to follow up on this post... I finally scraped away the caulking from the towel bar in front of the bath vanity to investigate whether I had a detached vent pipe. It wasn't nearly as much a chore as I anticipated...took all of 15 minutes! To my dismay there isn't any loose pipes or fittings. There is a faint black tank smell in that area but I was unaware that the space around the black tank is contiguous with the space under the dinette seat...so any smell I have there would also be inside the vanity. I'm still perplexed as to why there is a smell at all but I'm assuming my sniffer is just overly sensitive. I'm happy that I tackled this as I'm going to use a gasket around the towel bar (thanks Steve Morris) to prevent water intrusion and keep it accessible for the future in case I purchase a new faucet. I'm just going to use the original screws and snap caps to secure it down since I don't anticipate going in there very often.2 points
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Along with everything else that has been suggested, recheck the toilet flange to make sure that it isn’t cracked. Mine started to smell on occasion and a little at a time then gradually became worse. I found out that the cheesy plastic flange was cracked, allowing sewer gas to escape and eventually liquid as well. I replaced mine with a stainless steel flange and fastened it down using all six available mounting holes with #14 stainless screws.2 points
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Before you rip the vanity apart - it is worth the shot to tap on that under the kitchen sink valve. Just sayin'. Bill2 points
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That is a good idea. I agree with @jd1923 and @Mike and Carol the vent pipe connection could very well be your culprit. Persevere!2 points
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Thanks guys. Yes, after many years and two trailers we are considering Oliver...finally. A little due diligence and I discovered this very helpful thread: I also found that these two YouTube videos are helpful: The two things I would miss that we have in our NuCamp is the Alde system and the cool cat ducted AC.1 point
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There are some ideas that may help you resolve your issue in this recent post. -1 point
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It was cool. After 2 hours batteries down to 85% when compressor kicks in it’s drawing 37 amps each battery But so quiet, worth the money1 point
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After a great nights rest, we woke up to a 32d morning in our toasty warm Oliver. After a great hot breakfast, we loaded up in the beast and we were on the road to soak up America‘s first and oldest national park (1872). We are still pretty excited about being camped here inside the park. We enjoyed a day of touring and hiking around various areas of Yellowstone. We saw Bison, a wiley coyote, and a large black bear munching and lunching on a bison carcass from a distance (no pic as it was a blur from our vantage point) we saw lots of Osprey hunting. The mud volcanos were pretty impressive to say the least. The “Dragons Mouth” appropriately named was really just amazing.The falls were thunderous as millions of gallons of water crashed down into the canyon. My pics and vids are mere teasers as to what we saw. We have so much more to see and do in YS, we may extend, we’ll see. We have met and enjoyed so many nice people along the way. Tonight our temp drops down to 27d at 2am, no worries as our Oliver will keep us toasty warm. Get out there and travel and camp! If not now when? 😊 Our beast of burden and mother natures beast of burden standing super still and just sleeping. Full On!…..nap time. Kinda like us after our Bison corned beef sandwiches today. Ha! Our attempt at a selfie at the lower falls. We had all kinds of 2’ long lens pointed at our TV, this hot and tired coyote with a thick winter coat was just wanting to get away from all the peeps and the cameras. Us too! 😊 A closer pic of another lone bison just trying to put on much needed winter fat. The falls. Enjoy the what you can of my videos, no expert videographer here, just a work in progress.😊 IMG_1953.mov IMG_1940.mov IMG_1941.mov1 point
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Our new-to-us OE2 came without the Anderson hitch so I had one installed at the factory. First let me say that I was very impressed with their excellent service. And the free, on-site campground was a very convenient plus. After hitch installation, Jason told me that on my Tundra the chain bolts would likely need to be loosened every time that I unhitched to provide enough slack to remove the sway control plate. This is a bit of a PIA and is just one of the many reasons why I dislike this hitch (I feel another post forthcoming). Anyway, he said to just count the number of threads on the bolts to get back to the same tension on the chain. I found that counting the threads was just another little annoyance and decided to make a thickness gage instead. After measuring the length of the exposed chain bolt, I cut a piece of ¾” Schedule 40 PVC pipe to the exact same length. The ID of this pipe just fits over the bolt and I can easily feel with my finger when the edge of the pipe is even with the bolt. I believe that this is easier and likely more accurate than counting threads. I hope this simple tip this will help others with the same issue. Now if anyone has found a way to attach a WDH with sway bars to their Ollie I would love to hear about it!1 point
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I would think the Tundra 5.7L would be a very capable TV for a 7K LB trailer. It's easy enough to add a trans cooler. Adam and I added one to his '97 T100. Our Lexus GX has one OEM. When I replaced the trans fluid there was a procedure to get to trans up to "temp" to fill the fluid to the right level. I thought it was 180F but not sure of the number. Keep in mind this was running the trans in neutral, certainly not towing. You have to imagine that I'm familiar with this stretch of road. Driven it some 100 times in the last 20 years. The Ford E450 Class-C 6.8 v10 we used to have would groan or downshift and scream, barely get to 40 MPH up this stretch! It appears you found a great cooling mod and love you gauges. I was never into gauges on vehicles past but went full route on our Ram which already had a trans cooler. I wanted to keep eye on all relevant temps while towing. Also, the 2nd gen Ram 5.9 Cummins in OEM form is quite detuned, so I also added a tuner for more power. Program #1 adds MPG efficiency when around town. Program #2 adds power for towing (amazing climb on this mountain road), and programs 3-5 are for the crazies that run at tractor pulls (I never use the extreme programs). The Edge Juice w/ Attitude included the tuner and all the gauges and a quality 7" display. TFT stands for Trans Fluid Temp, IAT is Intake Air Temp, ECT is Engine Coolant Temp, and EGT is Exhaust Temp (important to be <1200F when running hard or on tune programs). First need on a Cummins Diesel is to maintain 14 PSI in fuel pressure. Love this setup for towing power and monitoring vitals. This picture was captured towing our Oliver (I asked Chris while I was driving), a mild climb just south of Hoover Dam on N Hwy 93. It was high 90s outside and at 1728 RPM, I was likely driving about 65 MPH in OD. I have never seen numbers over 200F. Obviously, these are different designs in transmissions. The highest temp I've seen was 193F. Not while towing but due to the climb from Parowan UT up to Cedar Breaks NP, a 4000+ FT climb in 20 minutes.1 point
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This is very interesting data. I made a similar comparison before and after I had the hitch put on at the factory and found a similar result. I am surprised at how little weight "re-distribution" this "WDH" provides. I don't have the data, but my guess is that a hitch using spring bars would do much more than that.1 point
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@Rivernerd I had a very similar experience. Just like you, legendary reliability was one of the main reasons that I bought the Toyota. Having already read comments on the Tundras.com forum, I was aware of this potential issue. So soon after I bought the new Tundra, I did some testing and confirmed elevated transmission temperatures while towing upgrade. I purchased a complete installation kit from GenuineCoolingSystems.com and had a local transmission shop install the auxiliary cooler. The true test came when we drove N on I-17 from Phoenix towards Flagstaff on a hot day in June. There is a steady and steep (4-5%) grade for about 7 miles starting near Black Canyon City, exit 244. A sign along the way states “AVOID OVERHEATING TURN OFF AIR CONDITIONER NEXT 5 MILES”. With the ambient temperature at 100 degrees, we passed several overheated trucks and cars while towing our fully loaded trailer at 55 mph with the AC ON. The transmission temperature never exceeded 206. So I am obviously very pleased with that modification to my truck.1 point
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Yes, I have. My 2008 Tundra 5.7L with tow package has a factory transmission cooler, and I was unhappy when I learned that my 2019 5.7L with tow package did not. After following a thread on this forum addressing the topic, I bought a Veepeak OBD II scanner that reports via Bluetooth to my Android phone. Towing our Hull #1291 up a long hill on a 100-degree day in August 2023 our transmission pan temp got up to 263 F. Although Toyota claims that up to 300 F is "o.k." with proprietary Toyota transmission fluid, a (2020, I think) Tundra owner who posted on this forum repeatedly overheated, and then blew his transmission, towing an Elite II across the USA in summer temps. I then considered replacing the Tundra with a 3/4 ton GMC. But last winter, I ultimately chose to buy and install an aftermarket transmission cooler in the Tundra, as I still love Toyota reliability. In July 2024 towing our Oliver up that same hill on a 98-degree day, the transmission pan temp maxed out at 232 degrees F. We are keeping the modified 2019 Tundra for now.1 point
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I might have to report you, calling my Toyota Tundra a Nissan is offensive! 🤪1 point
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Add Wilwood front (6 piston) and rear (4 piston) brakes, OME suspension and a Magnuson supercharger and it's even closer! 😉1 point
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I would love to have a 3/4 ton truck and be done with the hitch but our garage is under the house and there isn't enough headroom. In fact, the Tundra was the only half ton with tow package that wasn't too tall to fit.1 point
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I agree these methods work. I haven’t used an Andersen in almost 4 years, but when we did the raising of the hitch with the jack worked well. I never needed to adjust the chains once I got them right. I used the Andersen on 3 different trucks, each needed a bit of adjustment to be right. Mike1 point
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You're most welcome. Try to keep that pin clean and have a light coat of lube (WD40) on it. That will make the in and out easier. I think you mentioned that you have had experience with other weight distribution hitches - I did with rigs prior to getting the Oliver and as I got used to dealing with the Andersen I've found that it certainly is no more difficult and perhaps its somewhat easier. At least there are no heavy, dirty, greasy bars to deal with and the Andersen is all but silent. Bill1 point
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Lots of ways to do it out there, but most common recommended is jacking up the front of the trailer (also lifting the truck) to provide slack. I did this for a while, but disliked the extra work the jack needed to do to lift the ass-end of the truck. Instead, I introduce slack by overlapping the hitch and ball. I haven't adjusted the nut since Chris Scarff did at the rally in May 2023. When you are hitching up, back the truck under the ball like normal. Then, back up another inch to inch and a half until the nose of the hitch almost touches the ball mount. Now you can easily slip the whale tail on without making any adjustments. It even works at odd angles (within reason) where other methods require dead straight. Unhooking is the opposite: with the hitch still on the ball, open the bail, raise the tongue until the trailer until the ball falls out, back up an inch or so, and drop off the whale tail. Done! Other than the time I needed to hook up almost 90° to the trailer, this method has worked every time. And no extra strain on the jack! I hope that helps1 point
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Be sure to look at every YouTube vid you can find in order to learn ALL the ways you can get the Andersens attached - there are several. Once you are familiar with a variety of ways then you will have a better idea of which to use in virtually any circumstance you find. Bill p.s. I do like your "gauge" but a half a thread one way or the other really isn't going to make that much difference.1 point
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A Jackery 2000 pro will not run any air conditioner, better suited for small AC appliances or DC supply/charging purposes. Yes, a small dual fuel inverter generator can be used to power the Truma, at minimum 2200W. I carry a dedicated 30# propane tank under cap, which will provide up to twenty hours of a/c comfort for long evening/night periods of cooling. Once that supply is exhausted, I can tap into one of the OTT-mounted propane tanks unless time is taken to refill. I stage the genny on the tongue of the trailer secured with a chain. I primarily use this setup for overnight stays while underway to a campground that has power service. Depending on how an Oliver is wired dictates whether or not the Truma can be used via the inverter. I had to install a dedicated transfer switch to be able the run on DC. If capable, then solar and/or a small generator will sustain limited use of the a/c in actual boondocking situations.1 point
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I use the Flush King and connect it to a short Camco hose in the bumper. I connect a hose to the connection on the left. The green thing is a "Save a drop" counter so I don't over fill. I dump each tank first. Empty the black and then the gray. I close the gray tank and reopen the black, turn the water on and watch the counter. There is a knob to turn off the water. Empty and repeat with the gray tank. I still like to use the black flush. Tank Kleen did our tanks at the Rally. The black tank was spotless, but the gray tank was bad. I use their Pine-Sol bath beads solution that Tank Kleen recommends, and add 3 gallons of water into the floor drain and 3 gallons into the toilet so it sloshes around while driving. If boondocking or extended camping I will limit adding water.1 point
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Actually, @Frank C did it first and best, quite detailed using u-clips. Mine was a quick job but the part re mine I like is the rubber seal, inexpensive part too!1 point
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Hi Claudia, When we were in our Casita I had a similar occurrence, but only occasionally and it took me a while to figure it out. The Casita's vent stack exhaust is pretty darn close to the bathrooms ceiling vent fan and when I had the bathroom ceiling vent open but not running along with the bathroom window open and various cabin windows open, air would circulate through the cabin and exit the bathroom window creating a vacuum through the ceiling fan opening and drawing odors from the outside vent stack. It drove me nuts and would only happen occasionally when the wind conditions were right. Closing the bathroom ceiling vent cured the problem. I suppose just closing the bathroom window, to interrupt the airflow through the bathroom, would have worked as well. That's my only experience and may be worth a try. Hope it's something simple :) John1 point
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At the Rally I won this clear plastic that connects to a short hose and the connector to the flange on the bumper. It has a hose connection and a counter so I don't over fill the tank. I can do both tanks from the rear. I still like the back flush connection for the black tank. I don't have it handy at the moment. It has a handle to keep water filling the tank from emptying, and once full, I turn off the water at the unit and empty. I then close that tank and open the other and repeat.1 point
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Never thought about the stink pipe. Make sure you use plastic razor blades to cut the sealant. Don't ask me why🙃. Instead of caulk I used a "U" shaped silicone strip around the panel. Screwed back in and replaced the caps over the screws. Either Oliver forgot to install 2 bolts through the flat plate to hold the propane housing to the trailer or it came loose. I didn't find the nut under the sink..1 point
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I've seen your mod and it's truly something that Oliver should consider from stock! It was on my list..Brilliant!1 point
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I was sort of trying to avoid opening that area up. Looks like I have another mod on my hands!1 point
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One more thing to check (I speak from experience here), open up the area under the sink in the bathroom. In the back on the left you’ll see where the vent pipe connects to the black tank. On our trailer it was not glued, just stuck into the hole on the top of the black tank. It had come out and was sitting on top of the tank off center so part of the hole was open. The vent pipe is now epoxied into the black tank. Mike1 point
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Got it. Hopefully someone else will chime in with a fix. Hang in there as there are no problems only solutions! A famous quote by?😊 Having exhausted all other possibilities, I do think you may want to check that vent pipe. It may save you a call to the mothership.1 point
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