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I don't think the dealers are as well versed in Oliver maintenance as the factory. Given the option, I'd always choose factory service.

I know nothing about LazyDays. However, a tour of the factory in Hohenwald will help you understand more exactly what you have in a camping trailer. If this visit to Hohenwald does fit into your schedule, I would strongly encourage you to do it. Besides the tour you will get a chance to meet Oliver personnel and get to know them. This might help you down the road when you have a question and/or need help - you will personally know who to call. Bill

I also used Stabil in the past. When I was in the market this year I found this and she was convincing. What's BEST For Storage! Check Out These SHOCKING Results!

We were there last year. Really enjoyed it. Alas, we have a conflict this year. Everything in the replies above is what I suspected. Just wondered if I was behind the times. Apparently not 😀 Thanks to all y'all.

Ahh...blue painter and duct tape; my go to tools.

We installed a SmartPlug on our ‘92 Catalina 30 sailboat years ago and never looked back. Installation was dead easy and there’s no issue with the flimsy and hard to thread plastic lock ring as there is on the 30 amp twist lock. From my reading - primarily on marine forums - the so-called 30 amp twist lock plugs used on many sailboats - and our Oliver - is just -barely- capable of handling 30 amps. That assumes clean, tight, good condition contacts. Wear and tear, dirt, corrosion, damage, overheating will degrade the current carrying ability. Sailboats occasionally “burn to the waterline” - and the cause is often overheated “shore power” connections. I was actually a little surprised to find the Oliver had a detachable power cable. Our previous three motor homes (all 70’s-80’s vintage) had cables that pulled out of a port - but were permanently connected at the vehicle end. The only time that this arrangement has been a serendipitous advantage is when we camp out at our marina - where all of the power outlets are twist-locks. We used a shore power cable from our boat to hook up the Oliver. Without that marine cable - we’d have been out of luck. IMHO - the twist lock connection on the side of the trailer is a nuisance. That silly plastic lock ring takes several tries to get started properly because of the interrupted thread, and I’m sure that my other half has cross-threaded it a few times. It’s rare to see a boat with the lock ring still intact. They crack off. Movement of a boat vs a trailer shouldn’t be an issue. Good practice dictates securing the cable away from the connection to make sure the outlet and plug don’t take the strain. Anyway - just look at the contacts on a SmartPlug. They’re much more substantial than the flimsy contacts the twist lock uses. Wider, thicker, more rigid. As for being able to find spares while camping - I don’t see that being an issue. The only way it’s going to fail without warning is if you drive off without disconnecting and shear it off on a post or some equivalent mechanical event. I haven’t upgraded the shore power connector on the Oliver to SmartPlug - but it’s on the list. I may just install a second power connector - probably up on the nose by the tongue - and leave the old one there. Best of both worlds.

Though I’m sure this stuff is great for lubing the valve blades/gates, I’m convinced that the issue I experienced was because of the l-o-n-g cable and the two 90 degree bends, not the valve itself. The valve I removed also showed zero signs of wear, buildup, deposits, scoring, etc - it looks new and the seals were fine. My original symptoms were a black tank T handle that was VERY hard to pull out - to the point I was sure that the plastic T handle would break off. OTOH, it pushed in very smoothly and easily. From past experience with cables of this kind, the cable “core” wears into the cable housing or sheath. This wear happens on the “pull” stroke to the inner radius of the cable bends. There are two 90 degree bends in the blank tank dump cable. Anyway, since I wasn’t keen on temporary fixes like lubing a compromised cable, I opted for the fix OTT suggested: installing an electric valve. Problem solved.

We have our original matresses but have switched to foam. We bought a 10” queen foam mattress at Costco, cut it in half and used the old mattresses as a template for the corner curve. They were very comfortable but a bit tall. We got an 8” gel memory foam queen mattress on Amazon and did the same drill. We’ve had this for the last 2 to 3 years and they are also very comfortable and the height is better. A queen is 60” wide, the Oliver twins are 30” wide, so half a queen mattress. Mike

The Texas Oliver Rally 2025, for Oliver Owners only, will be held October 20, 21, 22. Checking in Oct 20 and checking out Oct 23 at Lake Mineral Wells State Park. For those interested in attending starting May 20 you can reserve a campsite. A potluck dinner is scheduled for Oct 21 and. BBQ dinner us scheduled for Oct 22. A hall at the campground has been reserved for these dates. Paula Ratcliff has arranged for live music for the potluck dinner. I have contacted Truma and they will have a service rep on site. If you need service, you are to contact Shelley Deisinger at s.deisinger@trumacorp.com be sure and let her know you are at a campsite during our rally. I did reach out to Girard but they let me know they will not be at our rally. A representative of the Oliver approved dealer in Ft Worth, United RV will be providing the BBQ dinner. However I had to reserve the group dining hall at $180 per day, so I hope everyone will contribute to this cost. Hopefully someone from Oliver will also be there. Jason E. Attended our last one.

Ladders are dangerous. Shoulders wear out. The CGI people are a benchmark for customer service and honest/fair dealing. Their work is superb. While they are taking care of my trailer, I can be doing other important things. I go with the CGI program, because I do risk/reward math, have a bad shoulder, have a lot of other things that must be accomplished and only I can do those projects, and I like supporting hard working Americans.

Interesting video. I'm no chemist. While the video is interesting and seems to make sense are we really to believe that the folks at the other manufacturers of these gas stabilizers are all lying to us? Its a shame that in today's world we must question everything. What happened to plain and simple honesty? The 'easy" answer to that question is (of course) - money. 😪 Bill

+2

I suggest reading through the Yelp reviews on LazyDays.

Was a long day getting the new gray waste valve installed. But by 5PM today... it's done finally, yay! 😂 It's difficult to get the valve in place, in tight quarters, without the rubber seals slipping. The valves in the front have rubber couplings which can be removed giving so much room, but not down here. I applied a sealant on the back side of the rubber seals and set them on the flanges the day before hoping that would keep them in place. One slipped off but the other stayed which certainly helped. The two flanges were on different angles, tied down by the weight of the 3" gray plumbing on one side and the gray tank on the other. Pulled a long crowbar to raise and shift the plumbing over, used a longer bolt to get one corner started. Installed one part at a time as the full valve assembly would not fit being crammed into the floor. Got everything torqued down, "good-n-tight" after another hour or more... Removed the old cable to install the new one. You can only source 6 ft cables and must cut them down to fit. OTT installed a stock 3 ft cable. I found it to be jammed up in a corner for being too long. I cut the new cable sheath to 32" and the pull cable 4 3/4" longer. I also cut into the shelf that extends in the rear trunk area of the Oliver using a handheld coping saw, so that the pull cable would have a straight line to the valve (notice bottom left of picture). So all was good, ya think, but the thin SS steel cable would not fit into the push rod of the valve, the fixture which holds the cable with an Allen key. I tried and tried and then I got a thin needle tool and found that the opening was defective, made in Mexico POS, and mostly closed. In the bottom of the basement, valve installed, I had to drill an opening into the cable receiver using a 90 degree extension powered by a 1/4" impact tool (whoa, make sure yours is good before installing)! 🤣 New waste valve, new pull cable nicely realigned and this valve now opens and closes like butter, so nice! Tomorrow the 12' cable for the black valve should be delivered. I will also fill tanks to test all three valves tomorrow. Hopefully no leaks but given Murphy's Law, new plumbing often leaks somewhere on first try. I need a break on this project and hoping for the best! Hopefully we're done tomorrow so we can start the fridge, pack clothes and tools, hitch up and be ready for the next adventure! 😂

After May 20 I will post a link to a Google Sheets so you can add your name and site and if you plan to participate in the potluck and BBQ. It will also have a place for you to put your hull #. It is the only way I know that shows you are an Oliver Owner.

Thought this same thing soooo many times! Like changing the starter motor of a 4WD Gen2 Toyota 4Runner or pulling the PS pump (known for leaking) on my Lexus SC400. Can I add replacing the fuel pump in our TV - pull the fuel tank or remove the truck bed? I went with the latter. These are jobs I've done in only the last two years and I cuss design engineers that only care of manufacturing process with no concern for maintenance. Auto design engineers should be made to work an internship in service for 3 years before allowed to make one design decision! The 3" gray plumbing should have been installed 1/2" off the floor instead of pushing so hard on the floor to make an impression into the insulation! Also defeats the purpose of the insulation.

IMO this is a disaster waiting to happen. The chance of damaging your trailer is high. It is not a question if, but when. Not worth the risk. The stability is another concern. If that breaks off while driving, the result could be deadly for someone following behind and cause you to loose control. Please listen to what others have shared.

@Just Joe There are many available options out there for front storage boxes. In 2023, we did an epic 42 day loop out west and had our Honda 3200i mounted in the front basket. We never used the generator. During the trip, we quickly learned that storing a gen in the basket was not best use of this valuable storage space for our travel needs. The first thing we always found ourselves needing were chocks, blocks, 30 amp cord, LP grill hose, extension cord, and just all things go to gear. This meant opening the tailgate and unloading this gear out of a storage box in the bed of our TV. After returning home and doing a little research, I opted to order and install a front storage box from SeaBiscuit in Johnson City, Tenn. We actually went to their shop and picked it up as we do not live that far away from JC, Tenn. David and Kristine Hess, owners of SeaBiscuit, are some of the nicest people we have ever met. The quality and craftsmanship of their USA 🇺🇸 made products are excellent in our experience. On this year’s 47 day trip out west, the SB cavernous water tight storage box was a great decision for us and has served us well. It sure was nice to have quick access to set up gear instead of opening our tailgate and pulling out our gear at each base camp. We now store/carry our rarely used 3200i gen locked down in our TV bed. Everyone’s budget, storage and travel needs are different. This storage box works for us and is how we roll. If you decide to attend the 2025 Oliver Rally at Lake Guntersville State Park in Ala, David & Kristine Hess and their staff will likely be attending with products to display. Hope to see you there! Welcome to the forum! Patriot🇺🇸

Yep, $1200 for a toolbox no way for me! 🤣 With another $150 an Atmos AC system can be shipped to my door! Certainly a good price on this one. You made the frame weaker by drilling through it in 4 places. They show it mounted with U-bolts. I would add a steel plate under the compressor, large enough to cover all frame members short of the outer perimeter. Hold it down by the same 4 bolts to strengthen those points and better support your generator. I also like the ability to pull U-turns, steering fully cocked. I've found that even with my long-bed truck, Oliver in tow, I can pull a rather tight U-y when needed, as sharp as I can turn without the Oliver in tow. I'm happy with the basket OTT installed. We don't carry a generator, and our LP fire ring and several accessories fit nicely up there.

I always wash/wax my vehicles and also my trailer. Then, I GOT OLD. Since hitting the 70’s my stamina isn’t what it used to be. I can still wash/wax my trailer, but what the CGI team did is a different level. 4 guys, multiple buffers, scaffolding, ladders, thorough wash, buff and then buff some more, ceramic coat, buff, ceramic coat again, buff, measure shine with some kind of shine measuring thing. It would have taken me a week to do that, then two weeks to recover! Mike

It’s your trailer and nothing is off limits! Unscrew those port holes and check out what’s behind them. Lift the basement covers under the mattresses and check out what is there. If you are out in the middle of nowhere it’s good to know everything you can about your trusty Oliver. Mike

Mounting holes are the same. Easy peasy. Use a little Dawn to lubricate the power cord to get it through the rubber reinforcement entering the orange housing. That was the hardest part.

We did this about a year and 1/2 ago because we had some melted wire at the connection interface while running the AC with a 12 gauge extension cord. I like it and have had no problems since converting to it. Fairly easy install. The connection is more secure IMO and easier to connect/disconnect.

I sat through a RV Electricity presentation by Mike Sokol at the 2024 Florida Super Show last Wednesday. He recommended the Smart Plug and gave it a very positive review. Mossey

I must resurrect this subject and thank you @Gliddenwoods for bringing this to my attention. Like I posted earlier, in the short 7 months we've owned our older EII, I likely plugged her in 2-3 times, as she sits daily batteries charged full by solar. Connected to our home shore power last night, after our return from a short camp, batteries being down to 67% and being unusually cloudy here lately. I had trouble getting the threads on straight and after putting light on the subject, I noticed the threaded plastic part was cracked, and then a chunk fell out! I believe the front streetside of our Oliver has seen quite a bit of AZ sun through the years. I now find myself in the position to replace the 30A inlet. SmartPlug is comparable in price the OEM Furrion brand. eTrailer sells the Furrion SS replacement inlet for $147 and the Smartplug SS inlet for $160. I understand being little to no need to replace a working 30A inlet, but I now must purchase a replacement. Actually, I would have to spend $269 for a full replacement set, the inlet and the matching power cord male end. Should I spend $122 additional to switch brands? I will say beyond all the marketing hype, some of which is plausible, there is one key feature that separates these brands. SmartPlug is "Made in USA" and Furrion is not! Most likely China made; "country of origin" not listed on eTrailer. The other thing is I don't believe mine every "twist-lock"ed into place. The screw ring held it in place and the copper on the receptacle looked old and somewhat bent, the plug side dirt in the openings, copper dull. The TT is over 7 years old. Buying a new inlet and plug set would make everything new at the Oliver end and the shore power plug is easy to wire brush like new. I have not yet measured and checked the specs, but if the 4 mounting screws are of the same pattern, I may switch brands at this time. I have said 100 times and made 1000s of purchases paying double for Made-in-USA brands, so for me (and my soul) another $122 is worth it. I have found regardless of marketing promises that these 3 little words 99% of the time mean a far superior product when available. We are not towing a foreign made TT! This alone makes SmartPlug the better choice. Knowing this, what would you do if you had to replace yours? My next dilemma is I can purchase the replacement set on eBay for only $200. But I should likely go with eTrailer, spend the difference in fear of receiving a China manufactured knockoff on eBay! 🤣

Oliver will not make any substitutions or modifications during the construction phase. They probably would be willing to make the swap in service before delivery. If you have the ability to do it yourself, you should.

Hi if we buy an Oliver, the smart plug will be one of the first mods I do to the trailer. I have used the twist style plastic connection on previous trailers and the smart plug is superior. I have also asked our salesman Josh to have it installed from the factory and they would not entertain the idea. So far Oliver does not seem very responsive for a $100k trailer Eric