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Finally got around to switching out our LP tanks for aluminum ones. 17 lbs vs 25 lbs. Supposedly holds 8 gallons of propane. We shall see. Had to make a custom tank mount due to bottom ring being too large for the steel tank mount. Made it out of HDPE 3/4 in bottom and top half with cutouts (9 9/16 in circle) was 1/2 in thick. Slight modification to center rod and large wing nut to secure tanks. Rod I used was 36 in. Needs to be long enough go through frame. Used my hand held router with a Jasper circle jig. Worked great. Very happy with the results. Couple inches to spare height wise with fiberglass shell back on. One of the last vestiges of steel removed from the Oliver. https://flameking.com/product/ysn330-copy/ Pre-purged vacuum ready for filling with propane 12x12x26.5 in 17 lbs 7-8 gallons OPD valve 3

It was so cold here the other morning I saw a politician with his hands in his own pockets, and no spare tire! 😂 Ba da bum!

Don't know how many of you have heard about "Salt-A-Way" but, this stuff really work good on salt. Anytime when my trailer incounters salt i.e. salted roads, salt air, I wash the underside of my trailer with Salt-a-way. You can purchase a mixer with the solution. Spray the underbody well and you will not have issues with the alunimun frame or axles. Salt-A-Way neutalized salt. Don't have to rinse. This stuff also work well in removing the salt buildup in natures head urine bottles. I just add some with clean water, let it sit overnight and the salt disolves itself. Rise and you ready to go.

A very quick and easy "security" item is to simply purchase a stainless steel nut for the threaded post coming out of the back of the Ollie. Still using the "wheel" nut that came stock, just double nut it with the new stainless nut. Not too many crooks out there carry a wrench big enough for that nut. Bill

Absolutely! Caution - when picaridin is wet (out of the container and/or before it dries on clothing) it is toxic to cats.☠️😿 I spray my fishing gear and camp cloths about three days before I depart for my trip. The claimed time that it is still effective, even after up to 6 washings, seems correct. But, I've not tested this by actually sitting out in the marsh waiting for these creatures to carry me off towards the sunset! And, remember that your exposed skin is still out there subject to dissection.😬 Bill

We added the magnetic door catch years ago, simple but most used mod we’ve made! Mike

Surely no man ever said I have too much LP, so I am in the 30# tank club here. 😄 We enjoyed rarely having to fill out LP tanks on our 48 day trip out west last fall and rarely had thoughts about LP. Never had any issues with locating an LP supplier out west during our travels. I digress. Nice work @rideadeuce nothing better than a clean fit and finish DYI install! The only thing you may want to consider is adding a lock to your T-handle where you secure those pretty new aluminum tanks. Will it completely stop a theft likely not. But it may cause the thug to move on to a more target rich environment. Although, I have never had anybody attempt to steel our tanks, it is merely a peace of mind and an easy mod. Simply flatten your T-handle out a little after tightening it down mark and drill a hole through the T handle and the tank security bracket (pic). I ran a small pistol cable lock securing the T handle to the mount bracket. Or you can just use a decent pad lock. Again nice work on the scooping up the tanks and mount fab! Patriot🇺🇸🇺🇸

Yeah, I don’t disagree for most people it is not necessary. May not be for me, but I do plan on doing more 4 season camping. The PNW and Canada are definitely on the radar. I, also, go to CO in late fall/early spring often. It is just peace of mind and redundancy… backup. Granted I do have a penchant for “personalizing” things. For me, that is half the fun of ownership along with planning, contingencies and logistics. Ha! Saying that: Aluminum tanks and mount are steel free. So no more Rust or annual maintenance. C The old ones were coming up on expiration soon and one had a sticky valve… always a pain to fill Safer in that they have an OPD valve Lighter, picking 17 vs 25 lbs does make a difference, especially when full New mount is easier to seat the tanks 8 gallons vs 7 gallons Some cons, would be the cost of tanks, custom mount needed (none available for purchase yet), wireless Mopeka propane tank monitor needs extra adhesive mount since tanks are not magnetic and decreased puncture resistance. Get out there! Mike

Thanks again, GJ. Love the PITA factor! 🤣 I went into Oliver ownership thinking I could pay about half the cost of a new hull with the used one I found locally, and then add $10K in component upgrades (plus my labor). I then purchased a truck at 20% of the cost of a new 2500 diesel truck (both were great finds!) and again invest another $10K in parts for TV restoration and upgrades. The plan has worked well except that I have added $12K in parts to the 2016 Oliver and another $12K to our 2001 Dodge Ram, so I'm $4K over budget and several hundred hours into maintenance and restoration labor. But as you can tell, I certainly enjoy this work! I would like to upgrade the A/C spending $1,650 plus labor and our Oliver does not need much more except for perhaps a Starlink Mini at some point. The Ram is in great shape today except I may spend on a stage II transmission rebuild someday which would certainly be WAY over budget. I like the classic look of our 2016 Oliver pulled by a matching 2001 TV. It suites our style! These pictures were taken about a month after our purchase in July of 2023, without new wheels and tires and all the Oliver mods! 😂 Oh, and I do use the Anderson regularly. Not for sway but for leveling. The TT and TV become one with the Anderson, otherwise it would be bouncy at the hitch (not enough tongue weight).

Yes, for sure. This would not work out west where you would want to boondock often! We don't camp summers nor harsh winters but the rest of the year is great in the SW and we would only leave the SW at the right times of year. Last week camping, day temps were upwards to 85. The first night I had not turned on the furnace and woke up at 5AM to find the cabin at 54F when I switched on the furnace set to 65F. Florida is the land of sweat and air conditioning 24x7 (we lived in WPB for 4 years). I could no longer stand to feel and hear A/C 365 days a year. Yes, there you need hook-ups. Although with 720W in solar, a 3KVA Victron Inverter, a 50A DC-DC charger, 600AH in LiFePO4 (can easily add another 300AH or more when needed) and coming very soon an Atmos A/C that cools well using <10A, we don't need no stinkin' hook-ups! It's such a great care-free feeling to do without. Often I ask for and sometimes get a half-priced stay paying cash without hook-ups.

Nice mod and great installation work as usual Mike! @rideadeuce Love our 30# tanks and would upgrade if we purchased an Oliver with only 20s. I don't see the need for aluminum tanks with years left on our tanks that were upgraded by a previous owner. It's only a 16LB savings, the weight of 2 gallons of drinking water. I do like 8 vs. 6.8 gallons capacity but this is a lot of money. We traveled twice this February, 7 nights to Q and back and 5 nights to the Santa Catalinas near Tucson. Twelve nights out camping, cooking on the Weber Q grill and the stovetop, limited furnace use give the reasonable temps and we only used the fire ring on two nights! Our first 30# tank is now at 22% and the second is still full. If we had two 20s we would be into the second tank already! What if we lived or traveled north? Would you as well use enough, someday? I love that we can and have gone for 4 weeks and only fill tanks when we return home. 😂

Thank You Bill will wait to hear from you. Sorry you are not making it this year. Thank You Mike & Carol I have always enjoyed reading your post and Knowledge. Look forward to meeting ya,ll in person if you are coming to the Rally.

Another quality JD install for sure. I have attached the spec's (in my usual format) as a reminder for my DIY pump replacement down the road. It compares the specs and cost of your superior pump to the OEM OTT pump. Both have US distribution and service. Your version is a 6.5 amp vs OTT's 7.5 amp. It also puts out .4 gallons per minute more. My anticipation is that it would last a lot longer than the Sureflow. If I were a young owner with a failing pump I would upgrade as you did. Buy high quality, mess with it once, and expect it to last. But since many of us are still young in heart, but not so much in other ways, and unless frozen solid, these pumps tend to last far longer than us RoF's will be around, the one-for-one replacement path would get a few votes as well. JD: You have several high quality, well thought out upgrades that I look forward to seeing in person down the road. DIY - Fresh Water Pump Replacement Options.docx GJ

THIS is the stuff use on my cloths every year when going to the western mountains to fly fish. Once dry it doesn't stink or even smell at all, does a good job with ticks, black flies and mosquitos. Bill

Oh okay. Thought you were messing with me because I have posted several automation projects. Take a look at my post “Electric valve control... with a twist” where I installed motorized valves all connected to a single selector switch. It takes the error out of valve line-ups and it was a fun project. We don’t winterize, but we often use the boondocking position, and we usually drain and re-fill freshwater after every trip. I just hated lifting our oversized mattress too! I don’t think anyone has copied that modification yet because there were no comments about one of the 3-way valves being backwards. I really should update that photo with the corrected valve orientation 🤔

It’s a friendly and helpful group here, so ask away. Someone will have an answer and will enjoy sharing their knowledge and experience. Welcome! Mike

I have seen the questions many times here on our forum asking if this or that is a good tow vehicle. I would like to compile and publish a list on our forum regarding our respective tow vehicles. I admit I am doing this for selfish reasons as I may be in the market for a new tow vehicle and would consider those mentioned most here when I go to buy. Thanks

I figure a “professional” thief is kinda like a squirrel going after your bird feeders: That’s their business 24/7 and they’ll outsmart pretty much any “squirrel proof” feeders you have and find a way to chow down. Luckily, crooks that dedicated don’t waste their time on spare tires or propane tanks - they go after art, diamonds, and gold - or - they run for state or federal office.

Yep - even a fairly large pair of "Vice-grips" pliers could get the double nut off. But it would still take more time than simply turning that stock "star" nut. Bill

Well hell, that’s simple! Your spare tire is secure because it’s impossible to ride off with a heavy tire and rim on a stolen bike! 😋 But seriously, we might want to add bikes to our camping gear, but it’s one more toy you have to keep safe…. We generally find that campgrounds are pretty safe. That said, some parks aren’t as well-secured as they should be and vagrants of a sort seem to show up late - after the staff is gone. They shower, crash, and depart before the staff arrives. I’ve seen beater pickup trucks cruising through campgrounds and marinas looking for anything that’s not bolted down or attended to. (The assortment of mixed booty tossed in the back is a clue.) Had to scare off a few suspicious looking characters in the past couple of years. Generally, eyeballing them really good tends to get them to speed up and depart .

We have a 1Up Super Duty Bike rack which lives on the back of “XPLOR”. In order to access the spare, I have to unlock and remove our bikes, then unlock the bike rack in two locations, and remove it. So for now that’s how we roll with rear spare security. Steinaker SP, Vernal, Utah

Thanks! I’ll try to keep the wild(er) conspiracy theories to a minimum. Since I’ve sworn off Facebook, quit using LinkedIn, never tweeted in my life, and don’t know nuthin’ ‘bout Tik-Tok, Instagram, or Etsy - this is pretty much my only “social media”.

Back in the bad old days (late ‘70’s, Chicago) my father’s moto home had the spare tire stolen off the rear bumper bracket more than once. He - a machinist - made a pretty involved stainless steel bracket and lock that finally solved the problem. Though I haven’t done it - yet - I plan to (better) secure our Ollie’s spare by drilling a hole through the end of the stud behind the license plate and running a lock through it much as you describe the LP tanks. I guess I’ll do the same for MY LP tanks - even though they’re the “ho-hum, just a plain old 20# steel BBQ tank”.

We've found that using a simple box fan blowing across our outdoor seating area is the best way to stay mosquito free. Seems to keep them out of the Ollie too.

As you state mostly good reviews. I will take 72% on solid reviews vs 5% not so good reviews any day of the week, fairly easy math on the old skeeter beaters! We all have to roll with what works and our experience these work were very effective and work very well. Patriot🇺🇸

Love It!!!!

Did the ranger have them turn their rig around so their streetside was against the campground hookups, or did they just keep their curbside facing you but with more room? I haven't camped at Mustang Island State Park since the '80's, but in a tent on the beach. Google Maps show the RV sites to alternate head-in/back-in with no pull throughs, making it difficult to disconnect your TV if you have a head-in site. It is an odd layout. This probably works well for motorhomes, but not so much for trailers. Usually when every other campsite shares the same electric hookup the sites are pull-throughs that work well for all types of campers. Steve

We have an RO system at home for drinking water. We get electrolyte drops to add to put back some of the minerals lost through RO. We try to drink out of stainless steel or ceramic with the new warnings about microplastics. Micro and nanoplastics seem to be everywhere and have been found to contribute to artery clogs, brain issues and other bad things. I checked with Berkey and was told their regular black filters should remove most microplastics, but they haven’t tested for that. Their new ceramic filter is advertised to remove microplastics. We’ll replace our black filters with the new ceramic filters when the time comes. Mike

Guess it just depends where you (like to) travel. Cold weather isn’t our thing. That said, our “escape” to Florida was less than optimal as the record cold weather and rain followed us. We rarely use the cooktop. I got an inexpensive induction “hot plate” that I can use outside or inside. We’re stingy with hot water, and I’ve only run the furnace a dozen ”cycles” in two months (Jan-Feb). I contemplated the 30# upgrade when we bought, but didn’t think it was critical for us. That, and we seem to be near enough to places to refill propane that we can refill one as soon as it goes empty and gave several weeks (at least) leeway before we’re even close to using the second. I guess if we boondocked more (or at all really) it would be an issue. Seems we’re almost always near or passing through a town with a hardware store that sells propane. That without even stopping to do a short-filled “Blue Rhino” tank. (Only 15# of propane in that 20# tank!) For us, being without electricity is a bigger deal - but not to the point we opted for Lithium or Solar.

I’ve got a few nits to pick about the LEII - but not sure either of these would make my top ten list. The only thing we thought the bathroom door needed was something to hold the door in the open position. For this, we added a simple magnetic cabinet door catch. Come to think of it, I think we only wanted to keep it open was because depending upon how level the trailer is, it tends to close even if you want it to stay open. (Probably because we didn’t want a cat trapped in there.)

Thank you GJ, and yes, please swing by Prescott when you travel the mainland this year! I installed this pump Jan 2024 after earlier trying a Seaflo pump that did not work out to my expectations. I wrote up a mod post on this and the motorized valves installation here: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/9771-water-system-upgrade-for-better-water-flow-pressure OK, so y'all are going to love this! This guy, me, installation guru guy, I can be dumb, and yes dumber than the next guy! 🤣 I FOUND THE LEAK! Why did it leak on Day 2 of our trip but not during Day 1? As Chris has told me often, when I loose something, "retrace your steps." I started thinking in this way. Then realized, I used the outdoor shower at the campsite to rinse something our first day out. I left the cold water valve on. The only thing holding the water from flowing out fully was the water control lever in the shower head. I fixed this by merely closing the valve, OMG! I was hoping it would be easy to see and correct and it was. So, we're back to NO failures since we took possession of our Oliver, lucky number Hull 113 on June 7 2023. I'm knocking on WOOD now, three times, since saying this. That large block of WOOD, up top and center, often referred to as the NOGGIN!

Lightweight long sleeves and pants. I'd not think about that road with an Oliver in tow. We did it in a small class c, and it was a b1t#h. No matter the mud/stone guards, any trailer would be tough on that road. No way. , and, we are not perfect day travelers.

Not sure why they were not listed on the Flame King website but here is a link for them on Amazon. https://a.co/d/gH5cYyd Actually, found it here as well $199 for 20 lb tanks can get 10% off as well if you sign up for email. https://flamekingproducts.com/products/flame-king-lightweight-20lb-aluminum-propane-tank-lp-cylinder-with-opd-gauge

Sorry to hear that. See you in 2026.

Just now I did. I haven’t used one with UV before, but could be interesting. I never thought I needed that feature because I’ve always been hooked up to “safe” water before. Tested, treated sources. My concern about the one in the video is that it’s only got a flow rate of .4 gpm. The nice thing about the conventional ones I’ve installed is that they have 4 gallon (supposedly) tanks - so the system can crank out water at a trickle, but when you want it, it’s ready there for you. That said, the room that the tank takes up is a major factor. The one you posted the video for has an optional .4 gallon tank. Still not much. Then again, I’m not filling a lot of big pasta pots or filling 3 or 4 water pitchers for a big dinner party from the trailer. I probably have too many higher priority projects on my to-do list to take this one up soon. Just curious if anybody else has gone down this road.

Very cool! Was looking at that Flame King site to see if they made aluminum ones in the 20# size. Looks like not. We don’t use enough propane to rationalize 30# tanks - I just had one refilled that lasted almost a year. Though, I wouldn’t mind reducing the weight. If memory serves, the steel 20# tanks weigh in at about 11-1/2 pounds each.

Vince & Beth - You are #1 on the list. If no one wants all 6 nights then we'll see how the Park wants to handle making sure that you get the site. I figure we'll give it a week or so to make sure that anyone that is interested in a nice spot has a chance to get it. Bill

Which is why you’re unlikely to find me in the Everglades again. Bern there, done that, sprinted from the trailer to the truck and back - and decided NOT to cook outside or try to even get a campfire going. (Really!)

Damn! You really DID automate it! Very cool - definitely above my “desire” level. I see you have the Levelmate Pro. We added one our second trip out. I don’t find that the circular bubble level on the top of the tongue jack to be very accurate or have enough resolution. I like that IF I remember to plug mine into the USB power (I removed the battery entirely) that I can get leveled side-to-side without having to getting and out of the truck sux times. It tells me how low a given side is, I position the right number of stackable blocks, and drive onto them. I can verify it’s laterally level, shut down, chock and unhook. Easy! (I even have the Levelmate app on my Apple Watch!)

Gross, all that pink stuff in your FWT! Not easy to rinse without half filling and dumping it a few times. I only use air as a winterizing agent! 🤣 We travel with an extra 35-Gal FWT in our truck bed, using the Boondocking valves all the time! We can be off-grid for ten+ days when needed, given we can let a little gray water out in the back country. Turning two switches sure beats lifting a 10” mattress! The third switch empties the FWT. The picture also shows the heater duct delete and the added air intake filter housing.

Oh Yea, you're jerking my chain now! I'll take the bait though😂 I used a 4 -position rotary switch with LED position indicators and automatic return to normal... proud to say.

Thanks! Yep! Bummer! Certainly I will be there in 2026. Hopefully someone can use this site. Bill

Sorry to hear this Bill, always enjoy our conversations. See you next year if not before. 😉

Hey John we are just up the road from you…Indianola Beach! How long will you be there, we were thinking of taking a drive to Corpus Christi area, maybe we can swing by to say hello?

The issue I read about most pertains to a pedestal outlet found to be wired incorrectly. This could cause damage to the RV power cable and MORE! Many owners routinely verify with a tester before plugging in, whether 30A or 50A. I carry a 50A to 30A power cord adapter for use if the 30A outlet fails a test and have to resort to the 50A outlet to connect shore power to the Oliver; proved useful on two occasions! Also, there may be times when a CG only has available sites with 50A service; once again said adapter was put to good use.

Since this thread has taken the off ramp from the original topic…. We lived in France and became well acquainted with both the food and wine, same with Italy in our travels - each country a bit different but great food, both. We also lived in Belgium, good food there, especially in the north. More beer per capita in Belgium than anywhere else. I agree there is a false impression that food in the UK is not as good. Our experience with food in England and Scotland was very favorable, from scones and coffee in the morning to a simple pub meal late afternoon. We also miss the food and beer in Germany. We had a small Gasthaus in our town and a Stammtisch group we enjoyed meals with on Friday evenings. Memories! MIke

Thanks for the link Tom & Doreen! I had hoped that my maintenance would be so straightforward, but, it appears that I should have done it sooner. Then again, four years pulling a Casita is just a mite different than an Ollie LEII! I wonder why the Casita would even need a WD hitch…. Prolly for the sway control. Also - I want through the Andersen hitch instructions front to back and back to front. “Maintenance” isn’t really addressed. Oh sure, they say use a bit of lube on the chain tensioning nuts. (I use “Never-Seize” on the threads as well as the thrust face of the washer. Zero galling and a LOT less force to load the WD!) Anderson DOES mention not to use any lube on the ball, lest it contaminate the friction material sleeve. I’ve read some folks doing that, but hey, it’s your trailer! Do what makes you happy. Really too bad one has to look to YouTube and not an Andersen source to get intel on maintenance…

Spent our last two days up Plomosa Road a ways. Maybe next year we can start our own Oliver Rally out here! Quiet and beautiful up here, 14 day BLM, great views and sunset. Richard and Thea came up for an afternoon visit! We hit it off and didn’t stop talking for a couple hours!

2019 F-150, 2.7 ecoboost, 10 spd trans, 2whl drive, elite #1403