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Well we just hit 26 pages. I remember asking the Mods to close this thread after 12 pages, but it was not my thread to close. Most of the additions I've read here in the last 10-15 pages are slight variations of the comments and questions made in the many pages before. I just reviewed pages 1-2. And yep, that's all you need to know on this subject. Except that a few pages later we learned that the Alcan springs are actually rated at 2750 vs. 2000 lbs. There was the same concern on page 2 about this rating being too much. I had that concern early but no anymore. We're on a long road trip where we have not before towed so many highway miles. Our OEM springs are in very good condition, no sag, still nicely arced and perhaps Dexter used better steel in 2015 than more recently. Who knows but htey're in excellent shape and no rust given where we live. When the other day, I crossed railroad tracks that were on about a 30 degree angle to the road, I watched our Oliver in the side view mirror. The Oliver waddled like a duck going over those tracks, side-to-side, the top of the Oliver swayed a good 1 1/2 ft like a pendulum both ways! These springs are under-rated, as the Alcan rep stated. It's crazy that this is our 2nd longest thread, just behind "Where's Ollie" at 28 pages! This truly means not enough of you are posting travel pics! 🤣

Just speculating on other possible changes here.😎 New upgraded sound system? New style/type of flooring and update on seat cushion color/cover options? A direct dedicated plug for Starlink? Induction cook top similar to the (pic) replacing the LP burners maybe? 🤔

Since I don’t own a 1/2" Allen wrench, I carry a 5/16" bolt and 2 nuts back to back to create a 1/2" Allen wrench. Tightening the Oliver hose bibs is the only time I remember ever needing a 1/2” Allen wrench, so I used what I had available. Mossey

Yes - finger slipped and spellcheck liked cooking. I just noticed that while-installing them the last time, that it’s pretty easy to stretch it as you install it. That could probably be enough to cause the gap as the material ages.

I recommend buying them in black. They don't get moldy, well maybe they do but at least it doesn't show... I also recommend putting them in the freezer a little while to shrink them and then fit them in as tightly as you can when you install them. I used this method a while back and no stains or shrink gaps yet.

I don’t know the full details, it was what I learned during a conversation while at the recent rally. With the Mini, there is no need for an additional plug. Maybe these plugs would be for regular standard SL set up.

Consider it done. I'll keep you advised as to how its going. Bill

Bill, Gary Teaney here with Hull 292. Would love to get on the Plaque list. We bought the 2017 trailer from Duke and Chris Chadwell. They bought it new in 2018. Thanks for taking this on. Gary

John...if we meet again at the "Q" next year remind me to tell you of our trip to Dodge back in '18. Will sound very similar to your experience there but we did partake of a meal in a restaurant on main street thinking this should be the best steak ever...NOT! We enjoyed our "western" adventure very much and are glad we traveled there and points beyond! Did you see Lester Moore's tombstone? :) Here lies Lester Moore...4 slugs from a 44...no Les, no more. John

Yup, thats what was the problem...air leak. Thanks all.

Spent the night NE of Omaha, just into Iowa at Arrowhead Park. It was an OK overnight, very nice host. He kept things very clean and neat but somehow too many flies everywhere. Thankfully they stayed out of the Oliver somehow. So as we're driving down the road, Chris is on her phone searching for local farms stores, for farm fresh eggs and meats. After a 5-mile dirt road detour we found Wild Rose Pastures in Madison County IA. A knock on the door and only a 12-year-old boy was home. Chris talked him into calling his Dad, saying tell him I'm a "safe old lady." After Dad talked him through the transaction, we left with 2 dozen farm fresh eggs at $5 per. There were big beautiful healthy hens running all over the place, a little nervous that we were there, ducking in and out of the barn! We also purchased 2 small T-bone steaks for only $15, a herd of cows beyond the farmhouse. I tipped the young man Zane $5 for his help in the transaction. You can eat well in Iowa on a budget!

You mean - like this?

No worries. I have a 1979 Husky 390WR that I would put on my tongue, balanced-out by a hitch-mounted Big Green Egg on the back

We're traveling this week, 1300 miles in a few days on our original leaf springs (backup set onboard in case of roadside failure). This will be our first trip of real mileage, likely 4500 miles when back home and done. I love auto restoration with HD/HP parts, so I will start collecting parts, budget permitting over the next year or two, as I always have. First, I will purchase two 5200 LB axles to fit the Oliver (68" or 68 1/2")? Then likely a disc brake system, although upgrading from 10" to 12" drum brakes may be enough for a trailer (cost basis). Then we will go with the Alcon recommended leaf springs, proven by our friends and confidants, Lance @Mountainman198 (how are you buddy)? And of course Steve @ScubaRx (call me before I call you), and say hey to Tali, see you soon)!!! When you see Steve's 3500+ Diesel Truck, 1000 LBS of tools onboard (beside the usual campin' stuff), he is cruisin'. 🤣 We're are going to have a b!tch'n setup (when?) and when we're up I will likely mount my Honda CRF in place of the front basket and mount a big-@ss basket in the rear. I totally need a waterproof carrier like a Thule carrier, just to hold my acoustic guitar! And to carry all the extra weight, my 25-year-old Ram-Cummins will need extra leaf springs on each side of the rear axle! 🤣🤣🤣

This will be a first for us, though common to many of you who have more time for travel. I have 6 weeks off work, for our personal longest camping trip ever. I was inspired by a post our friend Steve @ScubaRx made last year where wrote that he and Tali often travel across country without reservations! This is difficult for the Project Manager in me, but should make for a spontaneous and exciting adventure! First stop just 5 hours from home, we’ll stay 2 nights up at 7760 ft in this beautiful McGaffey Campground SE of Gallup NM.

I love my wife Chris, and as each year goes by it becomes ever more so apparent! We purchased our Oliver just days short of a year ago and we love being together in our travels, no matter where we camp for the night, good or bad. I share this thought today with my virtual Oliver family. I do my things and she does hers and the best things are the times we spend together. She often asks, “How’s the blog going?” She’s referring to this forum and she is always interested. I tell her stories regarding y’alls antics, often over a drink or two before dinner. She listens and smiles, what a smile. Today is a very special day for us, as it is our 30th wedding anniversary! I have a difficult job every year from June 1st to June 7th. Her birthday being the latter date. Last year, as you can see, it was easy as can be, as to her surprise I brought home an Oliver! 😊 What in the world can I do this year! Good thing we do not need to top the great times we’ve had and will always have together. I write this for my partner in life. Love you, Chrissy.

Over the years there have been at least a couple of different patio light fixtures used on Olivers. Therefore, (as with most things) it would be helpful if you let us know what model and year of Oliver you have. An easy way to do this is to simply add this type of information to your "signature". Bill

I think you meant "cooling".. but believe me I think it makes a difference. I put my in the freezer and then forced (compressed) it in as hard as I could and now it's fits just about perfect. Pretty sure I'd have at least a small gap if I hadn't done it this way.

Try contacting Parts at Oliver. They can probably answer your question or even sell you one.

Yes, black seems to be the way to avoid the unsightly black mildew - or whatever it is. They’ll still get dirty of course, it just won’t be so obvious. I hadn’t thought about cooling (previously “cooking” oops!) the new seal material first. I was figuring that the stuff doesn’t really shrink all that much, it more likely gets stretched as it’s being installed. I was planning on kinda “compressing” it as I install it. Mine had those 3/4”-1” gaps, but I just made sure they were at the top when I cleaned and reinstalled them. I don’t think they really do anything at the top. They just keep most dirt and junk out of the bottom of the track.

OUCH!

Now I understand why the new Oliver's cost so much. Its the cost of bandwidth we consume on the web! Street legal 250cc Enduro with a X2 seat and super duty bulldog shocks and Alcan springs! Oh, with a lithium battery and a Truma hand washing station. GJ

That’s correct.

Here is Val's Facebook post from yesterday.

Done an hour ago😊

My old Voyager monitor is in the mail. Let me know if it survives the trip! Mossey

Sounds to me like you have an "air leak" in that line from the boondocking post to the pump - i.e. you need to have what is basically a perfect seal in any connection between that boondocking port and the water pump. The first place I would check is right where you connect your hose into the boondocking port - this is where I have had "issues" in the past. Next check all hoses in and around the water pump to include that little water "filter" right at the pump - be positive that none of these are leaking and are tight. Finally, check any elbows or other connections in the run of pipes from the boondocking port to the pump. Good luck! Bill

When you get a chance to have a little fun with a couple of analytical brains that happened to be in mind overload and wandered off the trail, I couldn't resist🤣🤣

So we headed north out of Kansas. NE Kansas has some great countryside. We drove through the cute town of Marysville, cobblestone or brick streets throughout the downtown area and it appears they area is known for black squirrels. They must have 100 of these squirrel statues, on every block! We got to Lincoln Nebraska by late morning and played pickleball at Peterson Park. There were 10 courts and a lot of local players. None at our level though, so Chris and I played Skinny Singles. as the locals were thinking, who is this old couple! We started playing tennis together 34 years ago and are usually pretty even in competition. It was Chris' day (and her birthday week) so she won 2 of 3 very close games.

After 25 pages of comments, it's been jacked a few times. All anybody needs regarding the Alcan Leaf Spring mod is the read the first couple of pages. 🤣

Mine, I call the "old man's bike!" It's an '03 CRF230, much detuned from the Motorcross CRF250s. The seat is also lower, so you can straddle the bike, both feet on the ground. And of course, it has electric start. I rebuilt everything on it 5-6 years ago; new tires, brake fluid and fork oil, HD springs for the 200+ LB rider, new seals, cleaned the carb, etc. It rides great and right in Prescott we have a state OHV recreation site called Alto Pit. It was a granite quarry and they have 30-40 groomed and banked trails. Adam and I have been riding there for 20 years. It's a blast! 🤣 I really want to travel with this bike, my 1970 Yamaha R5! Though it needs everything done. I have all the parts it needs including new seat foam and cover, NOS taillights, carb kits, etc. Somehow I just found this picture online and it is the exact bike I own, same seat tears, America Flag Peace sticker on the side cover, bought in Florida 9 years ago for $900. I'd put some enduro tires on it for trail riding. This is a 350cc 2-stroke that can get up to highway speeds in just a couple of heartbeats! Second pic is an example of restored R5!

The highways in Kansas are nearly perfect, everywhere we drove! I had not driven on highways so smooth since what I remember of I-64 in VA during the 70s when that Interstate was a new road (moved to VA from the pothole city known as Chicago). The roads in AZ and NM are terrible, and even worse where Fed funds are needed as in US highways and Interstates! We headed to Manhattan Kansas, picked the location for some pickleball courts we found on the PicklePlay app. We made an inquiry on Harvests Hosts but after the courts listed were not to be found and the host site looked like a construction co lot, we drove north of town to stay the night a Tuttle Cove a ACOE campsite. $12 with the senior pass. Windy when we got there and perfectly calm the next morning, a very nice spot and what an amazing dam!

Craig: I got 40K Miles out of our OEM Monroe shocks. All four of them were fine. With tires off they are a snap to change, I would do so when doing the springs. But a lot of others have gotten a lot less miles on their OEM Monroe shocks. I have no experience with the Bulldog's, but from this forum it appears they are doing well. How well vs. cost? How about it fellow "Bull Doggers" Any shocking experiences so far? 🙂 GH

Nice tailgate party you have there! While on my long "walkabouts" with The Wonder Egg, Bosker & I seldom make reservations in advance, unless I'm traveling on a holiday weekend, or near a huge tourist location. (I'm sorta burnt out on tourists, having lived in both Myrtle Beach and Orlando) Not being in any rush, with months for the sojourn, I don't usually get on the road until 9-11AM and usually stop between 3 - 4 PM. Most others are still on the road at that time and usually the campgrounds will have something available for 1 - 3 nights. When I come across a picture perfect, quiet location with great weather, we'll hang out for up to a few weeks before moving along. I may have a final destination in mind, (this year - Whitehorse YT) and meander a long a winding pathway, simply in the general direction, without detailed planning. As Patriot says, keep those great pics coming!

New Mexico is a wonderful state in its hidden treasures from the area NE of ABQ (where Art lives) up to Santa Fe and to Taos NM, then further up to Raton NM for the Santa Fe Trail Balloon Rally (we just happened by this rally when moving from VA to AZ back in 2005)! Then there is Ruidoso! It's Gods Country in Lincoln County NM of Billy-the-Kid and Smokey-the-Bear fame. Don't travel across southern NM without spending some time here. The area is named the White Mountains of NM, wild elk and feral horses walking the city streets daily and so many cute carvings Smokey is shops everywhere. If you're ever traveling through Albuquerque and need breakfast, lunch or dinner, or just great sides to go, like their amazing salsa and beans, Mexican meats and stews and much more, you've got to stop at the Frontier Restaurant. Just one exit S on I-25 of I-40, head a few blocks east on Central. This is my 4th visit here but the first time I parallel parked with an Oliver! (There was a car behind me when I parked and just a narrow alley in front). It worked out great and we could even keep an eye on our rig from the window seat! Chris had the Taco Salad and I enjoyed the Frontier Burrito, pints of salsa and beans to go for upcoming campsite dinners!

Correct. It wasn't revealed to me what model/manufacturer they are going with. It was mentioned they thought the tilt out would be about 8 inches. So, still not clear, and we will wait and see. Agree. If the cross-flow ventilation isn't cutting it with the new awning windows, I imagine turning on the fan on exhaust will alleviate that issue.

Hello, I’ve been on the forum for some years and I’m closing into retirement and making my decision. Started with Ollie years ago, drifted over to the Escape, then Bigfoot camps as I thought the Ollie too expensive, small and overbuilt. Now with the tariffs I was forced to reconsider them as they are US based, and realized it was for me. Escape 23 is pretty expensive now for what you get. Bigfoot length/width was silently bothering me for handling, plus the old school decor isn’t great. I toured one, a big issue is interior height. My head brushes the ceiling and I barely fit in the bathroom. I’d have to crouch to shower. Plus I’d have to do a bunch of mods, they don’t even offer lithium, and the tongue weight pushes the limits on my TV. So with the Ollie I’ve got the interior height I want. The size is fine for a couples camper, plus an easy to tow and park size. Especially with the Black cushions it’s an elegant interior. Finally, I’m retiring from engineering and don’t really want to DIY. Done enough engineering projects in my time, once you start you’re never done 😅. The Ollie is the only one that comes exactly as I want. So I’ll be placing an order later summer Platinum twin Composting Street awning Platinum batteries (more than I need but might as well, plus I like the integrated heating) Now to make the horrific price easier I’m actually extending my retirement date. It’s free money if it’s past my nominal date, right? 😅 Only thing is I might actually buy sight unseen. No nearby dealers, nor LE II twin. Shouldn’t be a problem … Cheers

A different suspension design would be great going forward but I doubt that it actually could be retrofitted at a reasonable cost. Right now I’d be happy with USA made springs. That small change could make a huge difference. Maybe Oliver could start buying just the axle assemblies from Dexter and springs from a different manufacturer. I know that none of the other mainstream trailer manufacturers would ever do anything so bold or even consider out of the box thinking but Oliver often thinks out of the box, that’s the very reason we have such a great trailer and they’re in such high demand!

Keep in mind that four wheel alignment becomes a periodic maintenance requirement with independent suspension. There's always trade offs so depending on your style of camping. Also there are a lot of other possible fail points with that system. It's a very complex system. I wander what the cost of a conversion would be? Edit: PS - The beauty of the current suspension is you can pick up replacement parts rather cheap, albeit not lifetime quality, at any local farm store and be back on the road in hours. The high end suspension would likely require sourcing parts long distance that would have at least a few days lead time. I think I would be hard pressed to consider this type of upgrade.

John, New to the forum and waiting on our LE II - we just sold our 30' Airstream Flying Cloud. In addition to the BRN (Big Red Numbers) you get when you join the club (by the way, if you don't renew in the club each year, they put your numbers back in the pool!) they give each owner one chance to "name" your trailer. You submit a form and a few weeks later you get an Airstream medallion with your trailers name on it you can affix to the trailer at a place of your choosing. I have really enjoyed many of your posts and hope to see many more. I spent some time at Fairchild AFB for survival training and returned several times for "extensive" survival training opportunities. We also have family in the area, my wife is from ID. Hope that answers your question about at least one other manufacturer. Cheers, Brian

Invert a paper cup or bowl over the top of the 1/4” ball valve outboard from the Natures Head toilet. Otherwise you will poke yer eye out! Seriously, it comes out with a lot of force and will end up in your face. Don’t think “Hmmm, no worries, I will just crack it open a little” - that makes it WAY worse. Go ahead, ask me how I know😳 John Davies Spokane WA

This might be in a TMI category (and if so, I apologize), but our solution for a shower when the trailer is winterized is to use a solar shower bag. We heat water from the jug on the stove, pour it into the bag, perhaps add a bit of cool water to get the temperature just right, and hang the bag in the shower. The only thing that might need attention in severely cold temperatures is to drain the gray-water tank more frequently, and add antifreeze to the drain trap. The shower bag and sprayer hangs lower than the normal shower head, so we sit on a stool for a shower. This also keeps incidental spray to a minimum (no shower curtain needed!). Actually, we use this shower-bag method whenever we're boondocking and trying to conserve water, regardless of season. We fill the bag at the galley sink with water heated from the tank, or heat water from an outside supply on the stove (or heat water from an outside supply in the bag by placing it in the sun for the day). The spray from the shower bag is finer than that of the installed shower head, so less water is needed. Using the shower bag saves the volume of water needed to fill the hot water line between the galley sink, and the amount of water normally needed to adjust the temperature at the shower. Between the composting shower and the shower bag, we can conserve tank water for a very long time, and extend the time to when we need to empty the gray water tank. ** Moderators: I'm responding to a post in this thread, but putting this response into its own thread might make it more searchable later... **

I have not done this, it is just rattling around inside my head. for the shower lines I would install a pair of L Port bypass valves, like the water heater one, close to the existing fresh drain (aka near the furnace) and also tee those isolated sections there into the water tank drain line, between that valve and the belly opening. You could add two regular valves there, open them the in the winter and close them when you need the shower to be working. Yes, you still need a way to blow out the dead end shower section, you could make a simple adapter hose to screw on the end of flexi hose outside, and blow back into the trailer. By leaving the drain valves open, any seepage past the isolation valve would hopefully drip out the belly rather than go uphill to the shower. But I don’t think that would be 100% certain. I haven’t actually drawn this out, getting the valves oriented correctly is important. I think it would work. Three way valves are a little tricky to understand, this might be informative. John Davies Spokane WA

Well, that's not the case anymore... Inquired about a month or so ago and they said they wouldn't send one out for free anymore. They are more than happy to sell me one for $237.00 dollars though! 😲