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Happy to be home in my driveway after a fabulous adventure and 4,864.5 miles.

More than a few have stated the same for more than a few of us around these parts. Welcome to the "those that think" club! A few more posts and you too will have risen to the level for consideration in the OTT Rabbit Hole Society. Hope you have a fun New Years Day. GJ

We do also as our water from home is good quality. John

And my wife says I over think things..... Shackle and lug nut torque values, grade 8 vs grade 5 bulldog hitch bolts, tire inflation and ongoing managment, packing bearings temperature monitoring. Now an expaned intellectual conversation on safety chains a the length of the emergency brake cable. As before with many issues, my Ignorance was bliss. Now I need to consider the above safety chain / emergency brake strategy with the hope we won't see Ollie pull up along-side our truck.

Lots of broken fiberglass light weight fishing poles out there. Cast off small end section is easy to find. Just cut off all but the end "Eye" and go fishing in a different manner. You generally only need 4+feet of it to fish the walls. JD knows how to get from the refergerator to the upper cabinet. This is how I got my Houghton thermistor from the rooftop back into the cabinet over the stove area. If you figure out or know a source for a very white cover to run a 1/4" thermister over the roof let me know! At this point I may just use some of the Gutter materail with the opening facing aft. GJ

Here's a picture of our hull showing the gray tank waste valve, joining the main waste drain, coming from the right from the black tank. For reference, look top-center of picture to see the carriage bolts of the streetside stabilizer jack. The gray tank will only fully drain when the curbside is positive in height wrt to the streetside. After 2 1/2 years, I have a few thousand Oliver pics showing every before and after picture in doing my restoration work. This one was taken after replacing three (3) Oliver waste valves. 😎

Jd, I missed your question about remote camping in the Navajo nation. The answer is yes, we were able to camp outside of campgrounds in remote areas. You can get permits at the visitor center in Cameron for various areas. We had planned to camp in the Coal Mine Canyon area but it was closed due to road damage. The folks at the visitor center recommended the little Colorado River Canyon. The Little Colorado River Canyon was very remote but you had to work / very slow go to get there. It's out there, you will likely be alone and have dark skies. Be sure to ask about roads for your Oliver. We were cautioned about some of the roads.

Very carefully?😁 Actually, I think that this would be a close to impossible task. The reason for this thinking is that it would be extremely unlikely that the location of the attachment of the emergency brake cable on the tow vehicle would be the same as the location of the emergency brake switch (located for most of us on the driver's side frame) and the tow vehicle and trailer would be lined up in exactly the same way during the accident as it was when initially secured to the TV and the trailer. Virtually any turn to the left by the tow vehicle would tend to shorten the distance between the switch and the cable's point of attachment and vice versa for a turn to the right. Then add any hinderance of the cable which might make that distance between the the cable attachment point and the switch relatively shorter or longer plus the braking differences of the two moving objects that you mention all would tend to make for this impossible task of getting the distance "dialed in". In the only case I know about where the trailer became detached from the tow vehicle, I believe that the emergency brake switch WAS activated and the trailer slowed much faster than the tow vehicle. In turn, this kept the safety chains tight preventing the bulldog from digging into the pavement. Bill

Last night on the road after 6 weeks. We are staying at Dumbarton Quarry Campground, part of Fremont Ca park system. What a nice surprise, one minute we are fighting Bay Area 6 lanes of traffic and next you are in what seems to be a remote place miles from the concrete jungle. Besides an oasis in the middle of madness, the price at $73 is very reasonable for the city. This is a great stop over if passing through the bay-area. We'll be on the road at 4am to beat traffic. Should be home in humboldt County, Ca before noon tomorrow.

From the YouTube channel Mortons on the Move, by Tom & Caitlin Morton who previously tested the Greenland Turbro have more recently tested the Furrion Chill Cube. They now have the Turbro unit cooling the living area of their RV and the Furrion Chill Cube cooling their bedroom! Honestly, I wish I had seen this video prior to my purchase of what turned out to be a defective Turbro product. I believe I would have changed my purchase decision. Turbro refunded my money, so this model could be in our future, TBD Spring of 2026. This is my take after watching this review. I LOVE Tom's knowledge and ability as a electrical engineer coupled with their family RV experience! The PROs – so many benefits! - Variable speed compressor and efficient dual brushless DC fan motors, though not truly an inverter compressor it achieves similar energy efficiencies - The HUGE low-speed evaporator fan in the non-ducted unit is the game-changer, adding to cooling efficiency and allows for extremely quiet operation (see 14- and 24-minute marks on the video) - It becomes even more efficient, producing higher EER, When cooling demand is lower - Interior air handler is mounted flush to ceiling allowing for more headroom and clean interior appearance - Small 29x29” rooftop footprint at 60% the weight of standard A/C units - Unique oscillating vent for greater air movement which can also be set to one stationary position - The follow-me remote puts the thermostat reading wherever you want it - A simple remote key will turn off all control sounds and interior lights - Low-energy, eco and gear modes to efficiently run the AC at 50% or 75% power levels for longer runtimes when running on inverter/batteries - The evaporator condensate is channeled to the rear where a water wheel on the condenser fan brings water up to soak the condenser coils for more efficient cooling, which also minimizes condensate drip down the body of the trailer (in dry climates condensates should fully evaporate) - Can run easily on 2KW generators or inverters, no soft-start required The CONs – the disadvantages seem much smaller in comparison (to me) - With its unconventional looks at 14.5” tall it is 3.25” taller than the Dometic P2 and close to 5” taller than low profile A/C models - Only a simple A/C unit without heat pump capability - IR remote works line-of-sight only in close proximity of unit - No app for monitoring and control - No thermostat interface on the non-ducted version We’re OK without heat-pump, since in 3 RVs we either did not have one or use it. Prior owner had replace the reportedly “noisy” Suburban furnace in our Oliver with an Atwood model that now that I have deleted the bedside duct and added an intake filter, runs well and is quiet enough to my noise-sensitive ears. Here is the Mortons on the Move blog post and YouTube review: https://www.mortonsonthemove.com/furrion-chill-cube-variable-speed-18k-review/

Pulled in to Dumbarton Quarry Campground (great place to stay if needing a place in the east bay / San Francisco). A Rivian pulling a Pebble Trailer pulls in. The driver un-hitches the trailer and uses his I-Pad to back/drive the trailer in place. Next the leveling jacks automaticly lift the trailer off the ground and self-level. I spoke with the owner and this is the first shakedown night from the factory in Fremont, Ca . The owner said he should get a range of 200+/- miles with the Rivian/Pebble combo. The Trailer motors are said to add about 100 miles to the Rivian's range vs pulling a standard trailer. I have to say it's very cool and makes our Oliver / F250 look and sound like a dinosaur. Regardless of how cool, this guy is way braver them me. I like being able to carry a couple of fuel cans for a bit more range (more than double the Riven/Pebble combo). We need early adopters and I'm not that guy. I wish him the best. Yes, the Pebble is very cool.

OK - Who is going to repair a flat tire with one of THESE new tire repair kits (screw in plugs) and let me know how it performs? Bill

Looks good. Thanks.

I am thinking that the above statement should be amended to show the reverse. Breaking strength is always way higher than working load approved by the MFG. The breaking strength is the absolute maximum force a piece of equipment can withstand before it fails or breaks. The manufacturer's recommended maximum weight for safe, normal use, is calculated by dividing the Breaking Strength by a Safety Factor. Depending on what is being discussed this can range from 3 to 6 or more.

Worked for my MAC which lots of documents do not. Thanks for the list.

Easiest way I found to fish the walls is by using a long length of ball chain and a magnet. Used this method recently to add a fan switch circuit to my ac unit. Pushed the chain with a small piece of wood from the AC opening until I heard fall over edge of the curve in the roof. Then used a magnet taped to the end of a short piece of romex to retrieve it from above the cabinet. Used this same method a while back to fish a coax between the hulls for a new TV antenna too. Kits like this are available on Amazon and the included flexible magnet would probably work better than a magnet on the end of romex does.

Now that is how to realllllllly stop a trailer! On the perfect adjustment, I came to the same conclusion two summer ago. I was having "fun" weaving the Emergency Break Away through the 7-Pin cable, the DC to DC cable and the "wonderfully easy to use (SIC) safety cables without wondering which one was going to lock up the trailer on a right turn. Came to conclusion that six inches of additional paracord induced slack was the best solution. With my receiver bolt being a double nutted grade 8, the Anderson and it's chaines, and a Bulldog.... I'm not worried about Ollie taking a hike in another direction. Fun discussion. thanks John

Jd, have you looked into running wire for a DC unit? I'm fairly sure I could get a couple #4's into the attic space, although I v'e yet to actually confirm it. I've read comments that some people have been unable to fish wires down the wall. However, Iv'e done it a good number of times. The trick is to use a stiff fiberglass sectional rod made for this purpose (Ace or Amazon). They won't follow the curve and go off track like the flexible fish tapes. The gap on the corners is a little wider, one just has to make sure the rod tracks straight down, and add rod sections as you go. It might be harder to get the wire from the attic to the unit. Although it certainly wouldn't be hard to put a small hole through the attic ceiling/roof, then 3-d print a short/shallow wire channel/cover that could be caulked to the roof right up to the unit. But I'm curious to hear from someone like you who's had the unit out. Is there's enough gap between the ceiling and the roof where a couple #4 wires could be fished from the attic to the unit? Then there's the bigger question. Has anybody has done the research to know if there is any significant advantages to a 12 volt unit over a 120 volts? Happy new year's! Geoff

Here's another pic of the grey water tank - from the rear of the Ollie. The plywood covers most of the tank but the drain can be seen. Bill

As we say goodbye to 2025 and welcome 2026, we thank you for joining our journey. Your trust in our quality travel trailers inspires us to help you create unforgettable adventures. As the new year unfolds, it’s the perfect time to plan your next escape—scenic road trips, peaceful campgrounds, or spontaneous getaways—in outstanding comfort and style with Oliver. Here’s to 2026 filled with exploration, discovery, and lifelong memories. We’re excited to remain your trusted partner in travel adventures. Cheers to new beginnings and endless journeys! Best Wishes for a Happy New Year! The Oliver Travel Trailers Family

Wishing Everyone and their Families a "Safe and Happy New Year" Best Regards, Bill and Debbie

Happy New Year🎉🎊 from Jolli Olli, Hull #1045.

Happy New Year to all -- may 2026 bring joy and adventure!

Happy New Year fellow campers and travelers! Hope 2026 is a good one for everybody. Mike and Carol

We often tow with a full fresh water tank, often for long distances. No problem at all.

Lamar - There are several places here on the Forum where you can see pics of the location of the fresh water tank (and grey/black tanks). I believe that these pics will generally confirm your idea of the placement for these tanks. Another consideration (for more than one reason) regarding the tanks is the depth of the tanks - they are not very tall but they are relatively wide and long. The good news is that this helps with the weight distribution of the contents - keeps the weight low and more evenly distributed over the frame relative to other RV's. The bad news is that the Oliver can be a bit more subject to its "level" - if the Oliver is slanted towards the nose, it will drain the tanks somewhat more slowly than other RV's. For what its worth - I generally try to not tow relatively long distances with anything in my tanks. This is not due to problems with either the frame or body of the camper, but, more weight due to the water is certainly not going to help with the MPG on my tow vehicle. In the pic below you can see the fresh water tank (on the left) and its relation to the wheel wells and front door. Hope this helps you! Bill

Nearing end of a fantastic 6 week trip. Camping at Morrow Strand State Beach, Ca Clear and sunny with blustery winds, 74 degrees.

@Mark Meadows as to your first post. For all the nonbelievers out there. 😄 Here are the plastic caps that I ordered from Mike Sharpe as a replacement. As mentioned, I think they are like $3 plus shipping. If this is what you are looking for, Oliver Parts usually keeps them in stock. Cheers & Happy New Year!

Awesome shots. Thanks for sharing

Mather campground Gand Canyon NP An amazing week to be in Grand Canyon N P. The main water supply is shut down for repairs and the whole Park is almost empty. That would be Hotels, campgrounds, parking lots and South rim drive. The park is a ghost town. We are among the few dry camping in Mather Campground (only campground open). Might be 20 campers tonight. No traffic, no lines, no people. This might be a once in lifetime event to have the greater Grand Canyon N P uncrowded and as our personal playground. Doesn't get better than this.

Boondocking on FR 401, east of AZ-87 (Beeline Hwy Mesa to Payson), with amazing views of the Four Peaks Wilderness due east! It only took me a week to get ‘er dirty after polishing and ceramic coating, serious washboards getting here! Dirt not sticking like before though. Too much an OHV location, but as the sun sets early they’re already gone for the day! Quiet and truly majestic and should be a great night for star-gazing!

I've always placed my cables/chains below the whale tail. My reasoning is that since the cables/chains are there as a safety measure in the event that the trailer (in some manner) comes unattached from the tow vehicle, the cables/chains will be the "last resort" of attachment to that tow vehicle. Then, assuming that you have crossed the cables/chains the tongue should rest on those cables/chains as the trailer slows - this is particularly so assuming that the emergency brakes are applied on the trailer due to that ty switch becoming activated. Meanwhile, the whale tail would serve as a wide surface area that those cables/chains could "catch". Obviously, this crossing of the safety cables/chains has the effect of holding the hitch of the trailer off the ground so that the trailer hitch does not "dig" into the road thus possibly "flipping" the trailer. Bill

Yes, I upgraded mine about 6 years ago. The 2017’s came with 5/16 curly cables that were difficult to connect and connected to the tongue with 3/8 bolts and thin fender washers. This setup would have never held in a disconnected trailer situation. I used 3/8 grade 70 chains and equivalent hooks. The chain is attached to the trailer tongue with 1/2 inch grade 8 bolts. I don’t think this arrangement will fail. Years ago I did some research into trailer safety chains for a monthly newsletter that I was doing for an antique farm equipment collectors club. Basically, you are legally responsible for your trailer including if it becomes disconnected from your tow vehicle and causes property damage and/or injury or death. Some folks say that if there is an accident that they would rather have the trailer break free and not be close to their tow vehicle. This is completely wrong.

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

Red Canyon Camp Ground (USFS) just outside of Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. Nice concrete pads with table and fire ring. Clean vault toilets and flush toilets/pay showers. $9 with geezer pass.

Spent the last week at Lost Maples State Park just 70 miles west from where we live north of San Antonio. It’s in the middle of nowhere with absolutely no cell service. It’s a small campground - only 30 campsites with water and 30a electric hookups. Very quiet with some good hiking trails. We really enjoyed the peace and quiet. We plan on going back in the fall when the maple trees are turning. Mike