Leaderboard

Brinkley makes excellent trailers and fifth wheels, probably the best conventional RVs on the market today. The company was started by two guys who left management at Grand Design, which was the top dog prior. Here's what usually happens: someone starts a new RV company with better quality than the rest and they build up a reputation. A bigger RV conglomerate comes along and buys them out, then guts the quality to maximize profits. Then the original guys (or girls) start a new company - now the new best-quality king - and the cycle repeats. If we were in the market for another fifth wheel today, it would be a Brinkley.

First we lost our friend Rich @rich.dev to how he wrote it in an email to me, "to the Dark Side." He purchased an Brinkley I235 travel trailer for more room. Rich still misses us and he's online here every so often. Later Rich and Thea traded in their I235 for a 5th wheel version, for even MORE room. We should see them in Quartzsite next year! Then our friend Art @MAX Burner moved to the Dark Side, also with an I235. I spent an evening with Art at Quartzsite, having a drink, sitting in one of his theatre recliners half-watching the big-screen projection TV, talking the night away! It was very nice and quite comfortable, but you know wallpaper on fiberboard panels is not the same as double-hull fiberglass! We don't hear much from Art here anymore, but he was in the middle of all our Olivers at Q. When we came back from Q, Blue Compass who took over 3 RV sales locations in our area, had 4 Brinkley TTs in inventory. We use their free dump station, and when returning on another trip 10 days later, one was sold. We were just there last week and Oh My! They now have 5 TTs and four 5th wheels, and you can tell by how they are parked with an empty space, they must have sold one 5th wheel as soon as they got them in! This new hot RV inventory is selling! They must be good trailers in how popular they have become quickly! But we have waaaaay too much into our Oliver, to ever visit the Dark Side! 😎

Thanks for all the replies. We are looking at one right now. BTW, it does have the Dexter D52 nevrlube axles.

We’ve never used a booster for our TST. Works fine.

I went the same way you did. I put Andersen connectors under the reat bumper and under the front of the Oli. I use it when we travel day after day boondocking. If I stayed somewhere with power, or will be staying the next night with power I probably won't use it. We have a trip coming up to Yosemite, Arches, Dinosaur National Parks, and using harvest hosts whenever possible; We will depend on the DC-DC charger much more. Have an August trip, and it should be around 100 degrees everyday, We will be on shore power most of the time and will probably not use the DC-DC charger much if at all. Maybe when we go to Lithium we might use it more often. We are pretty conservative with power on the AGMs. If we boon dock for several days in one spot we use Generator at dinner time to top off the batteries. Except In Wisconsin State parks generators are not allowed so we supplement with the DC-DC charger and the Ford Diesel when staying multiple days. I am going to install an Andersen Cable on the front of the truck this spring. So I can attach from either end of the truck. I am planning on making a Jumper cable with an Andersen connector on one end. so I can jump start or get jump started from either end of the truck.

@Olive2Roam Great post and photos! We are big fans of our friends David and Kristine Hess owners of Sea Biscuit. You won’t meet a finer couple who fully support the RV industry with their products. My wife and I have been to their factory where they craft their products. Our front cargo box is has been one of our top mods. We store our chocks, blocks, 30amp cord and all other “possibles” for a quick set up and take down of our campsite. I installed a sheet of XPEL PPF (paint protection film) to the front of the cargo box of XPLOR to keep it protected from the blast zone and road missiles when in tow behind our TV. Your LE1 looks amazing, congrats on your mods! Beauty and the Beast - camped inside Yellowstone NP 🇺🇸

Never say never John!😁 Loved La Posa South LTVA when we were there last year, but the wind and dust storms were just too much for me, so we booked Dec 2026 - Feb 2027 at Arizona Sun Campground in Quartzsite!

Brinkley had a huge display at the RV Super Show in Tampa this year and they were all under cover in a pavilion all to themselves. They probably had about 30 or so trailers on display. There was a lot of activity and interest. They seem to be very active in their advertising and promotion. I don't know if they are under a big manufacturer's name or not, but I wish them luck. Mossey

So Sorry. Damage was really evident as we traveled through the South.

On Ollie Elite II. D35 bad. D52 good, with Alcan springs even better. 🙂

The reason I initially installed the repeater is it was required to maintain warranty. I am likely well out of warranty now.

Gosh Golley HD. You need a bucket of Lucky Charms to turn around your bad luck streak!

Good call on those plug covers @Patriot. I just ordered them. 👍

Very wise install @Olive2Roam and @2008RN. I also had the “pig tail” detachable or “break away” DC-DC 30 amp cable installed. I have silicone weather caps installed on both my Andersen plugs. Inverter Services which is the company that I had do our turn key Lithium conversion on XPLOR highly recommends the break away pig tail for “safety concerns”. 👍🏻😊 Link to the Andersen plug covers if anyone should need a set- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFPXKKLV?

Wow, what a bummer, but lucky landing. I'd much rather spend on replacing the fan, a simple installation, than have any fiberglass/body damage! It seems weather in the east has been on-n-off bad ever since hurricane Helene! Prayers and best wishes for an early spring and better weather going forward!

Hey John. Our DC to DC charging system is the detachable cable. There is a receptacle under the bumper at the back of the Pathfinder and there is a receptacle under the cargo box at the front of the trailer. We don’t leave that connected all the time so we made it detachable at both ends. Hope that makes sense.

I believe that it was Patriot who first brought Sea Biscuit to the attention of the Forum. They certainly do have quality products and both you and Patriot speak very highly of the owners. Also, glad to hear that the Elite I is working out well for you - your 15,000 miles in the first period of ownership is a bunch. Bill

Thank you for the kind words. Yes, the Texas was our first Oliver rally. Inks Lake was beautiful and we met a lot of great folks there, had some great barbecue, and learned a ton about our LE I. I agree with your comments about the Sea Biscuit accessories. The white powder coat finish and the diamond plate lid are a great match.

My first thought is thanks for sharing! Even though we have ample carrying capacity, it's still of interest as what you have done here is truly excellent work! I've also heard very good reports re Sea Biscuit. Your white boxes, especially the rear box with the white railing surround, even white supports, look to be a perfect match like it was done at the factory, just gorgeous! 😂 18 months now? We remember meeting a friendly couple with a brand new E1 at the fall 2024 Texas Rally! Would that be you? Please, keep having fun in your cute little Oliver!

Barb and I have had our LE I for about 18 months now. We fancy ourselves minimalists, but truth be told, we viewed the LE I as a bit of an experiment knowing that it would be a challenge getting all of our gear in the trailer and the Pathfinder. What helps is that we are both perpetual organizers and efficiency nuts so we welcomed the challenge. The game changer for us has been connecting with the folks at Sea Biscuit. Knowing we needed a little more storage one of the first accessories we added was the rear basket from Sea Biscuit. We weren't quite sure what types of containers we could put in the basket, but we knew it gave us lots of options for adding storage. After looking at the myriad options of storage containers, boxes, etc. that could go in that rear basket, we settled on the rear storage box from Sea Biscuit. The locking rear box is home for our hookups, a large tool bag, our outdoor carpet for under the awning, and several other items that immediately come out when we land at a destination. Our sewer hose for draining the gray tank (we have a composting toilet, so no black tank hose) is still in the bumper and it is surprisingly easy to store and deploy when needed even with the box over top. The expanded storage we gained from the rear basket and box combo was our first game changing moment. It allowed us to move several items out of the Pathfinder permanently. Shortly thereafter we noticed the front box that many of the LE II owners had added. To our disappointment, the box was not compatible with the LE I, but we started a conversation with Dave and Kristine at Sea Biscuit about our options. Fast forward several more months and we are one of the first to acquire a front box unit designed specifically for the LE I. The front box is deeper than the rear box and fits neatly between the front jack post and the bull dog coupler. It sits on a steel platform making it super stable, and when opened leaves plenty of clearance for the jack post. The front box now holds our DC to DC charging cables, wheel chocks, and several other necessities that also formerly rode in the back of the Pathfinder. This was game changing moment number 2. One of the final accessories we added to compliment our storage accessories from Sea Biscuit was the rooftop basket from Rhino Rack. The rack holds our chairs and camp table that were also - yes, you guessed it - in the back of the Pathfinder. (Low and behold, I can now see out of the back window.) Barb and I are huge fans of the little Ollie having put over 15,000 miles on it, visiting 21 states in 2025. Our travel style is such that we rarely spend more than a couple of days in one spot so the flexibility of the smaller LE I, and smaller tow vehicle (17 mpg with the Pathfinder) is the perfect combination for us. For anyone who is considering an LE I, or who has an LE I and is looking for quality accessories to expand your storage, we cannot recommend the folks at Sea Biscuit highly enough. The products are top notch and the Hess's are awesome folks. See you on the road!

Thank you all for the information, it’s really good to know the axles are highly recommended and what the potential weak points are down the road. The pic I took above is on a brand new 2026. Hopefully we will be taking it home.

XDR: This axle is rated at 5200 pounds. It is an excellent axle that well over 200 OE2 owners have upgraded to in the past couple of years. We specifically like it's 12" brakes and the long life maintenance free bearings. Better stopping power, especially in mountains and way easier maintenance! The only down side is that with a lot of miles (And typically 6+ years of sevice), we have had some of the 1750-pound springs flaten out. Those owners, myself included, were looking at spring replacement and the cost of upgrading to your 5200 Dexter axles to 100% renew our entire suspension system. The huge discussion was to go with the Dexter 2400-pound rated or the American made Alcon heavier duty rated springs. The vast majority of the cost to do so is the axle, not the springs. By comparison the springs are cheap. Should that happen down the road to your trailer, the good news is that you would already have the higher rated axles. So I echo Patriot's thoughts, and that OTT is moving in the right direction by exclusively using the higher rated axles on all their trailers, and that the Oliver Trailers are the best on the road. Geronimo John

Axles manufactured in July 2025! Looks like you have a good opportunity in a Like New Oliver! 😂

That's also my project for tomorrow with my buddy. We'll do a buddy breakfast, hardware store, make metal shavings, then drink. LOL Thanks for the details on the bolt & nut @jd1923 A good place for me to start.

Welcome to the forum and at some point if you can, try take advantage of the Oliver TT factory tour in Hohenwald, Tenn. You will see why Olivers are the best fiberglass TT made. There is a ton of great information that Oliver provides in Oliver University, digital manuals and their great online DYI videos. There are lots of mods and great information here as well as the Oliver Owners FB fourm. As far as the suspension being underrated, this has been a subject debated by many on this forum to the point of ad nauseam. This said, we never had any issues with our stock OEM dexter running gear. We like many others decided to have the 5200# never lube axle upgrade installed and also the Alcan 5 leaf pack, HD wet-bolts and HD shackles. There have been a few leaf spring failures. It’s my understanding not enough failures for a recall. All the best should you decide to purchase a new Oliver. We could not be happier with XPLOR Hull# 634! Welcome!

That was why I was changing a tire.

I use both types depending on the application. Here’s a pic of the DC-DC connection at the rear bumper illustrating the waterproof plug covers mated.

I used this on the Cable between Truck/trailer. Then I used the mountable ones with the flip cover under the bumper and Oli I have done a few day of rain on the Oregon coast, and I was surprised that they were dry when we stopped. I thought I would have some moisture between the connectors.

For my D35's I/We run from 8K to 15K miles per year. Lots of interstate and BIG mountains for sure. A suspension failure where we spend time would be a PITA for sure. So like many owners, we service our Timken Bearings and National Seals annually. Since Day 1 with our OE2, I have had to run 8 - 9 on my F-150 brake controller to get the braking needed. I have several times checked the voltage and 3 Amp flowing to all four brakes. So it is what it is, and I have no complants with the Dexter 10" system. But I am running it at the upper end of it's design. And I often pull over with the truck to zap the drum/hub to check on over-temp. I would rather have the Dexter 12" brake system for our use. Just to be clear, I agree with JD on the service frequency for the bearings. But one would still need, IMO to annually check in on the brakes if you are running the mileage that JD, Art, and I run. My observation is that the Dexter Never Adjust "Automatic" adjusters are in the trust but verify zone. See John Davies post about them if you would like an independent opinon. (Spoiler Alert: He HATED them!) This is the exact situtation that many owners are facing with their OTT's that have mileage and years. My intent was to FULLY tear down my D35 brakes before our 2026 Tour. Checked into the prices of brake shoes, magnets and turning the drums. It was high. I found that replacement of the entire brake assembly and turning the drums was not all that much more expensive. Then I looked into the cost of the D52's with Alcan install and I was hooked. Sure I could save a bit less than a grand, but the rebuild would not improve my Ollie's braking situtation in mountains. And I end up with a totally new suspension system with more capacity. I sent Alcan a check last month for my 1 JULY 2026 D52 axles install. (Oh, yes I will be reusing my one season old Dexter 2600# four leaf springs.) GJ

So far zero moisture issues with these covers. Inverter Services highly recommended them and claim they have in all their installs have never had any issues with moisture in their Marine or RV installation/applications. There are always lots of options out there. 😊

I like these better than the covers. You need a male and female pair and they're completely waterproof whether connected or not! https://powerwerx.com/anderson-36037p1-sb175-environmental-boot-load

Good idea, if you're not using it. That's what I did from day one, since I stopped riding bikes (except dirt bikes 🤣) when we moved from Texas to the mountains. You have to be young and STRONG to ride road bikes out here! Recently when I got to my final big Oliver project, cleaning up the exterior, I decided to also remove the mounts which are NOT pretty! (see picture above)

Agreed, but... I also replaced the OEM China-made with Timken Bearings and new seals. Do NOT buy on Amazon or eBay! BTW, I forget to mention new bearing seals in my last post which you need regardless of replacing or re-packing bearings. But after spending $200-300 and hours of my labor, next thing I replaced the D35 axles with D52 and Nev-R Lube bearings. What a waste of my money and time! If you're going to keep the D35s, then do what GJ suggests. If you think you will upgrade and soon have Nev-R-Lube bearings, made in USA, that should last 5 years without maintenance, then just re-pack now. Something else to consider at this point in time, with spent brake shoes and needing other service, if you have any thoughts of upgrading axles, this is the time to do it. Should you spend $1000 +/- now or spend $2K plus labor on brand new upgraded axles with all new 12" brake assemblies, drums, bearings, etc? Following are my two posts where first I replaced OEM bearings with Timken and second where I replaced the entire suspension, D52 axles with Alcan Springs.

Yes, if they're able to be resurfaced. I just wouldn't ever relocate the bearings to a new set of drums.

I agree with both of the above. With a 5 year old trailer, replacing the OEM bearings is suggested. A difficult task if not experienced in doing so. But with some mentoring it is actually not all that difficult. Temken bearings and National/Temken races are the preferred choice here in Ollie Land. Here is Frank C post with the same mileage as yours and likely the same OEM bearings: GJ

Lot's of good replies here already! Am I correct in thinking new Oliver TTs now come with the Dexter D52 (5200 LB) Nev-R Lube axles? Some of us with older hulls had D35 axles installed and like Mike mentioned, have upgraded. So, you should be good here. Either way, OTT installs Dexter Chinese made leaf springs rated at 1750 LBS each. Although, we've heard rumors OTT is talking with Alcan Springs for USA made springs. Given you're buying new in 2026, you could ask them about this! Search for keyword 'Alcan' for more information. Many of us think 1750 LB springs are under-sprung (200 Oliver owners have installed Alcan Springs rated at 2750 LBS each), and there have been several failures of these springs documented. Our Oliver used to waddle like a duck when crossing bridge seams, gas station entrances, or speed bumps on an angle. Not anymore, and since our Oliver suspension is now handling itself, the truck tows better and I was able to remove the Andersen WDH. The Alcan Spring upgrade is a little over $1K plus labor.

If I'm replacing the drums I never re-use the bearings. Maybe unnecessary overkill, but I just never felt comfortable doing so.

Bob, I was wondering why do you have detachable cables? In most installations, like ours, there is a receiver installed under the truck bumper and the power cord on the Oliver side is permanently attached (not needing storage space). The DC-to-DC charger is such a great feature. Like you, we only stay a few nights at each location. We consistently get 40+ Ah charging every hour towing on the road. Please look us up when you travel southwest!

We re all here to help Jeff, no worries! 👍🏻

Now, the original question makes more sense! Bill

I'm sure that you will receive a bunch of differing views on this subject and your question. As is covered in the many posts related to this subject, there are those members that believe that the stock suspension is underrated and there are those members that believe that at least some of the issues you might read about are due to things wearing out. There are other opinions that Dexter (the main suspension parts supplier to Oliver) had a run of "bad" or "defective" or "weak" or .... parts from China that caused at least some of the issues. And, of course, there is the manner in which and individual trailer was used - a bunch of rough off-road activity, hitting curbs, etc. Happy reading! Bill

We've got a couple Forum Mods and several others who have miles in the 100K+ range, so they could answer to that. But 24K sounds too soon! Given your brake shoes have worn prematurely, it must be too much gain on the controller, your trailer is likely braking some for your tow vehicle. Hard to say on price, depends what they are truly replacing. You should look into purchasing complete brake plate assemblies. This is likely not the correct part (BTW Dexter support can tell you the correct part #s based on your axle tag), but for example a left/right axle pair is not expensive. If your handy at all, these bolt on. Or buy the parts you need and hire the guy to do the work. And to do it right, see if a local trailer or auto parts shop can turn (machine) the drums. https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Brakes/Dexter/23-26-27.html This is certainly a FALSE statement! The bearings only need to be re-packed. Worn shoes down to metal can damage the drums, not the wheel bearings. Believe me, I've owned many 50-60s classic cars that all had drum brakes on all fours and I've done more brake jobs than I can count, including rebuilding 3 dual-axle trailers! When I hear something suspect, I tend to not trust the shop. Beware and be cool! 😎 Also, we're here to help if you need installation advice. Best wishes, JD

Thank you, friends for your inventive and informative responses. I can always depend on the Oliver community for THE BEST HELP! Happy Travels!

I spliced a male cigarette lighter plug to my Tiretracker signal booster. When I tow, I just plug it into a 12 volt plug in the rear of my tow vehicle and temporarily attach it with a piece of adhesive velcro. One could also plug it into one of the 12 volt receptacles in the trailer. When I am finished towing I unplug it, lift it from the velcro and store it away until the next trip.

@Against The Wind We have been using a TST TPMS for several years. I opted to mount our TPMS relay out of the weather and UV exposure inside the main battery compartment with tiny strip velcro. It has worked flawlessly since installation. All I did was attach it to my battery terminals. Keep in mind this relay creates a very low parasitic draw on your house batteries. Not an issue in my case, as XPLOR is parked at home and always plugged into 30 amp. Have fun and mod On! Patriot 🇺🇸🇺🇸

Saw this post from another user...quite detailed. I mounted the sending unit for our system (not Tire Minder brand) on the outside of our front jack power head. You can easily pull 12V from the inside of the power head and decide if you want/need an on/off switch for the circuit. * I just leave mine on all the time...as the draw is minimal.*

We were in Hohenwald today, and signs of how severe this storm was are everywhere! We came into town from the east on 412, and saw broken trees and power poles by the hundreds. There seemed to be a pile of debris collected along the road every quarter mile or so, some as big as cars. Then we left to the north on Rt 48, and it made the eastern side look like a teaser. Thousands and thousands of downed trees for miles! The worst ice damage I’ve ever seen. Hopefully, no one was injured and folks are somewhat back to normal now.

If anyone needs new chocks for the upcoming season, Harbor Freight has them on sale with the coupon below: Bill

Wow, that blower is almost half your age!

Using pool noodles and a couple of zip ties solved this problem for me.