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My Ram Rebel is the best! But if I get a 3/4 ton diesel it will be even more best!! 😎

Russell, If that’s a double bowl sink, Overland is going to have to remodel the kitchen.😄 Mossey

Spoke to a Clam rep and asked if it was alright to treat our new shelter with Kiwi Camp Dry. The rep said that is the best water repellent to use. One 10.5 oz can will treat the (5) sided clam and the optional (4) sides. So it was a fairly cool 69 degree Western NC morning and I was the man for the job. 😁 It took about 20 min and a step ladder was needed to spray the top center of the roof. We will let it dry/cure for 24 hrs.

If there’s room here for a third prospective, I’ll provide some long-read comments based on experiences towing my LEII with a 2018 LC200, not using the Andersen hitch. I also installed the Redarc controller using the Toyota specific bezel. This was my first Redarc and have since installed two more, one of which replaced a prior P3 installation. A great feature of the Elite model is being able to switch between proportional and time delay modes for off-road use. Can’t say enough about these controllers. Since “weight distribution” wasn’t being used, addressing rear-end sag using either the Timbren SES or airbags was considered: My attempt to install the Timbrens ran into an interference problem between the upper mounting bracket and coil spring on the driver side. Timbren support had no explanation or solution so I returned the kit. I also didn’t like that the rubber springs would be under constant compression by the axle housing, thus destroying the factory unloaded ride as mossemi has mentioned. What I also noticed is that the TLC 200 already incorporates similar (Timbren rubber spring) technology, as a combined overload spring/rebound bumper inside the rear coils. These however allow for 2-1/2 inches of free travel before they come into play. Installation of airbags would require cutting out the aforementioned factory overload provision, which are co-molded with the upper spring isolators. For this reason, the airbag option wasn’t considered further because it was counterintuitive to me and would have impacted the Toyota factory warranty. My LC200 was only six months old at this point. Sag management approach thus far: Judicious loading of the LC200 and LEII. The very first thing I did to my LC200 was remove the ridiculous third row seats. This provided a sizable gain in usable interior volume and removed sixty pounds or so of dead weight. Extra clothing hangs over the second seat and heaviest items are stowed most forward of the rear axle. Bottle jacks and tools go directly behind the front seats. A rear opening roof-top carrier has been particularly handy for lighter or bulky items. In the LEII, heavy necessities (like beer and ammo) are stowed aft but the tongue basket is usually kept empty. With regard to tires: I am still running the factory original Dunlop AT23s and have no complaints having towed my LEII 12K miles or so. I run pressures of 38/rear and 35/front with 80 psi in the LEII Michelins, always. Never once have I felt uncomfortable or even concerned be it light snow at Yellowstone or brutal crosswinds throughout central New Mexico. The only reason I’ll eventually switch, also to the Michelin LTX, is due to availability and better wear performance. If the LTX can get me up to the Medicine Wheel through 8” of fresh snow, and back, I’ll consider them equivalent to the AT23. General operation: Not being one who feels the need for speed, maximum cruise is typically 65-70, and I’m not afraid of offending anyone in the mountains. I basically concur with the advice provided by both JD and Mossey. Always Sport mode and ECT Power on, maintaining RPMs between 2 and 3K unless additional required for acceleration or engine braking. Never use 8th, rarely 7th, mostly 6th, occasionally 5th, and 4th – 2nd sometimes for extremes while descending or merging. But, RPM kept below 4500. I almost never use cruise control when towing and my coolant temperature fluctuations have never even been noticeable. Andersen hitch: As an early adopter of this system, experience left me a bit soured when it came to decision time for the LEII. I’ve had every generation and am hopeful the ball jamming problem has been resolved. My main issue is still it’s limited weight transfer ability. The additional aggravation just isn’t offset by its capabilities. That said, I may still try it on my LEII just to see what affect it has with my particular setup. I’m kind of in Jairon’s camp when it comes to pickups. Truck are for hay and horse trailers, and we use them for such. Extra space is nice to have, but our traveling enjoyment with the LEII requires a more “proper” tow vehicle. For this purpose, the LC200 has been near perfect. How’s that for snobbery?

If you rarely camp off grid - its a waste of $$. If on the other hand, you spend the majority of time out - in the non grid world - it may make sense - We were out about 60 days last year - 45 or more were of grid, and usually in the wild, but lets say we spent 30 days free - $900 savings - so you can do the math - if you keep the Oliver a while, and go a lot, off grid - you'll eventually see a return that comes close. Now that doesn't come close to putting a value on the cool factor of staying in places that are just of the chart for WoW factor. Our limiting factor with composting toilet - is water- and that is easily extended. RB

I must agree - we have spent much more time off grid, than on, and the solar and agm set up works just fine - However, I must admit, some of the time I need shore power for the AC - and I hate finding and paying for that type campground - so I am seriously considering a generator. It can go right next to the kitchen sink - and all the other crap I seem to think we need.

Continuing that line of thought, I actually enjoy sleeping in a tent, possibly more so than the Ollie. What I dislike about tent camping (mainly) is the setting up and taking down. A rooftop tent solves that issue for the most part, but the problem with living with one of those is all the rest of the campsite gear that has to be pulled out, set up and then taken down the next morning so that you can use your vehicle for the day, That’s fine if you’re traveling from A to B to C each night, but because of the density of parks and scenery, people don’t really ‘overland’ like that in the US - we tend to camp in one spot for two or three days, explore the area, then move on. Anyway, my wife would hate this idea, but I’ve wondered how well it would work to think of a shorty Ollie as a sort of luxurious chuck wagon. Kit it out for storage and daytime use, but not necessarily for sleeping.

I think an Ollie plus a rooftop tent on the tow vehicle for the kids would be a pretty nice way to travel. You get all the conveniences of the Ollie, and the kids get their own space plus maybe a bit more sense of adventure.

Once again Professor JD comes through with his in-depth knowledge. I did forget to say that I ran the stock tires towing the Oliver until it was time to replace them and they were soft and a very sweet ride. I added the Timbren SES while still running the stock tires and that improved the towing experience, but the every day ride suffered. I then replaced them with Michelin Defender LTX M/S tires which improve the towing a little more, but the daily ride again deteriorated. I do believe that whichever tow vehicle a trailer owner chooses is a comprise between what you what to drive and what you need to drive. I would be first in line to say any full size pickup truck would be a better TV than the LC200. But in my house the War Department is in charge of the appropriations. And she doesn’t like pickup trucks. We do like Toyota products, so my choices were limited and a used LC200 was the default choice. I am happy with it and it does it’s job. We live in Florida and have only ventured west into Arkansas with the Ollie, so my towing experience is much different than JD's. Our 2020 trip to the Pacific NW was cancelled due to Covid-19, so the elevation and MPG challenges will have to wait for another time. I generally start towing in 4th gear and shift up or down mostly by feel and sound. I always say that camping is a participation sport and any RV adds another level. Towing a trailer is different that driving a class A, B or C, so you adjust as needed. I generally drive with cruise control on the highway and excessive shifting is a sure sign that I’m in the wrong gear. Experience is an excellent teacher. Mossey

I put the EZ gutters on ours and have been very pleased with the difference they have made. We used to have water ingress all the time prior to installation and have had none since despite several heavy rainfalls including while traveling. I just placed them pretty much immediately above the frame (mostly to use as a guide). I think what has made the difference is keeping as much water off the windows and channels/drains as possible in the first place.

Jairon, I agree entirely with Mossey. It isn’t a matter of sway, it is a great way to dampen the nasty vertical jounce that occurs over rough pavement or undulations like the approach to a highway bridge. I chose to keep the stock LC suspension because I like the soft ride on gravel and forest roads. Upgrading to a stiffer high quality aftermarket suspension, with adjustable dampening in back, might help a little. But IMHO there is no getting around having to use the Andersen on an LE2. I have towed briefly with the chains disconnected, and it was a scary and unpleasant experience. An LE would be OK, I think, with a simple deadweight ball or an offroad coupler. I do feel that keeping the tongue as light as possible is very beneficial. Since I moved my rack and jerry cans to the back, the TW went from 720 pounds to 480 pounds. Now I keep very minimal chain tension, enough to stabilize vertically, and with 12 psi in the rear bags it tows amazingly well. With the unladen 4 psi setting it is not nearly as secure and it is a little butt low. What year is your 200? The newer 8 speed is wonderful, but Toyota really screwed up by changing the axles from 3.90, which is marginal, to 3.30. Stupid! Either model will benefit from a used set of Tundra 4.30 takeoff ring and pinions. If you are running big tires (over 33 inches) then an even lower ratio would be best. You have to go to the aftermarket for 4.88 gears. An 8 speed 200 with its MUCH lower first gear and with 4.30 or higher gears would be a towing monster. A R and P swap will cost $2000+ and will also require a speedo correction device of some sort. I don’t know what is available. This compares the two models and is eye opening: Stock tires are not great, they are far too squooshy. Load E tires increase stability and also prevent flats (sidewall cuts especially) off pavement. The downside is a rougher ride. I like the Tekonsha P3, tho I do agree that it is very crappy looking. I like all the features and adjustability. It works well pretty much anywhere except in a true offroad application, where it gets confused. I continue to recommend it to anybody wanting a full featured controller. I suggest that you buy a simple 2” ball mount that will give you about an 18” ball height and borrow or rent a good sized utility trailer for a weekend. Something around 3000 pounds will give you a feel for the truck’s behavior yet not require a controller or WD hitch. U Haul has specs for all their trailers. Give us a little more info about your truck, including any mods. That will help John Davies Spokane WA

Yes, I am still towing with a 14 LC200. No, I never tried towing the Oliver without the Andersen WD hitch because the LC specs require a WD hitch for the weight of the Oliver. It’s not a question of sway, it’s a loading issue. Yes, I would buy another REDARC brake controller. I bought a P3 to begin with and just couldn’t find a place where it didn’t look like a garage door opener bolted to my dash. So I tried the REDARC and liked the ease of installation and it has performed flawlessly. And the REDARC plugged into the LC with the P3 adapter cable I had already bought. I use the Timbren SES instead of airbags, but JD has much more off-road experience than I do so his choice of airbags bears consideration. I also use the 2” Andersen ball with my WD hitch and JD has upgraded to the 2-5/16”. Early Oliver’s had an extending tongue, but that has not been available for years. Mossey

This'll fit...

You are right, it is Coy and the website is below. https://happycampersolar.com/about-us Mossey

I need to amend this comment slightly. One of the finicky things that we've had problems with on the Truma is getting consistent hot water out of it. Sometimes it's hot, sometimes warm, sometimes frigid, and often during a shower you get all three. Not great. Well, as part of my plumbing renovations, I'm thinking about swapping out all of the plastic pex fittings with brass, and while I was counting fittings this afternoon, I was staring at the connections at the Truma and just had to laugh when the mistake that's causing my problems was suddenly obvious. On my unit there are three connections: cold water goes in the bottom, hot water out the top, and the circulation return is in the middle. Let's see if you guys can spot it, too (the blue pex you're looking at is the winterization bypass). 🙄 😂 I can't be too hard on Oliver for this one, since mine was the first unit with the circulator that they installed. But I was told that there's one other Ollie out there with the same unit, that was on the line next to mine - so I'm sure it has the same problem.

I ran with 80 psi in the Dunlops that came with my trailer for the first year. I’ve reduced that to 55 psi, I think it gives a smoother ride for the trailer and I haven’t noticed any increase in tire temperature or unusual wear. It’s OK to be a snob! We all have snob issues, vehicle, wine, music, etc. TV’s reflect, to some degree, the way we camp and travel. Lots of Q7’s, Touaregs, LC200s, etc. I have an Audi S3 that is pretty quick (0-60 in 4.5 secs), has the magnetic suspension and all the other speed and handling gizmos. I tend to choose to drive my Rebel over the S3 more and more. Maybe in my advancing age I’m coming to appreciate the comfort and “luxury” that new pickups provide. Plus I can throw a bunch of camping gear under the tonneau cover. I know it could do hay pretty well, too! 😆

We plan to attend, D10, unless things get worse before this gathering

Per my post above, I think the only way to work out solar and battery needs, without ending up in circular confusion, is to start with how much electricity you think you’ll use each day on average. Of course if you’ve camped before with a trailer, you probably have a good idea of what that is already, and if not, then the 70-80 Ah number seems to hold true for Ollie owners. From there you want a Plan A and Plan B for recovering that power. Plan A is again based on averages - size your solar to give you enough juice to replenish your batteries each day. The variables there will be your planned usage of course, but also when and where you plan to camp. Once you’ve done that, then you need a Plan B for when you’re camped under trees for three days or hit a stretch of rain and your solar can’t keep up. If you try to size your solar for that, then you’ll need a second trailer to hold it all. For most people, Plan B is a generator, which has the added benefit of being able to power your AC. But if you’re trying to go without a generator like me, then instead you plan your battery bank to get you through those days. For me, that means 3-4 days of battery storage, hence the size of my battery bank. It’s a simple problem if you think of it like that. Don’t overthink it, and don’t for a second think that just because someone is doing X that you have to do the same. Take the time to think about your individual camping habits and needs. But having said that, I think that Oliver’s standard AGM or lead acid batteries and solar package is sized correctly for 80% of buyers. The other 20% are either people like me, or the opposite - people who never camp without hookups and don’t need solar at all.

I still think that the sealant got stained rather than UV damage, though that’s mostly a guess. I wouldn’t draw any conclusions unless more people post about it. I think it’s something for recent owners to look for and hopefully post back with their experience. I will say though that after trying to clean it off, I’d prefer a non-silicone sealant. It’s not terrible, but a good bit more difficult than the original. I’ve gone back with the 3M 4000UV, and we’ll see how long it lasts and how clean it stays.

I will just add that if the 200 was available as a long wheelbase model with a little less overhang past the rear axle, it would be MOST excellent for towing an LE2. The Tahoe, Tahoe XL approach.... I would kill for about 18 more inches of interior volume. The new Heritage Edition is a great start. No running boards, no third row, A/T tires. Just stretch it a bit, please, and take my money. You can keep the stupid Yakima storage basket, a purely ornamental “expedition rack” . Yakima generally has a great warranty but excludes Off road driving – Backroads that are rough, washed out, boulder and rut strewn. (Smooth gravel roads are not considered off-road). Not a great choice for a Land Cruiser specced for those conditions.... John Davies Spokane WA

We are keeping our reservation and looking forward to meeting fellow Ollie folk ,,, from a distance, of course. Mac (Maridus and Connie, plus doodles Bentley and Doc)

Thanks, John. You're a wealth of information. Oliver should put you on the payroll! 😂 The mount came with the car surprisingly. The car also has the ECT PWR button for shift point adjustment. Once I get the trailer on the road, I'll post my average temps here for anyone that might be interested. Thanks again!

12 psi brings it level and it tows fine, no need to go higher with the Andersen. I am pretty sure the Firestone bags are rated at 30 psi max, but I may be wrong. You MUST tow in Sport Mode, not Drive, and I also suggest the Power setting, if your truck has this feature. Power raises the shift points a little. There is no Tow/ Haul mode, as such. One former 200 owner here was having serious issues with excessive downshifting “all the time” and with the transmission overheating. He was also towing his LE2 in D at 75 mph. You need to stay out of the two overdrive gears all the time, except for long descents when you can bump it higher, as long as the transmission doesn’t keep trying to downshift, essentially coasting is OK. You want the tranny to stay in gear and not keep hopping around. These engines make power at a relatively high rpm (peak torque is 2800) and you need to let them rev, downshifting and climbing a steep mountain at 4500 rpm or more is fine and won’t hurt a thing. It provides way more drivetrain cooling this way. You can’t lug it like a diesel. On hilly terrain, in headwinds or up high with your 8 speed, you may even want to use 5 instead of 6, just keep the engine spinning and happy. Be ready to over ride the computer, use the manual selection. It works well. For my truck with 33 inch tires and 6 speed tranny, 62 mph/ 2500 rpm in 4 is the sweet spot. I don’t think the 200 is a very wise choice for towing, there are many other trucks that will work a whole lot better. But It does OK pulling an LE2, and the rest of the time it is a superb all around vehicle with that ultimate build quality and back country reliability. I would not suggest that somebody go out and buy a 200 just for towing. That would be a pretty big mistake. Don’t buy that Toyota ball mount, unless heavily discounted it is a waste. You should be able to find it at about $45. That page does not list the ball size, it should be 2”. Or just get a similar sized one from a decent aftermarket brand and a 2” chrome ball, both rated at 7500 pounds. A deadweight mount is useful anyway, for pulling the trailer out of its storage position (indoors, under a carport) to wash it or work on it, without having to connect the Andersen. And of course it works fine for the occasional rental trailer for a load of lumber or bark.... John Davies Spokane WA

When I wrote those comments years ago, I didn't realize Overland was planning to upgrade the batteries to lithium. The lithium can really make use of the big power flow from extra panels, charging faster at a higher rate. Bigger funnel to fill bigger vessel, faster, in simplest terms. That said, I don't begin to have room for Overland's batteries, nor his number of panels, in and on our 2008 shorty. I'm only a little jealous. 🤞🤥 We've camped with our setup (200 watts panels, 2 group 27 agm x 105 amp hour batteries) since 2008. Recent years added a 12v dc compressor fridge and a 100 watt portable panel, and it's doable, but requires considerable effort in monitoring, and moving the portable panel around to follow the sun. And, use of the generator in low sun days I would love to at least upgrade the battery capacity, and the best way for us in the smaller Elite is dropin group 27 case size lithium, with our smaller battery tray. We are in the process of upgrading panels, and doubling solar fixed panel wattage in. The lithium will have to wait at least til the agms die . We're not in the habit of replacing what's still working. I, too, suspect you'll be more than fine with agm, if you continue to camp similarly to the way you have been camping/boondocking, with your current setup of 2 batteries and 200 watts solar. It's adding a lot of 110 appliances that will mess you up. You're already managing a week with half the capacity of your new proposed 4x 6 volts. A week with double battery capacity should be a pure joy. And, you may find you can extend your stays by a lot, if you can conserve water, and resist turning on that inverter every day. (We removed our inverter a few years ago. We are mostly happy with 12v life.) In 12 years, we've rarely camped with hookups with our Oliver. As far as whether the cost is justified, you probably have to look at useable amp hours , and life cycle, to make true comparisons (along with an honest projection on boondocking days). For me, one single battleborn 100 amp group 27 replacement would give me as much or more useable amp hours than my two current group 27 agms. Why? Because I don't run my agms down to 50 per cent, to preserve their longevity. I tend to run no less than 60 to 70 per cent, and try to keep mine at 70 to 75 per cent. I'm speculating that that's why I'm only just a few years ago on my second set of batteries in 12+ years. As far as maintenance, agm vs lithium, I'd say it's a wash. You do have to keep agms charged in storage somehow (solar does that just fine for us, if we have some bit of sun and breakers are turned off.) Lithium can maintain a charge , without load, for a really long time without any charging, (less self discharge) but, they are temp sensitive for charging. Since I live in Florida, and camp primarily in the shoulder seasons, or at moderate east coast elevation in summer, I think we'd be golden with lifepo. All that's relevant to how much time you actually get to use the trailer, how and where you use it, and if you can actually exercise the useful attributes of the solar and lithium batteries. And, realistically, how long will you use the trailer? I'm thinking I may just get 10+ years from properly charged lifepo dropins. Which may be longer than we continue to camp. Or not. We'll see. Some people tend to get really psyched about new tech ( and I have to admit, I'm one of them.) When I get sad is when I see people load up their trailers with new tech that they don't understand, and don't or can't use to its full advantage. Susan, as an experienced camper, knowing something of your preferred style over the years, you have an advantage over new campers, who can only conjecture what their choices might be. Still, you're the only one who can justify the additional expense of lithium vs agm. Sorry for the really long post, which may or may not help. Sherry

I'd be a fool to go against the manual and two LC and Oliver owners - I'm sold. Wow! Maybe I should skip the front rack and switch back to 20lb propane tanks. Someone on ih8mud was towing a 5500-6000 lbs trailer on 35psi using the firestone bags. Have you taken yours over 12 and if so, what made you go back to 12? It is a 2019 with 0 modifications. I remember reading about people towing in sport mode to to stay out of overdrive in 5th and 6th gear for transmission temp reasons. Do you do the same? Curious to hear from Mossey on this one too. If true, I assume I should do the same and keep it out of 7th and 8th. Would the factory Toyota mount work? PN: PT22860084 DROP: 4 1/5" LOAD RATING (BALL): 9000 lbs RISE: 3" Good call on the utility trailer for a weekend! I really appreciate both of you taking the time to respond. The LC doesn't seem like an ideal towing option but you both have given me some hope that we can actually pull it off! 😀

Meeting Ollie owners is the best part of an Oliver rally, and I can understand why people going to Lake Guntersville still want to connect with each other. I want to remind people that the pandemic is serious and It is best to exercise appropriate cautions. It would be good to wear masks when talking to people, especially when visiting inside a trailer. Reasonable actions concerning shared food activities can improve safety. Disinfect surfaces. No finger foods or shared appetizer bowls. Serving utensils can transmit virus via hands, so each family group should bring their own serving utensils to food events. Alternatively, social interactions could happen without shared food, in the interest of safety. Of course anyone with symptoms would not attend the rally, but with a group this size the odds are significant of having at least one asymptomatic person capable of transmitting the virus. We don’t want this to be a Superspreader event, where people from diverse locales are brought together and then return to spread the virus through their home communities and family groups. Stay safe.

Okay then. In that case my answer is: Same place I plug in the hair dryer I don't use.

Check your machine to see if it doesn't actually run off of 12V DC through a power supply brick. I just looked at one that requires about 6.5 amps at 12V. If so, a DC cord should be available.

Also not surprised. I’m still happy to see some will still go. I’m in. 🥳

That means Krunch and I will be camping with you. I believe I have a piece of hardware you are interested in. And I believe Duke and Chris of ShallowGal fame will be there as well. Mossey

Thanks for the heads up, Matt. Disappointed but not surprised. We’re going to keep our reservations and enjoy a quiet weekend hopefully seeing some Oliver friends who also will still go camping that weekend at Lake Guntersville. Mike

Since I had to redo the caulking on this one window, I figured that I'd go ahead and do the rest. Of course, like most of my projects, this one got delayed right after I got all of the old caulk cleaned off from everything. Two interesting things have come up - one, on two windows, when I scraped off the caulk from the bottom of the frame, a good bit of trapped water leaked out. Not just a few drips, but a steady stream for a good 30 seconds or so. Secondly, we've had a few gully washers come through and since I haven't recaulked, I've expected both times to have to mop up water on the inside, but so far, nothing - not even a drip, even between the hulls. Soooo...I'm wondering if caulking the windows is a belt and suspenders situation, since the windows also seem to have a black bituthene type sealant between the frame and the fiberglass. And if so, might the caulk actually potentially cause problems, holding water that gets trapped from clogged weep holes - at least that's the only place I can figure the trapped water came from. I don't really know how these windows are put together though, so I can't tell for sure. Thoughts? Another question, while pondering that - I'm wondering the same about the caulk around both the water heater and furnace. There's no reference in the manuals about caulking these on installation, and with the truma, at least, the door itself provides ample opportunity for water to get in, so caulking the frame doesn't seem to do much. Can't tell with the furnace. So again, I'm wondering if the caulk is really necessary.

Just re-reading the LC post and realized that a picture of the REDARC brake controller I wanted to include was not attached. So here goes?.

It is with sadness, regret, and concern for the health of Oliver owners that we announce the 2020 Oliver Rally will be cancelled. We have been tracking the COVID-19 virus status and currently most all states in the Southeast are rated in the Red Zone. We have been monitoring the State of Alabama Department of Health COVID-19 website for periodic updates. Alabama remains High Risk according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. Unfortunately, many Oliver Trailer owners would be required to travel through numerous states that are at a higher risk level in several parts of the US. Our primary concern is for you, our customer, our friends, and all that enjoy camping in the great outdoors. Details on the 2021 Oliver Rally will be announced later in the year. All rally registration fees will be refunded within 3-5 business days. If you have made reservations at Lake Guntersville State Park for the September 2020 Rally, click the link below to indicate if you would like to cancel your reservation or keep them and attend on your own. We will notify the campground on your behalf and they will issue refunds to all canceled reservations. Update Fall Campground Reservations