Leaderboard

Jordan, I would feel ok in many situations, but not in others. The data below says you are OK from a payload perspective. But that's only part of the story. My personal experience with a 7000 GVW rated truck is that steep downhill grades get a bit white knuckle as the Truck and Trailer are very close to the same mass. The "FEEL" of towing depends on the setup, where and how you tow. If you're out on the road more than 50% of the time, and in mountains a lot, you may want a bit heavier Tow Vehicle...and pair it with a Diesel Engine to provide additional down hill exhaust braking assistance. If you are a flatlander you might be ok but still wind can become a problem. (Sorry for the generalizations). In the data table below, I made some assumptions and put data into the Keep Your Daydream towing calculator (xls). The calculator needed data for Passenger Weight and Cargo so I put in numbers for 2 full sized adults and 300lbs of cargo in the rear. If you add accessories they would also show up in the cargo area. For example, my short box fiberglass canopy weighs another 250 lbs. If you want to download the XLS go to the You Tube Video and check in the comments section. Video: XLS - http://www.keepyourdaydream.com/payload/ OLLIE Calculator.xlsx

Solar (and all the attending equipment), Composting toilet, front/rear LP connections, Front storage basket, rear storage/bike rack (old design), 30lb Propane tanks , Fiber granite countertops, All in that order. The extra couch cushions were a waste of $$

I know many trucks now have displays that show pitch/yaw etc. but they are usually in degrees. It' handy to have a table like the one below to know how the GRADE sign might look on your display in degrees. So for John's example above the 15% grade would show up as about 8.5 Degrees in angle on the dash display. And 8.5 doesn't sound bad, but it feels horrible if you're being pushed down hill by a trailer that's heavier than your Tow Vehicle.

I think I've looked at every receiver modification posted on the forum. They are starting to all blur together at this point 😁 I really don't understand why they don't add a 2 inch receiver to allow for racks like the 1up. It is one of the only racks I'd feel OK about strapping to the back of the trailer. Slap a sticker on it with the weight limit and call it a day. I'd be happy to sign legal documentation if that is what it takes...

No. With our LFPs and extra solar we can get by without one. If I were buying today, I'd really consider the new F150 with the built in generator as an alternative. All the time, and to block both sun and rain. I'll always roll it out about a foot just to keep the mid day sun off the side of the trailer, and if we're someplace where we feel comfortable leaving the trailer with the windows open (most everywhere), then we can leave without worrying about an unexpected shower getting anything wet. Funny, we bought it because we had noticed in some campgrounds with pulloff sites, that people who got left hand sites couldn't use their awnings. That, or they set up camp right by the road. But we've yet to run into that situation ourselves. Still, glad to have gotten it. The one I have is the square platform, which was copied from the one that ScubaRx made for himself. I bought a rhino rack basket that fits on it about perfectly so it functions as extra storage. This is the only photo I can find that shows it, sort of...

John, I'm my experience, curves exacerbate the gradient. I tend to over slow entering a curve and allow the vehicle to accelerate through it. My concern has been that the tail would wag the dog. I had that experience once while towing a too long trailer with my old "Boxtop" Cherokee. Another motorist entered the road when I was in the middle of a downhill curve. It got exciting and I promised myself I wouldn't drive a too small TV. That's why buying an Oliver will involve my trading in my 2013 4Runner for something more adequate. A used Land Cruiser is in the running. I just wish they had a tow-haul mode.

We have an older Elite, so many of our upgrades are already included in the base model. Solar is the #1 upgrade for us, as it has allowed us to camp without hookups most of the last 12 years. What I wouldn't get: Kingdome/satellite receiver or TV antenna. Frankly, I'd leave out the TV, though I think it's standard. It just takes up space, and we never use it. If we want to watch something, as we rarely do, it's fine on the tablet or my phone. Convection microwave is another item we added at the last minute. It died from lack of use, I think, and we replaced it with a big storage cabinet. I can reheat foods on a pot or skillet on the stove, or in foil on the fire. I love my big cupboard. Sherry

@John E Davies I'm happy for general feedback on what folks like and don't like for their specific usage/situations.

Excluding stuff that isn't currently on the menu - Things I'm glad I got: Rear camera - I have a different brand but I'd have been fine with Oliver's Solar Composting toilet Second Awning Fiber granite Truma water heater Larger propane tanks Propane quick connects Basement access hatch Extra outlets Bike rack - not the current one, though Reading lights Things I'm ambivalent about: Dexter EZ Flex - will probably upgrade to something different Things I wish I didn't get: Zamp port - never used and super easy to install yourself if needed Mattress upgrade - we didn't get ours from Oliver, but we ended up with cushions so I wish we hadn't paid for them Things I'm glad I didn't get: Any entertainment, phone or internet gizmo - we did our own boosters and would use an iPad for entertainment if needed Front basket Extra shore power port Oliver's electronics (inverter, batteries, etc.) - installed my own and really happy with it Microwave - toaster oven is better for us Automatic sewer valves Looking at the current menu, here's the things I wouldn't care for: Lithium package - I'd do my own Inverter - same Extra shore power port Any antennas or boosters Microwave Condensation mat - imo, it's only needed with the latex mattress Mattress - I prefer cushions but I'd have better ones made than what Oliver provides Shower curtain - needed, imo, but I'd do my own like I have on mine Auto valves Andersen hitch - I'd pay for a ¾ ton truck before I'd buy their hitch Truma antifreeze - assuming it's cheaper just to buy it direct Electric door lock - would do it myself Front basket Rear receiver - would see if I could get the old platform style rack fabbed somewhere or make my own with 80/20 Power awning - I'd ask Oliver if they could attach the mounts for the street side awning, then buy a pair Carefree awnings like I have Easy start - needed, but I'd do it myself

Personally, I think towing a 7,000# plus trailer with a 1/2 ton is hard on the pickup. Yes, it will tow it, but for what you pay, a 3/4 or 1-ton is a much more efficient and a better value. Same with midsize SUVs, which might be ok for a very small trailer.

2021 F150 configurator is online: https://shop.ford.com/build/f150/2021/#/config/Config[|Ford|F-150|2021|1|1.|301A.W1E..YZ...XLT.54Y.AWD.998.CCAB.471.RETAIL.627.55A.43B.SS6.]

Yeah I honestly don't quite get the rooftop tents when people are primarily using them in established campgrounds. They seem maybe ideal for overland travel where you're not sure what sort of spot you'll end up sleeping in each night but you are fairly confident that you can at least get your vehicle reasonably level. To be fair, our van is a lot quicker to get ready to roll away with than was our tent/pads/bags etc., and when I'm solo I can move from sleeping to driving in just a few minutes when desired (somehow when it's the two of us that rarely happens 🙂 ). But at least when we were using a regular old tent we didn't need to pack it up daily when staying put in one site for multiple nights but driving around to see sights etc. And we didn't need to climb down a ladder from the second story in the middle of the night if nature called. I think it's important to remember that most replies you'll get here are from people who have decided that for their style of camping, a travel trailer works well - perhaps best. But if you haven't been doing much if any camping you may not really know what style you'll want to evolve for yourself. The advice to rent is excellent, and while you're doing so, be sure to be social with other campers and get their thoughts on how their current camping setups are working for them. You'll likely learn a LOT from having these conversations with people who have various types of equipment.

What a wonderful chart! Add info for my 2013 Land Cruiser 5.7 gas with plus 2” tires (raises overall gear ratio) Ollie LE2 6000 lbs estimated. 42 psi in tires and gravel guards add some rolling and aero drag. 10-11 mpg towing 62 mph lots of terrain Pacific NW 12-13 at 62 mph flat and steady (Rare) 9-10 mpg slow hilly backroads 14.5 mpg over-all empty when purchased at 96k (previous owners apparently did not tow) 13.6 mpg over all at 139k (includes 14k towing) Best ever SHORT term empty (70 miles dead flat at 60 mph) was 17.8 mpg. Land Cruisers have always been known as gas hogs, except in Oz where they are 95% diesel and in stock form are a little less inefficient. Thanks for such a great thread. John Davies Spokane WA