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I just saw this today - https://www.goterravis.com Its an upcoming folding tonneau cover with up to 1,000 watts of solar. No price or release date yet, but it looks like something to keep an eye on.

The Rock Tamers install directly to the hitch - just behind the Andersen hitchball housing. Since the 2X2 hitch assembly which slides into the receiver was not exactly square, I had to use a couple of shims in order to get everything lined up to my satisfaction. But, once that is done and you cut the rubber flaps to the desired length (allowing for the sag of the rear of the truck once you are hitched), you never have to touch them again. However, they do add to the weight of the Andersen (which is not light) assuming that you do not remove and reinstall them each time you remove your hitch from the truck. This plus the overall size of these things makes the entire unit a bit cumbersome. I have found that between the mudflaps on the truck, the Rock Tamers, and the protection film that I had applied to the front of the Oliver, rock chips, scrapes and dings have been reduced as compared to what I had prior to the Rock Tamers. Bill

I don't have an Ollie yet, but I've had my truck set up for working online remotely for years now. I recently upgraded some of my components and I'm very pleased with my results so far. Currently, I have the WeBoost Drive Reach cellular booster and I use an AT&T Nighthawk hotspot. The Nighthawk is positioned in the back of my truck very close to the WeBoost internal antenna so it can benefit from the boost. I have found that the Nighthawk is often great by itself and I only use the WeBoost when the cell signal is very weak. WeBoost actually hurts download speeds a bit but really helps upload speeds - so it's best to use when doing video conferences and things that require bigger upload speeds. If you are able to position your mifi near (I'm talking within feet) your cell booster antenna in the Ollie, I don't see why it wouldn't work well. Side note: I then use the WIFI network created by the Nighthawk for everything (iphones, ipad, wireless cameras...). With this setup I didn't order any of the electronics for our Ollie. My truck wifi hotspot should work great without modification (I'll just leave it in my truck) when we're in the Ollie as well. The wifi router also allows other cool things like using the wireless cameras as backup or dashmount while driving and security while camping (even when away from our setup the cameras will ping if there is some activity, etc.). I plan on checking for bears before I open the front door every morning. 😉

I can't say for sure until I pick up the Ollie and try it but I have a good WiFi connection for about 100' from my truck (unobstructed) and the router will be in the back very close to the Ollie so I will be shocked if it doesn't. I'll let you know for sure sometime shortly after 11/18 if all goes according to schedule with our pickup.

The original 2' SQUARE ALUMINUM rack. I currently have a Yakama bike rack mounted on it. In the future there will be an aluminum box, with the bike rack mounted on top of the front opening box.

I drive steep grades all the time, it is hard to escape them in this part of the country. When you see a percent listed on a sign it is the average “top to bottom” value. On Interstates and major highways that may be fairly accurate. On back roads, it is a fantasy. There is a popular bicycle road going from the bottom of the Columbia Gorge near Lake Chelan, to the high rolling wheat fields up top. I have driven it several times in both directions. It is posted as 7.5%. In reality it has 15% stretches. It is a first gear, pedal to the floor experience going up with my Land Cruiser, and a first gear, sphincter tightening descent with way too many brake applications. My GPS is set to show elevation and grade all the time. When it gets over 16% I start to get pretty darned concerned. Diesel trucks with engine brakes rule in this area. For your entertainment, Harry Chapin 30,000 Pounds of Bananas .... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OGldNpngDws John Davies Spokane WA

A solar truck topper with sides that extend horizontally when parked would yield 2000 watts.

We've used Rock Tamers for over 12 years. They are well built. Most of the "chrome" trim has flaked off over the years, but that's about it. We think they are quite effective, as we've had very few dings on the front of the trailer over the years. But, I guess like lightning rods, you only know if they don't work. 😃 We can still get some mud sprayed up on dirt roads, but I do think they offer a lot of protection. Sherry We bought both sets at Costco, but I don't see them on the Costco us site anymore. Amazon and etrailer seem to have the best price right now.

It does attenuate the signal appreciably it seems, at least sometimes. I don't know if it's the fiberglass itself or the foil backed insulation.

All options in the packages are available ala carte, except the 3000w inverter. If you truly want or need all the items in a package, you will save a few hundred $$. That is a big if . . . . I wonder if they aren't trying to move inventory items that aren't selling individually, such as the Auto Drain switch in the Electronics Pro Pkg. the Lithium and the Solar packages are the only combos that go together. The others, not so much. These are the options we have chosen: Lithium Pro pkg - though I wish it had more solar wattage From the Electronics Pro pkg - only the cell phone booster Outdoor Pro pkg - 30 lb LP tanks and additional 30 amp convenience connection.

I forgot one more thing, in Spring I carry a 110 volt Makita 16” chainsaw plus 75 feet of cord, that I can run off the generator, for when I come around a turn on a forest road and find a tree down across the road. I have no winch (you don’t really need one with a 200, as long as you are cautious, and have a shovel and Maxx Trax), so this method allows me to clear a downed tree, or cut firewood, quite easily. It is more clunky than a gas saw but the saw is silent and relatively mess free, and there is no gas/ oil mix to carry. I really should carry the saw all season long, because you never know when a williwaw will come through and trap you in your camping spot. Aaaaaaand, if you wanted to carry a small automotive battery charger, you could recharge a dead truck battery from the generator in a couple of hours, so you don’t have to call for a tow truck. Assuming you have a cell signal or an inReach. But I carry a lithium jump pack, so I don’t need a charger..... I have used that pack in the wild one time, on another truck. The driver was very grateful but I refused cash. Honda vs Yamaha is an individual preference really, but I think the Blue is definitely better. Honda has had a lot of recalls lately that are worrisome.. John Davies Spokane WA

I do not want or feel the need for a propane conversion. I always carry 10 gallons of gas on the back of the Ollie on the relocated factory Ollie rack - BTW this reduces my tongue weight to under 500 pounds, when those jerry cans are full. So I never worry about having gas for the generator, and I can refuel the 200 using a fast flow syphon pump if I want to top up at the campsite before I head into the boonies. Or I can easily refill the gennie tank the same way. It was easier when the tray was up front, but it isn't a big deal now. I removed the third row seats and stored them away the day I got the 200 home, and I recently put down a nice Toyota rubber mat for a Heritage Edition since the OEM mat has those cutouts for the seat mounts. I added a stainless loop at the right rear seat back bolt, to allow me to run a Python cable through that hole and through the Yamaha, so it can't wander off. Unfortunately, all the other stuff inside the truck could wander off, so it is not advisable to run the gennie this way unless you are entirely alone, or you can watch the proceedings through the window for bad guys. Here it is, running - you do NOT want to completely trap a running generator inside the truck.: The Yamaha is a brute, I normally see close to 20 amps without issues and it runs my Air Command AC without a soft start kit, using a super heavy duty 10AWG 15 amp cord: When running it on the ground, I lock it to the tongue: Ands when switched off I hide it behind the Stone Stomper mesh, after it has cooled:. This shows the tray before I moved it around back: Was that too much information at once? John Davies Spokane WA

I don't worry or think about the up or the down. I tow with a 3/4 ton duramax powered truck. Going up, its no issue, ( tow haul mode or not) going down, hit the engine brake switch, and go back to listening to my spouse ....... Must admit - somewhere out west, there was a above normal - maybe 12% grade - I mentioned it to the copilot, she replied, hmmm. ok. Have fun

I do like my Cell Amplifier, If i have only one bar on my phone it will boost it to 2 bars, most all the time.

It’s just the fast pace of modern technology. It’s the most advanced when it comes out. 6 months later it’s obsolete.

Yeah, it hurts when two years later you see the shiny new thing that's both better and cheaper than what you've bought. You've just got to find an inner peace with that somehow, lol.

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

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...

In my experience, visiting a dealership in a rural location and asking right away to talk to a fleet salesman or manager gets better results, 90% of the time. These guys deal with businesses and farmers and understand the actual capabilities and limitations of the trucks WAY better than your average “Brochure Reader” (completely untrained) sales droid, who could have been selling furniture a month ago. A big city truck dealership, not so much. That dealer might be more useful at buying an SUV. Buyer beware, indeed! John Davies Spokane WA

I agree. There is nothing wrong with Oliver's setup but if you're technical or have the time to become informed, there are better options on the market. If cellular wasn't critical to me, I'd probably just opt for the wifiranger setup and call it a day. The cost isn't that much above the MSRP of the device and the installation will be clean. If you're interested in seeing what else is out there, rvmobileinternet.com is by far the best source on the internet. Their youtube channel is another place to start: https://www.youtube.com/mobileinternetresourcecenter

I am sorry to hear of this misfortune, but you were very, very smart to get it in writing from the salesman, even if it was just a text or email. Phone calls are a recipe for disaster. I have had a couple of nasty experiences with buying things where the verbal promises made were a fantasy. Always ALWAYS get it in writing. Bravo! I financed a home purchase in person (in the Olde Days) and the rep gave me a great deal (zero points, low rate), but it sounded a little off to me, enough to raise suspicions. I demanded and received a written/ signed rate description on their Wells Fargo letterhead. Months later I received a letter from the bank saying that the guy had been making promises they could not keep, and he had been fired, and the points and rate was going up. I sent them a copy of the letter and a comment that they should probably let it slide in my case, which they did. Sorry for the thread hijack. It is too bad you drove so far and spent so much time with this, it should never have happened with a brand new vehicle. Ford owes you some financial compensation for your miles driven and lodging (12 hrs and two nights!) and lost wages. Seriously, I would initiate a ticket with their corporate office. This is a very big deal and IMHO you should pursue it. If you have trouble with Ford, consider contacting a local tv news station, they usually have somebody who helps in consumer cases like this. It makes great stories on the local broadcast, and the threat of bad publicity usually forces a good outcome. Are you still going to get a F150? I personally would be a little wary at this point. Maybe you should swing by the Toyota dealer to look at a Tundra....;) ... Thanks for keeping us updated, and good luck. John Davies Spokane WA

jordanv, Some folks don't read their vehicle operators manual closely. Hats off to you for reading the manual and standing your ground with the dealer. 👍

Take a look at the Super Duty 2500 with the brand new big 7.3 liter gas engine. It is tuned for low to midrange torque, like a turbo diesel. That would be my engine of choice, by a landslide, plus the Tremor Offroad suspension package, if I ever decided to buy a Ford. Which is probably never...... 😀 I just don’t like the interiors. We all love vehicle shopping vicariously, let the other guy foot the bill. In your shoes I might wait a while, see what the new models have to offer. Or buy a tried and true low tech, but utterly reliable Tundra 5.7. Or a Sequoia. Or a certified used three year old Land Cruiser. Check out the newer Rams, they have very nice interiors, the 2500s ride on rear coil springs or optional air suspension and won’t beat you up all day long, like old fashioned leaf springs. Of all the vehicles we have been talking about, the one your wife will fall in love with is the Land Cruiser. John Davies Spokane WA

The radar data delay from Noaa is about 7 minutes. Then your app has to take that data and fit it into their program for distribution. Still beter than asking your aunt if her rheumatism is flairing up..

My 2020 Tundra did a very good job towing my Elite II last week. We did not have to traverse too many steep climbs but did have a few pulls in N Ga. back roads. I know the 2020 Tundra is obsolete in many ways but the engine was what I wanted. I have the same V8 in my 2011 Lexus 570 and it never misses a beat and just runs, runs, and runs. I am interested to see if Toyota catches up with the 2021 model Tundra. I have had a Jeep Rubicon that stayed in the shop (3 radiators and resurfaced heads from metallurgy issues with 111,000 miles in which Jeep gave me a 5 year unlimited mileage warranty) and a Ford 150 that was problematic have steered me to Toyota. If we could get Toyota to come out with a 2500 series I would be thrilled.

In Europe, towing is done with much less tongue weight, 10% would be considered too nose heavy. The gotchas are understanding that your weight distribution when parked and while underway will be different. The Ollie has long tanks that can shift the center of gravity if they slosh. Having more weight on the trailer front tires is important as that will generally mean it is the one to "steer" the trailer. The other thing John (and the Europeans) have going for them is their tow vehicles (SUV/station wagons) have a much shorter arm from rear axle to ball than a pickup truck. Shorter arm means less torque and sway. They also have coil rear suspension which generally has less side to side play and less chance for sway to develop. The only way to really understand your trailer's weight distribution is to weigh your TV without trailer, and then with the trailer. This will let you know how much your trailer unloads your steer axle and also ensures you are capturing weight with the tongue at ride height/with chains/WDH/etc... CAT scales has an app now that makes this pretty easy as you can do both weighs without having to go inside to the weighmaster.

You won’t see anything written down at the Oliver website recommending anything but a 10-12% tongue weight, that is the lawyers speaking. I even asked Service what a safe minimum TW is, and they quoted me the same exact advice. That is traditional specs for conventional stick and staple trailers with junky construction, bald tires, worn out suspensions and lousy aerodynamics. Elite IIs are sold all the time with nothing up front and a bike rack receiver at the back, and when loaded with bikes they have tongue weights around 500 or less. They tow true and straight, and to the best of my knowledge nobody here has EVER complained about sway or instability. If your TV can handle a heavy TW, fine, no worries. My Land Cruiser (with airbags) tows better with the tongue lighter and the Anderson chains slacked off until they are just snug. For the smaller trailer, since it does not have the major dampening effect of tandem axles, I would keep the tongue at 10%, minimum. As always, the driver of the TV makes the final decisions and has the final responsibility. Load your trailer so that you feel comfortable. Oliver does say that 100 pounds hanging off the rear receiver is OK. That number includes bikes and the bike rack but not the weight of the receiver and mounting parts. Having that much weight at one end is no problem, but where you could get into trouble is when you have that much at both ends, at the same time. That is a lot of combined inertial mass far from the centerline of the trailer axles. BTW, if I had to guess, I would bet that 90% of Ollie owners have no idea what their tongue weight is. Investing in a quality scale like the Sherline LM1000 provides useful data and may make you feel more informed, but I don’t think it is a requirement with these trailers to be safe. Finally, never believe any advice you read in forums.... here is an interesting article. .... https://www.gorv.com.au/caravan-weight-myths/ John Davies Spokane WA