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Correct - all lithium batteries need a battery management system, or BMS, which will help keep the batteries from being charged in freezing temperatures, as well as protect them from over current, over charging, fully discharging, etc. It will also monitor the individual cells within the battery to make sure that they maintain the same voltage. To my knowledge, all of the major players either have the BMS built into their batteries, or sell a BMS to be installed separately. I think it would really only be an issue if someone is buying their batteries directly from China. Hopefully, anyone who goes through that much trouble will have done their homework.

I use the bed topper /cap. It has its advantages and disadvantages. I found something interesting made for toppers. A topper lift. 4 electric post lifts, that lifts the topper to be able to put larger item in the truck bed. The other nice idea is the company sells a kit to convert the topper to a tent camper when lifted. The web site is topperezlift.com

Speaking as someone who has a compressor fridge, this repetitive hand wringing about the absorption fridge has gotten ridiculous. Sure, a compressor fridge is better, but not by that much. If you don’t like it, then just put a fridge freezer in your truck. That’s something that will actually make a difference in how you travel.

Sold our 1/2 Ton short bed with an ARE bed cap. Bought a Duramax standard bed. Ordered an ARE bed cap for standard bed but it had a long lead time. In the meantime we used 3 Contico tool boxes for storage. Really worked well. I did use a cable to lock the big cooler to the truck. Picture taken on the Washington Island Ferry.

Recommend a cap or tonneau cover. My tools are now in the lockable Rambox on either side. We carry our generator, grill, Clam, rug, chairs, camp tables, and a couple of large plastic containers in the truck bed. Not all of it gets off loaded at every site and we use the truck for site seeing and other travel without the trailer so I wouldn’t want stuff in the bed out in the open. Also, we’ve been in plenty of rain storms and a few snowy situations so I like to have things in the truck bed covered and secure. Mike

We spent four days there in mid September, the trailing end of the busy season. I don’t know much about the West Glacier part, we rushed through it on our way home. There are tons of activities if you like go-carts, zip lines and trinkets. It is just like Gatlinburg TN without Dolly Land. If you are headed east, it’s a great place to stock up on supplies and do laundry since things will get VERY bare in that direction. US 2 over Marias Pass is an easy, pretty drive along the Flathead River. There is a rest stop at the top with an OK view of the south end of the Park. Also a NFS campground (Summit, 12 sites) which is spread out but has minimal sun and no views. Elevation is right at a mile up so it may be windy and chilly. Once you start descending the east slope the dense trees go away and the terrain opens up. There is much less rainfall there. The Burlington Northern main line follows US 2 for many miles, be aware of this when camping and try to pick a spot a mile or two north or south and well away from any crossings. It is very busy hauling freight and coal. Amtrak has two stops, one in West Glacier and one in East Glacier. The East Glacier stop is a short walk from the huge, cool old hotel, so it is busy with visitors, many from other countries. There are mouldering 1930s cottages and tourist shops along the park road road for a mile or so, but nothing really worth a visit. There is gas outside ALL the entrances on this side, but prices will be 30 to 40 cents higher. Browning is the only “big” town (with 1026 souls). The Blackfeet Reservation dominates the entire area. Be very aware of their laws about firearms. If you have any, they must be empty and secured completely out of reach. NO concealed or open carry! Browning itself has cheap gas, a grocery store, post office and a few odd shops, and a museum, but other than despair nothing is present. It is known to be a rough town and you probably wouldn’t want to go bar-hopping there. Expect a lot of visible poverty and a few street beggars. The Museum of the Plains Indians is interesting if you like that sort of stuff. I found myself bored silly, but Jac liked it a lot. The Cenex north of town has a prominent sign posted "No Sticky-Fingers Allowed", with a long list of Blackfeet folks who were banned. The names were astonishing but I didn’t feel it would be OK to take a picture…. https://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-american-indian-names/blackfoot-names.htm ... Two Medicine is a wonderful place, we spent four nights there. It is right under the craggy peaks and the boat launch/ day use area is a good spot for time lapse video of glorious sunrises. It can be ferociously windy and camping is limited now, but if you can snag a spot it would be better than St Mary. There were no generators allowed in that section in season, but they may have relaxed that rule when it went Primitive. Running Eagle Falls and Nature Trail is a delight, with short and easy access from the entry road. The camp store is closed this time of year. Bears are around, the rangers had to chase a sow and her two cubs from the campground by firing a rifle several times. Even when walking park roads you each need to ALWAYS carry bear spray and keep your heads swiveling! Narrow brushy trails are nerve wracking, keep talking or clap your hands loudly to alert any big predators to your presence. You can buy spray in the Apgar and St Mary gift shops. US 89 is the main RV route north from Browning to St Mary and Going to the Sun Road. At Kiowa Junction there is major MAJOR construction and the entire highway should be avoided They are ripping out the hillsides and rerouting and recontouring the road bed. Expect 30 minute delays, pilot cars and one way traffic. It is NOT a place to take a trailer. It might be OK on a dry day without the Ollie. MT 49 goes from East Glacier to Kiowa. The south part is fine as far as the turnoff to Two Medicine. Further north it is Not Recommended For Trailers. It is fun in a truck - the roadbed is heaved, repaired, potholed, washed out and extremely undulating. To get from East Glacier up to St Mary, go into Browning, gas up at the big Cenex a mile north of town, and take MT 464 as a 70 mph bypass. It is straight and smooth with some great views of the Park mountains from the higher hills. Watch out for free range horses on the reservation, especially just north of Browning. You may see them grazing on the shoulder! The Blackfeet love horses but some owners don’t care if they lose one to a collision… St Mary park entrance is busy with tour and shuttle buses. There is adequate RV parking. Since the GTTS road closed for construction on the west side of Logan Pass (September 16), it may be worse. It’s now the only way to access the high country near the Pass.If you want to hike up there, take the shuttle and don’t even think about parking your truck up there. There are several short hikes to viewing areas along the road that are worth visiting. Sunrift Gorge is gorgeous. Parking lower down should not be a problem. St Mary Campground is just OK, it has plenty of room for an Ollie and adequate sun exposure, but it has no views. One section is prone to flooding. It may be posted Hard Sided Campers Only due to problem bears. This is the best choice to stay on the east side of the Park, unless you luck out and find an open spot that is large enough in one of the other smaller campgrounds. I suggest that you stay here two nights. Explore the second day and keep an eye out fo rougher camping options that would be closer to the scenery. You can always claim a spot and leave a small tent or chairs there, and go get your Ollie that day to shift it. Many Glacier is drop dead beautiful, but crazy busy with back-country hikers. It allows low elevation access to a bunch of spectacular trails.The road in is very nasty, potholed and uneven. It is a disgrace for a national park. Parking will be very tough around the trailhead and hotel. You can go past that turnoff and find a spot along the road and walk back.The hotel has a nice affordable restaurant with stellar views out the back windows. The campground there is very tight and heavily treed and not a good spot for an Ollie. Plus it will probably be full of hikers and their tents. Waterton Lakes National Park - we did not go there since we could not do a Canadian border crossing, but it would be an excellent day visit. It’s about 30 minutes north of the Many Glacier entrance on a very twisty road. RV camping outside the Park - practically none. The Blackfeet do not seem to care to exploit tourist dollars. Most of the small towns outside The Res have an RV camp of some sort. Choteau to the south is a neat, prosperous town (it’s the county seat) with a nice little city campground and a $5 dump/ potable water station. Cell signal is spotty at best, you will be able to connect at the entrances and in the bigger towns, but forget about it completely once you are inside the Park. The campground hosts post weather reports in the busy season, that may not be an option this time of year. On a hike you should always carry enough clothes for unexpected rain or cold, and carry basic survival stuff in case you get stranded. A satellite communicator like an inReach provides great peace of mind and a limited degree of two-way communication. A big handgun is OK in the Park if you are legal in MT to carry one, but it is a crime to actually fire it inside there. It cannot be carried inside any Federal facility like a visitor center, so if you are using the shuttle system it probably has to stay at the trailer…. I am still working on organizing pics, I will post some later. John Davies Spokane WA

About a year ago we started looking a trailer trailers. It became obvious that the wood framed trailers are pretty much junk. If I buy something I want it to last many years. This is why I started looking at Airstreams. Air streams are not with out their flaws, but they are not junk. I happened across an add for Oliver a month ago, and the thought that it was interesting. I really like the 23-25 twin beed setup of Airstream and I saw Oliver had a similar setup with the 23ft. I have done a few searches, but have had problems gathering the info. I am sure some thread has already covered this in depth, but haven’t found it. I have some questions: What are the pros/cons of Oliver vs Airstream? (I know a broad subject.) I was wondering about the durability of the shell and the ability to get the shell repaired? Also Major vs minor repairs to shell? Airstream has guards all around the front end to protect the alumiinim body and glass. Any problems with the Oliver in this aspect? What is the the longevity of Oliver? (20year old Airstream is still young) Does the shell degrade with longterm exposure to the environment, ie weather, UV,...? Does the shell have seems that need to be sealed, if so how often? People put lift kits on the Airstreams because they sit soo low, Does Oliver need this or is a lift kit available? The Airstream has steel frames that are prone to rust if care is not taken with them. I Oliver use aluminum which can corrode and can be prone to repetitive stress fractures. Are there any precautions/worries that you need to worry about with the frame of the Oliver? I know this is a bunch of questions. Sorry.

Getting ready for an upcoming trip. I thought I'd share some of what I do to stock for camping. My first shopping trip is to the home fridges and freezer, and my home pantry. I pull staples from dry goods. Partial bottles of ketchup, mustard, mayo, hot sauce are just fine. I might not come home with a partial, to add to another partial bottle. I often shop at Costco, so large quantities get broken down and portioned when I get home. Then, marinated or seasoned, and vac packed, labeled, and frozen, in the case of meats, poultry, and fish. I like to freeze items flat, on a cookie sheet,, so they stack better.. My freezer is a great start for camping proteins, just as it is for meal starters at home. The day before we leave, I usually make and chill a container each of pasta salad, potato salad, and cole slaw. Freeze sliced lunch meats. I precook a pound of bacon, and pack it in a flat container or ziplock. I cook/"boil" 6 to 12 eggs, as we like boiled eggs, and they can become egg salad for lunch, a quick breakfast, or a high protein snack. I try to make a list of proteins and ingredients on hand, so we often only have to add produce and bread in a two or three week trip. Sometimes, not much of that, either. I carry milk in shelf stable quarts. In cooler weather, I often make a batch or two of soup, and freeze it. Sometimes precook pasta, and store it in ziplocks, with a little olive oil. Depends on the season. I don't have a microwave, but precooked rice, pasta, etc, can be reheated easily stovetop, or in foil packets on the fire. It's nice to have some meal items prepped for the first few days or first week. Keeps dinner interesting, but easier, after a long day of exploring. Sherry

That Progressive Dynamics Power Converter has a cooling fan on it. Have you heard it running?

I think it’s about 79 inches.

Thank you again for all the detailed information. Makes me sad that we had to cancel our Glacier trip back in July (without an Ollie.) Good reminder that September plans for any year could be upended.

My last 2 caps were Leer. After 13 years and 150,000 miles it was evident the Cap would last as long as the truck. Highly recommend the bed rug and the Leer cap option to match.

June 2019 I had to wait 6 weeks to get the bed cap. I don’t know what the wait time is now. As sakthorp said they use the paint code from the vehicle to match the paint but if your vehicle is older the paint may have faded. My cap has a hinged window with sliding glass in the front so that you can wash the windows between the cab and cap. Also has an LED light with a prop switch that can be set to turn on when rear window is raised. The lock on the rear window is wired to the truck and is activated with the truck locks. The cap doesn’t completely seal the bed so you still get some dust inside but your stuff will be covered and somewhat secure. The cap will increase the noise level in the cab slightly, especially in the back seat.

Thank you, very good information. I’ll have to share it with Krunch because my involvement in the food department has to do with grilling and chilling. Oh and the Oreo's are my responsibility as well. Mossey

I carry a 2K Watt Champion. Nice size, 38 pounds, very quiet.

We do what Bill does. Rug on the bathroom floor until we shower then it goes just outside the door.

If you are worried about someone stealing your batteries you could padlock the sliding rack that they are mounted on. Unless you plan on storing it in a publicly accessible storage with no security I wouldn’t be too concerned. Most folks don’t even know where the batteries are stored on the Oliver or that they have more than the normal 1 or 2. Mike

I'm not positive regarding any changes that have been made to the latest models and certainly not any changes for the fancy lithium stuff. But, I'm guessing that there have been no changes to the locks/closures for these models. To specifically answer your first question - Oliver has never used the kind of locks that are typical on most RV's. Indeed, the Oliver closing latches are actually from the marine industry and are of a better quality. Having said this though, the locks on these latches are fairly standard as are the keys. I'm not sure just how many different ones are in existence but I'd bet that there simply aren't many. Yes, better than standard RV's but not what I'd call a great difference. If I was worried about my batteries I would make a call to your Sales rep and ask what options are available. Since the lock is part of the latch I doubt that this will be an easy fix for you. However, an additional lock of some sort might make sense given the issues involved. Bill

Big dog? Big shotgun? Big alarm? Have a locking tailgate retrofitted? Truck cap with a locking lift gate? A couple of cheap hasps welded to the sides of the truck with big expensive locks so it doesn't look sooooo bad? Good luck! Bill

Good tips! Refigerator/Freezer space is limited so I plan our meals in advance so that we only take exactly what we need. We're leaving in a week so today I made lentil sloppy joes, sweet potato and black been burgers, vegan chili and chunky veggie soup. Those are now in the freezer ready to go. I used to put brown rice in freezer bags but since freezer space is so limited, I now purchase the brown rice in those shelf stable packets that I keep in the pantry. We use shelf stable soy milk that can be stored until ready to be chilled in the fridge. At home generally I eat a large green salad each day for lunch and during our last trip I made individual containers for the week but they FROZE 😳 I think the fridge was stuffed too full? Since that trip, I've decided that veggie sandwiches will be a better choice. Oatmeal for breakfast with berries. I find the fridge and freezer are large enough for a weeks worth of groceries, we eat LOTS of fresh fruits and veggies and they are bulky. We find that taking a cooler helps, we keep waters, beer and wine in that and it helps free up room in the trailer refrigerator. I'm thinking of figuring out some menus using freeze dried components because those are lightweight and can be put into baggies just like the backpackers use. Mostly for soups, stews, chilis.

I assume that Oliver was putting 13,500-BTU units in the 2019 trailers (is this correct?), and I understand that the A/C for current models is rated at 11,000 BTUs. Does anyone know if this unit is appreciably quieter?

I read most posts before we ordered in 2015. There was a lot less content then. Since, I’ve read most posts and once I became a moderator I read everything, whether I want to or not! I just skim classifieds since I’m not selling or buying. Mike

The ones about Fords, Rams and Toyotas 😜

What are the pros/cons of Oliver vs Airstream? (I know a broad subject.) Airstream advantages: Size - the extra foot in width and greater choices of lengths mean that the Airstreams can offer a bit more space and floor plan options. And there are larger Airstream models that work well for families, whereas the Olivers mainly appeal to couples or single owners. Finishes - I think that most Oliver owners would agree that the finishes in an Airstream are nicer and offer more choices whereas the Oliver interior is more utilitarian, though attractive. Prestige - Let's face it, Airstream is the classic to which all others are compared. Oliver advantages: Size - the narrower Olivers are easier to maneuver and can fit places an Airstream cannot - and you don't need towing mirrors with an Ollie. Ease of towing - I've never heard of anyone complain of sway or other instability with an Ollie, even when towing with less than ideal vehicles. Toughness - The fiberglass shell on an Ollie is heavy and durable. No popped rivets, no seams to seal, no fear of hail, and generally just more resilient. Since the interiors are moulded fiberglass as well, you can bounce an Oliver down a rough gravel road without worrying that your cabinetry will fall apart. Easily modifiable - you'd be surprised how readily some of us will pull out a saw. Super easy to maintain - the finishes inside can be quickly wiped down after a trip and the exterior is equally as easy to keep washed and waxed. Great service and an amazing family of owners - you'll see us question some Oliver decisions, designs, etc. from time to time, but one thing I think most everyone agrees on is that Oliver will stand behind their product and if things go wrong, they'll make it right. And if you ever need help with anything, there's always another owner willing to share their experience, offer solutions or advice, and even lend a helping hand. I was wondering about the durability of the shell and the ability to get the shell repaired? Also Major vs minor repairs to shell? Any marine fiberglass repair shop can repair damage to an Oliver shell, as can the factory. The shell itself is surprisingly tough - we've seen one Oliver in a major accident where the trailer slid in the snow, hit a bridge railing, and flipped, but the shell remained in tact and was repairable. I know of another owner who I think backed into a low tree branch and put a hole in the back corner on the curve and Oliver repaired it so that you couldn't tell it ever happened. Airstream has guards all around the front end to protect the alumiinim body and glass. Any problems with the Oliver in this aspect? Some, but there are a handful of solutions that people have come up with to deal with it. Since there's no window in front to worry about, I think the easiest and most durable solution is to coat the lower half of the front with a clear 3M film. That's something that can be done yourself or at most any detailing shop. What is the the longevity of Oliver? (20year old Airstream is still young) Who knows? We plan for ours to last at least that long. I've seen many of the earliest Olivers and they all look great. Just thinking about "restoring" a 50 year old Oliver - no wood to rot, all the components are standard and easily replaced, rust free frame, no cabinetry to rebuild, easily accessed plumbing and electrical, etc. Does the shell degrade with longterm exposure to the environment, ie weather, UV,...? Sure, if not taken care of. Oliver has a couple of the first Ollies that they've left sitting outside without much care and they're starting to look a bit dull. But I think a good polishing would freshen them up. All of the older Ollies I've seen apart from those still look shiny. Same as a fiberglass boat, I guess. We've also had owners paint or wrap the exterior, because they wanted a different color, so that's always an option down the road even if the finish on the shell were to deteriorate to the point that it couldn't just be polished. Does the shell have seems that need to be sealed, if so how often? No seams, but some penetrations like the plumbing vent and windows will need to be recaulked every three or four years. I just did mine for the first time (they didn't really need it) and it was an easy afternoon's job. One thing about the Ollie is that if there ever is a leak, it's easy to spot and there's very little damage that can be done. People put lift kits on the Airstreams because they sit soo low, Does Oliver need this or is a lift kit available? Olivers do sit noticeably higher. It isn't at all necessary, but of course some of us have looked into various methods to raise them even further. The older Elite 1's, and maybe even the current ones, had the axles mounted under the springs which gave them about 4" more clearance. I asked Oliver to do that to my E2, and it was just too high - looked silly and I was worried about stability. But because the suspension is built on a removable subframe, you could really take it off and do whatever you want. My own experience taking my E2 offroad is that the clearance is actually pretty good as it is. I've yet to drag the bumper or high center the tongue. I banged the steps on the pavement once, turning off of a paved road with a very low shoulder but the asphalt took the brunt of that encounter. The biggest issue is that just like the Airstream there's not a lot of suspension travel, and on the Ollie, that means that the axles can bang the steel subframe. That's never caused any damage, you can just tell looking a the subframe that it's been knocked a few times. I've looked into installing a Lippert Centerpoint airbag kit to mine, and I think it would work - that would give a couple extra inches of clearance and a softer ride on rough roads. The Airstream has steel frames that are prone to rust if care is not taken with them. I Oliver use aluminum which can corrode and can be prone to repetitive stress fractures. Are there any precautions/worries that you need to worry about with the frame of the Oliver? I have seen one Oliver frame failure from stress cracks, which Oliver replaced for free. That was one of the earliest E2's, which had a much lighter aluminum frame with a different design than the current one, and it also had many miles on it. The frame was reengineered at some point early on in production and the current one is much beefier - I haven't heard of any failures or stress cracks on one of those. I know this is a bunch of questions. Sorry. That what this forum is for. Welcome - please stick around and ask many more.

I don't have definitive answers for you, but just want to say, we were in the same position a couple of months ago when we decided to sell our 25 ft class B+ Leisure Travel Van. We decided not having a way to explore in remote areas was to restrictive and we didn't want to tow another vehicle. Also the additional cost to maintain and insure a vehicle that sits most of the winter because it isn't 4-season. Well, enough of that, here's why we decided on Oliver. Having owned a couple of wood framed, entry level trailers, we know how poorly they are built,besides being a big step down from a high quality motor home. So, Airstream was the first thing we looked at. Found out, real quick, AS just isn't made as well as we thought. Yes, we liked the twin floor plan. But after hearing tales of cabinets falling off the wall, high maintenance exteriors, and the fact that they are mass produced for a market that demands luxury over quality, we decided to look at other options. Durability and function are more important to us than all the "bells and whistles" and "like home amenities". Not sure how we stumbled onto Oliver, but once we watched the factory tour video, we were very interested. After contacting Oliver, we were set up to meet an Oliver in person, since we are 26 hours away from Hohenwald, TN. I suggest you do this before deciding between the two. A nice couple from Central Oregon met us and welcomed us, amid the pandemic, to tour their Oliver twin bed. We had pretty much decided it was a good choice, but wanted to make sure it "fit" our needs. Ironically, this couple had considered an Airstream. When they went to the dealership, with the intent to purchase, low and behold, as the salesperson was showing the trailer, the oven fell out of the wall! Not my idea of a $100,000 RV and certainly shows how little the dealers care about their product. Oliver cares. I also like that with Oliver, you have a choice on a lot of features that other brands install as standard, whether you want them or not. Less motorized accessories to maintain/malfunction. We don't watch TV while traveling . . . . . so we don't have to have the big TV antenna on the roof. Our microwave gets used very little when we camp . . . . . we can delete the microwave and have a large storage cabinet instead. Don't like swirly graphics? . . . . . you can order your Oliver in a plain white wrapper, or choose the color(s) for their more subdued swooshes. And the integrated fiberglass cabinets are not going to fall off the wall! Sure, there is always going to be something that needs attention, but buying directly from the manufacturer problems are well taken care of. Oliver has pride in their product that the mass produced market cannot match. My suggestion for you would be to contact an Oliver agent. He or she will be more that happy to answer your questions. If you are anywhere near the plant, schedule a tour.

To clarify a prior post, there is a flow restrictor in the water line going to the bathroom faucet, to remove it you just unscrew the shower head from the flexible water line, the restrictor is in the end of the hose, I just pried it out with a small screwdriver and reattached the shower head. Steve