Leaderboard

Best low cost addition to the Ollie that I’ve made is this plug holder for the 7 pin connector. Keeps the plug off the ground and dry when set up at the campsite. Purchased from etrailer.

For years now I have tried to tell those "working folk" I run into just how stressful retirement is. After they initially laugh I go on to explain that since they are working they have a fairly good idea of exactly what their day will bring. They know when they will get up, what they will wear, probably what they will have for breakfast, where they will go, what they will do, maybe even where they will eat, what time they will head for home and what they will do when they get there. We "retired folks" don't necessarily know many of these things and we have to make decision upon decision each and every day which leads to STRESS! However, because I (we) care about the wellbeing, health and happiness of others, this retirement thing is just something that I (we) are willing to do. I encourage those "working folk" just to continue to work, pay into Social Security, and be happy. I'll suck it up and handle all this STRESS for them. Bill 😅

I did not ask where the Airskirts were made. I do have some concerns about how they would fit around the steps of the Ollie. There would be large gaps without a custom set of smaller air bags. As I mentioned in a previous post, I'll be running lots of tests this winter in my driveway to see if skirts (and other things) make a big difference in various temps, winds, etc. I'll post anything I discover. I'm a data freak. Might be the first time ever I actually hope NC gets some frigid temps for my tests. 🙂 In the end, my preference will be to try and give the Ollie a customized "cold weather package" and not worry about skirts. I've got a lot of good ideas on where to start from reading this forum. Will definitely keep in touch!

Some dump stations make everything easy. Others, make it hard. Probably important to remember that every dump doesn't need to be "perfect." If you leave a gallon or two in either tank, it's not a crime.

Glad I could help.

I've never used barge cement, but I think I will order some. The can, not the blue tube. Great reviews. Thanks. I'd never heard if it before your post. I just hate giving up boots and shoes that are broken in, feel good, but not "broken out ." May seem silly, or cheap, but I just love some of my boots and shoes. Hard to part with them because part of the sole parts . Sherry

Thanks, Townesw. I contacted progressive, they shipped me out a replacement panel. And the at did it. The 50 decibel hum that drove me crazy is gone. the silence is amazing!

Like Bill, I made my own blocks. Mine are stacked pieces of pressure treated 2X6’s. I drilled a couple of holes through them and added yellow nylon rope for handles. I usually put one or more legos under them to raise them even more. Here’s a picture:

Yesterdays rain, here at the coast, turned to snow just inland. The ski slopes got a 6" base. This morning that snow is still there. It is only 30 degrees here and the field has a thick coating of frost. Guess it is time for that dreadful task. WINTERIZE! Though the task is easy, the mental end of the season is the hardest part. When should we plan to hook up and pull out? January? February? 3 weeks? 4 weeks? Maybe 5? New places? Or old favorites? Decisions! Decisions!

That's OK . . . . ask away. We've all asked questions; just remember, there is no stupid question. Someone here will have the answer.

Earlier in this thread Seadawg suggested a product called "Shoe Goo" and I then mentioned "E6000". I believe that it is was in the craft section of a Super WalMart that I found a four pack of E6000 in small 0.18 fl oz tubes. These very small tubes are handy in that they have enough glue in them for most projects without drying out like the larger tubes tend to do before you can use it all. I always keep a couple of these small guys in the "junk" drawer of the Oliver just in case. Another product I saw recently in a "You, Me and the RV" Youtube video was for E6000 Extreme Tack. They used this product on the bottoms of several items to keep them from moving around on the counter as they drove down the road: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IR11XIM/?ref=exp_youmetherv_dp_vv_d Bill

Thanks all! You will likely be stupefied my the vastness of my ignorance as I go along to toward the Big Day, trying to focus on what I need to do or get before I pick up the Oliver I with zero — does it show? — heh — ZERO — RV experience. Sanity is overrated LOL

Yes. And then, you're not adding freshwater, just to activate the bio digester.

OK - I checked. Our local blue fireflys do their thing late Spring to early Summer. When I see the light I'll raise the flag. Bill

Actually leaving a gallon or two might be helpful. As the unit goes down the road the rolling splashing liquid might help dislodge any solids. What we use for an additive (Eco-Save) actually recommends not adding until waste is present. It is a bio-digester. The cherry perfume leaves a pleasant aroma, as opposed to the alternative.

A second to the 7 Pin Protector....in our case installed on the Basket on the tongue.

The screens in the Oliver windows are made with standard fiberglass screening material. Unfortunately, in many places I camp there are very small bugs (no-see-ums) that are small enough to fit through the holes in that screening. As a winter project last year I replaced all screens with a finer mesh screening suitable for keeping virtually all of these bugs at bay. This small bug screening can be purchased at virtually any hardware store and is fairly inexpensive. In addition, I purchased two different bug zappers that will get anything that flies through the door as I come and go. Both can be used as a bug zapper alone or be combined with their internal regular light function. Even though the NEBO was more expensive (about $25 versus the $15 I paid for the U-Lantern) I tend to like it better since it seems to be a bit brighter (the bug light portion) and thus takes care of critters a bit faster and it can be used as both a lantern and spotlight. NEBO Bug Zapper: https://www.amazon.com/NEBO-6587-Z-Bug-Lantern-Light/dp/B074TH22FB/ref=sr_1_2?crid=27FXU7XDX781S&dchild=1&keywords=nebo+bug+zapper+lantern&qid=1603047333&sprefix=nebo+bug%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-2 U-Pick Camping Lantern: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07T64CGZY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Small Insect Screen: https://www.amazon.com/ADFORS-Premium-Insect-Screen-Charcoal/dp/B00KIQKN0I/ref=sr_1_5?crid=32ZP3AH1Y8HIF&dchild=1&keywords=small+insect+screen+mesh+roll&qid=1603047517&sprefix=small+insect+screen%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-5 I should note that the NEBO is battery powered while the U-Pick is USB rechargeable but neither seem to really use that much juice. Also, it should not be a surprise but the tighter mesh of the small insect screening does restrict airflow more than the original screen. But, while I did notice the reduced air flow, it is not a major factor - just crank up the Maxair another notch 😉.

I’ve noticed in the latest rounds of factory photos that Oliver has switched to Reflectix style insulation, which is sort of like a foil bubble wrap, rather than the thinner foil backed foam that they were using before. I’d think that it should be more effective. I’ve been adding a layer or two of reflectix in the lower hull myself, over time as I do other things. Unfortunately, there’s no way to get into the upper hull, but with some work you can access much of the lower hull. We’ll see if it makes any difference. One place I’m glad to get the extra insulation is around the beds beneath the windows. It’s actually quite easy to stuff two layers of reflectix in there from below, and I’m hoping that it will keep those walls warm at night and eliminate the condensation if you happen to sleep up against them. So far, I’ve added extra insulation behind the bath vanity, extending somewhat into the closet and bath floor, all of the curb side from the fridge back, then all along the back and forward on the street side to the pantry. The insulation goes from about the belly band down to the floor and underneath the plumbing in all those areas.

SPOT annual (prepaid) subscription services are overpriced. In some cases grossly so. And very punitive; if you have to cancel - they keep it all... That is the primary reason why I bought an inReach for $350 and dropped my $50 (on sale, rebate) SPOT Satellite Tracker. Their web interface, at the time I cancelled, was clunky and awkward to use. Garmin’s is not great, but it is better. I would never recommend any SPOT. I don’t know if any theft devices offer a monthly subscription. My inReach monthly plan can be “paused” by going online. At the end of that month it stops until I restart it. No penalties or limitations. I don’t need it for camping five months per year, but I do travel in the winter, so I keep it active all year long, for that purpose. John Davies Spokane WA

Yes, I have it in a can. I recently restored some otherwise still decent water shoes for sea kayaking whose soles had pulled away from the shoes. So far the bond with the shoe's leather (which was primed on the sole contact surface when they were originally made) has held quite well - I'm impressed. These shoes have a lot of flex and as you might expect get wet each time they're used (during launch and landing of the kayaks). I also have used the cement to recover orthotics, which saved a TON of money as well and let me use the exact sort of covering material I wanted for them. Those have also held up super well even when soaked in not really waterproof hiking boots in PNW wet weather. I have a friend who uses it to cement rubber rands of "supergaiters" to mountaineering boot sole edges to create boots that stay dry in wet mushy spring snow.

I don't know what the upgrade prices are, but I know that we added solar, not quite six months in. If it were me, I'd get standard fla batteries and solar. Upgrade the batteries when they die in 5 or 6 years. If you're ok with the maintenance of fla batteries. At the very least, make sure you get a port for portable solar My opinion, only. I can (and do) live without a lot, but not without my solar panels. Sherry

We picked up our Ollie II in August (Hull 657) and had what may be the same or related problem. In our case, we could not get into the trailer at a gas station. We had not locked either the latch or the deadbolt. After much anguish I finally got it open and figured out that the strike plate was very slightly misaligned from the factory and needed to be adjusted out maybe a 16th to 32nd of an inch. Otherwise, when the door was closed softly, the latch failed to extend all the way into the striker plate when the door was otherwise closed and latched. After several hundred miles of driving, the latch apparently became jammed in the half extended position. The simple solution was to apply a little pressure against the outside edge of the door by the lock until you hear a "click" when the latch fully extends. Once the latch has fully extended, the door opens fine with the handle.

Pick up are elite 2 a mouth ago. 2020 ford f150 3l powerstroke .drove to bull shoals ar. Then to Des Moines Ia. Avg 15.8 mpg . All different types of driving . Hope this helps Dave

That definitely falls into the category of TMI.😮 Mossey

The holding tanks seem, to me, to be configured the same way that most of the industry is. The one labeled black is for the black tank, and the one labled gray is for the gray tank. Whether it is on the left or right matters not. The one thing that one should never do is get complacent around any dump station. As Jud Clampet said that is no place to see "bubbling crude", but probably it has happened there.. It is not the place to be adding fresh water to your tanks, or have any fresh water hoses laying around. A lot of those faucets do NOT have backflow preventors on them either. I have seen some untrained volunteers doing some strange things around there, so be careful and keep your eyes open. Also have seen a camper have her bare foot child standing on the dump drain, as she was rinsed off with the black tank rinse hose. Hopefully the " chunks" on the drain came off the child...

Let me see? Wood blocks are basically free and the legos cost money. That's a hard choice in that either will do the job. I always carry three 6x6 wood blocks that are about 11 inches long. These blocks just fit under the rear jacks on a fairly level surface and when used on their sides they are (obviously) just under 6 inches long thus giving an alternative for when that gap is under the 11 inches. Bill

We've been using Shoe Goo since the early 80's. Back then the main purpose was to apply the stuff to the heels of running shoes so that the shoes would last for a number of additional running miles (today's running shoes have soles that are much more durable than they were back in the day). The next "found" use for this stuff was to make both the heels and the toes of fly fishing wading boots last longer and I still use it for that purpose today. Certainly Shoe Goo will "fix" soles that are detaching but it tends to be slightly less pliable than E6000. Both of these products can be used for temporary small leak repairs or awning patching or fishing wader patching or .... Bill

The black tank flush hose connection is located in the area of the forward dinette seat at the bottom of the hull. Mossey

Sounds like a plan John....I had found the RV America site when searching for ski resorts that might allow RV's and found the information interesting but I didn't watch Alan's video until you posted it here. Good info for sure. It's almost too bad that Oliver doesn't make a "cold weather" package especially considering they tout a four season trailer. Although I'm not sure there'd be much demand...but there are at least 3 of us that would have been interested! When you spoke with the owner of airskirts did the owner mention where the product is actually made? Their website says "Designed and engineered" in the USA which usually means it's not actually made in the states. That's sort of a big deal for me considering the price. I may have some other questions for you and I'll PM you if I do. Let's keep in touch. Thanks...

Me, too. I love seeing them in the summer, in NC.

"Anyone know if a Toyota Tacoma w tow package is sufficient for hauling a loaded Elite ll?" Here's some real EII data from our Hull 505 to help you with your Tow Vehicle process: Check this real world data below against your Tacoma Payload, Tow Rating, and Hitch Ratings: ********************************************************************************** Empty Weight of EII as delivered at Factory, no water but 2 full 30Gal Propane Tanks Trailer 5465 Lbs -Tongue Wt - 635 Lbs GVWR for Oliver - 7000LBS We have almost Every Option: 4 AGM Batteries, Solar, Dual Awnings, Front Basket, Wifi and Wireless boosters, 2kW Inverter, Transfer Switch Weight of EII on Cat Scale Standing Alone - setup for camping, full of food, gear and water. Trailer 6400 Lbs - Tongue Wt - 750 Lbs (as high as 835Lbs when loaded with some gear in trailer in front of axels on floor.) The tow vehicle has several pieces of information and two that are very important: 1) Payload for Tow Vehicle - as listed on the drivers side door frame - This is the max amount you of weight to load into and carry in your vehicle. This includes passengers, any added post factory gear (like canopy's, tool boxes) and camping gear and it also needs to include the Tongue Weight of your trailer. Calc Example: (for 1/2 Ton Truck subtract all the cargo, passengers, gear and tounge weight to see what's left. So you see in that example, the truck payload is almost over capacity before adding all that other gear...bikes, ice chest, bbq, camp chairs, tools etc. Some gear can go into the trailer but you'll need to carefully "load" that trailer to not put it out of balance. Ladened Goal for Tongue Wt is minimum of 10% to max of 15% of the total trailer weight on the tongue. (for 6400 Lb Trailer, that's a range of 640-950Lbs) 2) Tow Capacity of the Tow Vehicle - often people want to have "margin" above the rated Tow Capacity for safety reasons. Example - Trailer has 7000LB GVWR, then you want about 9500 lbs of Tow Capacity to have upward margin. 3) What your Tow Vehicle Hitch states as Max Load both for dead weight carrying and with weight distribution. Here's a tag from an F150 factory installed hitch. Notice that it says 500 lbs for weight carrying, so for an Elite II ...you would need a Wt.Distribution Hitch like the Anderson Hitch offered as an option. Hope that's useful data for making a decision. Hull 505 - Galway Girl Craig Short

LOL, the forged steel Bulldog coupler weighs about 15 pounds, compared to maybe 5 pounds for a stamped low-grade steel model. It is chunky and very strong. The label on the top is the most TRAILER weight that is allowed. There is no such thing as a stupid question. Well, maybe the one that you are afraid to ask. Welcome to the forum. John Davies Spokane WA

You may be confusing the capacity of the Bulldog hitch with the weight of the Bulldog hitch. My Oliver weighed 5100 lbs (with the hitch) when it came out of the factory. I don’t know how much the hitch weighs, but stop by Tractor Supply and they have them on the shelf that you can pick up with one hand and look at. If your Escalade can tow 7800 lbs then it can tow an Elite II. Mike

Your math looks okay, but your 5000-8000 lbs. values are the problem. I’m not sure where you got those numbers, but they are partially incorrect and I am confussed with the cast iron thingy term. You maybe referring to the Bulldog hitch. My 2017 Legacy II weighed 5180 lbs. leaving the factory including the Bulldog hitch before I put anything into it. I know there are some heavy Ollies on the road, but that is by owner choice not Oliver design. I am sure there will be other responses tomorrow. Mossey

Boondocking Pictures of our Oliver Travel Trailer

FYI, when I purchased our GMC, we got an a similar discount for financing with the GM financing. Also told we cold not pay it off until 6 months - however, once the account was active, we had paid maybe 2 months - I called and asked for pay-off. They were fine with me paying off the note. So It worked out fairly well - the finance charges were negligible. Interesting to me the how the costs and profits moved around in the deal.

If I were in the market - its hands down a 2500 GMC - I have enjoyed my current one more than I could have imagined. I can see me replacing it in a few years - same thing - like that 10 speed. I actually don't need (or care about) adj pedals, and a good portion of the other adjustable BS. But it comes with most of it, unfortunately. Good hunting.

We're in King County, WA -- so nothing "normal" here as we are on full "stay home stay safe" lock down. Local dealers seem willing to deliver for a test drive, so considering that option. I got to drive the 2019 versions of all the trucks and the 2020 version of the GM. Ram (2500 or 3500 with air) rides the best, but shifts the worst - especially the Aisin. The RAM 1500 is probably my front runner for 1/2 tons as it allows diesel+air suspension+33 gallon tank from the factory. But as with all half tons, weight becomes a concern - especially once tool boxes, caps, and covers are added - thus kind of just looking at the 350/3500 class trucks at this point.

I pulled mine off as soon as I got the trailer home. I was pissed to see that the Oliver tech that installed it used a fine blue permanent ink pen to draw a loooooong guide line ..... the mark would not come off. Other than that, no regrets at all, except for more water running down the side. But I rarely camp where it rains a lot, and I now have a roll of plastic rain gutter material to install over the windows and door, for when it does. https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00LE0CC24/?coliid=I2LEYPDLJNZQD4&colid=305M5TXY22I7S&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it John Davies Spokane WA

Joseph is a very cool little town way back in the boonies of NE Oregon. Getting around takes lots time since there is the Eagle Cap Wilderness to the south and Hells Canyon to the east. The roads can be lumpy and tight and always have ferocious elevation changes. https://josephoregon.com/ Joseph is affluent, and nearby Wallowa Lake and the state park at the south end draw lots of visitors in summer. The lake area is highly developed with beaches, boats, aerial tramway to the top, and even a back country outfitter where you can ride a horse far away and far up..... the main street is very attractive, with bronze statuary everywhere because there is an art foundry in town (tours daily). You can buy your own statues, I saw one that was going for $147,950..... LOL. I did say “affluent”. It closely resembles the best Colorado ski resorts without the altitude or skiing... elevation is 4200 ft, the mountains go to around 10,0000 ft. The 5 Peaks RV park is privately owned and on a quiet dead end street two blocks from the downtown stores and a quarter mile from the foundry. Six blocks away you can board a free shuttle bus that goes to nearby attractions. Full hookups, high speed wifi, cable tv, no restroom or showers. $40 per night. There are five older heavily shaded sites like this (ours is number 4) and five brand new ones in full sun. This is what greets you as you drive up. .... Two days ago we drove up into the Blue Mts near Walla Walla to a spectacular fire lookout on Table Rock .... .... tomorrow we are driving to Inmaha Oregon and Hat Point Lookout on the west edge of Hells Canyon, 6500 ft above the Snake River. “Mouse” stays at home base for these side trips, they are far too rough, rutted, and brushy, and passing another vehicle while towing could be impossible. The days are long, the speeds low, and services are nonexistent. What fun....! John Davies Spokane WA

I have two of those Xtreme heaters in my early model Elite. But they do not run on DC power, and at 350W times 2, there would be a toll on your battery's amp hour storage. If camping in an overcast snowing environment, solar replenishment to the batteries would be at a minimum. They work very well if shore power is available for the long term. They are positioned to protect my external shower and the water heater, which are my unit's vulnerabilities. Pete

An interesting thing happened at nearly 10,000 feet elevation, cold, wet and drizzling... I spotted an Elite II Oliver southeast of Ouray, Colorado, just off of Highway 550. (Highway 550 to Ouray and keep going south is the ULTIMATE towing experience. Up the Pass or, down.) Bill and Bev were the perfect hosts when a stranger asked through a window if... 'can I look at the exterior of your Oliver'? A voice within said... "sure". After owning and Boondocking with a 23 foot and a 25 foot Airstream over 13 years, one becomes interested in what other trailers are out there that are comfortable, durable and capable of Off the Grid Boondocking. Nancy and I sold our 25 foot Airstream about six months ago and went back to tent camping. Much like going from tent to a trailer was drastic. Going from trailer to tent camping... well, is even more drastic, but we can manage about anything. Was I... impressed. The physical Oliver is even nicer than any photographs. The sleek fit of interior components. The lighting. The very solid flooring. The counter tops. The thought that designed the exterior, suspension, 16" tires, leaf springs... This was the start. Beverly gave my wife the tour of the interior as Bill and I chatted about how each of us felt about our trailers. Bill had fewer issues with the Oliver. Lets leave it at that. For a couple and a dog or two... the Elite II contained everything one would need for an Off the Grid comfort while Boondocking. The double Solar Panels and four marine batteries were... a big bonus as an option. The one 'glaring' issue for Nancy and I were the sliding drawers. Beautiful durable finish, dove tailed, easy glide self closing BUT, like the Airstreams... no secure way to prevent them from opening when rocking side to side. We had to improvise how to secure the Airstreams hinges and drawers ourselves as nothing exists. Although the Oliver has very few drawers... just a button to push to release and pull out would make the interior perfect and secure. The 'piano hinges' were great for larger doors as standard. There could be some changes, how I do not really know at the present, the shower/stool arrangement. Space is at a premium which makes the Oliver unique. Nancy and I showered... often... with the exterior shower. We also had a small shower tent in areas where more than the bear and the antelope are our only neighbors. Those sliding windows... great and double pane. I would not be surprised that Olivers will come in more than... white. Much like Corvettes and Shelby Cobras. A few days camped in an Oliver would provide us with more to comment... but I am sure Bill and Bev would not enjoy sleeping in our Tent for a couple days! No argument there. A wonderful trailer. Wonderful owners. An impressed experienced trailer owner looking over an Oliver. My comparison. Oliver's are the Pearl of travel trailers. Airstreams's are the Platinum. Both occupy #1 OR #2 in the travel trailer hierarchy. Time will tell from happy owners. If I were in the market for a travel trailer for Off the Grid Boondocking or comfortable RV Park experiences... the Oliver II would be getting that second look, after owning the only other travel trailer able to compete for which is best. One has the edge and Bill and I know which...

Ray - If you think that the tour you got was impressive - if you are ever anywhere near Hohenwald, TN, be sure to take a factory tour. Even the things you can't normally see are done right with the appropriate materials. Are these Olivers perfect? The answer depends on who and what you ask. Can there be improvements - each year the Oliver company makes some. But, then again, I drank the Kool-Aid and wrote that check because I was/am convinced that the Oliver is the best camping trailer on the market for the kind of camping I prefer to do. Thanks for your kind words. Its always great the hear from knowledgable people who just might come from a different perspective. Bill

Ray, glad you got a good tour of an Oliver! There are now quite a few dedicated Oliver boondockers with good ideas. Oliver just delivered Hull 501 so you may see more as you’re out “there”. I look forward to some interesting discussion. Mike

Thank you for the kind words about the travel trailer I chose for my first “RV”. It is interesting to have such positive comments from someone with the experience you have with Airstreams. And just so you know, there have been a variety of solutions concerning the non-locking drawers from our creative Oliver community. Thank you, ‘Mike