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Showing content with the highest reputation on 09/09/2021 in Posts

  1. Welcome! I know how excited you must be. When I comes to camping in the Oliver, I don't think it takes too much more than the skills you already have if you have done tent camping. You already know how to break down and set up a camp. You already know about how to operate a propane stove and prepare meals. You already know how to improvise when something breaks or goes missing. Granted, a trailer is more complicated than a tent but it's your attitude that's the most important thing. If you were ever camping in a tent when a rainstorm hit or when bugs got into all your food, and you survived, you'll do fine in the Oliver. In fact, you'll quickly see why they call it "glamping"!
    3 points
  2. Yes I left the ends open. I added two additional runs to the furnace. One was a 2 inch which ran literally on top of the water pipes that run across the back of the trailer and ended pointing into the trough where the city water and freshwater and their check valves are located. Because of that area being covered by the floor of the storage area it forms a tunnel which the other end comes out right below the outdoor shower valve, so the heated air flows by all the plumbing in the tunnel and rises to warm the whole area around the outside shower valve. The other run was a 4 inch because it was a longer run, it was directed to go by the outdoor shower plumbing on its way past the battery compartment. That was the only place in the duct where I put a hole for flooding heat under the battery compartment. The 4 inch continued on towards the front of the trailer until the foot well of the dinette where it needed to be reduced to fit into the small trough so it could continue its way to the front to flood the area around the bathroom plumbing. When reducing to two inch there was room to add two more pipes to flood the area on ether side of the black water drain pipe which also formed a tunnel under the dinette foot well. This brought additional warm air to the front end of the trailer. My thought was to rely on heat radiating from the duct work to help keep the plumbing from freezing, but also flooding key areas.This is mimicking what the factory did on the curbside but neglected on the street side. One other positive side effect of adding the two extra heat runs was that the furnace now runs quieter,less forced air noise. The question about the mounting bracket, this is something that I fabricated in my shop. Your question about maybe less condensation on the walls, all I can say is overall the trailer was way more comfortable the bathroom was warmer and while sleeping in the street side bed there was not that chilly wall to contend with. I highly recommend that Oliver owners should do this modification to the heating system, it's not that complicated pretty simple and straightforward with great results. It was enough to make the four season Oliver truly four season.
    2 points
  3. You don't need to have above average mechanical skills to do this. What you do need is patience and willingness to learn. Like any other vehicle, a travel trailer requires care and regular maintenance. Click on the "home" link (at the top of the page) and explore until you find the Oliver University. There you will find manuals, videos and other resources that will help you to learn how to operate and care for your Ollie. The quality of your Oliver will make owning and maintaining a travel trailer less of a burden than other brands. You won't need to worry about cabinets falling off the walls or other maladies common to stick built trailers. Don't let posts on the forum about complicated electrical mods, suspension changes, etc. scare you. Most changes are simply generated by the owners preference, and are not necessary for safe and enjoyable operation. Use the forum as a resource. It is a wealth of knowledge. YOU CAN DO IT 👍
    2 points
  4. Don't get one. They lead to harder more dangerous drugs. A real bike may seem like too much work, but your body will thank you for it someday.
    2 points
  5. I have no direct knowledge, but I think if I were in the market right now, I'd give a close look to Cannondale's new Neo Topstone e-bikes, which seem to be getting good reviews. I only say that because I'm lusting a bit for the regular Topstone right now. The new 'gravel bike' category really hits the sweet spot for where I ride, and would probably fit well for travel, especially in e-bike form. They're made for the combo pavement and not too technical trails - mild rear suspension and an optional front suspension fork. They're essentially 90's style mountain bikes with drop handlebars. Pricey of course, since it's Cannondale, especially for the front suspension models. But they look sweet, don't they?
    1 point
  6. These guys did a quick and quality repair of my Ollie's fiberglass and gel coat. Mobile Joe's RV Collision Repair 1675 NW Cornelius Pass Rd Hillsboro, OR 97124 (503) 596-2231
    1 point
  7. Thanks a lot for all your replies! That helps a lot. I actually towed a travel trailers 4 times so far: one time with Ford 250 + some 23 ft RV of 3000lb dry weight, and 3 times with a Cadillac Escalade + 22 ft Airstream (dry weight 3900lb and GVWR 5000lb). Comparing all these trips, of course the Ford 250 + 3000lb trailer was the easiest drive simply because it was such a powerful TV dealing with a relatively small trailer. The Cadillac Escalade + Airstream was not as a good driving experience, but Airstream itself is really a good camper, and I enjoyed the camping part so much and those trips convinced me about owning an RV. However, even with Airstream, I observed the owner dealing with all kinds of small to medium issues (loose screws, faulty furnace etc) all the time, and the Airstream dealer was not helping much in those cases (The Airstream trailer belongs to one of my closest friends, so I know lots of those live examples). I expect that for all travel trailers, owner needs to fix some issues, but with better quality and customer service, the burden is much less. That's why I ended up order Oliver instead of the Airstream I loved, for its simplicity, quality and good customer service. Still kinda of nervous on if I can handle the fixes and other things later, but I guess I have to learn and adapt as probably Oliver is the one with least concerns. As of towing a trailer, I have to admit I still need lots of practices 🙂 Thanks a lot for all your support! Looking forward to my journey together with all of you!
    1 point
  8. Thanks NCeagle and Minnesota Oli for your ideas and feedback. I love the idea of making the Oli able to handle the colder weather a little better. I have a November trip planned out to the coast, I should be able to experience cooler weather in the Oli. I want to go back in January to do some storm watching. I would really like to do something by January.
    1 point
  9. It's all in how you use it. If you have the "pedal assist" type instead of throttle, and you use it to help you maybe breathe a little less hard on big hills and to just simply go further while staying within your fitness range then you can still get PLENTY of exercise on these. I have a friend who uses one to do a two hour round trip daily commute and this ultramarathoner (he did a 50 mile foot race earlier this year) reports back that the e-bike allows him to cover a daily distance he wouldn't take on as often with a non motorized bike and that he's getting great base level endurance conditioning from his commute. I've done big mountain ski tours and hikes with him this summer (the skiing was back in early July and did involve 45 minutes at the start and end of hiking with skis strapped to packs but the skiing portion was phenomenal!) and can report that he's still in great shape despite having gone to the dark side bike-wise. Here he is at about 8,500' above sea level and 3k' above the car in mid July (we ascended about 600' further before taking a long break before the very fun descent).
    1 point
  10. Spend a little more to rent a small travel trailer for a few weekends, not a Uhaul. That will allow you to learn to tow, AND learn about basic rv systems like using a 3way fridge, a propane stove, dumping and filling tanks, etc. Though it won't likely have the SAME stove, fridge, etc., they're mostly pretty similar. Something like a Tab or small Rpod will give you an idea of what it's like to camp in a small space. And, you'll appreciate the Oliver difference even more. Some of the owners on RVshare will even deliver, for a fee. That's not a bad way to begin. Then, you can focus on learning about camping, first, then towing next trip. My sister and her husband had tent camped a bit, but not trailered. They rented a Tab for a long weekend to camp with us. We picked it up, and showed them how to set up the trailer. We were able to show them all the basics in 4 days. They hooked it up, and towed it back at the end of the four days. They discovered two things. They loved the camping experience, but didn't want a Tab any longer, and bought a different brand. https://rvshare.com/rv-rental/asheville/nc?location=Asheville%2C NC&start_date=2021-09-23&end_date=2021-09-27&lat=35.5950581&lng=-82.5514869&rv_class=Travel Trailer
    1 point
  11. So why did you order an Oliver? Be glad you did! The hardest part of the journey is over. What experience do you have with an RV, or the camping experience? Are you a seasoned veteran or a complete novice?
    1 point
  12. Minnesota Oli and NCeagle, Very informative write ups. I have been thinking about this topic for several days with the new interest in Cold weather camping. I will probably never see the temps like that in Oregon, but I will still see temps regularly below freezing. I have just installed a compost toilet, and disconnected and drained the Regular toilet line, and do not have to worry about that, or the black tank. I do have a few questions: Minnesota Oli: 1. Did you leave the ends of the flexible heating pipe open? 2. Was the only other opening the hole in the straight pipe, or did you poke any holes in the heating pipe around where the check valve are at? 3. Where did you source the mounting bracket holding the straight tube below the battery compartment? NCeagle: Was the smart bilge fan 12v or 120V? For both of you, and anyone else: Both of the ideas that sound like they would work great while parked. I think the heating tape would work while on the road. I have a Truma water heater. I am not sure about leaving the heater and Truma gas on while on the road in order to keep everything warm while traveling. Any ideas?
    1 point
  13. I had serious condensation issues the first winter I had my Ollie because I spend every weekend at a ski resort in very sub freezing temps (as low as -15). BUT, the is my first foray into RV camping, so didn't know diddly about it. NOW, I've got it totally dialed in. No more condensation EVER, regardless of the outside temp, or how much I shower or cook. I believe I've shared all my tips and tricks on my Profile page or some post somewhere (Lessons Learned from a Beginner or something like that)
    1 point
  14. Hi, June. Welcome to the forum. You have lots of time to learn about the Oliver systems, virtually, through the Oliver University manuals and videos, and I'd encourage you to do so. I'd also encourage you to visit with friends who camp, and/or, rent a camper to learn a bit. Everything is doable, but trying to learn everything, at once, can be daunting. Everyone is a newbie once. Later on, you can help others with your experience, when everything becomes routine.
    1 point
  15. Hiking/walking is our main exercise supplemented with body weight exercises (push-ups, squats, lunges, etc.). Last year I bought a water-fillable plastic kettlebell for swings, squats, and a variety of arm exercises. Mike
    1 point
  16. 2-3 pairs of skis fit perfectly on the floor while traveling to the next ski area. I also like a set of resistance tubes.
    1 point
  17. We have used our Houghton extensively this summer in the hot NC climate as well as on several camping trips. First, I run our Houghton off of the Lithium batteries (as Minnesota Oli mentioned above) all the time. I also run it off of a small 2400W generator with no issues - and no Soft Start. I have very little experience with the original Demonic AC that came with the Ollie because after trying unsuccessfully to run the AC and sleep (or think or talk for that matter), the Houghton was virtually my first (and in hindsight still the best) upgrade / mod. I talked to Houghton a while back about the cycling and they said it is working as designed (4 minute cycles when close to the set temp). I have the proprietary formula they use and they asked me not to share it publicly, but if anyone wants it PM me and I'll find it. I typically put the AC on 60F and it cools quicker without the cycling. Then when it's close to the temp I want I back it off and let it maintain with the cycles. The dehumidifier works amazingly well too. Actually, both the AC or the dehumidifier set low (like 60F) take out tons of water very quickly. Water does run off of the roof with the Houghton, so I just used some EZ gutters to divert the water to the back - rather than running down the sides and/or and getting into the window tracks, etc. It has a heat pump that I haven't used yet, and I'll likely stick with the gas furnace for heat and only use the Houghton heat as a backup. So far I give the Houghton a 10 out of 10 when compared to the competition.
    1 point
  18. Since it is a climate controlled facility I would guess that means that the humidity is controlled. If that is correct then there is no need for the a/c being on. However, until you're sure you could get a tub of "damp-rid" or a small dehumidifier. As far as the fridge is concerned I think your choice depends on how soon you will be using the Ollie again. At a time span of over a month I always shut the fridge off, clean it and wad up several sheets of news paper and put it in the fridge - this prevents odors interestingly enough. Bill
    1 point
  19. We went with the Rad E-Bikes. We picked the RadMini for my husband and the RadMini Step-Thru for myself. The bikes have the fat tires for off road or sand plus they fold. We carry them in our truck bed under a Leer Topper with only the handles folded down. When not camping we tend to buzz around in our Jeep and both will fit in the back with the seat folded down. They are mid-priced, not the cheapest bike offered and certainly not even close to the most expensive. They work great for us. They are a little heavier than some of the more expensive brands so we team lift to load them. My husband can load them by himself but it's easier with two people lifting them into the back of a 4WD truck. radpowerbikes.com Cindy RV travels with plenty of room for our Blackstone Adventure Grill, Aluminum Table, Gas Firepit, Outdoor rug, 2 chairs, storage box with helmets, life vests for kayaks and more photos of Jeep travel.
    1 point
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