Rivernerd

With commercial RV park prices on the rise, the marginal cost of additional "boondocking" power (i.e., solar panels and lithium battery packages) will be amortized more quickly. If you are even happier boondocking than buying RV park services, like we are, the marginal cost of solar with lithium makes more sense.

If you end up resorting to spray lube, with tapping, PB Blaster is my preferred penetrating lube. It smells awful, but gets the job done if you spray, allow to soak in, tap-tap-tap; spray, allow to soak in, tap-tap-tap, etc. Place some shop towels underneath it to catch drips, as it is stinky, oily and can make a mess. But it works. https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-PB-PENETRATING-Lubricant-OZ/dp/B00XOSYNM6/ref=sr_1_4?gclid=CjwKCAiAzrWOBhBjEiwAq85QZw2ytU7Zjy20DT2TziBOTsHn2XyJajdmoLwrNdJp8EFrT0uyOVaSoxoChKsQAvD_BwE&hvadid=177553433943&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9029558&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=16144056585949407947&hvtargid=kwd-10463478193&hydadcr=6400_9585557&keywords=pb+blaster+penetrating+oil&qid=1640879144&sr=8-4 Thanks for your original post. My wife and I take delivery of our Elite II in September. Among many other things I have learned from informed posters on this forum, I plan to take some nickel-based anti-sieze compound with me to put on the spare tire bolt threads during the initial "shake-down" period. Good luck! Looking forward to your report.

I have had good results with this Gardner-Bender Liquid Tape product: https://www.amazon.com/Gardner-Bender-07315001126-LTB-400-Electrical/dp/B000FPAN2K/ref=asc_df_B000FPAN2K/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198096571354&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10257715978080992862&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029558&hvtargid=pla-350654169801&psc=1

Kirk: Even if Oliver is willing to allow you the "cabinet-instead of-microwave" option on your 2022 model, I would consider the thread below before presuming that the High Pointe convection microwave Oliver offers will not be acceptable. While your baking standards may be very high, there are lots of pretty satisfied Elite II convection microwave owners on this forum who have baked bread, cookies, poultry, etc.: You might also consider seeking additional input by starting another thread focused on convection oven baking results. FWIW, my wife and I like to bake too, which is why we plan to drop the extra $450 for the convection upgrade. Even if it does not offer results quite as good as our built-in double convection/standard ovens at home (which we won't know until we try it), we view it as one of the trade-offs of camping. And, if we're not satisfied with the convection oven's performance, we can always resort to that venerable Idaho camp kitchen tool we take on every extended river trip---a dutch oven! I've baked many a cake on the river... My 2 cents. Ralph Pond

Yes. The support for the middle of the bed is comprised of: (1) the table top and (2) an extra support piece, that goes in the closet when not in "bed" mode. See this video:

We also want to "have our cake and it too." That is why we have ordered the standard floor plan instead of the twin. It has an even larger daytime walkway/seating area, because there is no night stand. And, the standard floor plan comes complete with the king bed center fiberglass support that is conveniently velcroed into the closet, so the daytime storage solution for the center support is "built in." We like being able to have a true king-sized bed, without a night stand in the middle of it. If you prefer to have the night stand, then the twin bed floor plan, and the extra expense for the options specified by Overland, make sense.

As a retired attorney who was retained to defend claims by many insurance companies when I practiced, I second Mattnan's advice. Insurance adjusters are trained to close claims for minimum payouts, and to get them closed as quickly as possible. To "arm" yourself with facts, I would invest some time getting educated about the demonstrated caustic effects of the fire extinguisher you used, and which steps are necessary to remediate those effects. And, I would insist that any remediation done at the insurer's expense be effective to fully address those caustic effects. If you get pushback from the adjuster, I recommend you mention the term "bad faith." That is a term of art in insurance law, which refers to claims for breach of the insurance company's duty of good faith and fair dealing with its insureds. In most states, successful bad faith claims against insurers include an award of not only full compensation for loss by the insured, but the insured's attorneys' fees as well. Your odds of success on such a claim can only be reliably evaluated by an attorney in your state who specializes in bad faith claims, and who is appraised of all the facts, which will likely include how fully the damage from your fire, and fire suppression, has been remediated. But, be prepared for delay. A more fair settlement is usually a much delayed settlement. If your cash flow situation does not allow you to purchase a replacement tow vehicle (particularly in today's crazy-high market) without the payout from the insurer or sale of your repaired Tundra, you have a cost/benefit decision to make regarding how long you can afford to wait for payment by the insurer. Good luck! I would be interested in a report describing how it goes. Ralph Pond

Understood. But, before I contact Oliver and suggest they switch to 90-degree LP hoses, I thought it prudent to ask if someone else has already made that specific suggestion. Perhaps Oliver has considered and rejected that proposal, for reasons I have not yet been able to find on this forum. If I get no "takers" after a few days, I will initiate the conversation with Oliver, as the 90-degree LP hoses make sense to me. Who would be the appropriate person to contact at Oliver with such a suggestion?

I raised this issue on the Propane Tank Mod-Installation of Gas Stop Valves thread, but decided it makes sense to start a separate, more on-point topic: Has anyone suggested to Oliver that 90-degree LP hoses be used, instead of straight hoses twisted into a tight bend, to connect the two propane tanks to the regulator that sits between them? The image above is from the photo gallery on Oliver's website. As depicted, the outlet from each of the two tanks must face forward, so the clamp that holds the two tanks in place can securely attach to the collar above the valves. The two inlets on the regulator face to the sides. Oliver uses a straight hose to connect each tank outlet to the regulator, which requires a sharp bend in each hose. 90-degree LP hoses are readily available, like the one shown below. https://www.amazon.com/GasGear-GasStop-Connector-Regulator-Inverted/dp/B094BZX89T/ref=asc_df_B094BZX89T/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=533377784854&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9276931719320922229&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029558&hvtargid=pla-1410142641596&psc=1 I doubt that 90-degree LP hoses cost much more than a straight ones, and they should actually be easier to install. Has anyone suggested to Oliver that 90-degree hoses be used instead of straight ones when the tanks are installed at the factory?

Given the necessary 90-degree relationship between the two tank valve outlets and the two regulator inlets, I wonder why Oliver doesn't use 90-degree hoses for factory installations, instead of installing straight hoses with a severe S-bend? The cost differential can't be more than a few $$ per hose, and installation should be easier, saving some labor time. Has anyone suggested this to Oliver?

I have been following this thread because, like you, I plan to buy an Andersen WD hitch and install it myself after we accept delivery of our Elite II next summer. My conclusion from the measurements provided by SteveCr is that Andersen model #3324, for 3,4,5,6" high trailer frames, is the right one if you need 4" drop/rise with a 2" ball. If you want a 2-5/16" ball, then #3350 is the correct model number. Do you concur?

Actually, I was able to recharge the AGMs with solar panels mounted on a Pelican case and a drybox. So, it's not the recharge capability, but the inability to readily obtain replacements, that prompted me to ensure that the AGMs were "young and healthy" .

Seadawg: Neither would I, in your situation. When the AGM's fail in your Ollie, you are inconvenienced until the next day when you drive to town and buy new ones. If my AGMs had failed on Day 2 of a 21-day trip rowing the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, I wouldn't have gotten much, if any, sleep without my CPAP machine for the 19-day balance of the trip. In the "middle of nowhere", I literally "slept better" knowing that my AGMs were no more than 3 years old.

The scheduled delivery date for our Elite II is September 8, 2022. I presume you are scheduling time off to drive to Hohenwald and accept delivery. If so, October 7 is more than a month too late. Although Oliver has recently experienced some pandemic-driven supply chain issues that required postponement of delivery dates by a week or two at the most, I am advised that is highly unusual. Oliver has a long track record of on-time delivery. When I spoke to Oliver Sales Manager Rodney Lomax a few weeks ago, he advised he fully expects deliveries to be right on schedule next summer. I believe him. We have reserved a campsite at David Crockett State Park for September 9-11, so we have a few days after the first night at the Oliver factory campsite to do a thorough shake down. It is my understanding that Oliver expects you to accept delivery on the scheduled date. I strongly recommend that you schedule your time off beginning no later than September 2, so you have time to make the drive from Twin Falls to Hohenwald with your tow vehicle.

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

Spike: I plan to tow an Elite II scheduled for delivery next summer with a 2019 Tundra. At the risk of highjacking this thread, I would like to ask: It is hard for me to tell from the above photo, but it appears to me that you are not using an Andersen WD hitch with your 2012 Tundra towing an LE II? Is that correct? If so, I presume you have had no issues without the WD system? Also, if not a WD system, what tow ball mount are you using? I presume the tailgate clears the coupler? As I presently plan to upgrade to the 2-5/16" Bulldog coupler, and some with Ford F150 tow vehicles have reported tailgate clearance issues with that coupler, I am keenly focused on tailgate-to-coupler clearance issues with a Tundra/LE II combination. I look forward to your reply!

I have been to Zion 3 times. It is my favorite national park. Plan to spend at least 2-3 days, if you can. Hiking is the best part of the experience, IMHO. It is at about 4000', so it will likely be full of snow in January, which makes hiking not only cold, but dangerous. That is why the campgrounds are empty. I recommend you monitor the weather, and make the drive from Arizona only if there is a "January thaw" that would enable safe hiking. Otherwise, enjoy what low-elevation southern Arizona has to offer that time of year!

For our Elite II scheduled for delivery summer 2022, I also would like to have a longer tongue, or, alternatively, a longer drawbar adding at least another 3" between the hitch receiver and the trailer ball. So, I called Andersen today to inquire whether they will custom fabricate a longer drawbar for their weight distribution hitches, like the one they used to offer. Answer: NO. The person I spoke with confirmed that Andersen used to offer a longer drawbar, but not any more, because it was determined that it reduced the GTW rating "too much." I noted that the drawbar that is included with the #3350 WD hitch I plan to purchase includes two hitch-pin holes, one about 1.5" inboard of the other. See photo below. I asked the Andersen rep if it was o.k. to use the inner hole to increase the receiver-hitch ball distance by that 1.5". I was told that is fine, and is indeed the reason there are two holes, but that Andersen is not comfortable making or selling a drawbar that is any longer, or has any more holes. So, if I don't like the TV rear bumper-to-Elite II A-frame distance once I pick up the trailer, I may be paying for custom modification of the Andersen stock drawbar, with the reinforcing gussets John Davies suggests, to ensure an ample GTW rating.

A belated response to your query: In his 2021 delivery video, Jason explains that the second fuse for the front jack under the rear street side access panel is installed to satisfy a requirement that the circuit be fused within "x" distance from the power source. The power source, of course, is the battery bank. Jason does not specify what the "x" distance is in the video.

Kirk: My wife and I have an Oliver Elite II on order for delivery next summer. We have found the folks on this forum to be incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. It is one of the reasons we ultimately chose to order an Oliver. When we began investigating Olivers, we quickly learned that they are in high demand. Used ones sell quickly for close to what they cost initially, and there is presently a 9-to-10 month lag between a new factory order and delivery. Good luck with your decision.

I don't yet own an Ollie, but I would also do as you suggested, i.e., open the valve behind the toilet until it "runs pink". If I understand the plumbing design of the Oliver trailers correctly, there is no separate "upstream" valve with which the water line to the toilet can be isolated. Since the entire water supply system is pressurized with water whenever either city water or the fresh water tank is used to supply water to other fixtures, there will be water in that toilet supply line that must be replaced with RV antifreeze to avoid freeze breakage.

Do you mind posting what those two "minor issues" were that were fixed on site? I am still fine-tuning my delivery inspection checklist for next summer.

FWIW, we plan to order the shower curtain and track on our Elite II scheduled for delivery next summer. My wife would prefer a true dry bath, but that it not an option with Oliver. So, the $250 is worth it to us because we hope it will simulate a dry bath, enabling us to keep the toilet area, and towel(s) hanging on the towel bar, dry when showering. Do those of you who have the shower curtain with track find that you can realistically keep the toilet area, including the towel bar, dry, so you don't have to leave the towel(s) outside the bath when showering?

I have a Elite II on order. I asked Oliver if they would install a different AC unit if I bought it and had it delivered to them. Answer: No. Some folks who post on this forum have replaced their noisy Dometic Penguin II units with Houghton/RecPro units themselves. But, a quick internet check revealed that the RecPro unit would only save you about 5/8" in height, not the 3" you need. So, I cannot offer a solution to your quandry, but can help you rule out AC replacement. FWIW, I am 6'0". When I stood in the bath of an Elite II we were allowed to tour, my head almost hit the bath fan handle that hangs down below the plane of the fiberglass ceiling. That is acceptable to me, but I decided then that an Elite I would not work for me (and the bed in an Elite I is too small to suit my wife and me, as well).

I don't own an Ollie yet, but I have installed and replaced about a dozen faucets in homes we have owned (and built) over the years. It appears to me from photos that with all three drawers under the sink removed, you should be able to squeeze your body into position to reach the faucet. I have two torn rotator cuffs that make it difficult for me to raise my hands over my head for very long. So, when replacing a faucet lying on my back under a cabinet, I work a bit, drop my arms and rest, work a bit, rest, etc. I wear an adjustable headlamp to see what I'm doing when underneath a sink. And, I pad the places where my back rests on the the cabinet with towels, for comfort. It's not my favorite task, but it beats watching someone else charge me for their time! Like you, I always prefer to DIY. Good luck!