Hokieman

I see no movement of the body relative to the frame on our #797. Considering how the body mounts to the frame (see @ScubaRX comments), I’d be concerned some bolts are loose. I assume Oliver is not mounting the bodies any differently on later models. I’m camping for 2 weeks on gravel, and in addition to the 3 stabilizers down, I’ve got 2 Camco 3 ton jacks placed firmly under the frame at the forward Jack Points, and X-Chocks between the wheels on both sides, so 5 stabilization points in all, not counting the 4 wheels. This keeps the trailer fairly stable, especially when going up and down the stairs. I do not use the 3 stabilizers to lift the trailer. They are firmly placed on jack blocks but just enough to stabilize the trailer motion. I think there is some confusion about your question, perhaps they have not watched the video carefully. Of course the trailer moves quite a lot when moving around inside, but the body is not designed to move relative to the frame. I’d be interested in reading what Oliver Service would say about this.

John, Many thanks for your contributions & common sense mods to make the best trailer even better. I am grateful you spent countless hours documenting your mods, your tech library will be a valued knowledge base for Oliver owners for many years to come.

On the Oliver Trailer Owners Facebook page today, Edward Stroetz wrote that at this years rally, Jason T from OTT advised all the wheel nut torque should be 100 ft-lbs. I was not at the rally, and don’t know who Jason T is. Can anyone that attended the rally confirm? The 2023 manual online continues to show discrepancies.

Yep, my main complaint about the Weber Q. The grease is always oozing into the drip tray while traveling, and sometimes gets messy when moving it’ around. The Blackstone griddle cleans up easily, packs much smaller, and has more cooking options. I’m probably going to carry that one most of the time going forward.

Most camp stoves will require the removal of the pressure regulator as the Oliver gas pressure is already reduced at the regulator mounted at the propane tanks. Lots of YouTube’s and articles on this. See this forum link for more details. Weber Q1200 Regulator I have a Weber Q1000, with a Torjik conversion kit. I also have a Blackstone 17” griddle, with a low pressure hose connector. I take one or the other, not both, but they both work well. And last but not least, I have a 30 year old Coleman Classic that’s been used countless times. I’ve not found a safe low pressure conversion for it nor any reference from anyone that uses one connected it to their Oliver via the low pressure QC. We often take the Coleman along for cooking outside with pots and skillets. I use small disposable propane bottles or a 20lb tank if I have room for it.

We camp with our female Labrador retriever. She is not a typical pet in that she is an ADA certified guide dog in training, legal to take in public places, airlines, public transportation, restaurants, etc. She is well behaved and does not bark. We never leave her unattended inside the trailer, she goes everywhere with us. We take her on extended hikes on dog friendly trails (she can go a lot farther than most humans), she carries her own water in a dog pack. She swims when and where we allow her, and chills out when needed. One limitation is that my wife and I cannot go on bike rides together. One of us stays behind with the dog and reads or putters around, not a bad compromise. Outdoors, we have a long nylon tether to the steps, and a large mat to keep her out of the dirt and away from pine cones, acorns, sticks, and fire pits. Caution should be used when tethering to keep camp chairs and tables out of their zone. If they get their tether wrapped around a chair or table and see a squirrel or another distraction, a lot of damage and injuries can occur, especially with outdoor stoves or grills. We keep her out from under the trailer for same reason, and they can get grease on them from the suspension. We have an outdoor water bowl within reach. Indoors we keep the indoor water bowl in the bare shower pan because she is a sloppy drinker. We mop up after with quick drying microfiber “dog” towels. We feed her the same way, in the shower. When we take a shower, we just set the bowl near the closet door temporarily. First we clean her bowl to get the water hot to the spray nozzle. Our dog is not allowed on beds or dinette seats. We have a thick fuzzy microfiber dog bed that stays in between the twin beds. At bedtime, I can reach down easily and pet and talk to her. The rug goes to the coin laundry with us about once/week when we wash our clothes. When we get out of our bunks, we have to be very cautious we don’t step on her. She has come to trust us and does not move. We don’t wear shoes inside our trailer, so it’s easier to not step on the dogs paws and tail. We sweep the floor several times/day, and if we have shore power, we have a small Shark vac. When walking her, I always carry a can of potent pepper spray to protect her from negligent dog owners that don’t keep their dogs on leashes, or if they do, cannot control them. I have had some close encounters with aggressive breeds. It would be a lot less hassle to not have a dog with us camping, but she’s part of the family, so leaving her home is not an option for us.

Newer trailers have 2 rubber covered toggle switches, behind the basement door, near the outdoor shower. They might be good quality, don’t know, but mine work well.

Many of us with models newer than 2019 have formally requested wiring diagrams from OTT, with no success. It’s been discussed in the forum several times. I checked the last wiring diagram I can find in Oliver University, the 2019 manual. It shows separate switches and wires for street side porch and entry porch side. I only have one switch on my 2021, turns both sides on. The porch lights are rarely used because of this limitation. Let us know if you can locate one. Before I go poking around behind that switch panel, I’ll just be patient. I’m confident one of you electrical experts will develop a solution.

This is our method also. The dog water bowl stays in the shower pan because our two full grown labs are sloppy drinkers. We clean it and set it outside on the floor before showers.

Use caution with this spray around painted surfaces as well as yourself. It contains acetone & heptane.

Tire Pressure Confusion LE2 This link will provide you feedback from several experienced owners, as well as supporting evidence from a few major tire manufacturers including Michelin, Cooper & Goodyear. They all show similar results as your table. Oliver has reduced their recommendations from 80 psi to 55 psi in 2022 & 2023 models. As you know, those newer models weigh about the same as your 2016, depending on options and loading. If you are unsure about choosing a tire pressure, certainly you are safe with what Oliver recommends.

Apologies for drifting from original post, but this is sorta like the tire pressure issue. Oliver reduced the tire pressure in new LE2 models from 80 psi to 55 psi but didn’t officially inform the rest of us. My Service Ticket request for a replacement sticker was politely declined. Regardless of the 80 psi sticker on my trailer, I’ve been running 50 psi on the Interstate from Day 1, could probably go to 45psi with good results. I’ve learned a lot on this forum. Thank you! Tire Pressure Confusion - LE2

Yup, I get that, it’s a hassle. I stand on a picnic table, or my truck tailgate if needed, and brush it off with a light broom. Usually most of the stuff seems to blow off unless it’s wet. If you do take the awning off, you could go with a lightweight tent awning such as the MoonShade XL. I got mine for $445 in a Kickstarter sale. My plan is to use it on the street side, since I don’t have the optional awning on that side. Awning Shade Screens MoonShade XL

The value was reduced to 110 ft-lbs GJ, thanks to your previous communications to Oliver. See link. Wheel Torque 2023 That snip from my older post was taken out of context. It was a direct quote from the 2021 manual. I personally have been running 100 ft-lbs since Day 1 with never a loose wheel nut.

A few ideas to help you enjoy your awning as hundreds of other Oliver owners do. My 2021 had a choice of fabric with an upgrade for the Girard awning, the fabric is called Bravia, it’s similar to Sunbrella. It’s a breathable acrylic fabric. Not quite waterproof, but very water resistant. We sit under it in the rain and don’t get wet. The benefit is it is much cooler than the an acrylic vinyl that is standard, and the black color does not seem to radiate heat. I’m not sure this is an option on newer models. It’s costly but you can change the fabric out on your awning.. See this link for a previous discussion about awning fabrics and colors. Awnings We like to keep the awning open a foot or two on rainy nights when the rain is steady, and the wind mild. I often have that curb side window open over my bunk which lets in a cool breeze with the roof fan on. You can keep the awning out on in very mild wind by turning off the power. Just make sure you are nearby and paying close attention to rescue it if the wind picks up. I’ve never tried it, but you can also secure it with awning poles, but the same precautions should be followed. See this link for a discussion and testimonials. Awning Poles

Ebony is the black Lab - 12 months. Maggie-Lou is the yellow, 22 months. Both are Southeastern Guide Dogs. Ebony is a Guide-Dog-In-Training. Maggie-Lou is used for breeding Guide & Service dogs.

Yes, it does appear to be a residential style AC junction box. However, I don’t think there is any AC wiring in there. I don’t have the 30A optional connection up forward. I think it’s the junction box for the 12V DC 7 pin wiring harness, and the BAS. Regardless, a waterproof design would be an improvement, and it’s worth opening up and checking for correct wire glands and connectors. I think I did that but I didn’t take a photo and cannot remember. I’ll add it to the list. I like the way you added insulation.

All good ideas about vice grips and whatnot, but the original post was not a request on how to do a repair, it is about loose doghouse bolts 😊. Vice grips are not the correct tool for this particular project. The purpose of the post was to suggest you check these on your trailer when convenient. A recent post from John Dorrer indicated he had the same problem with loose doghouse bolts. I submitted a service ticket (this was factory error), but repaired the problem myself.

For those of us who do not have street side awnings, this is a possible alternative. I’ve put my commitment in on Kickstarter yesterday, for a MoonShade XL, pre-order sale price of $445. As of yesterday, it was 50% funded in one day, so this indicates to me this is a popular item that is going to go into production soon. It’s 12’ x 9’ so should fit nicely along the street side, provide shade over the two large side windows next to the dinette and the rear bunk. It attaches with suction cups, 3m VHB, or you can screw or bolt anchors into your trailer. Personally I’m going to try the first 2 options. It’s a test of course, I won’t know how well it works until I try it. The price might seem high but I’ve seen and assembled the smaller version (MoonShade Original) and it is a quality piece of gear. I had to try something as my wife is still unhappy that I talked her out of the street side awning option on our trailer order. If you think you want one, I suggest you jump in now if you want the significant discount. If you’d rather wait and see, I’ll post a follow-up review with pics in the future and let you know how it worked out. MoonShade XL

We’ve been using a Travel Berkey for several years also. When we are getting ready to leave our campsite, we drain all the water into a jug and put in the fridge, fill our travel water bottles, etc. Then we remove the upper half of the Berkey, invert it and nest it in the lower half. Set it in the sink and pad it with some towels. It travels nicely that way. We haven’t figured out a convenient place to put it inside the cabin while camping, so it’s usually outside on a portable table, unless it’s freezing.

If you want to test out your boondocking capabilities while in the area, there is a free space available National Park campground near Hoehenwald at milepost 385.9 on the Natchez Parkway. Meriwether Lewis Campground

I’m wondering if it’s worth carrying a spare. It’s on my long list of potential spare parts that I don’t have, that could really mess up a nice camping trip. Are they easy to find on the road, Camping World etc? Do many of you carry a spare, or don’t bother?

I checked DuPont website. From the data sheet on their products…… “Cured foam is combustible and will burn if exposed to temperatures above 240°F (116°C). Do not apply GREAT STUFFTM foam around heaters, high heat lamps or recessed lighting fixtures, radiators, furnaces or fireplaces where it could contact heat conducting surfaces. Do not use GREAT STUFFTM foam inside electrical boxes or panels (applications around the outside of the boxes are permitted).” See attached. 0901b8038095d125.pdf

I was thinking about spray foam too. This thread and John Davies experience has me concerned about my installation, so it’s high on my priority list to inspect it. I did some checking into a company that makes DIY conversion kits for absorption fridges. JC-Refrigeration I note their website does not show a kit available for my Norcold model, and I don’t know if it’s feasible to convert. I read an installation manual, and their kit includes Great Stuff expanding foam, so perhaps that helps answer your question.

Agree with JD on not carrying that on back of trailer, for all the reasons he lays out. If you don’t want it inside the truck cab, annother option is to sell the Truma C73 and buy a smaller one that will fit. I have a 2020 F250 with a Diamondback cover. I carry a Dometic CFX 50 cooler in the bed, it fits easily under the cover. I have a Dometic PB40 lithium battery plugged into a DC power outlet that is wired to the truck battery. It gives me about a day of fridge power when truck is parked, but does not draw on the TV battery when engine isn’t running. I also have an DC input so I can connect it to a portable solar panel, or to the Zamp side port of the trailer if desired. I usually don’t need it, as we find ourself running errands or exploring, so the fridge battery re-charges as we drive The way we use our portable fridge is as a-freezer only, as our Norcold freezer is small. Usually that small freezer has ice trays and maybe some ice cream in it. We find the other Norcold food compartment large enough for the 2 of us, re-supplying on the road as needed.