SeaDawg

Thanks for bringing up the post wisdom from Chris and Cherie (technomadia). Though they've moved on from their Oliver, they are still a great technical resource. Btw. I'm starting a new post about it, but technomadia is going to be on pbs (and Amazon, itunes, and other formats) next year. I'm totally excited to see my old friends on TV in a few months, discssing rv tech... Sherry

Guess we're old school. We don't have any fancy plastic blocks or levelers. Though the Anderson rocker type levelers are tempting... We carry a stack of 2x 6 and or 2 x 8 cutoffs from projects. Mostly free, but a 2 x 6 pt board is about 75 cents a foot here... if you have to buy them. Lowe's or depot will even cut them, if you don't have a saw... We run the low side tire up on a board or two, and use 6 or 8 inch chunks stacked under the levelers and tongue jack to spread the weight. To not sink into soft ground. We also have a ft by ft piece of plywood, if it's really wet, for under the tongue jack, to stack the other blocks on top of it... <p style="text-align: left;">I like to reduce the throw (length of travel) of all the jacks to conserve power. And, reduce efforts if the jack fails, or the battery dies, and we should have to use the manual crank option. We did have that happen once, years ago...</p> I also don't like jacking a tire in the air to level, so we will place extra board chunks under a tire in a badly uneven spot, to give the tire more support than just the jack. You'll see a lot of ideas and systems once you start camping. In the meantime, buy good heavy chocks ( harbor freight is a great source), and figure out what works for you. I like biodegradable/ burnable wood, v plastic. But, my sisters legos are pretty cool... Sherry

Another fyi for anyone thinking about packing cubes for a Christmas present this year.... Ebags has a great deal on a set of six... I've used several brands over the years . The ebag cubes really hold up well. Sherry

I got a mailer from good Sam's today, so checked their website. They have some great cyber week specials on towing insurance. We've only had to use them locally with our daily drivers, but I've known others who had to have both tug and trailer towed with good Sam's.... You may want to check their website for the holiday special pricing. We carry the platinum rv coverage, as it covers us in rentals, too, in Canada..... just in case.... The standard rv plan is only $79.95 right now, covers all your owned vehicles in your family, for all the household drivers. Goodsamroadside.com Sherry

Thats awesome, and so much better than most of the sob trailers out there touting prewired for solar, and all the owners get is an inline fuse, a port, and a line to the battery, which is what my sister got in her rpod. Being prewired for the true, complete package is a big asset. Kudos to oliver. Back in 2008, it was a difficult retrofit. ..for us, and them. Sherry

In almost eleven years of camping, we've used hookups fewer than a dozen times. So, the solar panels are truly an important part of our camping life. Its also true that you dont need them for travel camping... if you can charge the batteries as you drive, and move on every day or two, you'll be solid. We do that in rental deliveries in the amazing road to Alaska. The Yukon territory campgrounds have no services, other than pit toilets and free firewood, but we're on the move every day or two. No worries. Even with a single house battery in a class c. Our preference is our usual weeks in the woods, with no service, and a lot of quiet. Solar is silent... Its all about what you need, and want to do. Thats why solar is an option . One we love, need, and enjoy. But, its not for everyone. Sherry

So, I'm sometimes overwhelmed with nostalgia when a poster resurrects my 10 or 11 year old post. Thank you for that. Herm and pete and i have camped together many times, since then, but we all met here.... The rock guards have worked pretty well for us, but we don't spend all our time on gravel roads. We have had a few small chips repaired. Im totally envious of johm davies stome stompers. Someday, a US company will import them. In the meantime, if you do a ton of gravel, at road speed, look at foam guards or vortex, something else in addition to the rock guards or road wings. Btw. Costco no longer carries our removeable big mud flaps, but you can get them on amazon and other sites. For a higher price, of course, as my original info is over 10 years old now.... Sherry

We all have so .much to be thankful for. I hope all of you enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving, and a blessed holiday season. Sherry

On the return, I'd watch the weather really close. I wouldn't want to do a mountain gravel road with a new trailer. Keep us posted... we're all following ... Sherry

My brother bought a new f150 this year. I loved driving it. Awesome driving machine. My sister in law drove it from Minnesota to Florida, trailer in tow, and didn't have a single issue. I'm suffering from seat envy. That truck sits and rides very carlike, with a lot of power, and mega back seat leg room. Our 2008 dodge pales... Sherry

Good sam has been good to us on towing insurance. It's pretty cheap. Probably give it a fly on a new trailer. Sherry

What that tells me, is that they attacked the area you thought was leaking. Buy a roll of duct tape, now that you are home. Duct tape around the rear upper light. Most likely culprit. Check that with a hose, or a storm... Next most likely is the ac bolts. I'm guessing your wondow weeps are clear... none in the rear for us, so nothing for us to check in the older trailers... One year, we found that the overhead vent had lost its seal. The rain found a path to the bellyband, and into my side of the bed.... I feel the pain. A roll of duct tape will help you find the source of the pain. One possible source at a time. Happy to report, we have no leaks. It was a bugaboo to find the tiny source that traveled down. A lot of years with nothing/ nada. Happy camping. You will find it Hope you will be soon . Leaks in the oliver are no easier than leaks in our home. Rain travels....

I'm thinking incinerator toilets ... Nothing to empty but sterile ash. Solar powered would be a huge bonus.... Used in a number of places where septic and sewer are not practical. A friend of mine used one on an island in Norway. Described it as "the bomb"... in a good way...

I have never heard of a single elite owner ( shorty) who used a wdh. Sherry

Well, with his bankroll, perhaps he can fix it all. Our problem is minor ss dump stations are easy to find.

There are many systems that work. Do you want a system that Oliver will support? Then, the diagram says, order the factory option. If you really, really want something else, buy it. And live with the results. And, support it outside the Oliver warranty. In the end, it's a comfort level thing. All the systems are good. Just. How good, and how much time do you want to spend if something fails? Any system that gives me power from the sun is my friend.

@Davids, another great post We also bought our generator ( Honda 1000), after a string of bad days. Almost 11 years ago. Just that little bitty genset charges the batteries, with very little gas. Like you, we hardly ever use it, but it's nice to know we can.... I think the propane / dual fuel gensets are really great for those of you who tow with SUVs. I dont think I would love gasoline in the back of my suv... but, the propane conversion robs at least ten per cent of the gens power output, so that has to be remembered... thanks for that reminder, too Sherry

I think the original shorter ollie is perfect for a solo traveler. But the narrower width means the twin is smaller. I'd just get the full size bed, and order extra cushions to make the side dinette into a sofa. Our shorty has been great for two month trips with two people. We put three crates under the full size bed for a lot of extra storage. Or, two crates and two duffel bags. How much stuff do you want to carry? Either trailer you choose, I'd recommend deleting the microwave if you boondock a lot. We cook on a fire, a grill, or the two burners. Usually, a fire is preferred. The extra storage of our cabinet vs microwave is really great. I use ours for dry good groceries, now that we got rid of the dead weight microwave.... Good luck in your decision. Go see both. It will help you. Both trailers are great. We love our smaller ollie, as a comfortable place to sleep. And, cook, in inclement weather. Sherry

We used a simple test once to determine if the leak was from the third light... Ugly white duct tape around the third light told us that was, indeed, our leak source. Now, resealing that spot is a check point... if the third light leaks, you will usually have water in the overhead cabinets, but not always. Somet, it will just run straight down the hull, as it did for us, and look like a window leak. Hope that helps. Sherry

Bugeyedriver also known as Pete was the first solar Oliver . Technomadia set the standard for the first decade, and many of us copied. We love our blue sky system. We also live on solar at home... everything changes over time. Congrats on your selection. I'm curious. Did Oliver tell you that your trailer is pre wired for solar? If so, I think that's new. And , I hope not just prewired for suitcase solar.... That's a big difference, and you need to know what it means. Welcome to the forum! Sherry

Another vote for standard 20 lb tanks... even though we have a composite lp tank in the boat. Fiberglass or composite tanks can be difficult to get refilled, as some places have never seen them, and one brand was recalled five years ago... so, it really frightened a bunch of the smaller operators into refusing to fill any brand... making it much more difficult outside the marine communities. The viking tanks need to be recertified every five years. If you look at their website, you'll find a good drive from many towns to a recertification center. Sherry

Talk to bug eye driver/ Pete. He towed the little ollie about 100k with the Taco. Truck campers are great where you need 4x4 . But, you're always carrying that weight and height. You can easily leave the trailer at the campsite, and go wander. Well, I guess you can do that with a truck camper, too, but, I don't think it's as easy as a solo operation.. If I were ever to go different from the little Ollie, I'd get a 4x4 van conversion. BUT, that's me. Smaller is better, in my book. We picked up our Oliver with our Volvo xc90, 2.5 liter turbocharged 5 cylinder. Great on flat highway. Some hills. Dropped mpg by about half. So, way over 4. Maybe 12? 15? But never tried it on the mountains. Thought the vehicle and trailer too heavy. My 2005 Silverado 1500 stepside was great. Nimble and fun, but 2 wheel drive. The ram 1500 hemi 4x4.. don't even know that the trailer is back there. We weighed our Ollie at a cat scale in 2009, on our way home from a trip. I'll look it up. I know it was under 4000. In thinking 3600ish, loaded for camping, but I honestly don't remember. The ollie shorty is great for solo camping. For this couple, too. The trailers all live big on the outside. But, never had a Toyota tow vehicle, so I can't comment on that. Sherry

Good solution, John. But, if you decide on the waterless composting toilet, you can still collect the water and heat in a tea kettle for dishwashing and hand laundry..... Besides the price, the roughly 6 inch height difference in the nature's head toilet and the standard RV toilet would be problematic for some of us shorter people, though I'm a big fan of the concept. Might improve winter camping possibilities, imo. However, we've only used the flush toilet and black and grey for 11 years, without issue. Never had the composting toilet. We've had both types of water heaters, and we camp without electricity or hookups most of the time. Topgun's described method of heating shower water to a comfortable temp only is wise, and used by quite a few folks. Heating dishwater in a teakettle not only saves propane, but cuts water use by making you keenly aware of how much water you are using for the task. We replaced the standard 6 gallon with a Girard instantaneous a few years ago, when our water heater died. We like it. But, you may be just as happy with the included 6 gallon... which also had the advantage of running on electricity when you have it. I don't think the Truma runs on dual fuel. I know our girard is lp only.. As far as generators, I'd look around at a few more choices. There's a gen set thread running now that offers more ideas and opinions... Are you getting solar? Do you really need a generator for anything more than charging the batteries occasionally? There's a lot to choose from. And, you may not want to start with something so very large and heavy, right off the bat. Good luck. So many options. My decision would include those items most expensive and difficult to add later, balancing against the budget. Water heater is an easy upgrade, for example. Sherry

Curious to know if anyone has tried either of these: the Sportsman 2200i dual fuel generator. Lighter weight, gas or lp, claims 1800 watts running... that's on gasoline, less on lp. Photo is from campingworld, but available online from Walmart for under $520, including shipping. Or, the Atima 3000i Yamaha powered gasoline generator from Costco? Weighs in at 94 pounds dry, so still quite heavy to haul around, but great reviews on Costco and Amazon. Less than $1000 at Costco, shipping included. Sherry

My sister bought the Costco Yamaha powered 2000 generator for her rpod. It won't run the ac, ( no eady start on hers), but does a nice job charging their single battery. Last summer, it was on sale for $499. We've run our 11 year old Honda 1000 at the same time as they ran the Costco 2000, and there is a difference, but it's not terrible. We could still carry on a normal conversation, probably 15 feet away from both gensets, and no issue. We also have a Yamaha 3000, but it is only used for power outages at home, never camping. It weighs too much to lug it around, at 150 lbs plus. Great generator, ran a few lights, a few fans, and refrigerator for both us and our next door neighbors on an extension cord after Hurricane Irma last year. The Costco gen comes with a set of the parallel connectors included. My sister decided if they ever needed to run ac, they'd probably buy another Costco unit, and connect the two. Since we tend to follow the cooler weather, the Honda 1000 has served us well as the rainy days supplement to solar. I'd personally rather carry two small 50 lb sets than one huge 150 lb generator, or get a Yamaha 2400 at 75 lbs . That's about max weight for me.... and available for about $1300 to 1500. For just charging batteries, our Honda 1000 under 30 lbs with gas, is perfect for us. Sherry