Ray and Susan Huff

I was referring to using a transfer pump to put antifreeze into the city water, fresh water, and black flush ports as mentioned by the OP, @topgun2. The "pump hose" I mention is the hose that attached the hand pump to the aforementioned ports, which would be the same as the threaded fitting on the end of a hose. However, the transfer hand pump pictured in the OP does not come with that fitting. This pump, however, does: https://www.westmarine.com/buy/camco--hand-pump-winterizing-kit--329179?recordNum=21 I agree . . . . just wanted others to know they can buy the whole works in one, if so desired.

We are seriously considering the Bakflip MX4. Weight of either would depend on the make/model/length of your pickup bed. The Diamondback seems more robust; I'm sure it weighs more than the Bakflip. However, we don't especially care for any of the DB hatch configurations. IMO, the Bakflip is more versatile with the way it opens and more desirable since there is less of a need to remove the cover to carry large items in the bed. Both brands are rated at 400# load, If you need a higher load capacity you'd want to look at the DB HD cover which is rated for 1600#, but costs quite a bit more. We also looked at the Undercover Ultra Flex but like the Bakflip for these reasons: Bakflip is quad-fold; Undercover tri-fold Undercover has one folded position: straight up; Bakflip has two: straight up or leaning against the cab The underside of Bakflip panels are powder coated; Undercover are carpeted. Bakflip has an optional rack for kayaks. Hope this helps. We aren't concerned about payload, since we will be towing with an F-350 diesel. If you contact customer service of either make, I'm sure they can tell you the weight of each.

Found this winterization transfer pump. It has the threaded fitting.

Considering the beveled edge of the counter, I would say yes, some sort of solid surface counter top. Heavier than fiber granite, but with less worry of heat damage. And what is the louvered vent on the wall next to the sink?

Adding it to the list . . .

Sharing good news . . . . . . . the Pacific Northwest woke up to the sound of rain this morning, bringing hope to firefighters as they begin day 10 of the devastating wildfires in our region. "Thank You" is not enough to express our gratitude to all the men and women who have given so much to protect our loved ones, homes, and resources.

I didn't see anything about a pressure relief valve or winterizing the holding tank valves . . . . . so I guess they are fine? When is Oliver going to get info in the University for 2021 changes? And I'd like to see a video tour of the same.

That's interesting . . . . . works for me, too. Even my "S" avatar! OK . . . . . got rid of the "S"

Could someone post a link to the proper fitting used to attach pump hose to the city water, fresh water and black flush tank. I'm thinking it's probably a threaded male hose fitting; any drip irrigation supply vendor would have this (though I don't know the size of the hose that attaches the pump). We might even have one in our drip system "toolbox" , as well as the necessary barbs. Isn't there also a pressure relief valve somewhere in the utility area of the Oliver that must be winterized? And are the tank dump valves vulnerable to freezing weather? I have way too much time to think, sitting at home waiting for our Oliver to go into production

Is the part that scraped (above) on the underside of the Ollie bumper? Just thinking out loud: could a person put some kind of rubber bumper there? Think "rubber baby buggy bumper" !

Yes, I did think about that. We have used our rack on the pickup. It tips back so you can access the bed; the tailgate will open as well. I appreciate all your comments. I'm sure there is something we haven't thought of. No solution is perfect; just need to find what works best. At least there are options 🚲 🚲

Thanks for your thoughts. We carried our bikes with fork mounts in the back of the pickup when we towed a 5th-wheel. When we traded the 5th-wheel for a camper van, we opted for an RV approved bike rack (1Up) which worked well. We love the quality and ease of use the 1Up affords. With the camper van, the bikes were with us wherever we went. My husband's bike is not a theft target - stock Specialized hybrid. Mine, however, is a Specialized mountain bike, customized for on road/off road use - $2,000+ to replace. We do secure them to the rack when not in use. I get what you are saying about having the bike rack mounted to the back of the Ollie, but our plan is to use a dual hitch adapter and mount the rack to the rear of the pickup; I believe there is enough clearance and this hitch meets the necessary specs to tow the Ollie and support 120# of bikes and rack, provided the 2" drop on the hitch will work; it's sounding like it might. Using the rack in this way eliminates the problem of having to move the bikes and/or rack from the rear of the Ollie to the pickup; the rack is a 2" and would not want it on the back of the trailer anyway. Canopy is not our first choice for pickup cargo protection; considering a Bakflip bed cover.

Thanks for the detailed measurements . . . . . How does the camper shell work out for you? How do you secure the bikes during transport . . . . . is it necessary to remove the front wheel? One thing we really like about our bike rack is how quick and easy it is to load/unload the bikes. We aren't real particular to them being exposed to the elements. They are nice bikes, but not carbon fiber, custom built. They get dirty, as do all off road bikes, but we keep them clean and maintained. One reason we have shied away from a canopy is that the pickup is often used at home for tasks around the ranch and the canopy would have to be removed when we aren't using it to tow. A folding bed cover is first on our list of possibilities, but we have to figure out bike transport before making that decision. Thanks for the great advice.

21" from ground to center of receiver, pickup unloaded and on flat ground. Our pickup is 4wd, so that might make a difference, suspension wise; the suspension is stock - no upgrades. It's beginning to sound like the dual hitch might work. Front receiver would be a last resort for using the rack. Not sure how the extra weight up front would affect handling and tongue weight. Oliver seems to think a standard drop of 2-2.5" will do fine.

I didn't think about simulating a load in the pickup. My measurement was unloaded. We have a lot of balast around our ranch to load test with This is encouraging. Thank you for the fine tuning tips.

If you are buying new, not traveling to Hohenwald will mean you won't have a PDI and orientation, nor the opportunity to spend a few days close to the factory to make sure everything is working properly. Likewise, buying used from a private party. If you aren't keen on the drive, I would suggest flying to Tennessee. Do the PDI and orientation. Spend a couple of nights at Davy Crockett State Park for shake down time, then have someone do the transport while you fly home. The only difficultly this scenario presents is the need for supplies to camp a couple of nights. I know some people who, when taking delivery on an RV miles away from home, will ship the essentials needed so they are waiting for you when you arrive. Oliver might let you ship to them, or to the local PO and have them hold the shipment until you arrive. We are also in Oregon (Coos County) and will be driving to Tennessee the first week of December to pick up our new Oliver Elite II twin. The drive will be an adventure and a welcome change from Covid and forest fires. Good Luck

We're trying to come up with a way to use our 1UP bike rack on the back of the pickup while towing our Oliver. Found a hitch that will do the job, but it only comes with a 2" drop. https://www.etrailer.com/s.aspx?qry=dual+receiver+hitch+adapter&furl=-vw-1-pg-Trailer_Hitch_Ball_Mount We'll be towing with an F-350 Super Duty. Receiver (OC) is 21" from the ground. Is a 2" drop enough? Life just isn't easy sometimes . . . . . . . might have to let some of the air out of the pickup tires or get a different TV 😟 lol

Yes, my husband thinks the drop won't work. Oliver has told me a 2 1/2" drop will work with our pickup, but I find that puzzling. More to investigate, for sure. Taking our bikes along is becoming a pain in the neck! Might just have to throw them in the back of the pickup 😬

The DB 270 also has brackets that have to be attached to the bed at the cab end. These are for the locking mechanism.

Are you sure? I'd better look into that. Thanks Etrailer information on the Ball mount with 2" receiver says wt limit of 7500# Am I reading that wrong? Maybe there's something I don't understand. Tongue weight limit is 750#. Oliver = 490# Bikes/rack = 120# total 610# Bike rack and two bikes weigh 120# https://www.etrailer.com/s.aspx?qry=dual+receiver+hitch+adapter&furl=-vw-1-pg-Trailer_Hitch_Ball_Mount

Thanks for the info! Did you install it yourself or have someone do it? Do you feel it is secure enough with just the tailgate lock?

Good idea, labeling the valve . . . . .

I see you carry your generator in the SUV. Does it give off fumes or do you carry it with the fuel tank drained? I ask because when we go pickup our Oliver in December, we probably won't have a cover for the pickup bed yet and don't want to leave the generator in the open bed. Of course, this might not even be an issue if we don't find the Yamaha portable generator (2200i) that we desire. There don't seem to be any available at the present time. We do have a 3100w non-portable inverter generator, but it's not going in the back seat!

Our 2013 F-350 SD doesn't have those rails built in. While we like the robust construction of the Diamondback covers, we aren't too keen on the access, especially when we have a bike rack attached to the rear of the pickup. Also, we'd eventually like to ditch our inflatable kayaks and haul hard shell kayaks on a rack; doing so, the doors on the DB cover would hit the kayaks when open. Another option we have looked at is the Bakflip MX4 . It can also be equipped with a rack assembly for Kayaks; load limit is 400#, so no problem there. Before we make any decision, and spend $$$ for a bed cover, we need to confirm that our bike rack and bikes will fit between the pickup and the hitch jack on the Oliver, with the addition of a dual receiver adapter. If not, what we do will depend on what alternative means of carrying bikes we choose. So, until we actually have our trailer and can confirm the bike rack installation, we will do without a bed cover. That means driving to Tennessee with everything we need in the back seat of the pickup. I'm just a little nervous about traveling cross country in December without a generator . . . . . . and a generator is yet another story! I appreciate all the suggestions . . . . . keep them coming ☺️

We are hoping to do something like this, but mounting the rack in a dual receiver, which will put the bikes closer to the pickup and hopefully plenty of room for turns. I'm pretty sure there will be room for this.