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Hap

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Everything posted by Hap

  1. Correction - I meant to say that I would be in Hohenwald April 9, not September 9th. Thank god for spell check and edit. Hap
  2. I will be in Hohenwald for service and a couple of upgrades April. 9th then plan to meander north to Sioux Narrows Ontario where we will turn west and slowly head for Alaska. My wife who doesn't like the slog across the country will fly into Edmonton, AB, Canada and meet me. This is our second trip in an OTT to Alaska. We almost never make reservations except for major holidays and have had very little trouble finding a place to stay. On our last trip, a couple that had RV'd to Alaska many times highly recommended Seward Alaska for the 4th of July. They recommended that we arrive at least five days in advance to get one of the first come first serve spots in the Waterfront Park Campground dry camping. I wouldn't even think about coming in at the last minute. The 4th is huge in Alaska. They do have a dump site and a place where you can take on fresh water. It was one of the best small town 4's that we've ever had. We liked the second second-tier sights for many reasons especially the view. Check out the Marathon Mountain, Alaska 4th race on Youtube. That's where we hope to be this year for the fourth. Alaska is the trip of a lifetime. Hope to see you in Alaska. Hap
  3. I thoroughly agree with John Davies about pressure warning systems. I have purchased several over the years, and TPMS has been by far the best. I've seen many RV's sitting on the side of the road with lots of damage not only to the tires but to the RV because it took a long time for the driver to realize that one of their tires was down. Hap
  4. Our EcoSeb just arrived today and I'm very pleased with how quiet it is on low and with the small size. I would also like to know where current owners place the unit in their OTT's? It's small enough to store in the OTT closet with ease when not in use and seems big enough to work effectively with the trailer. At the moment I'm giving it try in our laundry room but the real test will be in April on our Alaska trip. I can't wait to get back on the road. Hap
  5. I've reposted my question under the Thread Question for the Oliver Travel Trailer Factory???. I'm a big supporter of OTT and I'm not trying to be difficult, but I feel that this is an important question that needs a clear and concise answer. When I drop my trailer at an RV service center, I'd like to have a paper that I've printed off of the manual to hand to that center explaining how to lift the trailer for things like repacking the bearings, etc. I have included this and other questions on that thread, so hopefully, I will understand how to handle these situations soon. kountrykamper thanks for asking the question to start this thread. Hap
  6. Hi Keymaster, As you may already know I have experienced a jack failure on our first 2014 OTT while in the middle of nowhere Alaska. Also, this is not a request for service just a question that I've been asking for several years and still don't understand the answer. I suppose I a little on the dumb side but reading your reply here and reading the 2016 Elite II manual leaves me even more confused. What is a "special tire ramp"? In the thousands of miles that we have traveled while RVing I've seen many RV's with both tires flat on one side of the trailer flat after hitting a really bad object on the road. If I purchase a "special tire ramp" and both tires are flat will it still work? When I take our trailer to an RV service center to have bearings packed how do I explain to them the proper procedure to raise the tires? Where "is the steel section of the subframe"? A picture would be nice. Also while I'm at it I'd like to request a [Question for the Factory] section on your forum page. Thank You. Hap
  7. If you’re on the side freeway with a flat tire and for some rare reason, you have a jack failure where do I tell the wrecker driver to place his jack to lift the trailer to change the flat tire? Where are the lift points on OTT's? Jack failure is rare but it does happen.
  8. kountrykamper Great question. I have a slightly different question. If you're on the side freeway with a flat tire and for some rare reason, you have a jack failure where do I tell the wrecker driver to place his jack to lift the trailer to change the flat tire? Jack failure is rare but it does happen. Hap
  9. Thanks to everyone that answered my questions. I probably should have asked if any owners have older trailers that have upgraded to the Dexter EZ Flex. I am concerned that small children, dogs, and the elderly like me will not hear us coming thru campgrounds and get out of the way after upgrading to the Dexter EZ Flex. Maybe I'll invest in an airhorn for the truck. (Just Kidding) The great thing about OTT is that they listen to their customers and keep upgrading their product. If anyone is interested, you can look at our profile page and see the first OTT 2014 that we owned. The photo was taken on our way to Alaska. You will notice that it only had one step and a little white stool that my wife aka "THE BOSS" hated and let the Oliver folks know it when we picked up our trailer. On our way home we stopped in Hohenwald for a tune-up, they proudly showed us the new two-step model and replaced ours. Hap
  10. Scubarx We have an appointment at the factory in a few weeks to have a few upgrades to our 2016 trailer. Were having the EZ Flex installed, also having a Microair Easy Start installed. I would like to hear your opinion on both of these upgrades. OTT has warned me that the easy start would void my warranty on the AC, but I believe that it's out of warranty now anyway. Hap
  11. Our tires are the Michelins that were put on at the factory and I’ve always set them at 75 psi summer and winter and never had a problem. I would also recommend the TPMS sensors. I haven’t had any problems with drawers opening or seeing doors popping open or any other damage etc. Also, our tires don’t seem to be showing any wear. I believe that I’ll have to replace them due to age not wear. I've just had our trailer serviced at a local RV dealer that is highly respected and questioned them about psi and they set them to 75 psi. I've tried lower psi pressure and I believe it decreases fuel mileage and causes a sluggish feeling while towing. All of us have our opinion about psi, but after two OTTs, thousands of miles and weather temps from 15 to 100 degrees that's the psi that I use. Each to his own. Hap
  12. Several comments here advise staying in the area for several days to learn how everything works and to make sure everything is working properly. Great advice! I would advise heading out for a couple of hundred mile trip, then being prepared to return to factory if necessary. OTT is a great trailer but sometimes teething pains pop up and it is best to be in close proximity to the factory so they can address the issues or questions. Also, there will be the inevitable question: "how does this work?" You can go over those with the factory folks directly if you can easily return to Hohenwald. Lots of great things to do and see in the area, especially Nashville and the Natchez Trace Parkway. Hap
  13. Great advise SeaDawg. We have the Yamaha 3000. I like the unit, but if I were to do it over again I would probably go with a Honda or Yamaha 2000, that’s capable of adding a companion unit. The 3000 takes two very fit guys to load and unload. I now just leave it in the basket covered and locked down when it's in the storage yard. I will say that the weight of the 3000 does not seem to affect the towing with our Silverado 1500. Having said that I would like to add that we stay in a lot of off-grid places during our travels and having the ability to use or AC is a must for us. This year with the hurricanes and evacuations it was invaluable. Hap
  14. Hi Overland We have found that keeping the nightshades raised an inch or two at night helps to keep the windows from fogging up on the inside of our windows. Also, I'm a heavy set male while my wife is petite. At times we have found condensation under my mattress but not hers so I,m producing much more body heat than her which I assume is causing the condensation. We bought and placed a moisture barrier AIRE-FLOW™ MOISTURE BARRIER pad under each mattress and have had no more issues. It is inexpensive to purchase a roll and cut it to the size you need. I believe that I used a box cutter at the time. This is the website where we purchased the product. We love the product. Hope this helps. www.mattressinsider.com Hap
  15. Hi Lou Anne & Bobby Our tires are the Michelins that were put on at the factory and I've always set them at 75 psi summer and winter and never had a problem. I would also recommend the TPMS sensors. I haven't had any problems with drawers opening or seeing doors popping open or any other damage etc. Also, our tires don't seem to be showing any wear. I believe that I'll have to replace them due to age not wear. Hap
  16. Hi Mmoren Just my opinion, but I would add the factory installed Solar and the AGM batteries. I would also recommend a good generator if you are planning to stay in some of the great BLM parks, boondocking etc. Sometimes when it rains for several days and we are parked in a location with large trees, Solar alone just can't do the job. As to your question "So knowing what you know now, would you have still gone with Oliver?" We have owned two Oliver Elite II's. This year we have traveled to California, then to Washington State, back to LA, Calif, then back to Florida. Another trip to Maine and back to Florida. We've used it in 15 degree and 100 degree weather and have been very comfortable. Personally for me the colder the better. Except for a few minor new teething pains that Oliver had fixed in a prompt manner, we have had very few issues with our trailer. We would have no problem recommending either a new or used OTT to our best friends. In fact, we have consistently done so to all the travelers we have met along the road. Hap and Mrs. Hap
  17. "I think it would be a good idea if Oliver would train some folks for East Coast and West Coast maintenance so Ollies wouldn’t have to be pulled 3000 miles just for maintenance. " J-Rhett After owning OTTs for several years now I have found that maintenance on the trailers is pretty straightforward and most RV shops can do the work. As I have mentioned before, on our current trailer we had a hairline crack in a brass water check valve. The mechanic couldn't find the problem so we called Hohenwald and they told him where to find the valve and the job was completed in about twenty minutes. OTT even texted them pictures of where to find the check valve. Also, I'm so familiar with the trailer that I could pinpoint where most issues could be located. My wife's big complaint about our Oliver Travel Trailer: "I'm not a damned showroom for Oliver Travel Trailers". We are currently in a large RV park in Vermont. Yesterday the Owner of our park knocked on our door and asked for a tour of our trailer. We almost never visit a park without at least one or more couples asking to take a look, so now we've just gotten used to it. We've also gotten used to people that we never met before walking around the trailer taking pictures. I assume most of them go on the internet and look at the Oliver website. Hap. Sometimes at our home in Florida, currently located in Bennington, Vt. for the leaf peeping season.
  18. Hap

    Sorrow

    My wife and I first met Robert when we bought our trailer in 2014. Robert was was one of those rare individuals that you instantly trusted and became friends with. I doubt if Robert ever met a stranger. We are truly saddened to hear of the lose of this rare individual. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. With our deepest sympathy, Mike and Nancy
  19. The first camper that we purchased in 2013 was an expensive 40-foot diesel pusher that was destroyed when it was about 7 months old when a tractor-trailer rear-ended us at a high rate of speed. Not to mention the name of the manufacturer, but I still think it was made by one of the best motorhome manufacturers with a reputation for great service to its customers. When we took it to the factory for our six-month service work and to have a few items repaired under warranty, we literally had to sit in the first-come-first serve line at their factory for 28 days waiting on service. They did have hookups in a bare bones RV park at their factory. We understood this when we purchased the motorhome, but 28 days sitting at the factory waiting for warranty work is still a long time. One of our good neighbors and close friends purchased a large and very expensive fifth wheel from a manufacturer located in Indiana about one year ago. It is our understanding that they have reportedly had a huge number of issues with no resolution in sight and damned little communication. We have had to have some issues repaired on our OTT when it was under warranty and at times the response was not immediate, but compared to what we have experienced elsewhere and what we have been told by friends and people we have met while traveling, we know that we are spoiled by the service that we've received at OTT. I will add that when we were in need of quick service while traveling, the Oliver people have gone all out to help us. No, we don't own stock in the OTT company or any vested interest and, although we really like the people in Hohenwald, we are not some of their best friends. We're just thankful customers. Hap
  20. Thanks, Canoe 12 Salem is really getting geared up for Halloween. We stayed at the county-owned park Winter Island Park for several days. What a great place with wonderful scenery and a great location to tour the surrounding area and visit Boston for a day. Today, we moved up to Freeport, ME for one night and for my wife to shop at L. L. Bean and then to visit Kennebunkport. God, what a beautiful part of the world. Were heading to the White Mountains area tomorrow. Hap
  21. Accents? We don't have an accent, Y'all do. As far as communicating with the people at the OTT factory and getting a response, I have always found their response to my questions and concerns to be timely and helpful. As an example - When we first bought our current trailer, it developed a leak in the fresh water line. It turned out to be a hairline crack in a check valve in the fresh water line. Oliver set us up with a local shop for repairs and when their technician couldn't find the problem, one of the factory service reps got on the phone and talked them through the problem. OTT even sent pictures to the local repair shop. We were back on the road in a couple of hours. Over the years when we've had warranty work done while on the road, the shops that we've dealt with always seemed stunned (and quite pleased) with the quick response and helpful attitude from OTT . Sometimes at our home in Florida, currently in Salem, Ma. and headed to the higher elevations for leaf peeper season. Hap Hometown, Atlanta, Georgia. LOL
  22. In all of our travels since purchasing our first Oliver Elite II, we were stunned when a couple of days ago we passed another Oliver Elite II on our way back to our dry camp at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Ct. in our Silverado. It was being towed by a blue pickup at a red light and being towed in the opposite direction. We gave a big wave but I don't believe the occupants ever saw us. We have only seen two on the road. The most recent sighting was in Hiawassee a few months ago. The only other Elite II that we have ever seen outside of Hohenwald was last summer when we pulled into a small town Walmart in New Mexico. The occupants were non-other than Mr. and Mrs. Oliver senior and one of their sons. What a surprise - had a nice long visit with them in the Walmart parking lot. Jim and his son even fixed a small but nagging problem to the door latch on our trailer. Hap - Sometimes at our home in Florida, but presently located at the Atlantic Oaks RV park in Cape Cod, Mass. We are headed north to Salem, Mass and then on to the mountains for leaf peeper season.
  23. Hap

    IRMA

    SeaDawg Yesterday morning while on the way home to Amelia Island we stopped for gas in Waycross Georgia which is about 40 miles north of the Florida and Georgia state line. While there a huge convoy of out of state utility trucks passed heading south at a high rate of speed with police escort both front and back. The Waycross police were blocking all major cross streets to let them by. There's a lot of resources moving in. We are lucky and just have to clean up of our yard full of downed limbs and debris. We are also working on an elderly couples yard and driveway next door who are still at a shelter nearby. Lots of neighbor helping neighbors on our street. We have the Oliver fully stocked and backed into our driveway as we wait for our power to be restored. Keep us updated. Hap Hap.
  24. Hap

    IRMA

    We've been at McKinney Campground for several days enjoying the great fall weather and visiting with all of our family in the Atlanta area until early this morning. We pulled out around 7 am when the rain and wind started to pick up and the large pine trees surrounding us started to sway. We're presently parked at a large rest station near Macon, Ga. with all of the truckers and a few fellow RVers. We have high winds and heavy rain but have not put the jacks down and the OTT only rocks slightly when we have a hard side gust of wind. Our fridge is stocked up, the batteries are holding up well and the generator is full of gas when extra power or recharging is needed. Our neighbors that stayed on the Island emailed and said that our home has held up well and we hope that holds up for another few hours until the winds pass Amelia Island by. We feel really fortunate all the way around. We plan to head out first thing in the morning. The storm should be past us by then. Maybe after cleaning up the yard, we can head out on our planned trip to the New England states for a few weeks. Time will tell. We pray that all of our Oliver friends stay safe during this storm. Hap
  25. Hap

    IRMA

    We are on high ground, our worry here is the large trees surrounding our site at this park. When we drove up yesterday, the freeway was very busy with most cars from Florida, but now I understand, the roads are packed. We've been in extreme winds with the Oliver with little more than some rocking of the trailer, so that does not worry me, but the trees and tornados do. When we leave our house on our travels, a lot of people ask if we worry about our belongings while we're gone and I always tell them that we do our best to prepare, but after that, we hire God and Mr. and Mrs. Allstate to do the worrying for us. Hey, life's an adventure. Hap
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