ScottyGS

Made it! Took it slow and it was all good. The spring is flat like a pancake, but it held. The Nissan Titan pulls it well and I'm pretty sure will be a great towing platform. Although I am puzzled as to exactly why you need to keep the speed 50mph or below for the first 500 towing miles for break in. Thanks everyone for the advice. Sure do appreciate it. Also... The place I took it to, RV Services in Asheville looks like a good shop. They have two Oliver owners that store their trailers with them. Will give a better review after the work is done. Thanks again, Scotty

Thanks for the update and the info. Spring is not broken but there is a piece missing. See picture. I will look for some matting or other before I make the trip down. I also have a mobile repair place that I will call to see if they can come out. It will cost a premium but probably cheaper than a flatbed. The place I am taking it to says they will keep it 1-2 weeks before it's ready. Not thrilled about that. Thanks again for the help. Sure do appreciate it. Scotty

22.5 miles. Mostly highway but surface streets about the last 4-5 miles. My fear is that if it goes it lets the tire hit the fiberglass trim or wheel well. That puts me at a hard stop. Anyone had theirs go on the road. Is there any wiggle room to get it over to the side without tearing the wheels off? TIA, Scotty

I am getting nervous! I have our trailer all hooked up to take it in to have the leaf springs replaced tomorrow. I just checked and see that the flattening of the Left Rear spring has started. This is the one with about six inches missing off the second leaf. If this thing goes in transit, am I stuck stuck? Or, can I limp it in? Any advice would be most appreciated. Scotty

Thanks for sharing this info. Very interesting. I recently saw a video from some financial guy who said... If you're going to buy a boat or RV, just think of it as putting the money in a big pile and setting it on fire. And for many RV's I would agree. Nice to see that Oliver owners are not in that category. That being said.... As far as Donna is concerned, we will be making our LE2 (hull #145) a true Legacy and leave it to our son after we are gone. When you add up purchase price, maintenance, upgrades, etc. there is a whole bunch of money we won't be getting back, BUT... Just owning our trailer is a joy. And, now that we are both retired and have a new TV, we'll be looking forward to more trips. Happy Camping Everyone! Scotty

Pricing?!? I always cringe when I see used Oliver TT's priced at what IMHO.... is way too low. Wasn't long ago that you could sell an Oliver that was 4-5 years old for close to what you paid for it. I would get out my build sheet and compare what those options are going for today plus the base. Also consider what options are no longer available. Mirror cabinet doors... Lonseal Floor anyone? I would start at 5% below what I paid and make further discounts from there, if needed. You can then compare what it would cost to have a "new" Oliver vs. your used one. Plus get it now instead of waiting. There are a LOT of folks out there that would LOVE to have a six year old Oliver at the "discount" that you paid in 2018. My opinion only and I would love to hear what your experience is after it sells. Good Luck. Scotty

Nope. 5.6 Liter V8. No turbo, no fuel management crap. Just raw gas eating power. I know I'll still have to manage the downhills, and the mileage will probably be worse than the F150 ecoboost with turbo, but think we may get better mileage while towing. That remains to be seen. The other thing about the XD that was a really big plus is the rear seat. It seems almost all the half ton... and even the 3/4 Chevy have back seats that are small and hard. Not comfortable and Donna likes to travel in the rear seat at times so that was important. I put up a post on the XD and the reasons we went that way. Thanks again, Scotty

We just took home a 2024 Nissan Titan XD pickup as a new tow vehicle for Hull # 145. I thought it might be of interest to the community the reasoning that led me to this decision. Our old TV was a 2016 Ford F-150 with 110,000 miles. This was a good TV for most of our trips, but as our half ton owners know.. you have to be very careful about payload. Short trips were no problem but longer trips that require more gear... we were limited. So... I figured a ¾ ton was in our best interest and started our research. I was looking at the 2500 Duramax (Diesel) from GM. Chevy or GMC didn't really matter and I really thought that would be the answer. But... It's a BIG TRUCK! I didn't mind, but it was too much for Donna to climb into. And, if I am honest with myself... great for towing but not so great for regular driving. So I started looking at half ton Chevy 1500's. The Baby Diesel just didn't have enough payload. When I started looking at V8's I actually found one that had an 1800 lbs. Payload. Yep you read that right... but it also had 22” wheels. That really wasn't going to work unless I put in a shock kit that makes the thing dance and some weird color lights to accent the under carriage. Then, I became aware of the Titan XD from watching a you tube video. So, I turned my microscope in it's direction. Here are the main reasons for choosing this Tow Vehicle. Reliability - The 5.6 Liter V8 has been around for a while and while not the best mpg wise... it doesn't rely on a turbo for power, or have other gas saving features like Direct Fuel Management, which shuts off cylinders when the computer decides you don't really need them. Just a powerful V8. If I wanted a V6 or V4, I would have bought one. Plus DFM can cause problems when you hit the 50k mark. Comfort & Ride - 18” wheels give the truck a much nicer ride than a ¾ or full ton pickup. This is very important for Donna. She is recovering from back surgery and I need to keep her comfortable. All in all the ride is as good or better than our old F150. Payload & Toughness – This was the kicker. Payload on our Pro4X is 1,840 lbs. That lets us put a topper on and still have almost 500 lbs for stuff after accounting for tongue weight and the two of us and the dog. If we max out the payload we still have about 9k left before hitting the GCVWR. If we ever put that much stuff in the Oliver we are going to need a LOT more than the ALCAN leaf springs to keep the trailer from falling apart. The XD has a lot stronger frame and suspension. I would say somewhere between a half ton and a ¾ ton. Just enough oomph for when we have our LE2 hooked up but still manageable when we don't. Why we feel Lucky! - When I found out about the Titan XD, I also found out that 2024 is the last year they are going to make them. So, I knew I had to act quickly. The other good news is that dealers are offering pretty decent discounts on them. So, if you are like us and in the market for a new TV you might want to look at the Titan XD. Act fast because when they are gone... they are gone. And, final note. You WILL need the Anderson WDH with this truck. On page 24, the towing guide says a Weight Distributing System is “strongly recommended” for trailers over 5,000 lbs. But on page 22 in the notes..... it clearly states that weight distributing systems are “required” for trailers over 5,000 lbs. Nice of Nissan to add a little bit of confusion to the WDH discussion. We could confidently state that the guide only recommends... but the plaintiffs lawyer in court will have some expert read aloud from page 22 that it is “required”. So, I guess I will continue using it. All for now. Please let me know what questions you have and I will do my best to answer. Scotty

Yes... The Chevy 3/4 had a power step like our F150 but higher. It was a no go. We finally decided on a Nissan Titan XD. I will get custom power steps that solve the problem for her. Look for my post about that one and thanks! Scotty

Hey Everyone.... Update and closeout of this thread. We test drove both the Ram and Duramax 2500 trucks. They are awesome tow platforms but.... a bit too high for Donna to climb up into with her back situation. Our TV would be about 1/3 towing and 2/3 regular driving. I think we have found a good compromise and I will have a post on that in a week or so. Thank you all again. Nice to have knowledgeable people to bounce ideas off of. Happy Camping!

WOW! We have been sidelined this summer since the aborted eclipse trip and have been attending to other more important issues... So, no camping for us. But now we are looking at a short trip in October, so I thought it would be a good time to freshen up on recent issues. And WOW! What a thread. Yes.... I read it all. So, THANK YOU to the brain trust. It's nice having talented, knowledgeable, articulate, and kind owners to collaborate with. Really... you guys are awesome. So, I figured I should get my butt under the trailer for a look see. First spring looks good... no flattening. Same for second and third. Fourth looks good too...... Wait a minute.... The second longest leaf is shorter than it's supposed to be. Better take a closer look. See the picture. The second leaf broke about a half inch shorter than the third leaf. Guess it's time for a call to ALCAN. (Sorry GJ) Thanks to you all I have almost all the info I need. Except for someone to do the work after I get the springs from Alcan. We live just north of Asheville NC. Bumgarner in Lenoir NC is an Oliver dealer about 91 miles out. Camping World in Hendersonville is 35 miles out. I would like to minimize my travel and risk of breakage on the road. Are there any other type of shops that could do this work? Any personal recommendations to be made? Thanks again for all the help. Scotty

I would appreciate the brain trust weighing in on considerations for a new TV. My F150 has about 110k on it and I think I am ready to follow the advice of so many and upgrade to a 3/4 ton truck. Have pretty much settled on the Chevy 2500 LTZ Duramax. I "Think" the Ram would be too rough a ride and Ford is out of the question. So the Chevy looks good to me. I am wondering...... How much rougher is the ride on a 2500 over a half ton truck. Assuming I air down the tires to just above what will set off the sensor... while NOT towing. Donna has recently had back surgery so I am looking to make travel as comfortable for her as possible. What would my options for improving the ride be? Thinking sway bar, leveling, or better yet. Airbags. I looked into liquid springs but they are only for Ram and the F word. If Airbags are the premium way to go... Would back only do it? How much do you think that would cost? (good system with a compressor and cockpit controls) And finally. What am I missing? Is there another option that would get a better ride out of a 3/4 ton? Should I do more research on RAM? Any advice on moving up to a Diesel 3/4 would be appreciated. Steve Landrum... I am thinking of you. We have owned #145 for a bit over 8 years now and Donna just pulled the pin on the retirement grenade, so we are going to be stepping up the travel. I want to make sure we are safe and ready for that. Thank you all in advance. Can't wait to read your thoughts. Scotty

Well... last trip out the fan lift mechanism exploded. That gets your attention real quick. Got the part and just re-installed. Wanted to pass along a tip that I did not see here or in the instructions. That spring that attaches to the lifting arm is curiously absent from the instructions that I got with the new part. Ordered it from RV Products directly and they said it would be 3 weeks to arrive but it came in 2 weeks. OK.. here goes. The part of the spring that gets bolted onto the mechanism goes in the hole on top and the same side as the post that turns the bar to raise. That's the hole closest to the hinge when installed. Mine was blown up so I didn't have a reference. Lots of fun... only had to go up on the roof about a dozen times. But no falls and nothing broken. Happy Camping Everyone, Scotty

People really don't have much consideration for their camping neighbors. OK... SOME people... We've had folks using generators (that were placed behind their camper and in front of ours) right up until the 10pm cut off. And most recently a group that set their campfire ring and chairs right next to our trailer and were yakking away until 11:30pm. (OK.. it was in NJ.. I should have expected it) The first night when I told them we were trying to sleep they knocked it off. The second night one guy who had a little too much to drink wanted to start a fight. Preference is state or NP campsites, but when we have to book a commercial campsite I look for one with sites as far apart from each other as possible (Thankful for google maps satellite view) and always check the quiet hours rules. Scotty

Had ours blow up on this last trip. Cost was 22.09 plus shipping brought it to $37.48. 3 week lead time. Number for the company is 574-247-9235. It sure does get your attention when it blows up. Thanks for all the info here guys... appreciate it. Scotty

Even us Canadians living in the USA are offended at your oversight. For penance you must stop at the next Tim Hortons you pass for breakfast.

Great Thread! Thanks everyone. I was looking over the list for this years Rally and said to Donna... "Hey... it looks like we are among the "Old Guard" of Oliver Trailer Owners. (both a low hull number and original owner) We were surprised at how quickly that happened. 7 years goes by fast. See Y'all soon.. safe travels to the Rally. Scotty

Can you send me one of those stickers.... I want to put it in our trailer to see how high Donna will jump when she sees it. Scotty

Once they strap the golf cart onto the front of the bug it'll be fine. Just go slow down the mountains.

Oh man....... Now I have to start cruising campgrounds looking for an unhitched LE2.......... Then just back up my Toyota Camry in front of it and take a picture to post! Only joking... Sorry... Couldn't resist. Scotty

Good to remember that Meghan plays "All About That Bass" on the Ukulele! I'll reach out to Matt and see what we can arrange. Maybe we'll get lucky on that beer this time. Scotty

OK... thinking Friday night around 6pm at the Beach Pavilion. BYOC and BYOB. I'll put together a list of about 10 popular songs that people know the words to. Or, maybe have handouts with just the words so folks can sing along. I'll post a google drive location that people who play instruments can download the charts from . After the singalong, we can have a signup sheet for an Open (no) Mic, and folks can perform for us. Simple and easy. Who do I have to sweet talk to schedule the Beach Pavillion? Scotty

Banjo! Damn... I'm sorry I quit the bagpipes years ago! Seriously though... We will be in E-19 and I'll have at least one Ukulele with me. We could share around some charts beforehand and pick a time and place to meet. Should be fun.

Hey Gang.... Just wanted to put this out there. I have a 2016 F-150 as a TV for my LE2. At 50k miles I had a fault in the module that controlled the louvers for the turbo.... at 93k I had a fault in the hill control descent feature which turn out to be a bad electronic throttle body. Both times I got the flashing error with a bong bong bong warning and a complete loss of power. The power steering and brakes still worked but the only option was to coast to the side of the road and attempt a re-start. The 50k event happened when I was only about a half mile from home and was able to limp it home. The 93k event happened once then it was ok then again until a few thousand miles later... then finally it happened continually and I had it towed to a Ford dealership. Adding insult to injury, both Ford dealerships that I could get to were booked out weeks. So, I was without my truck for a solid month. Plus it was 2k the first time and 1400 just this week. Fortunately, this never happened while I was towing my Oliver. But it got me thinking.... How common is this in modern trucks? They are all controlled by computers. You never know when some module somewhere is going to go on the fritz and strand you. Hopefully never while you are on a trip, or while towing, especially up a mountain road with no shoulder. So why am I telling you all this...? Well, I would like to know if anyone has had a similar event with their TV.. or am I the only unlucky one. But also.... Not a bad idea to keep in mind that this can happen and you may have to get to the shoulder of the road on very short notice. At least if you are aware that this is a possibility, you might react quick enough to prevent getting stuck in the middle of a highway or in some other really bad place. It's fixed for now, and we are planning a spring trip to Canada.... Hopefully no more unpleasant surprises. Thanks for listening, Scotty

This video recommends jacking under the axle. I would NOT do this without contacting Oliver first. The Dexter axles are not meant to be jack points. Several owners have damaged their axles by using a jack under them. The nose all UP and all DOWN is great info.... Thanks OP.