routlaw

Stan I don't have an opinion or option for your window over the kitchen area, though I think Sherry makes a good point. However allow me to add what we have done for bikes. We currently own a T@b and thus there is not even an option for a bumper mounted bike rack. What we did instead was buy two sets of Yakima quick release locking front fork clamps. Effectively if you have quick release front wheels all you have to do is unmount those, put the front fork in the Yakima clamps, then lock in place. This was done on the truck bed of our F150 using a redwood 2x4, but alternatively you could permanently mount these right onto the truck bed. Yet another reason for using a truck as your TV among many others. My next door neighbor liked my idea so well he devised a way to implement this inside his stick built TT. You can either run a cable through both bike frames to the internal bed tie downs to secure them from theft or devise a way to lock the 2x4 or what ever material you use for the platform where the Yakima clamps mounted to. Its quick easy and not too expensive, but the best part is the bikes are out of the wind from catching bugs and being a drag on the TV. Hope this helps.

Hello Oliver owners, My wife and I have been seriously considering the new Oliver Elite II which in so many ways seems to be in a class of its own. However as you know they are not exactly what one would call a Micro-Lite trailer either. This had me wondering what sort of gas mileage you all were getting during tow especially with the Elite II. By all means if you have the original 17 footer thats good info as well. For those that do respond, it would also be helpful to know your tow vehicle and the speed you're cruising at on average. It seems some folks plod along at 55 mph while others aren't satisfied if they aren't going 75. Obviously this makes a big difference with gas mileage. Thanks Rob ps, we have a F150 Eco-Boost.

Stan, Carol No doubt you were the folks in town doing the plant tour when I called the Oliver plant the other day. Congrats on bellying up to the bar for the Oliver. We are still working on our decision, but in the meantime I will throw in my two cents worth on your TV situation. Understand I am of the persuasion that you can never have too much TV so with that in mind personally I would not encourage you to go as light as you suggest. Understand the dry weight of the Oliver is 4700 lbs and while you may never fully load it up to the 7000lbs weight limit, hitting that additional 300 lbs will be very easy in a trailer like this. We have a 2013 F150 Eco Boost and if we do decide to go with Oliver this will be our tug. Remember you have to be able to stop the thing too, and what if you are in some less than desirable driving conditions, i.e. snow, ice, heavy rains you sure don't want the tail wagging the dog. Or what if you have to make an emergency stop such as someone pulling right out in front of you. Well there are all sorts of scenarios that can wreak havoc with too light of a TV for the trailer you are towing. So all that said I really wouldn't want anything much, if any lighter duty than my F150, which BTW does NOT drive like a truck in the traditional sense. I would encourage you to think bigger and think you will be happier in the long run if you do. Last year while camping in the UT deserts we ran across a couple towing a 25 foot Airstream (full timers no less) with a Tacoma. Very nice people but man were they pushing the envelop big time IMHO. I would never have done this. That trailer loaded had to be at least close to twice the weight of the truck. So in summary its my hard held believe scrimping on the TV while going deluxe on the trailer doesn't make sense. Hope this helps. Rob We made the trip down to Hohenwald, last Thursday, got a tour of the plant, got the "hard sell" from Robert and Alicia and placed our order. They could not have been nicer, they put up with all our questions and looking at things multiple times, a whole lot better then dealing with most car dealerships. Thanks Larry and Steve for the chats we had going into this process. Steve, we got the solar package, and Robert said you would be the expert, so we may be looking to you for advice. Now comes the hard part, waiting for it to be built, and oh yes, paying for it. Now we have another issue to deal with. Getting another tow vehicle. We have a 97 F150, but really don't want to use it for extended trips, so our plan is to trade in the CRV for a mid sized SUV for a TV. I built a spreadsheet with all the vehicles in that class (V6 3.5L 5000 lbs towing). Now the job of narrowing the list down and looking. Any ideas on how a TV in this size handles the Elite II? We want to be able to get in the "back country" and not just run the big roads. Stan and Carol

Nice steps there Pete and good maneuvering in the tight campground spot. Thanks for all the info and feedback. rob

Stan You know for years I had the worst jones for an Airstream too, but glad I waited it out. The more I learned about them the less I appreciated. The following are a few details: they are hot in the summer and cold in the winter due to very little insulation, they sweat profusely under the right conditions, they pop rivets on a regular basis, obviously they are very expensive at least 2-3 times more than the Oliver or Escape for that matter. Aluminum panels are easily subject to dents that are very expensive to repair. Have you ever seen one without dents? Its rare unless they are new. They are very heavy, foot for foot. On the more positive side, they look really cool especially the inside. This doesn't appeal to everyone though. And I hear their chassis/frame is second to none. Thats about it IMHO. IOW's if you have the budget I think you are currently looking in the right place. Just my unsolicited two cents worth but hope it helps. rob

Sounds great Steve, be looking forward to it. And how did we end up with the same last name, very unusual. rob

Thanks Pete Took a look at your blog, enjoyed your trip to Big Bend, truly a special place. Been there only once myself with a buddy who lives down the DFW area. Terlingua is quite the trip of a little town indeed. Just curious did you ever try to get your rig into the Chisos Basin campground up by the lodge? I here its a tight fit around the curves on the decent but certainly nothing we aren't used to in my neck of the woods. I'm am encouraged you're able to get into tight spots with your Oliver which appears to be the 17footer from the previous run of campers. I wonder how well the new Elite II's do in this regard? This part has me somewhat concerned @ 23.5 feet. routlaw

Anyone heading up this way with an Oliver trailer and wouldn't mind showing your rig for a few minutes would be greatly appreciated. I'm more than willing to drive some distance if you're not exactly in my neck of the woods… its a big state! Thanks and PM me if interested. routlaw

Howdy Jus checking in with my first post and intro. Currently own a T@b but have been looking for the last 2-3 years at all of the FG for a slightly larger and more accommodating camper. The Oliver and Escapes are at the top of the list, but its the floor plan on the Oliver among other things that just about seal it. Anyway trying to learn as much as i can in the meantime. routlaw