Mike and Carol

Malcolm, congratulations on your retirement! I retired 7 months ago and we are really enjoying retired life. We'll be interested in your pick up experience and first few days in your new Oliver. Steve, a new forum platform would end a lot of frustrations. I frequent Fiberglassrv and Airforums and the exerience is much smoother. I know this forum is integrated into their company website so it seems like they either have to change the entire platform or break the forum away from the web site. Like Buzzy, I appreciate Jason's technical bulletins and would like to see a technical/reference section where you could find videos and bulletins along with troubleshooting information. Mike

I got 12-14 mpg towing with my 2012 Tacoma with the 4.0L six. I also had the TRD supercharger. My mileage with the Ram with a 5.7L V8 is about the same or slightly higher.

StoicJim, welcome! I have owned two Tacoma's, a 2009 and 2012. We picked up our Oliver with the 2012 Tacoma. It did an adequate job of towing, we put 4K+ miles on our Tacoma towing our Elite II. Hills in the Ozarks, freeways, and backroads - no real towing issues. I don't tow fast (60-62mph) and am generally pretty cautious. When I went over 100K miles we decided to go with a bigger replacement, our current Ram 1500. Going in, our main reasons for going bigger was to get a bigger fuel tank and a bigger truck bed. With the Tacoma, I was constantly looking to refuel due to the small gas tank. I also didn't want to always be "full to the brim" cargo wise when we traveled. Now that I've got many more miles on the full size Ram, there are other things I appreciate. Besides the big gas tank and larger bed, I like the integrated brake controller and the "tow mode". I also appreciate the additional power and braking capacity. Gas mileage is about the same. You might consider any cargo/supplies you would want to carry when you tow. As Buzzy points out, with some water in the tanks you are pushing the upper weight limit of the Tacoma which can make hills more challenging in both directions. Hope this helps. Mike

I hope this gets worked out with both Oliver and Ford. I'm drooling a little over the thought of a 2018 Raptor.... We ordered our trailer in September and set a pick up date in May. I might just tell them when you will be there to pick it up and let them figure out the invoicing and build schedule so they can give you a final price. Mike

I got mine from Charlie (RV Widget Works). He makes them and sells them to Little House Customs. He's easy to work with. We got ours after someone leaned against the fridge and turned it off. Fortunately, it wasn't off long. It's a good, cheap investment! Mike

After braking hard one day we found the nightstand drawer out and off the tracks when we stopped. I had 3 books in the drawer that must've been enough weight to cause the drawer to open when I braked. I got it all put back together, but we always found the drawer open after driving, finally resorting to duct tape. I removed the mechanism and found that an internal plastic piece was broken. I called Tommy and explained the situation and he sent me a new set. Haven't had any issues since - I also don't have anything heavy in that nightstand drawer. I haven't checked our kitchen drawers but will. We've had no problems with them. Thanks for the heads up on this. Mike

Post pictures of the results! An awning over the dinette seems like a good idea. Mike

John, good questions and nice map. When we picked up we headed north to LBL/KY after a couple of days in Hohenwald. When we go to the rally, we want to come from the south and have been looking at places in MS - Tishomingo SP is on our list. We want to do the Trace up to Hohenwald. Steve lives in Tupelo and might be able to offer us some advice. Mike

I agree with Bill. We're approaching one year of ownership and have over 12K miles on our Oliver. We've had a few maintenance issues that were addressed quickly. Both sales and service have been very responsive, making me feel that they genuinely care and take pride in their product. I've not had any of the "run around" you sometimes get with car dealers or others. This forum probably sells a lot of trailers. I know I relied on what I found out here when making my decision between an Oliver and an Airstream. I'm not an IT guy and don't understand why it is so slow. Matt seems pretty diligent about keeping it running and adding features.... I also appreciate the old timers that got things rolling. Larry, Steve, Sherry and Pete have been doing this for a long time and still find time to contribute and help new folks. You do feel part of a family. Mike

I'm sure there would be a market for a larger Oliver. A 28 foot Airstream must feel huge!

Congrats on being retired and feeling retired! We retired the end of August and spent almost all of Sept and Oct on the road. It's a great feeling to be able to make your schedule whatever you want it to be. Your pictures are great, keep em coming! Mike

We've been using the inexpensive yellow camco chocks. If we're fairly level I chock inside the tires/each direction. If we're on a noticeable slope I chock each wheel on the downhill side. These Fastway chocks look nice. Might be worth the investment. Anybody using them? Mike

Jeff and Liz, glad to hear you ordered your Oliver. We really enjoyed our visit with you and the tour of our trailer at Fort Huachuca in January - despite the cold windy weather! As you can tell already there's lots of expertise here and everyone will be anxious to help. If we get back to Sierra Vista/Fort Huachuca will let you know. Mike

John, mine don't tilt. They also collect dust and dirt, I always get on the ladder to clean them after a trip. Would be a good mod project. Mike

We have the twin bed and I sleep on the side with the TV. I never hit my head on it, but it did get in the way when changing sheets (lifting the mattress) and it prevents you from leaning against the back wall. I did move it to the middle with a flip up mount and we like it much better. There is a TV Relocation thread under Modifications. Mike

Buzzy, thanks for the kind words. The moderator team has done a great job over the years - before we even knew what an Oliver was! I hope I can help them keep this forum friendly, helpful and entertaining. We've learned so much here and met some wonderful people. Looking forward to meeting everyone that attends the rally! Mike

Our newest old member! Good to see....

Welcome to the group! As Buzzy said you're joining a team, and there is plenty of "Oliver" expertise here to share. The factory tour was the deciding factor for us, too. If you can make it to the Rally we'd all enjoy meeting you. Mike

I have used the rear jacks to lift the tires off the ground when we had metal stems installed and tires balanced. It was only for 15 minutes or so on each side as the tire guys did their work. Didn't try the door during this period of elevation. I use the rear jacks to level when camping, but never to the extent of raising the tires too high. I also carry some right-sized 2X6's that I use under the tires to level when on a non-level site and then use the jacks to fine tune to level. Like Gary, I know it is important to keep my camping companion as level as possible! Mike

I'm not sure if there will be new models there, but there will be lots of owner trailers you can see. Mike

Good question. I think if the door, windows and vents are closed the interior should be pretty safe. Of more concern is insects (we have a mud dauber problem here) entering vents for the furnace, hot water and refrigerator and building nests. We got some custom size screens (Amazon) to cover the furnace and hot water vents. I check the refrigerator vents regularly. Our trailer doesn't sit idle for any more than a few weeks at a time. I'm sure there are owners that store long term who might have better advice. Mike

My tailgate hits the hitch when open. I have to be very careful not to enlarge the small dent I already have. Trying to figure out how to solve this....

This is at Indian Cove Campground on Joshua Tree National Park, California last month (February). Sites are nestled up to huge rocks. No hook ups but toilets and dumpsters close by. $10/night. Good hiking at Joshua Tree and lots of rock climbing (if you are young and daring!). This is a great park to visit and it was not very crowded. Mike

Hey Fred, welcome! A good chance to see a bunch of Olivers and talk to owners is coming up the first weekend in May at the Oliver rally in Hohenwald. If you can make it we'd all be happy to show & tell. Mike

We run the fridge on propane while driving. Switched to DC once before going through a long tunnel.