Keith-n-Jill

We picked up our LE-2 (#1071) back in April. We currently keep it at an outdoor storage facility. The sun beats down on our solar panels, keeping the AGM batteries fully charged. A spot just came up for covered storage. It’s basically an open pole barn with a 14-foot ceiling so there is some daylight—more like shade. There are no 110-volt outlets at the storage facility so we can’t hook up a trickle charger. 1. Given that our Ollie will be under cover three weeks out of the month, should I disconnect the batteries? 2. Will I need to boot up and program the Zamp solar controller every time the batteries are disconnected?

It is absolutely a piece of junk--and potentially dangerous. My son would put chocks under the tires whenever we stopped. Don't use this alone. Fortunately, I bought it from Costco; hopefully, I can return it without any hassles.

I agree--totally misleading. I would like to see that 98 pound young lady in high heels move a 5,000 pound trailer on artificial turf--like that'll happen! I weigh 182 pounds and it took a good amount of muscle to steer that thing. My adult son was helping me and he was also breaking a sweat.

Here is a real-world review of the Trailer Valet XL dolly with the mounting bracket. My plan was to use it move my Ollie on my concrete parking pad, turning it 180 degrees so I could pull it straight out of the driveway instead of backing it out. The pad is very close to level-- a 2.5 percent grade which is minimal—primarily for water drainage. I bought the frame bracket since I didn’t have a lot of faith in using a 2-inch ball connected to the hitch as the only support to move a 5,000 pound trailer. I installed the bracket and torque it according to the instructions. Frankly, it’s a disappointment. It couldn’t move my trailer on a 2.5 percent grade. It’s rated for 10,000 pounds, well under the weight of an LE2. First, the dolly couldn’t get any traction so we put three 50-pound bags of sand on the tongue. The manufacturer recommends using an 18-volt cordless drill. I had two drills on hand; I burned out one of them. The mounting bracket rotated backwards under load. I also have plenty of beautiful skid marks on my concrete. Secondly, this thing is useless on anything other than a perfectly level concrete pad. A 2.5 percent grade isn’t steep. The manufacturer claims that it can handle an incline and it will work on grass or gravel. I have my doubts. Conclusion: I’m sending this one back. Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. There are bigger, more robust trailer dollies on the market. I’m willing to spend the money to get one that actually works. If anyone knows of a good dolly that will handle a 2.5 percent grade then please let me know.

We trimmed out our Ollie with Foy Sperring's bodacious mahogany counters and the table top for the dinette. We also got a bunch of the drawer inserts. We ordered almost everything in his catalog. It makes a huge difference.

At last, we have taken delivery of #1071. Watson, the three-legged wonder dog, tagged along for the big adventure. After a night at the Oliver camp grounds, we made our way to Fall Creek Falls State park for a couple of days, then back to home in Atlanta. As total newbies, we're still amazed that we didn't blow up our rig. The best part was pulling the Ollie up our driveway without dragging the concrete.

Greetings to all. We are picking up our brand new LE2 in April. We are newbies and have much to learn. One of our biggest concerns is refrigeration. We've rented RVs in the past and it seems that the fridges on these (abused) rentals are inconsistent at best . Questions: 1. Will the fridge keep food cold while driving down the road? 2. Is it worth the investment of a 12-volt fridge/freezer to keep in the truck? If so, what brand to you recommend?

Dave: I'll let you know. If it works then I'll bring it to the rally in Guntersville so you can play with it. I agree with buying the bundle through Costco. It was about $100 less than buying directly from Trailer Valet. Factor in Costco's refund policy and it's a no-brainer.

I took your advice and purchased the Trailer Valet XL from Costco. I've also ordered the bolt-on frame bracket since it appears to be sturdier than the ball mount. We're picking up our LE-2 in April. I have indoor storage in what is essentially an aircraft hangar with a level concrete floor. I can pull my truck within ten feet of my parking spot. I just need this thing to move the Ollie the rest of the way. I'll post a progress report with pics and video.

Here is a possible game changer for the Trailer Valet. They now offer a mounting bracket that bolts to the frame. From the pics it appears to be more stable than just using the ball.

For what it's worth, we stayed at a nice Airbnb loft/apartment that my wife found in Mt. Pleasant, about 24 miles east of Hohenwald. There are some good restaurants, a coffee shop downstairs--and the town looks like it's out of a Hallmark movie. Here is a link if needed: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/29821566?source_impression_id=p3_1636060214_pcwrkn01so5nwryl&guests=1&adults=1

Wow. I just purchased a new 2021 Tundra last week. I'm sticking a fire extinguisher under the seat today.

UPDATE: We purchased a 2021 Toyota Tundra 4X4, 5.7 V8. I found a dealer (AutoNation) that did not add a "market adjustment fee" or charge $5,000 for floor mats. I never thought that we would pay sticker price for a vehicle and feel like we negotiated a good deal. This is the last of the Mohicans. Toyota is ending V8 production and the engine is known for reliability. Gas mileage isn't the greatest but there are always tradeoffs. I would love a diesel TV (any make) but there are none to be found on the dealer lots. We are living in strange times. Anyway, this is our first TV and RV. We have much to learn. We thank you all for your advice and guidance.

I agree. There are more than a few Ollie owners who happen to be excellent photographers--plenty of great images to choose from. Thanks! I'll do it.

Maybe the folks at Oliver could produce a photo calendar featuring the fine photography of Ollie owners? I believe that everyone on this forum would want one. It would also make a great marketing tool. I slapped this together in Photoshop as an idea.