rideandfly

David, Congrats on your Ollie!!!! Beautiful photos, too!!!!!! Enjoyed reading about your Audi and Ollie rig!!!!

Dave, I like the heavy duty Dexter upgrade on my Elite II, also. If someone uses the Dexter wet pin/bronze bushing upgrade on their single axle Ollie, they could use a two piece split collar on the jack rod to prevent the jack pad from contacting the shackle. Sounds like the jack pad ground clearance might be about the same as the original Ollie since the trailer is lifted slightly with the Dexter modification. My Ollie rear jack rods are 1 3/4" OD, I don't know if the single axle Ollie jack rods are the same. Do you think the two piece split collar would work? Two piece split collar: http://www.daytonsuperiorproducts.com/double-split-collars.html

Dave, Found the following parts available at Redneck trailer supply. The 2 5/8" on center shackles are about the same thickness as the shackles removed from your Ollie. Sorry to hear about the clearance issues. Redneck trailer has a toll free number on their site, too. 4 each: 2 5/8in Galv Shackle Strap 115052GALV http://shop.redneck-trailer.com/p-830-2-58in-galv-shackle-strap-115052galv.aspx 1 wet bolt/locknut pack: Four 9/16 x 3 Shackle Bolts w/Nuts and Grease Zerks SP04-021 http://shop.redneck-trailer.com/p-1526-redline-916-x-3-shackle-bolts-wnuts-and-zerks-sp04-021.aspx Hope this helps,

Dave, We had everything moved out of the house for interior work yesterday, so just got the computer set up and have much work to do in our home this week. Will search the internet when I have time later this week to see if there are other manufactured wet pin shackles close to 2 5/8" center of pin to center of pin. Appreciate the measurements! Thanks,

Thanks!!!!! Built the stand out of scrap wood for a friend!

Dave, Looking at photos of the Oliver we installed the Dexter kit on earlier in this thread and the jack pads in the full up position clear shackles on both sides, but one side is closer than we are comfortable with. Will you measure the original Oliver shackle center of pin to center of pin distances? Talked to Dexter and there are shorter shackles with wet pins available. Longer shackles, 3.12" center of pin to center of pin, with wet pins are available in single axle wet pin/bronze bushing kit, K71-358-00, the kit we used. The shorter shackles, 2.25", center of pin to center of pin, with wet pins are available in the dual axle wet pin/bronze bushing kit, K71-359-00. Shorter shackle part numbers found in wet pin/bronze bushing kit # K71-359-00 for dual axle trailers: 2 each- 018-024-01 2 each- 018-026-00 Appreciate your post. Thanks,

David, Helped another forum member install Dexter wet pins and bronze bushings on his single axle Ollie in the following thread. You will see in the thread a grease gun with flexible hose being used. Built a wood stand for the grease gun for the owner's one hand operation . We pointed the 45 degree fittings outward so the owner would not have to crawl under the Ollie to lubricate. Several Ollie owners may have the fittings pointing inward requiring the owner to crawl under the Ollie for lubrication. Tires do not need to be removed during lubrication. http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/dexter-single-axle-suspension-kit-legacy-elite/ You may have already seen this about Zerk fittings: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grease_fitting There are 8 grease fittings per side, 16 total, on the Elite II. Check out this thread 1/2 way down the page, grease fitting locations are shown. Pointed my fittings outward and yours may be pointed inward. http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/dexter-ez-flex-installation-on-a-legacy-elite-ii/ Hope this helps,

Bill, Enjoyed the fine trip report and photos!!!!!! Really like the photos of the historic buildings, and river boat too!

Steve, Welcome! Can't help you with cover information, we're preparing to build a hangar for the Ollie. See your avatar, I used to fly fixed wing out of New Philadelphia several years ago. There is a wealth of information here and very nice folks, too!

Dennis, Believe the new units have four screws after talking to Jason, but our Ollie built April 2015 does not have screws.

Asked Oliver yesterday the same question Dennis has. Jason, please correct me if I have this wrong. The caulk has to be cut where I'm pointing around the vanity to remove and inspect under the sink. Oliver installs four bolts or screws in current units to secure the vanity in addition to sealing the vanity with caulk.

John, The 80 degree hitch angle seen in the photo was taken while 1/2 way through a 180 degree turn (reversed rig direction of travel 180 degree LH turn) in a small cul-de-sac. Did not back up. Hope that helps,

Please check your tow vehicle operators manual and contact Hayes if you have any questions if the Sway Master will work with your tow vehicle and Ollie. Hayes replied to the question about loss of Sway Master GPS signal and to how the unit will operate in that situation. Hayes Reply: "If the GPS is not connected, the Sway Master will go into a default mode. This means the unit will activate when sway is detected regardless of speed. So no matter the connection status of the GPS, the device will still combat sway".

John, That photo shows while making a 180 degree turn, Sway Master position with no parts contacting. Placing the Sway Control on top could come close open tailgates, depending on mounting bracket space needed in addition to the Sway Master height.

John, I'll use the Hayes Sway Master and you can use speed sensors/magnets. With the great towing manners and stability of the Ollie, this system probably will not be needed, but will be there just in case.

Installed a Hayes Electronic Sway Master on our Elite II. Did not have any stability issues with the Ollie/Tundra rig before installation. Installed the Sway Master because the Tundra’s manual requires a trailer sway device when the trailer is over 2000 pounds. The Sway Master uses trailer brakes to dampen trailer sway movement. Since the ready to camp weight of our Ollie is under 5000 pounds with less than 500 pound tongue weight, with black, grey, and fresh water tanks empty, I'm not using a WDH for now. The Tundra Manual requires WDH when towing trailers over 5000 pounds. Weighed the Ollie and Tundra at the local county landfill scales. Some folks may be considering installing the Hayes Sway Master on their Ollie. Please contact Hayes to be sure the Sway master will work with your brake controller and tow vehicle. Also contact Hayes to be sure you are orienting the Sway Master as recommended and with technical questions, too. Testing the Hayes electronic Sway Master on the Ollie earlier this week. This unit dampens sway quickly using trailer brakes, very impressed with this unit, so far. I'm not a mechanical engineer and cannot say this is the best way to install the Sway Master since I'm not a professional trailer technician, either. This is how I decided to mount this sway control. Used 1 1/2" X 1 1/2" aluminum angle 3/16" thick to mount the Sway Control without drilling additional holes in the Ollie hitch. Did not shorten the original Ollie 7 pin cable or Sway Master 7 pin cables for this installation. Plug in the Ollie 7 pin cable into the Sway Master to start operation, also need to unplug the Ollie 7 pin cable after each use. Like always, I take too many photos: 180 Degree turn clearance check: Excess Sway Master 7 pin cable: Excess Ollie 7 pin cable: Finished Project: Hayes Sway Master Youtube Video: Etrailer Sway Master Youtube Video:

Don, I will post a installation thread this month. Sending information to Oliver for them to consider, too. Thanks!

Larry, Testing the Hayes electronic Sway Master on the Ollie yesterday. This unit dampens sway quickly, very impressed with this unit. Did not have sway issues with the Ollie before installation. Installed this unit because the Tundra's manual requires a sway device when trailer is over 2000 pounds. Making 180 degree turn checking clearance:

ReconDon, Welcome! Options our Twin Bed Elite II Ollie came with, (purchased our Ollie used) Fiber Granite counter tops, reading lights, exterior LP quick disconnect, Winegard Omni-Directional Antenna, and overhead storage door mirrors. Installed Dexter suspension EZ system with flex bronze bushings and wet pins after purchase. The Ollie has fine towing manners/brakes and no stability issues so far. Also use a 100W portable suitcase Solar Panel when away from 110V. Couple items I want to install on the Ollie, access hatch to reach the propane tank valves without removing cover and access hatch under the curbside bed to reach fresh water tank drain without removing the mattress. Learned one thing on the last camping trip, spraying sandals with disinfectant spray while sitting at the dinette. That's where the LP leak detector/sensor is located. All I can say is the LP gas alarm system works great, must have been the aerosol propellant that started the loud alarm. We really like our Ollie and see Oliver continuously making standard improvements with additional and improved options. Hope this helps!

George and Gretchen, Welcome and congratulations! We were inexperienced using RV refrigerators when we purchased the Ollie. Talked to Hardrock about how he uses the Ollie refrigerator, he does not run the refrigerator while traveling and everything stays cool during the day. Based on what Hardrock said, we decided to freeze reusable ice blocks over-nite, keeping them in the Ollie refrigerator while traveling during the day keeping everything very cold until we arrive at the next campground that evening, re-freezing the re-usable ice blocks that night ready for the next trip. +1 on the Champagne!

Mike, Sounds like a fine trip!!!!! Will stop at a Cracker Barrel next time we're camping, noticed large travel trailer rigs stopped at the Cracker Barrel in Morganton NC last weekend. Thanks for the idea!

We leave the drain hose connected to the Ollie all the time, too.

Here's additional Ollie frame photos taken earlier this year during a factory tour: Frame upside down in the frame weld fixture:

In addition to proper loading, a stand alone sway control unit could be used, too. I'm in the installation process with this unit, plan to check pickup/trailer turning clearance and adjust cable lengths today when the rain stops. This may not be the final location for the Sway Control, will see. Did not drill any holes in the Ollie hitch/frame during installation, used aluminum angle to mount. Our Ollie comes in at 4960 pounds ready to camp with empty fresh, grey, & black tanks. Not using a WDH for now, but wanted to try this sway control since the Tundra manual requires a trailer sway control for trailers over 2000 pounds. We have not had any stability issues with the Ollie. Will post installation thread after completed installation and testing.

Pete, Welcome! We purchased our first camper, a used Chalet A-Frame pop-up during 2010 after tent camping for over 30 years. During one of our first camping trips with the Chalet at Mount Pisgah NC on the Blue Ridge Parkway, we saw an Oliver. The owners were very nice folks answering all of our questions while showing us their Ollie. Like you, we were very impressed with the Ollie. At that time Olivers were not being built, but we eventually purchased a used Elite II earlier this year. We appreciate how the Ollie enhances camping trips!