rideandfly

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!

Hidalga, We were hammered when Hurricane Hugo hit us several years ago. Hope Hurricane Matthew goes back to sea! http://www.weather.gov/ilm/HurricaneHugo

Our 2016 Tundra is surprising how sharp it turns. Normally I take the trailer I'm towing to a big parking lot and make 180 turns with steering to the stop with Debbie watching the clearance. Have not done this with the Tundra/Ollie rig, yet. Have the Ollie hitch set at the shortest length. The Tundra/Elite II combo is a sweet towing rig on the road. I like the tow mode and how well engine braking works down grades in the mountains and the tranny stays in a gear nicely going up mountain grades, too. 180 turn in the back yard with tailgate up: Edit: Like the Tundra rear camera, too:

Mike and Elizabeth, congrats on your Ollie!!!!! Looking forward to hearing about your adventures and seeing photos, too!!!!!!!

Yologals, Welcome! Congratulations on your new camping adventure!

Seriously looked at AS trailers, but did not want wood floors. Thought about rebuilding a vintage AS and installing aluminum plank flooring, but we decided to go with the Ollie. Our first camper, Chalet A-Frame, had wood floor rot, it was built before they started installing composite flooring.

John, Welcome!!!!! Looking forward to reading your articles and seeing your photography! We finally settled on a 5.7L Tundra 4x4 with 6.5' bed as a Ollie TV. It's high to load a motorcycle on, but will work it out eventually for a CB500X to ride solo & two up while camping, mostly pavement and some fire roads. It should fit in the bed and close the tailgate, too. Will post about it when I have it worked out. First Bike Build: 1980 CX500D: Vstrom for two up sport touring: Riding Western NC:

John, Good points and Thanks! The 5.7L Tundra double cab Ollie rig is rock solid while towing. Purchased an electronic sway control since Toyota requires a sway control device for trailers over 2000 pounds and not using a WDH since our Ollie comes in under 5000 pounds ready to camp with empty tanks. When the 7 pin plug is connected to the TV the sway control will be operating using a gyroscope to sense sway movement using the trailer brakes to stop the sway, it also uses a GPS. I will mount the unit on the tongue without drilling any holes in the Ollie hitch using existing bolts, will post another thread with installation. This youtube video has additional information about the unit. Purchased our unit on Amazon.