Steph and Dud B

Looking at Clams now. We often camp with friends who also have a small camper. Until now, we hung out in our fifth wheel in bad weather. That won't be an option anymore, so looking for a Clam the 4 of us can hang out in, even in the rain. So, it should have rain walls, too. We can get a smaller Clam and the add-on walls. I also see a 12x12' Clam "Pavilion" with roll down side walls built in. Wondering if that would be too large? So, does anyone have the large Clam and, if so, how do you like it?

Absolutely. You have the original!

Winterizing the water system of an RV isn't bad. Takes maybe half an hour for our fifth wheel: reconfigure the valves, drain the water heater and low point drains, wife feeds the antifreeze into the hose while I operate the sinks, toilet, etc. inside. Our campers have all wintered outside in Connecticut. If a mild cold snap hits us before we winterize we plug in to shore power and run the propane furnace on its lowest setting with the interior cabinet doors near plumbing left open. That's been enough for a quick overnight dip into the upper 20s but we've never pushed it further. The better protected Ollie should do better. But we wouldn't try an entire winter unwinterized up here.

I think this was already posted on the FB page, but thought I'd share it here, too. Just received ours and really like it. On sale now for $20, too! https://www.etsy.com/listing/1114865312/oliver-rv-trailer-replica-3d-printed?plkey=52690cb2c013cb1e2dd6da2b634fac078e23fa5c%3A1114865312&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=trailer+ornament&ref=sc_gallery-1-6&pro=1

Shuttlecraft!

As a lifelong Trekkie it's killing me that I don't see it! Now that I think about it, Tribble would be a cute name for an Ollie. Cute little round funball.

I thought about that. Have done it in previous RVs during cold snaps before the water lines were winterized. But, isn't the battery compartment isolated from the interior cabin air?

We wouid like to leave the lithium batteries in the trailer during the winter so we have an option to leave on short notice if we wish. I understand they can be stored in cold weather with the following limitations: no charging below freezing, no discharging below -4 F, no storage below -14 F. The temperature here in CT rarely drops to -14, but it can. How could I keep those batteries warm in the event we had a severe cold snap? Aren't there factory-installed heating pads below the batteries? Could I turn the batteries back on and run the heating pads while connected to shore power? I have 15 amp shore power available where the trailer is parked.

If they've had enough beverages they might forget the chair!

Google Maps does allow you to download the map data for use where cellular service is unavailable. Of course, that only works if you anticipate the problem...

In our current fifth wheel we had room enough to amass a small collection of camp chairs. Straight back, reclining, footrest, even rocker. Now that we're getting an Ollie we need to consolidate. Just bought these from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0831G9TKK?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details . They can recline and the footrest is removable, so they seem to cover the bases. The plan is to carry 2 of these, plus my well-loved first camp chair from 1999 - just because I'm curious how long it can keep going, and it gives us a spare or visitor seat. Time will tell if these new chairs are as tough.

Our first "GPS unit" was a GPS receiver on the dash connected by serial cable to a laptop mounted on the van's doghouse. Then there were several iterations of standalone GPS devices. Now we use Google Maps connected to the truck's display screen. The Garmins make some sense towing a tall fifth wheel but I don't see the need when towing something as small as an Ollie.

Search for LED Dimming Tape. Here's an example: LightDims Original Strength - Light Dimming LED Covers and Light Dimming Sheets for Routers, Electronics and Appliances and More. Dims 50-80% of Light, in Minimal Packaging. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CLVEQCO/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_23QKMHRXF291XRET77YH

I don't know about modifying an Oliver for this, but I do know that some states do not allow double towing. Here's some info about that: https://drivinvibin.com/2021/03/16/double-tow/

That's great! Congratulations.

Can you do that? Is it safe for a septic system? Will the coconut material break down properly in a septic tank?

The only one they approve for towed RV use is the Thule Range, which has a 2" bar. Manufacturers have different standards for motorhome racks vs. trailer racks. Some 1.25" racks are approved for the back of motorhomes but I can't find any 1.25" approved for the back of a trailer or fifth wheel. It's a problem with Oliver's newer rear receivers.

That's correct. There are currently no travel-trailer approved bike racks with the 1.25" bar. That means there are no travel-trailer approved racks that will fit the new factory-installed Oliver bumper receiver. (Unless someone has been able to find one that I couldn't. If so, please post the info.)

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! May your turkey be juicy, your stuffing moist, and your Ollie shiny!

We're scheduled for July 26. School starts about a month later.

Word of slipping delivery dates has us concerned. We're both teachers with no flexibility in our vacation schedules. If our summer delivery date slips into the school year there's no way we can drive to TN, take delivery, and return to CT. Has anybody had their new Ollie delivered to their home state? If so, how did you arrange it, and what were the costs?

Congratulations! We're scheduled for late July. Aside from all the great info here, my wife has found some good stuff on an Ollie Facebook page and we've both been watching YouTube videos from other Ollie owners. One couple in particular goes through the whole process from purchasing, to upgrades, to going to the factory for service on their YouTube channel. Lots to learn from all these sources, and it helps pass the time while you wait for the big day. Have fun.

We wondered the same thing for our GMC dually. I was able to take careful measurements based on previously posted info that the top of the ball should be approximately 23.5" above the ground when hitched. Of course, that includes any sag from the weight of the trailer and truck cargo, so it's hard to know for sure before actually hooking up. I was able to connect another trailer of approximately the same weight as an LE2 and get a sense of the sag. We decided to go with an adjustable drop hitch and went with the Weigh Safe for 2 reasons: we wanted to see our loaded tongue weight before we left the factory campground, and I wanted an aluminum hitch for weight and rust resistance. One nice thing about Weigh Safe and some of the other drop hitch manufacturers is that they post detailed drawings of their hitches with all the measurements to help you select the correct one. In our case, I had to flip to drop hitch to a rise position. We needed a 4" drop hitch for our dually but your mileage may vary since duallies tend to sit lower and we also put 1" drop shackles on our truck for our fifth wheel.

Apologies if my comments were construed as a criticism of anyone's trailer, or of Olivers in general. Oliver makes two of the best RVs on the market, which is why we're selling our current fifth wheel and buying one. Likewise, the use of the word "cheap" in my final sentence was not intended as a criticism of the A/C quality, but of my theory that OTT may be able to source the Dometics for less money. But that air conditioner is loud. Louder than any of our previous RVs. That's not Oliver's fault, per se. The roof is lower, the space is smaller, and the A/C isn't ducted, so it's just... loud. It's a side effect of the overall design and construction. Still, it is a downside for those who will be camping in hot, humid climes. Is it a deal breaker? Not for us. Olivers have many other positives that outweigh the negatives. Even so, I can see where there might be potential customers who would consider it a deal breaker to not be able to watch TV at a comfortable volume with the A/C on. So, it would be nice if it could be addressed, even as an upcharge option.

I'm assuming they have a pricing deal with Dometic that involves bulk purchasing a certain number of Dometic products every year. Which is fine. However, they are marketing a top line product to a discriminating niche market that is willing to pay a premium to get upscale items. Since this keeps coming up as a customer complaint, it would seem reasonable to offer an optional upgrade. If they stray too far toward economies of scale they risk becoming just another RV manufacturer in a sea of competitors. Why risk losing sales over a cheap A/C unit?