topgun2

"Home is where you park it"? Glad everything worked out for you. I saw in this morning's paper that today's high temp in Hohenwald is forecast to be 63 degrees and sunny. Not bad for December 13th! Nice looking Ollie (aren't they all?) - it did take me a moment to figure out what that "new ducting" was on the top though 😊. RE the flipped photos - my guess is that you are using an Apple product to take those photos. If that is the case then I trust that another Forum member that uses Apple will chime in here with the secret. Until then - go ahead and post you photos and one of the Moderators will flip them for you via an external photo editing program. Bill

The 4 sided Clam is great for 1 or 2. Three is a crowd and 4 can fit but you are going to be knee to knee. Yes, wind/rain panels can be had for the 4 sided model. Another benefit to the 4 sided model is that it will fit in the Oliver closet - the larger models will not fit in there. Of course, the larger model can not only fit more people but in many instances it can be placed over a picnic table if need be. These days there are Clam models that have floors in them too. Good luck! Bill p.s. Clam is a company that is very much like Oliver - if you have a problem, they will fix it.

For all the relative newer members out there - Buzzy is/was a much loved owner of an Elite II that did a series of YouTube videos at a time when there was no Oliver University nor virtually (almost) anything out there on the internet about the Oliver campers. Unfortunately due to a number of things those videos are no longer available. Hopefully Buzzy will see this and get a chuckle. Bill

Since we're digging - When was the first year that the wiring was standardized? I know that 2016 wasn't it.

I've been following the price of these stoves for the past year and there is a sale on Amazon going on for the next 15 hours or so HERE. Bill

Yep - I've got two of the same bath mats just for this reason. When one gets wet because someone (me) forgot to open the valve then I've got a spare while it dries or gets laundered.

Sure enough. Kirk - While there is no telling the future - particularly in this strange current world of ours - if I were you, I'd place my chips on the date that Oliver gave you. I'd probably also send an email to my sales rep detailing the issues that would arise in the event of a missed delivery date. If something would happen by which either party could not deliver or take delivery on or very close to the original date then there would be a paper trail to a starting point from which proper fair settlement of any additional expenses (motels, shipping, costs of travel, storage, etc.) could be calculated. Good luck. Bill

Let's add another "possibility" - the spare tire rim went from 15 inches to 16 inches in late 2017 or 2018? My 2016 has a form of stay close hardware - magnets at the rear of the drawers. However, it was because these magnets were not strong enough to prevent drawers filled with cast iron cookware from coming open that they were modified 😉. The convection oven came much later 2019 or 2020. Mirrored cabinet doors were the standard with white and black as options - I don't think that the frosted was available until 2018 but could be wrong. I believe that the macerator was an option but you had to know to ask for it.

Wow - in giving this request some quick thought, there are a bunch of changes and depending on what the current owner of the 2017 may have done or ordered originally any or all of these just might be incorrect. 2017 was the year that Oliver started installing the EZ Flex suspension so depending on when the 2017 you're looking at was built, it may have come with that suspension. 2017 or 2018 was when Oliver changed the solar controller (I think). The "touch" lights on the interior were not introduced until 2020. The interior surge protector was not standard in 2017. Placement and the number of 110 outlets are different in the current model as are the number of cloths hooks (I believe that in 2017 there was still only one cloths hook placed outside the bath door. The kitchen sink is larger in the current model but (I believe) the top left drawer is only now a "sponge" drawer. I don't remember when the size of the air conditioner was changed. Or when the window shades went from off-white to pure white. And around the 2017 time the TV was moved from the rear curbside corner to the center rear bottom of the attic. Hopefully others will chime in with things I've forgotten. Bill

Duh! Got it now. I'd get those measurements for you but my Oliver is in "off-site" storage for the winter. Another way of getting it is to contact Oliver Service - call or use a service ticket - and they can tell you what they install. Note that in most applications for the Oliver you will need chain extensions. You could also contact Andersen and ask them which setup is required for the Oliver. Good Luck! Bill

Just because your tank monitor read zero doesn't actually mean that the tanks were empty - as strange as that may sound. Depending on how level your Ollie was when dumping there can still be a few gallons of liquid in the tank even though the monitor reads zero. When looking to REALLY make sure I'm as empty as possible I really raise the front and curb side of my Ollie. Or, what AndrewK said. Bill

Nick & Linda - I saw your post above earlier this morning but thought that someone here would chime in if they understood exactly what you were asking or trying to do because certainly I do not. I assume that you already know that the Oliver comes with a Bulldog hitch when delivery is made. The standard hitch comes set up for a 2 inch ball but (for extra coin) you can "upgrade" to a 2 5/16 ball. When setting up your tow vehicle prior to delivery the distance from level ground to the top of your tow ball should be about 23 1/2 inches. I apologize if this information is no where near what you were trying to ask. Bill

I would say that I'm fairly similar to SeaDawg in regards to energy usage. In my almost 7 years of camping with my Oliver, I've never been below 83% FULL on my batteries even though I almost exclusively boondock. As Overland says - Bill

Yep - that's the key.

If you are towing with a Ford F-150 then you will be required (by Ford) to use a weight distribution hitch - this same requirement is in place for all other manufacturers of 1/2 ton trucks. Unless you are prepared to do a fair amount of modification to your Oliver, you will need to use the Andersen - the only one of these types of hitches that is compatible with the Oliver. Bill

Squared.

As long as you have (1) a cellphone with you and (2) a cellphone signal that is strong enough.

In case anyone missed it - It has been announced that starting in 2022 a permit will be needed to hike the famous trail up to Angel's Landing in Zion. Apparently the permits will be issued via a lottery system on Recreation.gov. A fee of $6.00 will be required to apply to the lottery and then if the applicant is successful there will be an additional $3.00 fee. The idea is that this lottery system will reduce traffic on the trail and crowding at the top (Angel's Landing). If heights don't bother you (too much) and you are in fairly good shape - it is a reasonable climb along most of the trail - then it is something that you should try to fit into your plans. However, now you will have to plan a bit earlier in order to get one of those permits. Bill

Over the years there have been multiple discussions about the white interior of the Oliver Travel Trailer - some like it, some don't. In this morning's newspaper there was the article below concerning how to get creative with whites. I don't think there is anything really "new" here but our recent discussions concerning stick on tiles seems to indicate that there are those that are very interested in this decorating. Bill p.s. personally, I really like the last suggestion.

You guys are, indeed, a "beacon" of delight during this winter season. I've stopped for breakfast at that Cracker Barrel and its nice to know of the Harvest Host location in Wytheville since we go through there a couple of times each year. Hopefully getting through or around Atlanta will not give you too many troubles and after that you should be fairly good to go. Safe travels! Bill

Another point about the 890: If you are thinking about a rearview camera or want an additional camera without adding yet another screen to your tow vehicle's cockpit then you can get the Garmin (or compatible) BC-35 camera. However, there are two "catches" with this camera: 1. The resolution is not very good. That doesn't specifically bother me in that I really don't need to read the license plate of the guy behind me. It is good enough to see that kid or tree or rock or cars/trucks when changing lanes. But, it certainly is not as sharp as the Furion. Then again, the BC-35 is about $150 and fairly easy to install. 2. Speaking of install - the camera is hard wired to the WiFi sending unit. And, this sending unit is not considered to be water proof. So, if you are going to mount the camera on the rear of the Ollie - what do you do with the WiFi sending unit? Sure, place it in the attic right under the camera that is on the outside. But, with the distance from there to the tow vehicle cockpit plus the amount of "stuff" (like the foil faced insulation inside the Oliver) the transmission of the WiFi signal is not strong. So, even though Garmin says that an extension cable is not available for the sending unit to camera connection, there is ONE that will work. Unfortunately, I found out that you can only use one six and a half foot extension cable due to the voltage drop caused by using more. In turn, this means that I could only extend the WiFi sending unit from the attic to the front kitchen cabinet. The good news is that this was enough to allow the 890 to receive the camera signal. Note that the extension cable's male end is just a tad too big for the female end of the Garmin - a little very light sanding of the exterior of the extension cable solved this problem. Bill

I'd apply for membership but you simply have got to get the lights on the Snowball and the light over those mountains to be changing color and intensity with the back beat of the music! 🤣

A "proper" guest brings their own chair and some extra adult beverages.😁

I'd say that the newer ones (890 in my case) are easier to use. The 8 inch screen is very helpful since I often travel (RV wise) alone. But, a friend of mine who has an 890 has told me that his navigator finds the 890 very easy to pull off its magnetic mount to search for "next exit" info or campground info or where to eat info. All of these are accessible via "apps" and really do not get in the way of the "normal" GPS function. The traffic information on the 890 works better than my older Garmin (via the cord which I really didn't find to all that "bulky"). If I have found an "issue" with the newer Garmin it would be that there have been occasions when the Garmin alerts me to traffic congestion some 30 miles ahead but it is "cleared" by the time I get there. I guess I'd rather have that kind of warning than only giving me a couple of minutes or no warning at all, but ... I don't know the answer that. I've only used the weather function when I've been stopped - at a camp or at a gas station - and have not had the need to zoom in or out in that I'm usually only interested in what the weather will be tomorrow or for the next couple of days. The portrait mode is super for looking way on down the road. But, I usually use the 890 in landscape mode because I can zoom in or out when needed and with the 8 inch screen there is usually enough room to see far enough ahead. Last Holiday season when the 890 was fairly new to the market, Garmin also discounted it - I think it was a discount similar to the $100 for this year. Also, other Garmin devices have been discounted from time to time without any hint of a new model coming out. Honestly - I have not used voice commands very often. Perhaps its because I've tended to avoid ANY of these because I've found them to be frustrating and temperamental at best. Still a technology that needs improvement in what can be a noisy environment. Finally, I do have an "emergency" cellphone that I always have "on" while in the truck - it is how Ford dials 911 for you in the event of an accident if nothing else. Depending on cell coverage out West is a bit problematic in that you can never be "certain" when you will have coverage and when you wouldn't. Downloading maps ahead of time both takes time and planning and memory in the phone that (generally) I don't have - my cellphone is a cheapie since it doesn't take a $1000 phone to dial 911. Bill

Note that the 890 is on sale at $100 off at TechnoRV. It may be on sale elsewhere too. Bill