topgun2

With a big thanks to SeaDawg who actually found it - you might want to check the following by Galwaygirl: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/3892-new-almost-owners/ AND you can also look at: http://olivertraveltrailers.com/travel-trailers/frequently-asked-questions/ Bill

Note that there are occasions when the 4 inch maximum height adjustment of the Andersen curve levelers simply isn't enough. It is in times like these that it helps to also carry other means of leveling such as "lego" blocks or pieces of wood (or both). A sense of humor also helps😉. Bill p.s. my Andersens do the job about 90 percent of the time.

Yes, yes, yes. Certainly if you are traveling solo these are a big help. Unfortunately, the Andersens are rather expensive and there are some users that have reported that these "slide" when used on certain surfaces. But I've had no issues at all in seven years of use. Bill

Done both and the Beartooth is easier. Bill

Much like FrankC I too lay out the CalMark cover on the ground (on the curbside) but as I said earlier, I install it by myself. After laying it on the ground, the next step is to get the cover on the roof in the area behind the awning. First I pull one end of the cover and get as much as I can behind the awning and secure it to the awning with a clamp. I work my way down the Ollie and repeat this process two or three more times. Once the cover is on the roof I then find the black straps that are used to encircle the trailer once the cover is all the way on (note: I think that these straps may have been discontinued on the current "new" covers) and toss each one (there are three of them) over to the opposite side of the Ollie. Then, again much like FrankC, I simply tug on those straps until I either get the cover all the way over the camper or until I meet with too much resistance. Resistance means that the cover is caught on something on the top and I simply go to where that is and free it. Once the cover is on it is fairly simple to adjust it to the correct evenly distributed position. In taking the cover off I always start from the front once the straps and cinch rope at the bottom have been loosened. I get the cover up and over the omni-directional antenna, tank vent and WiFi booster and then pull it off from the rear of the Ollie. Given the pool noodles and shape of the air conditioner, the cover slides off easily into a pile at the back. From start to finish - putting it on without another person takes about two hours. Taking it off consumes about half that time. One of the historical complaints about covers on campers has always been that they will abrade, scuff, or dull the finish. I've never had that problem with the CalMark but I've always been careful to make sure it is cinched down as tightly as possible. Bill

Yes - that list does exist! I'll see if I can find it for you when I have a few minutes. Bill

You may be right - you may be wrong - but, at some point in life (actually maybe at all points in life) you have to make the decision as to whether "this" is a hill to die on. Glad that you had the financial resources to make the decision you did. Sure does save a bunch of bother. Hope this new Chevy works better for you than the last one did. They certainly are nice looking trucks. Bill

I'm now well into my 7th year with the CalMark cover and it is still going strong. Yes, even though the "new" cover is much lighter weight than what I have I believe that it is a two person job to get the cover on and a one person job to get it off. Having said that - I've always done both jobs solo. In order to keep the cover from wearing and/or ripping on things like the roof solar panels and the rear bumper, get the largest pool noodles you can find, cut them to size and put them on those areas. In the event of a worn spot or tear (like around the steps for me) CalMark includes a repair kit and will even send you more patching material if needed free. I've used this material to patch and/or reinforce a couple of small areas over the years but have not had to ask for more material beyond what came with the cover in the first place. In the Spring every other year I take the cover to a local laundromat where they have these large washing machines and give it a wash. This is easier for me than trying to do the job while it is on the Ollie or laying on the drive or hanging it over the deck rail. Yes, these things are expensive. But, they fit well and keep the dirt and sun off your baby. Bill

Wow - if Jason could not "fix it" who am I to guess? It looks to me that at this point you should just let Oliver take care of things for you - that is what the warranty is for. Sorry for the trouble! Bill

Chances are that if your "navigator" ain't happy then no body will be happy no matter what you do.😉 There are a number of videos on YouTube (go to YouTube and do a search for Beartooth Highway) that can give you an idea of what the road is like. However, re-read the first sentence. My suggestion would be to drive over it (and back) with only the Ford. Depending on which way you are going, there are a number of places at each end to camp and/or leave the Ollie for the day. Bill

I added some pictures from the spare tire camera so that you can see the angle of view. Bill

Really?😇

You're welcome! Bill

Like this one?

I mounted my first rear camera in the spare tire cover. Given that I had asked Oliver to wire this area for a camera the actual install was basically a no brainer. Probably your camera from GM has a mount that allows for the camera to be "tilted". This is important in that the spare tire cover is mounted such that it is 6 degrees off from being perpendicular to the ground. My camera is mounted with a 4 degree offset thus allowing for less of a setting sun to blind it. If you do not wish to drill a hole in the cover for the camera wires like I did I guess that you could always place them in something like THIS in order to better hide them and to protect them. One disadvantage to this mounting location is that there is more "road spray" given that the camera is located closer to the road. Obviously another disadvantage is that the view is somewhat limited in the event there is another vehicle right behind you. For these two reasons I added another camera located in the usual spot on the roof of the Ollie. Good luck! Bill

1 - yes. If your intent is to run the fridge/freezer on 12 volt while driving down the road then it would be prudent to plan to NOT open the door of the fridge thereby preventing cold air from escaping. My ice-cream stays hard! 2 - Maybe. This depends on how much food and/or use you plan to give the existing fridge. I'd plan on not getting a separate unit until you actually see what your usage is. Congrats on the April pickup! Hopefully we'll have a chance to meet at the Rally in May if you plan on being there. Bill

Agree with JD above. I've used my small cube ceramic electric heater for years on a GFCI protected circuit with no issues - both at home and in the Oliver. Given that in the Oliver I generally use the outlet that is located outside the closet, I've been able to touch the wires that come out the back of that outlet. They have never even been warm nor has the GFCI ever tripped. Bill

Obviously, that would be a function of just how cold it gets in the winter and how many openings to the area between the hulls you have. Bill

John - I almost "pulled the trigger" on having my Ollie ceramic coated a bit over a year ago. But, after doing a fair amount of research on the subject I decided not to have it done. The main reason (for me) was it appears that the only way to "refresh" and/or "redo" this coating when it starts to wear is to sand it off 😵. That was enough to scare me off. Bill

You might want to send a PM to Forum member - Steve&Betty - I believe that they had a coating applied to their Ollie about a year ago. Bill

Yep - you are not alone at least back to hull #117. Bill

In case anyone is still sitting on the fence THIS article might help. Bill

Your hull number will only be 3 or 4 digits long while your VIN number will be a bunch longer - for all Olivers no matter when they were built. The VIN numbers used to end with the last 3 or 4 digits being your hull number, but, that is no longer the case. Hopefully that clears up the confusion?🤔 Bill

THIS is the one I purchased back in 2019. It is a 12.5 foot model with 330 pound capacity. Please note that I don't weigh anywhere near that capacity number 😁 but thought that the ladder just might be a bit more substantial with the higher rating (I was correct). I'll admit that I've not used it a lot - it usually simply sits in the closet waiting for a problem while I'm on the road. At home I use my regular ladders in that they are easier to get to and I don't have to get things out of the Ollie closet. Bill

In the seven years I've owned #117 I've never been below 87% FULL with my four flooded lead acid Trojan batteries and stock factory solar. Having said that I should note that I very rarely camp with hookups, travel alone almost 90% of the time and am very frugal with any electrical usage. I even use "Luci" lights at night versus using house batteries. Bill