topgun2

Did you stay at a Holiday Inn last night?😁 Seriously, thanks for the work you are putting in to this thread. Bill

Didn't work for me either. Certainly look through the Forum for threads on gaining access to the guts of the vanity - and then re-sealing it. Bill

Newbie to Oliver but not to the RV world - welcome, glad that you're here. Since used Olivers tend to sell very quickly, read as much as you can stand on the Forum and then be prepared to act quickly when a unit becomes available. Good luck and let us know what questions you may have. Bill

Rex - There are a number of "reviews" of this type of protection here on the Forum. Try the "search" function in the upper right hand corner of this screen to find them. Like THIS or THIS or THIS or THIS or THIS or THIS. And the list goes on ........... Good luck. Bill

If you stay on paved roads or go VERY slow on gravel roads then you will be OK. Otherwise - do what JD says above - Rock Tamers or the like. Bill

This morning I, unfortunately, read an article in the current edition of "RV Magazine" (page 54 - Tech Q&A) which talks about GM's L84 5.3 liter V-8 and L87 6.2 liter V-8 gasoline engines. Apparently (according to the article) there is a manufacturing defect in these engines for 2019 and newer models across most of the General Motors line to include Chevy and Cadillac. Also included are V-8 engines used in 2500 and 3500 trucks (L82, L84, L8T) Repairs are covered under warranty. Bill

Sorry but these new Toyota trucks are not due at dealerships until December and even then it will not be the full line until late 1st quarter next year. There is a lot of chatter because their trucks have proven to be reliable, comfortable hard working trucks over time and have a great, loyal fan base. Whenever a major manufacturer announces a totally redesigned line and its being the first major change from Toyota in its larger truck in something like 16 years, there will be great interest. I've said it many times on this Forum - there is not a "bad" 1/2 ton or even 3/4 ton truck out on the new market today. Comfort is subjective, interior design is subjective but all of the performance specs on these trucks fall fairly close to each other. In today's market - good luck in finding the "right" truck for your needs. Bill

In addition to SeaDawg's suggestions above on places to "go", there are always the use of a portable waste tank - I use a small size that is reasonably easy to handle (i.e. when full I can still pick it up to dump in a pit or regular toilet) - or, something like "wag" bags (plastic bags with dry chemicals in the bottom) for waste disposal like THESE. In over 25 years of RVing I've never had an issue with "going".

Whatever you decide on this question - do not stash it in a drawer.😁 Sorry for the bit of an inside joke here. Back in the not so distant past there was an owner who stored cast iron cooking things in the drawers. It took some time for this to become common knowledge. The owner also had serious problems with the kitchen drawers not wanting to stay shut when traveling around on curvy roads.

Any idea of what the hitch ball weight limit is for the Ranger? You're looking at a minimum of 500 pounds and up towards 600 pounds for the trailer you are thinking of. Certainly I have a bias in this discussion as I do not believe that it is either wise, comfortable or safe (in all conditions) to be towing with a vehicle that is marginal at best. Bill

Yes, I have experience with this method (not on the Ollie though) and usually it works. Obviously, the entire issue here is getting ALL of the water out of the system. Just as obvious is what happens if you don't get it all out. In the case of the Oliver there are a couple of "problem" areas - the anti-siphon valves (back flow) and the outdoor shower. Given the time it takes to do a "proper" blowing out of the system I have found that it is easier, and faster just to use the standard RV antifreeze. Good luck! Bill

You might try a PM (private message) to ScubaRx about overloading just about anything.😁 I'd guess that the "normal" or "usual" real world towing weight of an Elite II is something just north of 6,000 pounds. While that figure is below the maximum tow rating of the Ranger it is starting to get uncomfortably close - in my opinion. Most "experts" that I've seen caution to not go above approximately 80% of the maximum tow rating which is 6,000. In the medium to long run you would most likely be happier with a larger tow vehicle. There haven't been any (that I can recall) owners of a Ranger that have towed the Elite II here on the Forum. But, there have been a number of Toyota Tacoma owners that have towed the Elite II and all that I'm aware of have moved up to a larger Tow Vehicle. Good luck! Bill

There are so many YouTube videos on this subject certainly covering all of the major brands. If I were buying a new system - that is where I'd start my research. Having said this - I've been using the EEZTire system "for 5 years or so and have been happy with it". " No repeater necessary." 😃. Seriously, any of the major brands will do the job. And, with most, you don't need a repeater. Bill

I believe that one should remember the premise from which this thread was started - fairly short duration of driving on POSSIBLE chemical treated roads with a wash occurring both during and after the exposure. As I stated above - I would not worry about taking my Ollie on this kind of trip under these kind of circumstances with these kind of sensible measures to minimize any potential harm. Actually this is the same kind of care that I have given my vehicles for years. Surely there is little doubt that extensive damage can be done to the Oliver and/or a tow vehicle by the kinds of chemicals used on our roads in winter IF nothing is done to blunt the attack of those chemicals. But I do not think that is the case that S,D,B is talking about. Bill

Yep - you missed the 2021 version. Stay tuned for details on the 2022 edition - it is a good rally. Bill

K & J - I like this idea! Why don't you PM (private message) Matt Duncan (Director of Marketing for Oliver) with your idea. Bill

Try a call to the Service department. While not the convection oven - some models with older microwaves (like mine) are held in via a bracket that actually screws/bolts to the top of the cabinet. It helps a bunch to see a drawing of how that bracket is attached in order to know how to get to the sheet metal screws that hold the bracket onto the microwave. Good luck. Bill

The grass is always greener ..... With that beast of a tow vehicle you will not have any problems anywhere towing the Elite II. And, you certainly will not have to deal with the weight distribution hitch unless (for some reason) you want to. While all of this may seem confusing and perhaps difficult at this point, it really isn't all that hard. Checklists are your friend, particularly when first starting out, when its raining, when you are in a hurry, when "stuff" happens, and, pretty much all the time. The only reason(s) that lithium batteries make sense is if you want/need to be able to have air conditioning (without using a generator), you are a very large power user, have issues with the weight of the camper, or plan on boondocking extensively. On this last point - I still have my original 4 lead acid batteries with the Oliver solar package. I've been without being plugged into shore power or generator power for as long as 7 weeks and the batteries have never been below 82% FULL! No worries. Bill

There are those on this Forum and elsewhere that talk about the horrors of using one of our Ollies with its aluminum frame on the chemical filled roads of winter. Even though I rarely use my Oliver in winter, I would not be concerned about it as long as there was a way to get those chemicals greatly diluted and/or removed reasonably soon after exposure. In addition, is is fairly likely that a great majority of your driving for something like Quartzite will be on Interstates. These roads tend to get enough traffic so that within a fairly short period of time any chemicals that might be used are dispersed fairly quickly (note: I'm not talking about far northern interstate here but those that are generally traveled by someone from the northeast headed to/from Quartzite). Bottom line - I'd go for it. Yes, there is some (I believe minor) risk of some small pitting in your frame from chemicals but most of that frame can not be readily seen and (after all) your Ollie was made for you to use. Bill

The "issue" with the 30 pounders is that they MUST be refilled at a facility that refills propane tanks while with the 20 pounders you have the additional flexibility of "swapping" these tanks for filled ones at many gas stations, WalMarts, grocery stores, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. This ability to swap really comes into its own in places like Vail Valley, Colorado where they have prohibited "refill stations" throughout the entire Vail area. On the other hand, if you are going to be doing a bunch of cold weather camping then the 30 pounders really come in handy. Bill

Another person that did the standard to twin bed conversion is Mossemi, Bill

First question - there are plenty of people that leave the "standard" bed as a bed full time. In fact, I'd venture a guess that most people leave it that way. Even though SeaDawg has the Elite I perhaps she will comment on the "problems" associated with leaving the bed setup in this manner - one of which is having to disturb your partner when getting up in the middle of the night. Second question - I'm not sure I understand the question. Other than adding something to fill in the space between the two twin beds such as Foy's creation, there isn't much to be done without either getting rid of the nightstand or making the aisle too narrow to be of much use. Bill

Basically the plates in a 6 volt battery can be (and usually are) larger that those found in the same (exterior) size 12 volt battery. This is due to the fact that since you only have 3 "cells" inside the 6 volt versus 6 "cells" inside the 12 volt battery there is simply more room to put larger plates. Larger plates usually equate to longer life and a battery that will withstand rougher treatment. There's more but I don't think you want to hear it at this point.😁 Bill

Pool noodles are your friend. The bigger the better. Just slit them long ways and shove them onto the panels. Don't forget to do the same with your rear bumper ends. Bill

I've been using a NOCO Genius for the past two years to maintain 12 volt batteries in my garage over the winter. It is very simple and easy to use. Just wire up as JD describes above and basically forget about it till Spring. Bill