topgun2

I was told that the sod was simply laid directly over the gravel base that you can see being used for the drive paths. At the time this was done there were questions asked of the installer regarding this installation method with the answers being that Oliver should simply water the sod and it would be OK. I know that there have been further discussions on this matter but I do not know of any resultant decisions. Bill

D & K - As Foy mentioned - this top is being made for a Lagun table system - not to replace the original top(s) in the Oliver. However, I'm guessing that Foy would welcome talking to you about replacing any of the original tops with something special like this black walnut. Bill

Watch your TPMS and as had been said over and over - you really should have one. Any increase in tire temperature much more than 10 degrees above ambient temperature tends to indicate that your tire pressure is too low. Of course, one must allow for a number of variables such as load, amount of sun directly (or not) on the tires, type of road surface (black new asphalt will be hotter than "white" concrete), average speed, etc. Bill

I've got a 2016 also and it appears to me that your valves ARE in the correct positions. Given this, the first thing I would do in addition to JD's advice would be to make sure that all connections are tight and that I didn't have a leak. Bill

John - There are numerous ways to "lock" the hitch of the Oliver - both while moving and while parked. I always use a "locking pin" such as shown in the photo below to prevent anyone from simply lifting the bulldog latch. At delivery, Oliver does supply a "pin" to keep this latch closed but it does not lock. Since this locking pin is reasonably easy to defeat - think crowbar or stout hammer - I will take other theft prevention measures when leaving my Oliver in questionable places. This "locking pin" is available at most Walmarts and/or search coupler lock on Amazon - there are numerous styles to choose from. Also you can use this Forum's search function - try hitch locks or just locks - since this subject has been discussed numerous times. Bill

A couple of years ago a member of this Forum did a post where they recommended a wall file holder (like THIS) be located under the dinette in order to hold maps, medical info, travel documents, etc.. Using a basket allows for easier access and even two small baskets could be placed on the shelf. Nice idea. Bill

Pam - That's great to hear! Thanks for the info. Bill

Last I heard - Oliver does not give you a paper copy of the online manual. However, I'm not certain of this. Ask your sales agent. Even though I do have a paper copy for my Oliver, I also downloaded several copies of the online manual and several videos that I thought might be useful in the future (one set on a USB memory stick, another on my tablet and a third on my laptop). Finally, I have kept copies of other articles (both printed and online) and posts from this Forum. I store all of these in one of the "secret" compartments. Oliver does supply you with a temporary license plate. They will be in contact with you prior to delivery to get your insurance information for your Oliver since this is TN State law. Or, as soon as you have this insurance information, forward it to your Oliver sales agent. Other than the actual "act" of writing the final check, I think that you will find the paperwork part of picking up your new Ollie to be quick and easy. Bill

This morning I realized that if I combined the total of people that perished on this day 20 years ago with those that have fought and died in the Middle East over the past 20 years, it would total approximately the same number of people that currently live in the small town where I presently live. It is simply difficult to imagine all these people just not being here. I worked in the investment business and had numerous occasions when I visited both towers of the World Trade Center and knew a number of people that worked there every day. Certainly I can not and will not forget and encourage every citizen to at least remember everyone touched by this tragedy. Bill

Great hull number! Please let us know how it goes and certainly what/how was the experience at the new Service campground. Have fun with both your relatively new retirement and that new Ollie. Bill

Good for you two! Most owners are overwhelmed at delivery - and its not just the writing of that big check!😊 Take your time and, hopefully, you have had a chance to go through the Oliver University so that you are at least somewhat familiar with what you have ordered. Then, like SeaDawg recommends, test your systems and knowledge at least a couple of times during that first 24 to 48 hours. Most of all - have fun and try to relax with your new baby. Bill

In researching weather data for Meeteetse, WY for July 15, 2021, Weather Underground shows a wind gust of 51 miles per hour. Certainly I wouldn't call it a gust when the wind maintained its speed for about 15 minutes. However, since the area I was camped is devoid of trees, buildings and even hills that could help block the wind, I suspect that the real wind speed was somewhat higher than this reported gust. Another possible reason for the four stake tabs becoming detached from the body could be that the thread used to sew them had become "tired". While I have used this shelter for 6 years, it has never been put away wet nor has it been abused. But, as I mentioned above, Clam just might have engineered these so that they would "release" during this kind of event. In any case, I would suggest that anyone who owns a Clam should take a look at the area where these tabs are sewn to the tent just to make sure that all is OK. Bill

I've boondocked at the Lower Sunshine Reservoir just outside Meeteetse, WY for a number of years. Given that the camping area consists of basically a sagebrush "meadow" overlooking the reservoir, there is no shade other than what the Ollie provides either early in the morning or later in the day. Virtually every time I've been there I've set up my small (four sided) Clam screen shelter not necessarily to shield me from bugs but more to give me an additional place to relax after a hard day of fishing. When setting up my Clam I virtually always not only stake the four corners down but I also use the three ties that come off the side center hubs and stake them. This is to protect the Clam from any sudden winds that just might come up and it has worked very well withstanding some fair strong winds - until this year. I was in bed at about 11:30pm when the Ollie started rocking. After about 5 minutes of this I got up to look out the rear window to see how the Clam was fairing - not well. So not well that it wasn't even there. Just to make sure or, perhaps, get the Clam before it was swept into the reservoir I jumped into a pair of shorts, donned a head lamp and ventured into that wind. Yep - not there! In fact, no sign that it had ever even been there! Barely being able to stand I turned to get back into the camper and a light colored square object caught my eye about 150 yards away. Could it be? Yes it was. The four sides of the Clam had collapsed but the roof remained fully open. I managed to get over to it, I collapsed the roof, carted it back to the truck and did not inspect to see what was the extent of the damage to it until yesterday. Other than being lucky that the entire thing wasn't lost in the reservoir, I was reasonably certain that the screening or the nylon material or the fiberglass poles or the hubs that hold most of it together would be broken. Perhaps I could salvage something from it for potential repairs to the new Clam that certainly was in my future. Well, all of the screening didn't have a scratch on it and the poles and hubs were fully intact. The roof does have two tears and three abrasions as well as each of the four nylon webbing tabs that are used for staking down the tent had been completely torn from where they were sewed. The abrasions can easily be fixed with dabbing on a little "E6000" and the two tears (one at about 1/4 inch and the other at about 1 1/2 inches) can be repaired with "Gear Aid" repair tape. Of course I also sewed the four tabs back on. I'm not sure if the Clam was purposefully designed so that these tabs would "release" rather than tearing the tent apart, but, it worked that way in this case. Finally, I should note that I found the four tabs the next morning after the wind storm, still staked to the ground as I had originally placed them. And, one of the three ropes used to tie down the sides was broken. I use short bungees that have metal hooks at the ends and place the metal hooks around the ground stakes. All three metal hooks were straightened! I've always liked my Clam but now I'm a true believer. Bill

Yep - pool noodles are your friend. When I store my ladder in the Oliver closet, I simply store the pool noodles right in there with it. Bill

K-n-J Welcome! Congrates on your Ollie order - April will be here before you know it and you have a bit of time to study in the Oliver University and ask a bunch of questions. I too will be at the mini-rally (site 117 - just like my hull #). Twist and I certainly hope that you two will stop by for a visit. Bill

The link below just might be for the louvers that CSEVEL mentioned in another post. Bill https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f56/window-louver-vents-93317.html

Your report is the first that I've seen citing a repair of the body of an Ollie not done at the Mothership (factory). Can you give us a bit more detail of what the repair entailed? Bill

A pair of running shoes, running shorts, and a resistance tube. Takes up little space and (generally) can be used anywhere. However, I must admit that after fishing all day or hiking all day I am usually only interested in an adult beverage and a chair (or bed).

Chances are fairly good that Oliver will not do this install during the normal production of an Oliver. However, the Service Department does do "custom" work such as this camera install. If ordering a new Oliver and you're interested in this type of thing, it would be good to consult with the Service Department early on in the ordering process to determine if they can help and what the costs might be. Good luck.

The single most valuable thing on SeaDawg's Ollie just might be those window vents! 😊 They are no longer made!

When SeaDawg posted this on Sunday I simply added another item to my Harbor Freight shopping list. For whatever reason I've looked at these while cruising the HF isles in the past but never actually bought one. Bill

You have my personal sympathies with regards to the black flies. Ouch!

I have always used a cover. The early Ollies had a white jack but that nice white turned to a poor yellow due to the sun exposure. The black takes longer to show signs of sun damage but virtually any plastic will "age" faster with sun exposure (kind of like us). Like Mike I too got mine from Amazon. Of the two that I've used I like the one that does not have stitching at the top center. This design seems to shed water better and the thread holding it together doesn't dry rot as fast. As Mike pointed out - get one that has some kind of fastener at the bottom so it doesn't blow off going down the road. I never take mine off and have never had a problem remembering exactly where the up/down switch is located. My jack now looks exactly like it did the day I took delivery. Bill

Usually in the truck I'm towing the Ollie. However, certainly there are those that claim I tend to look a bit deranged even walking down the street.

Indeed, if you are talking about the window weep holes - simply keep those window tracks clean (easy to do but also easy to forget about) and try to keep your Ollie as level as possible. We get in excess of 70 inches of rain per year and I've never had a problem. The other "weep holes" on an Oliver are the "scupper holes" on the bottom of the trailer which allow moisture to escape from between the two shells. I do not recall of ever hearing of an issue with these. Bill