topgun2

Along with the rest of the truck - it really has some serious running boards too. Bill

Bill - That 13% you cite is very indicative of your front not being raised when dumping. Unless there is a long line at the dump station, I always raise the front during this process. Not only does this help in achieving a "full" dump but it also helps increase the velocity of the liquid during the dump which helps move "things" along. Great to hear that your towing experience is going well. Olivers are certainly easy to tow. Strange that the center cap on the wheel should crack. Do you recall hitting it? A quick call to Service will have a new one on its way in no time. Bill

Whether or not anyone decides on rotating tires of either Oliver they should keep an eye particularly on those passenger side tires. And this is particularly so if you tend to drive on a lot of roads that have a high "crown" or tend to overload the passenger side/curbside of the trailer. Both these situations tend to put added weight on those curbside tires. In addition, many roads have "issues" with that curbside lane or track which causes more wear on these tires. Bill p.s. of course the same thing applies to your TV too.

JRK - The strike plate issue can (and does) depend (sometimes) on how the camper is set up. I tend to like my Ollie to be a bit high at the front and low on the curbside. There are situations when either I don't have the time to level perfectly, can't level perfectly, or, the Ollie simply settles after I have leveled it perfectly. In all of these cases, the strike plate can become out of alignment with the door latch. Yes, this misalignment could also be attributed to the production line but most often any leveling issues on the production line will only be in the north/south axis (hitch to tail) and not side to side or a combination of both. This is due to the fact that most production facilities have level floors. And, yes, there is a bit of "slack" built into these but it is not much or your door would tend to not seal properly. All I'm saying here is that after delivery all it might take to create the "sticking" condition is to drive over a curb, hit a pot hole, set up camp with the camper not level, slam the door, push or pull on the door without releasing the latch or any combination of these things. So, it could be due to any of these things - not just being "allowed to leave the factory in that condition, without it being properly adjusted". "I would forget" - a way to make sure that you don't forget is to make and follow a checklist. There are very important safety issues involved in towing anything that should absolutely not be forgotten. For me, one of the items on my "departure list" is to make sure that ALL doors are shut and locked prior to getting in my truck. I've found that one of the items I tend to overlook is to shut and lock the bathroom door - thank goodness I have that checklist or I would have had several broken mirrors on that door. Bill

Several years ago my wife and I were in extreme southern Utah at an Anasazi site when four bombers came over doing a low level practice. The ground shook and we wondered if somehow we had wandered into a military bombing range. Great relief when the last one actually tipped his wings. THAT is a sound I will never forget. Mike - did you hear them coming or did you just plan to be out in the yard? Bill

Why on earth would you root for the team with the young guy versus the team with the "old" quarterback?😇

Just why is it that at my age the words, "age for replacement", make me nervous? Anyway, point well taken but given how difficult it is to "search" for things, keeping even related issues separated can make it easier to find them again in the future. Sure would be nice to lump all things related together - TIRES for instance to include the things you mention plus brand, size, etc. but if anyone is searching for any one of these it just might be buried. Bill

Landrover - I split this because it probably deserves its own space and will be easier to find in the future. I've swapped mine - front to back - but not side to side. I've kept a keen eye on the tread of all four looking for any signs of wear that might indicate any issue and all four still look amazing even after something like 50,000 miles. Most likely I will be retiring these at the end of this coming year due to age and not due to any wear issues with them. Bill

By the end of March even interstate 70 through the western mountains should be OK. Yes, there can be late winter storms there but that section through Vail pass is very well traveled. However, chains just might still be required even without snow - I'd check on that before I left. The only problem that I've heard of regarding interstate 10 is that it is very rough in certain areas, and, of course, it is a longer drive. Good luck! Bill

Ouch! I remember a -16 while in Pittsburgh and the door seals on my car were NOT soft anymore. You area a better man than I - Gunga Din. Bill

Gary, Certainly I appreciate your concern about appearances, but, I wouldn't worry about it. During your orientation you will get to know at least a couple of these guys and they are all just regular folks like the rest of us. Heck, I'd be a bit surprised if they didn't offer to help. Bill

One of the things we like about our home in western North Carolina is that we can experience the snow above and by 2:45 that same afternoon it is 50 degrees and all of that snow is gone.

Certainly your plan of driving over to WalMart is fine. However, I'm sure that the delivery guys will not kick you out of the delivery area while you adjust your tire pressures. This will be particularly helpful if it is raining. Not withstanding the advice above, if a tire that is not in the sun or on very hot pavement increases its temperature more than 10 degrees, you should consider increasing the pressure in that tire(s) - as JD pointed out previously, under inflated tires will run hotter. Same is true for your tow vehicle Speaking of tow vehicles - as you increase the weight on those TV tires (particularly the rear tires even when using a weight distribution hitch) you should adjust the pressure to account for that increase in weight. I run my rear tires 4 to 5 pounds higher when hitched and I use the Andersen WDH. Bill

I'm not totally familiar with the automatic door lock but I'd be willing to bet that it uses the same type of "strike plate" as the standard door closure uses. This plate is adjustable by simply loosening the two screws that hold it in place and moving it - slightly - toward the exterior of the camper to reduce the pressure needed to close and latch the door or toward the interior of the camper to tighten/increase the pressure needed to close the door. Be careful to not overtighten these two screws - once it works as you wish then a drop of blue/medium lock tight would be in order. Bill

Just thought that a nice little reminder for all those that think the "south" is always sunny and warm. Also, for those of you "basking" in the warmth of the southwest - enjoy it while you can. These shots were taken at 7:45 this morning. Bill p.s. it is now 9:15am and any snow on the street is gone, the sun is out with not a cloud in the Carolina blue sky.

Bill - Re your #1 above: A leak of anything above a seep between the hulls will be very easy to identify - water will begin to come out of what are called the "scupper" holes in the underside of the Oliver. Besides looking for where the water is coming out, you can also look for the stainless steel "half-cones" that have an opening facing towards the rear of the Oliver. As with water craft these are formed and placed in this manner so that as you drive down the road any moisture (think condensation here) will actually be drawn out from between the hulls. Bill p.s. I do use quick connects and I do use covers on each when not in use.

Other than the price - you really can't go wrong with virtually any of the Griot's stuff. They have these microfiber TOWELS and GLASS CLEANER that are really great. Bill

Both of the trucks (2011 and 2017 F-150) and the 2020 Subaru only show tire pressure - no temp and no alarm setting except for the "alarm" of the idiot light telling you that they are low. I'm not sure what happens with either if there is a "blow out" other than that same idiot light coming on. As far as "airing them down" they do automatically adjust for this event once the vehicle is driven either a certain speed and/or distance. Bill

SNY - Most newer TV's come standard with a TPMS. Both my current and former truck had it and our Subaru Outback has it along with the two previous Volvo's.

I think that this has been mentioned before - but - if you are ordering a TPMS then strongly consider getting six (6) sensors, or, if your tow vehicle does not already have a TPMS you should get ten (10) sensors. Rarely (if ever) does the tow vehicle spare tire have a pressure sensor on it and they are usually difficult to get to. Then, of course, you will need four (4) more for the Ollie II and the last of the six would be used for the spare tire on the Ollie. Bill

Steve - Yep - it makes those "rubber" parts on the running board very slippery for quite some time. I've found mine difficult to keep looking sharp. Grit gets into the area between each of those rubber parts and the chrome. Even water after a wash is difficult to get out of those same areas. But, when they are cleaned and shined they sure do look good - it just takes a bunch more work than it should. Bill

Anyone out there using a dash camera? Any suggestions relative to what features are good and which features are a waste? Have you ever had to actually use the video to defend yourself or even know anyone that has? Thanks Bill

JD - I FULLY understand the point. All I'm asking is that inflammatory comments be withheld until an explanation is received. Thank you for your understanding. Bill

Guys - Please be a bit careful on this topic of tire pressure - at least for the time being. Certainly advice about "real world" "normal" tire pressures are well within the parameters of discussion. There is reason to believe that Oliver has historically set these tire pressures at the maximum recommended pressure due to a number of factors (legal, advertising maximum payloads, possible RVIA requirements, etc.). It is a very simple matter for the owner to reduce that pressure to whatever they want at delivery or after and then the owner is responsible for the care and maintenance of those tires. One of the Moderators has recently requested information about this subject from Oliver and I'm sure that the results of that inquiry will be posted as soon as they are available. Bill

Now THAT is really a great hull number! Enjoy the process and thanks for that first post on the Forum. Please don't be a stranger around here. Bill