topgun2

Try sanitizing your tank. There are plenty of YouTube vids on the subject and/or use the "search function" on the Forum. Bill

The performance numbers for the 2.7 are impressive, but I always like to have a bit of breathing room between what is "required" and what is safer, more comfortable, and easier to live with. Therefore, I got the 3.5. Its faster, and can tow more. However, if I had planned to keep a truck for more than 100,000 miles, I would have given very serious consideration to the V8. I never really consider diesels simply because I do not normally keep a vehicle long enough nor do I put enough miles on them to come anywhere close to having a diesel pay for itself. I've said it numerous times before - I do not believe that there is a "bad" 1/2 ton truck on the market at this point. Find the range that satisfies your "requirements" for what you are going to use it for and then pick the one that gives you the most overall value for what you are going to have to spend. Bill

I too have the larger gas tank on the F-150. Usually I stop because I want to versus because I have to. The MPG with my 3.5 Eco-boost is right at 22 not towing on relatively flat interstate with the cruise at 65. On my recent almost 7,000 mile trip to Idaho and back to North Carolina towing my Elite II Oliver I got 13.1. Note that once in Idaho I really didn't do very much high mountain driving with most elevations well below 7,000 feet. The braking nor the acceleration with the Ford have never been an issue of any kind. The 10 speed transmission downshifts automatically to maintain whatever the speed that is set via the cruise control. And, there is a tow/haul mode that will maintain lower gears longer on uphills (in order to help prevent "wandering" between gears) and downshift more aggressively on downhills. Frankly, I virtually really never notice what it is doing - it is that smooth. Having said that, there are times when I see a long decent coming that I will shift the trans into manual mode and take care of the downshifts myself - this is mostly because I still miss standard shifting and get boarded when I'm not interacting with the vehicle. Bill

Add to all this the initial cost of a diesel versus a gas engine. Will you be keeping that truck the "required" number of miles with its better gas mileage in order to get a decent return on your investment? Perhaps many of John's comments really do get down to the most important point - just how do you see yourself actually using this truck. If you want to tow only on paved roads at relatively low altitude on the flats then larger tires, bigger engines, higher axle ratios, four wheel drive, larger margins of safety, etc., etc. are simply not "necessary". However, once you start adding altitude or mountains or dirt roads or more serious off road then you start to complicate the issue. Only you can decide and/or know which of these factors might be on the horizon for you. Certainly one of the things you mention is one that I regard as a MUST and that is a bigger gas tank for any of the engine options you may decide on. This is certainly true if you plan on towing in the western part of the US where gas stations tend to be a bit further apart than they are in the East. Bill

If they will not install this during the initial production of your Oliver, simply ask if you can get it installed by the "Service Department" right after delivery. Perhaps a call to Jason Essary (manager of the Service Department) would be in order in this regard. Bill

That's FUNNY!

Jim - Like Mike I'm no expert with regards to towing vehicles. I just figure getting something I like that has plenty of "safety" margin regarding capacities and I'm good to go. For virtually all 1/2 ton trucks there really is not much need for towing mirrors in that the Ollie is basically the same width as the truck. Therefore, you can easily see down both sides of the camper without difficulty. Having said that, I've found that a camera off the back of the Oliver is helpful both in traffic and when backing into places. An integrated brake controller is great. If the Ram offers one - get it. Certainly many of the after-market ones work well, but, having it integrated allows for a cleaner installation and the reading from the controller (as Mike mentions) show up on your dash where they are easily seen. The 3.55 axle will be no problem. Keep in mind that you will probably have to have the Andersen weight distribution hitch - primarily due to the hitch tongue weight limit. While I've never driven that motor I would not think that it would have any problem what-so-ever in pulling the Oliver anywhere you might want to go. Good luck! Bill

Hig - One more round in the chamber of arguments in favor of molded fiberglass campers is that they usually hold their value much better than virtually any of the others on the market. There is more than one previous owner of an Oliver who has sold theirs for more than what they paid for it. Bill

Besides stocking up on the "materials" needed for first aid it is good to get a reminder every few years on how to use these things and improvise if you don't have the "proper" materials available. The American Red Cross conducts both regular first aid and wilderness first aid courses in many communities around the country. While you're at it, the winter just might be a great time to also refresh ones self on AED's and CPR. Bill

KKMAIN - I assume that you are returning to CA via the southern route? What a grand trip you have ahead of you. I don't know if there will be an organized Quartzsite in late January - early February but it sure would be a wonderful way to break in that new Oliver. Bill

Yukon - While on a factory tour recently I noticed that there are "new" lights being installed that do not have this black gasket visible like the ones on my hull #117. I'm guessing that this gets rid of the "streaking problem" once and for all. I do not know when the factory started installing these. With regards to the "old style" that have the black gaskets - mine have done very well since I applied the sealant that Oliver gave for this purpose at the 2017 Owner's Rally. And, since I've not heard complaints about it from those folks that used Captain Tolly's I have to assume that it has worked for them as well. Bill

Hig - Thanks for the compliment to those of us who own Olivers. Not only is the general construction very boat-like but many of the components on Olivers are also derived from the boating industry. You should feel right at home - both here and in an Oliver. Bill

Officially - welcome you two. I'm sure that with the Oliver your trips will be a bunch smoother than anything I could imagine that was on the road 40 years ago. Again I want to thank you and Sandy for allowing me to join you on you factory tour, but, I apologize for having a part in your feeling the need to write that big check (even though I believe that those are funds well spent). I look forward to seeing you two once again at the Owner's Rally in May. By then you will be seasoned Oliver owners! Bill

Darrell & Kathy - Besides a very small ceramic electric heater, I also carry a Mr. Heater "Buddy" propane heater. The one I have will work from a single one pound propane bottle (Coleman and the like) or from a long hose that you can connect directly to your main propane tanks. It includes a tip over switch and a low O2 sensor but I always leave a window cracked when using it. Those one pound bottles can get rather expensive ($3-$4 at Walmart and up to $6 in specialty stores) but it works great and uses no electricity. Bill

Wow! Hull 412! Good number and great to have you with us - Welcome. Hopefully that young pup is not too much for Izzy. But, most important - hope that your family in Wilmington is OK. The video that we have seen on our local newscast has not been pleasant. Bill

Mike & Carol - I'm no help on SD but depending on how you are getting up there from Kansas I do have two suggestions. First is Big Lake State Park, Craig, MO. This park is not far off Interstate 29. Spotless showers and restrooms. Take food though in that there is not much nearby. The second is a commercial campground - Victorian Acres, Nebraska City, NB. On highway 2 not far west of Interstate 29. Clean showers and restrooms, laundry on site and restaurants nearby. Bill

During a recent visit to the Oliver Service area I met a couple that were just picking up their Elite II (unfortunately I do not remember the names). They showed me a new hitch pin that they had just purchased at the local Tractor Supply and claimed that it made insertion and extraction of the pin from the Andersen easier. I decided to give it a try and went to Tractor Supply. After searching for the pin in the area where other hitch accessories are sold I found out that these are kept in the "farm" area of the store. The 5/8 inch by 4 inch pin is the one I bought and it fits perfectly. In addition, I also purchased a different kind of "keeper" pin since I felt that the one supplied with the hitch pin really didn't fit snugly enough. Once I got home I bent the end of the "new "keeper" pin so that it fit even tighter. This plus the fact that the hitch pin itself will not rotate once inserted in the Andersen gave me a fair degree of certainty that neither will come out on their own. Indeed, this hitch pin is really easier to use with both insertion and extraction because one has a handle for most of your hand versus just trying to use your fingers. Bill

Welcome and thanks for letting us know. Every time someone announces their delivery or purchase I get to remember what it was like when we got our Ollie. Please know that the fun only begins at that point. Bill

Don't forget that many 1/2 ton trucks require a weight distribution hitch when tongue weight gets to 500 pounds regardless of what the towing capacity is rated. Bill

wdw - The only thing I'd know to do (quickly) would be to try to blow air into the area where the igniter is located. The best way to do this is with an air compressor. But, you could also use "canned air" (the kind that is used to clean computer keyboards) or even simply blow into that area. The idea here is to dislodge any foreign material that has come into contact with the sensor located at/near the tip of the igniter. However, always remember to NOT blow directly into the "jet" from which the propane is released. Good luck! Bill p.s. forgot the most obvious - assume that you checked to see if you have propane.

After a week camping at Huntington Beach State Park - just south of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, a Park Ranger advised us yesterday morning that possible evacuations could occur. Once again at about 4 pm, Park Rangers came to us and advised that mandatory evacuations would be effective as of noon today (Tuesday). Between the two warnings approximately 85% of our fellow campers packed up and left. After a very peaceful evening in an all but empty campground we got up at 5:30 this morning and hit the road hoping to get ahead of what surely was going to be bumper to bumper traffic. Well, while the traffic was certainly heavier than normal it was not even close to really bad. What would normally be a 6 1/2 hour drive actually took us right at 6 3/4 hours. As we left, there was light surf and a light breeze with a gorgeous sunrise. Certainly made it hard to believe that a "monster" storm was bearing down upon that area. I happened to look at my GPS's elevation reading just after we crossed the Intercoastal Waterway and it read 3 feet above sea level. With a storm surge forecast to be as much as 20 feet I realized that much of what I was looking at would/could be under water in about 48 hours. While I'm glad that I don't have to contend with this kind of Mother Nature's fury, I do feel for those that do and am in awe of all of it. Humans are not the only ones that appreciate an Oliver! Be a bit careful where you step! "Spooning" spoon bills Intercoastal waterway on Monday (9-10-18) evening.

Like John I also researched both. However, I went with the Good Sam program. While there were a number of reasons for this choice the bottom line was that they were cheaper, my limited experience with AAA had not been very good and the towing limits that AAA imposed were also not very good. Good Sam will tow you to the nearest repair facility regardless of distance versus the "premier" 200 mile limit that AAA imposes. However, I would strongly recommend that you research both as they apply to your situation (where and how often you travel) and then pick the one that you hope you will never actually need to use. Bill

Neil & Marybeth - When we picked up our Ollie in early February, we went directly to a Florida state park just south of St. Augustine for a week's worth of learning. What a great way to learn. While the wait will seem lengthy, it really wouldn't be long now. Congrates! Bill

Paul - Welcome, glad that you like the Forum. Certainly there is a ton of information here and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Looking forward to 2020 but there are so many places to see before 2018 ends and all during 2019. Bill

Kenny & Penny - AND, the fun starts. Congrates and welcome. I simply don't know of a better way to see the USA. Really not much time from now until delivery. November would be a great month to head down the Natchez Trace towards New Orleans while you find your way home. Bill