topgun2

J & E - The park where the annual Owner's Rally is held is quite large. It is highly unlikely that it will be filled. Certainly come join us - it would be a great place for you to learn even more about you new Ollie and get ideas on many other ways to spend even more of your money. Bill

Well over a year ago just as soon as Andersen did the re-design. I don't believe that you can even get the old design anymore. Bill

I agree with John. I've used links of this type in several applications over the years and have never had one come apart all by itself. Yes, I've had several loosen but they never came apart. However, I do snug mine up with a wrench. Indeed, just one more thing on the check list. Once installed and properly adjusted, these links will probably last the "life" of the system. Perhaps a bit of "blue lock tight" just might be in order for those threads. Glad that nothing was really damaged (other than the link itself). Bill

Darryl & Kim - PM sent back to you. Given that I was last at the factory back at the end of August, there is little chance that any of my photos are of a unit that has not already been delivered. However, I do have a bunch of shots of Olivers at various stages of production. Therefore if anyone is looking for a picture of the "guts" in order to figure out how things work or the position of wires or pipes or ??? then just send me a PM and I will (hopefully) get you a picture of the area in question. Bill

Hobo - I thought of just posting a picture of the "parts bin" but decided that would be cruel for someone awaiting the birth of their Ollie. Sorry, but of the pictures I have there just isn't one with either a November date or your name on it. Bill

Tom, Good idea and nice job on the size and style but good luck on that tailgating issue. When I ordered Twist I asked Anita to not have any of the graphics on the sides or front. In a quizzical tone she said was I sure. So, I asked her why she thought I should have them. She replied that by keeping the Oliver, Legacy Elite II on the sides it would save me a bunch of time both on the road and in campgrounds by not having to constantly answer peoples questions as to what he camper was. Just another reason why I like her. On at least one early trailer there was a 1-800 contact number for Oliver on the spare tire cover. I'm not sure if that was a customer's or a factory demo model. Bill

With deep sorrow, yesterday I put my Oliver to bed for the winter. In doing so I did the usual inside and outside cleaning, water system winterizing and overall systems check. One of the last steps I do is to crumple and wad up several sheets of regular newspaper and place them in the fridge and freezer. I also prop open the fridge and freezer doors to allow a bit of air circulation. The newspaper helps keep that dreaded fridge odor away and the fridge is ready to go in the Spring. Bill

Dave - Welcome and welcome - the first to the Forum and the second to the family of Oliver owners. Obviously, most of us here certainly believe that you made the right choice. Give Anita and the gang a big hello from me on what is sure to be a very exciting day for you. Pictures are always welcome! Bill

Mokid - I use a 25 watt panel while my Ollie is in storage. It has a built in controller and is rigged so that all I have to do is plug my Ollie's pigtail into the solar panels. I do disconnect both the solar panels and all other power drains from the batteries while in storage. Admittedly the winters are not normally too bad here in western North Carolina. But, we do have occasional temperatures down to as low as single digits and do get from 6 to 20 inches of snow each winter. Last winter my batteries stayed fully charged all winter without doing anything additional. Previous to getting this solar panel, like DavidS, I too disconnected the batteries. However, once or twice during the storage season, I'd uncover the camper for a couple of days and re-connect the batteries in order to allow the Oliver solar panels to charge the batteries. This procedure also worked well. Bill p.s. See my October 14th post under the thread" Cover for Legacy Elite" for pictures of panel, connector and tripod. Also, for reference, I have four Trojan T-105 lead acid batteries that are now over three years old and still going strong.

Pete - That really is slick. I'll bet that even Bosker likes it. Bill

How about a few more pics? And, another big THANK YOU to Oliver and Matt Duncan for providing attendance prizes!

Chris - Thanks for putting this together! Please don't tell me that Duke took the last shot of the sunrise over the ocean. Just as I got to Interstate 95 on the way home the sun was coming up and it was simply special. Bill

Don - See Mike's post under "Recent Topics" concerning clogged window weep holes. I suspect that this is not your only problem, but, it might help. Bill

As I have said or implied in other posts - I like my CalMark cover. However, there are two comments that are appropriate here. First is that one should not be surprised about how heavy the cover is and how "interesting" it is to put on the Oliver. Certainly it would help if two people worked on putting to cover on but I have always done this chore by myself. I first lay out the cover on the ground and then moving from front to back take the cover up the ladder and clamp it to the curbside awning. Then without climbing on the roof I throw as much of the cover as possible over the bath vent, TV antenna, solar panels, MaxAir vent and air conditioner making sure that the three black straps make it over the street side edge of the Oliver. Next I go to the street side and pull those black straps (and cover) the rest of the way over the camper. After adjusting for side to side and front to back I then fasten the black straps and cinch the bottom. Start to finish it takes the better part of an hour and a half to get everything the way I like it. Second comment is that I did not purchase the CalMark wheel covers. These covers are also made of the same fabric as the full cover. I felt that the vinyl exterior of the Camco covers would repel dirt better and be easier to clean than the CalMark's. Except where the storage facility's maintenance person hit these covers with a weed eater I've been happy with them. Bill

Welcome and congrates! Having lived in St. Louis for 25 years we know what a joy it was to be able to travel either east or west and already be half way there. I'm sure that there are many places that your Oliver has already seen but is more than willing to take you back to. These really are special campers in many ways. Bill

I'll second Mike and Krunch's comments! As noted in many news outlets, last week brought some interesting weather to a fair part of the Southeast and devastating weather to some parts of Florida and Georgia. Fortunately, while the weather in the Jacksonville area was a bit damp and breezy at times and required Foy and Mirna and Miguel to do a bit of a two step from time to time, all turned out great. Virtually everyone pitched in to help and there was plenty of time for site seeing, bike riding, running, beach walking, swimming, etc. To me, one of the benefits of having a "small" rally is that there is time to be able to see, meet and talk with most, if not all, of the participants. Try that at the annual Owner's Rally! Bill p.s. Towards the end of the rally there was a rumor that Bob Mitchell was not feeling well. Mike and Krunch and I stopped by his camper on Friday night to check on him. As it turns out, he was taking a nap and there were no problems at all - an annual physical and a day spent with the grandkids was why he was not around his campsite all day.

Flyniah - I'm afraid that what you are experiencing with the Forum has to due with some technical issues we have been having over the past few days. A "PM" that Mike refers to is simply a Private Message (PM) and can normally be sent via this Forum by simply clicking on the Forum member's name of looking up the members name under "Members" which is a drop down menu under "Forums" above (between "see an Ollie and blog). I'm sure that the PM function will be back in business tomorrow (Monday) or Tuesday. However, if you want to get a head start, simply call the office and I'm sure that they will have Jim get right back to you via email or phone. Bill

I saw Mike and Krunch's pipe cleaner trick at the Jacksonville mini-rally this past week and it is slick. Simple yet effective AND it sure does get the attention of snoopy people like me - "what are those things sticking out of your weep holes?" Certainly worth a try and one could always use different colors for the different seasons of the year as decoration - just kidding. Too bad they don't make pipe cleaners with stainless steel wire. Bill

yes, as Overland posted, there is a door in exactly the right spot that is included in the base price of the Calmark cover. Sherry - the connector used with the little solar panel is similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/58150-7-Way-Blade-Connector-Socket/dp/B001EP0G72/ref=pd_sim_263_12?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B001EP0G72&pd_rd_r=8ce001d1-cfae-11e8-b413-df24a88cfed6&pd_rd_w=56hr4&pd_rd_wg=2vses&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=18bb0b78-4200-49b9-ac91-f141d61a1780&pf_rd_r=CJ7ZW8D2EMEM2WVYAP9V&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=CJ7ZW8D2EMEM2WVYAP9V Since there are only two wires coming from the controller on the solar panel, the appropriate "posts" on the connector were used so that the charge from the solar panel goes to the appropriate "posts" on the pigtail from the Oliver (that would be posts 1 and 4 with 1 as the ground and 4 as the 12 volt charging or positive terminal - see wiring diagram for Pollock or Bargman plug)). If anyone is interested in this application they should make sure that the solar panel has a charge controller. The tripod that was used was an old one and the "yellow" plastic rope that extends from the legs of the tripod are used for anchoring it into the ground. Hope this helps! Bill p.s. I'll post pictures when the website will accept them.

Looks like a bunch of Ollies are going to get a bit damp this week. No problem! On the way to the rally I stopped for the night at Colleton State Park just north of Waltersboro, SC. It is right on the banks of the Edisto River (one of the few "black water" rivers) - great for canoes and/or kayaks with another SC State Park about 25 miles downstream for a great day's paddle. This campground is about 4 miles east of Interstate 95 so there is no noise from that wonderful road. I should arrive between 1 and 2 this afternoon. Bill

June - There are no covers that I'm aware of that will allow you to still use your solar panels while the Ollie is covered. Prior to getting an additional small solar panel that I plug into my Oliver's trailer plug (just like I plug it into my tow vehicle), I would disconnect my batteries and turn off the solar panels when I put the camper to bed for the winter. Then once every six to eight weeks (when the weather wasn't too bad and sun was forecast for at least two days) I'd uncover the camper just enough for the solar panels to get sun, reconnect the batteries and turn the panels on in order to have them charge the batteries. Other than the work of uncovering and re-covering the camper I never had a problem with this procedure. Bill

Perhaps you are correct, but, I just can't imagine the hoops that one would have to jump through for just about any type of warranty claim due to corrosion. Bill

I got a CAMCO branded rod when it was on sale somewhere a year or so ago. Mine just says on the package that it fits the Suburban but I have not actually tried it yet. I think that an anode is an anode and given its purpose I'm not too sure just how it could be any different. Previous stick built campers have not shown any difference between branded and n0n-branded rods. Bill

That sure is one heck of a curve you're going around. Didn't know that they had those in Florida! See you two/three/four on Monday! Bill

John - Mouse looks like it is nose up in the picture. Is that just the angle or do you tow Mouse that way? Good shot! Bill