topgun2

I might be wrong, but, I don't think that there is such a video here. However, the replacement is easy. The anode is towards the bottom of the water heater and usually has a "yellow" smiley face type drawing on it. Note the orientation of this drawing in that it will help you get the correct amount of torque or tightness on that "bolt" when you screw it back in. Using the appropriate socket (deep socket is better) and perhaps even an extension on your ratchet wrench un-screw the anode and remove it from the water heater. Note that before you start this process the water heater should be off and you should have "released" and pressure in the water heater by lifting the latch on the water heater safety valve. Once any water that was in the heater has drained, flush the heater by squirting water into the hole from the anode rod until no more "stuff" comes out. Then wrap two or three wraps of teflon tape around the threads of the anode rod and re-insert. Be careful to NOT cross thread this. Once you are sure that you have not cross threaded then use the socket and rachet wrench to tighten things back down. Sorry, I do not have the torque specs nor the size of that socket (it is something like 15/16th and is the only relatively large "nut" in that area of the heater) right at my finger tips, but, if you use that drawing I mention above you will be close on the torque. Hope this helps! Bill

That depends - Obviously if you have "sealed" batteries not only do you not add water, there isn't even a place where you can add it. If you have the Trojan 105 lead acid batteries and have the Trojan watering system then you follow the instructions that came with the watering system (it really is great and easy to use). If you do not have the Trojan watering system then you must add water the old fashion way - lift open the covers on each of the batteries, add water to the bottom of the split ring and then reinstall the covers. Usually you do not have to move or remove and of the battery cables to do this, but, you may have to unbuckle the battery retaining straps. Bill

Servicing the water heater is a piece of cake. However, it takes a bunch of water and is easier if you get one of those "flushing" wands that are sold for that purpose. Glad you found the problem and got it fixed! Bill

Never a problem with the .02 cents here - the more the merrier. Rugged - yes. 4 season - yes. -20 degree F - (in my opinion) no. Or, did you mean simply 20 degrees F? There are not many places in the continental US that get to -20F, at least for very long. I simply can't imagine trying to camp in that temperature. Heck, the coldest I've ever been in was -16 and the door seals on my BMW were very stiff. I guess that in the event you were stuck out someplace and the temps did get that low, you could get away with the procedure that you describe, but I sure would not want to do that for very long. Bill

Wow - never needed a "wrench" to remove the aerator. Perhaps the Canoe12 solution or "liquid wrench" in addition to Mike's idea. Bill

I assume that the water filter to which you refer is NOT the one that is right at the water pump. The one at the water pump should only be hand tight and should not need a special tool to get it off. If the assumption is correct then, obviously, this other filter could be part or all of the problem. Sometimes a "strap wrench" can be used to get those kinds of filters off, but, be careful in the amount of torque that you apply - you don't want to break one of the fittings that attach it to the pex. Bill

Yep - since the kitchen faucet is the closest to the water heater and usually gets used the most, I'd also bet that "stuff" from the water heater has clogged the aerator. On an old camper I had to not only clean the aerator but also leave it off for a few days and clean out the water heater in order to fully correct the problem. The only other possibility that I can think of wold be a faulty valve in the faucet itself - but, that is fairly unlikely. Bill

Don - great advice! I would add that I either take out all batteries (like from the smoke detector) and/or remove the related equipment from the camper when putting it to bed for the winter. I do, however, leave the four Trojan 105's in place. Given that I have a cover over the Oliver I do uncover it for two or three days about half way through the winter so that the solar panels can do their magic on those Trojans. Bill

Rumline - I thought that I did a short review of the new design in a previous post but can't seem to find it at the moment. Anyway - I only did a relatively short trip of less than 1,000 miles with it prior to putting Twist to bed for the winter. I did have a little bit of rain one day but I did not travel any real dirt roads. Having said that - the hitch performed great with no noise at all. In addition, the new design is easier to hook up because you do not have to get the "whale tail" up tight under the hitch ball post while at the same time aligning the holes for the pin that holds it in place. Since there has been precious little discussion about it on the Forum, I'd take that as a good sign that the previous noise problems have been taken care of. Hope this helps. Bill

Yes, it will be a big change in that all of these trucks are (at least to me) much bigger than the Taco I drove. I only have used the "tow/haul" mode on my F-150 once - just to try it out. But, since the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming have virtually no effect on pulling the Oliver, I never even think about using that mode. Yes, I know that the "tow/haul" mode uses more engine braking when going downhill and keeps the transmission in each gear longer when going uphill, but, it simply doesn't seem to matter that much with the weight of the Oliver. In addition, I tend to use cruise control whenever possible. Cruise control will automatically shift to lower gears when going downhill in order to use engine braking to help slow you down. I did set up the trailer backup system but really do not care for it. Guess that I "GREW UP" the old fashion way and habits die hard. Perhaps if I was backing up a boat trailer or construction trailer where the truck's camera can actually see something towards the rear of the trailer I'd use it. I found that the "manual shifter" in the console takes a bit of getting used to - no real problems but using my thumb to shift gears was a bit strange at first. Speaking of which - one of the screens on the dash has a list that shows which of the ten gears you are presently driving in. At times, when using the manual shifter, this list will disappear. There is nothing in the owner's manual about this and/or exactly how to get the list to re-appear on the screen! The fix is simple however - when in regular automatic transmission mode simply press the "+" button on the shifter. Even though Ford has reportedly tested this turbo 6 with a bunch of mileage, there are reports that if you plan to drive it well over 100,000 miles, the engine just might need more service. I believe that this is one of the reasons that "Bugeyedriver" chose the v8 in his new Ford. Finally, yes, for a truck, it is fun to drive! Just when you think you are having a blast in punching that thing, try the "Sport" mode on the trans. Still not as much fun as the motorcycle but it will catch your attention. Just can't imagine what that same thing in the Raptor feels like. I too liked the exterior design of the Rams, but didn't like the interior. I liked the reputation of the Tundra's and also their exterior, but didn't like the color choices and interior design. I didn't even look at the GM's - a company that can't seem to fix the front lights for a period exceeding ten years is not high on my list to start with. AND, I just guess that I'm not grown up enough yet to buy a Chevy. Bill

In the beginning (and perhaps middle) checklists are your friend. Consistency is my key - do everything the same way each time - that way nothing is overlooked. In a sense this is also very much like having a checklist except unlike a checklist my memory can not remember what was left undone in the event I'm interrupted while trying to do the same thing the same way each time. Interestingly I find with the Oliver that there are more of these interruptions - people see that I'm packing up and make it a point to come over and check out this "strange" camper before it leaves. This is when I MUST force myself to remember exactly where I left off. Bill

Isn't there a LAW that comes into effect just as soon as you throw out or donate that "thing" that you have not used in ten years, you suddenly have a real need for it? Both my wife and I came from families that had very limited means. Because we take care of our things they tend to last a very loooong time - we both are still wearing some of the same cloths that we had in high school! We actually get enjoyment from finding new uses for things that no longer can be used for the original function. However, at some point, enough is enough! We have just got to start getting rid of "stuff"! But, the Velcro on our finger tips makes it so hard to do. Bill

These days the market is filled with really nice trucks. I believe that in reality there is very little difference between the four major brands. Yes, one brand touts that they are the best in class in this while another brand is the best in class in that. Can most drivers really tell the difference in having an additional 200 pounds of towing capacity (and that assumes that all towing capacities are measured the exact same way.)? Yes, there is a certain nice warm nostalgia in remembering taking a ride in those old trucks with Dad to the fishing hole. But, today's trucks are safer, faster, more comfortable and reliable no matter the brand. Bill

Yes, I have a 2017 "Ecoboost" 3.5. I also had a 2011 Ecoboost 3.5. The new one is better and the 10 speed new transmission is smooth. Mine is the "FX4" - 4 wheel drive, off road version, 6 foot bed, and, is the super cab (1/2 door in the back). I got the off road version primarily due to the inclusion of slightly stiffer ride, larger gas tank and tow brake controller in the package and this cost was cheaper than buying and two of those separately. Bill

Overland - sorry to hear about the trouble, but, I'd bet that the battery protection deal DID its job and your batteries are OK. I've never had a similar problem to yours with my Oliver. However, I have been greatly surprised by Anita, Jason and Richie when they have either emailed me or phoned me on weekends and/or after regular working hours to answer questions. Over the two years that I've had my Oliver I have tried to obtain as many phone numbers and email addresses of the Oliver staff as I could. Hopefully one of those will get a response. Within the past two months another owner told me about getting a call on a Saturday from Scott Oliver regarding a problem they were having. The real surprising thing about this was that Scott was vacationing at the time and not even anywhere near Hohenwald. Bill

Its great that we all have choices and as someone said," beauty is in the eye of the beholder". But surely there must be a reason, other than lemmings and/or stupidity, that the F-150 is the best selling truck on the market. And, can anyone explain to me just why it is that when you are driving down the road and see a truck coming towards you with either a driving light or head light out, 90% of the time it is a GM product? Bill

My Oliver Twist says a big HELLO to the human Twist. Hopefully the two of you will get a chance to meet at the Owners Rally. Glad to hear that everything is going well. Enjoy the ride and that nice new Ollie of yours! Bill (and Twist)

Ray - April 2 is a good date. Weather will be OK in TN by then and a southern route will get you some very nice weather. Make sure that you let Santa know about YOUR new sled. Bill

Don't understand what the problem is - write a fairly good sized check to a privately held company and wait a couple of months before you see anything in return? Add to that the problem with getting financial information on that company and the anticipation of getting a camper that one hopes will last them a long while. Finally, when one reads the sales contract there is little there that would tend to give the buyer any sense of protection. Having said that - this really is one "stand up" company. Unfortunately that is all too rare in today's world. What little financial information that is available is solid. For me, the single thing that made me feel a bit more comfortable was the virtually unanimous glowing reports that current owners kept giving Oliver and its people. Once you take delivery and/or get to meet more of the people that are associated with Oliver I'm sure that you will wonder just where did all that concern come from. I too took delivery of my Elite II in mid-February. Those long winter months seemed to make the wait even longer. I bet I watched Windcrasher's YouTube video (all 1 hour and 20 minutes of it) 50 times! However, before you know it you will be watching the weather reports and praying that it doesn't snow anywhere near your delivery date. Bill

I used to use those bars in my old campers that had bigger fridges and they worked great. With using the bars I seldom had to worry about that first opening of the fridge door after setting up and finding a third of my fridge contents falling out onto the floor. However, with the smaller fridge in the Oliver I usually have it fairly well packed and there is little shifting of the contents. But, I still use the bars if I plan on heading down rough roads or if I have the fridge lightly packed. Bill

On the weather reports I'm seeing it sure does look like much of the Northeast is getting hammered. Hope that those reports are a bit overdone. Bill

Basic answer to your question is - no - I do not have experience with these wireless versions. However, with something as important as braking, I sure would want some heavy assurances that they work in all circumstances. Bill

Just to be clear - your batteries should charge as you are traveling down the road from your tow vehicle as well as from your solar panels (depending on just how much charge your batteries actually need). But, you are correct with regards to boondocking and parking lots, rest areas, etc. I've been in fairly heavy shade with it raining for four days straight and have not had my batteries go below 85% of full!. Now, I've got an Elite II with four batteries, but, unless you plan on spending a bunch of time in conditions not suitable for solar I would not worry about it. There are a number of fellow owners with the Elite that spend a bunch of time on the road and/or in the Oliver without additional solar help (I'm thinking of Bugeyedriver and Seadawg here). On the other hand, if you are planning on being in conditions that require air conditioning, you do know that your batteries and solar will not take care of that for you. In most, cases the only practical solution to that problem is the use of a generator. With regards to your last question - I would assume that you are correct, but, since my Oliver does not have this "now standard" solar port I really do not know. Certainly someone at Oliver knows the answer - try Jason Essary (931-295-6654. Bill

Mmoren - The Oliver solar package works well for most people that have it. It will charge your batteries even in the shade - just not as much as it charges them while in full sun. It will also charge while you are rolling down the road and while stopped for lunch and while sitting in your drive and while being in a place where either you can't or don't want to put out "portable" panels and you don't have to store them, move them or (for the most part) worry about them. The bottom line is dependent on just how you plan to use you camper. There is a reason that the solar package is one of the more demanded items on Olivers, but, again, it depends on how you intend to use the camper. Bill

John - I got rid of that double post for you. Nice truck but I hope that they put it all together for that $135,000. Bill