topgun2

Nice to see that someone else zip ties the plumbing lines. I've never had a leak or any lines/connections crack, but I simply didn't like how the lines moved around in the compartment with the water pump. So, I zip tied and used "Gorilla Tape" to secure anything that moved. Many times this was done by simply securing one moving thing to another - now at least these lines all move less than they did before. "An ounce of prevention". While I was doing this, I also covered all water lines that I could reach with foam pipe insulation. Partly this was done because I had some left over from a house project. In addition to keeping some of the hot water a tad warmer than it would be otherwise and keeping the hot away from the cold lines, the main benefit was that the insulation reduced the amount of movement in those lines and/or prevented them from hitting or rattling against other items down in the dungeon. Bill

Randy - I think that I've got a drill extension that I used to use for the stabilizers on my old stick builts. If you are attending the Owner's Rally, I'll bring it along and you can have it if it works for you. Bill

That pressure tank thing is a snap once you figure out exactly where it will be placed (read that - where it will fit in). It will make your sink project look huge in comparison. I can feel the excitement in your words - After two years, I still like "tinkering around" in Twist. Just trying to think of little ways to make things work better or be more convenient. For me, it is all part of the joy of owning one of these things. Bill

Overland - Nice job! And, it looks good too. I've just never had an eye for these kind of things. Yes, I think that I know when I see something that looks tasteful but usually trying to design it myself doesn't turn out very good. Obviously you can do both - design and make it look good. Bill

Overland and Canoe - I thought that we may have had a case of Apples and Oranges, but ... I happened go over to see Twist yesterday afternoon and I specifically took a look at the towel bar. I had always just assumed that the little hole on the bottom of the "posts" at the end of the bar were where one would insert the usual Allen wrench to tighten and/or loosen that piece from the mounting bracket underneath. Wrong! Indeed there is a little (white) tab in that hole that is obviously the release tab for the "post". I didn't take it apart (leave a sleeping dog alone) but the whole assembly is firmly attached to the wall - as are the similar ones for the hooks inside and outside the bath. When I came home I pulled up the Moen website and found the installation guide for these puppies. https://www.moen.com/products/Brantford/Brantford_Chrome_18_towel_bar/YB2218CH Basically a plastic mounting bracket is screwed into the wall and then the "post" (outside piece) is pushed over it until an audible "snap" or "click" is heard. Assuming that the mounting bracket was installed properly, I can't see where there would be a problem. However, if the mounting plate wasn't tight enough to the wall or was too tight to the wall then the whole assembly would be loose or one would not hear the "snap" when putting the post over that plate. Therefore, the first thing I would do if I had a problem with mine would be to take the post off the mounting plate and inspect that plate for proper mounting and make adjustments as necessary. If that didn't work, I'd call Moen and ask for help. Given the design and the intended purpose it certainly appears to me that these items were made and sold to be Towel Bars. They are not robust enough to be grab bars, lift bars, safety bars, etc. and were never designed for those purposes. Bill

Rumline - Since Reed has not answered, I can only offer this: I think that the Blaylocks will not fit between the two tires on the Elite II. The regular Andersens barely fit and the Andersens(the larger model that is sold as a "jack") that are more similar to the Blaylocks will not fit between the tires either. Of course both the Blaylocks and the Andersens could be shortened but since the Blaylocks are made out of aluminum they would be a bit tougher to cut. The Blaylocks are roughly twice the weight of the Andersens and cost a bit more than the Andersens. Note that since I've never owned the Blaylocks I can only comment relative to what I've read about them. Hope this helps. Bill

OK, once again - there are obviously those of us that do not like Andersen products and those of us that do like them. The Blaylock's are better? Maybe and maybe not. I will do my utmost to treat ANY attendee at our OWNER'S RALLY with the same courtesy and respect as I give to any other. Bill

This almost sounds like we are talking "apples and oranges". I agree with Mike in that Moen makes fairly decent products that are guaranteed for life. So, no crap here with the towel bar. But, mine doesn't have a "little plastic tab" - just a bar inserted into two mounts that are firmly attached to the bathroom wall. Am I missing something? Bill

Mark, The Oliver doesn't have a gravity fill port. The only two ways of getting fluids into the Oliver are either via the "winterization" suction port or the water tank fill port (via a pressurized water source). Of course there is also the "city water" port but that bypasses the onboard fresh water tank. Bill

Cash - I happened to be talking to Matt earlier this morning and he mentioned that including owners, guests and Oliver personnel (mostly Oliver family) there will be upwards of 200 people. The number of Oliver travel trailers registered is in the mid to high 70's. Most of the Owners that are registered have a spouse with them. Hope that helps. Bill

Why make removing the spare tire cover easier? I enjoy the heck out of getting my hand slapped by that overgrown mouse trap. Bill

Bill - I'm not sure about "a cleaner installation", but, I would think that it is a bit stronger. Those four small screws holding the handle on in the typical installation are screwed into such thin aluminum. I always try to remember to tell "guests" to not put too much pressure on that screen door handle - the aluminum door simply is not strong enough to handle any real weight. At least your design helps spread any weight over a larger area. Besides, it is simply cool. Bill

Overland - I put a dot of black paint on my green lights. Bill

Townesw - Have you tried calling Oliver "parts" at 1-866-205-2621? Bill

Townesw - Hopefully someone with direct access and experience with an iPhone will chime in here shortly. Obviously you can always download your pictures to a computer and then to the Forum, but I don't think that is what you are trying to do. Even with my Android phone I usually go the computer route as opposed to direct - hate typing on those small keyboards. Bill

Thanks! I never even thought to check and hope that I never need to actually use that crank! Bill

Yep - I take a dry kitchen sponge and place it in the door of the freezer. This holds that door open and, in turn, that door holds the fridge door open plus, I always know where that sponge is. Along this line, when I'm storing Twist for more than a month or so at a time, I crumple up seven or eight sheets of regular old newspaper and place those in the freezer/fridge. When I bring Twist back out of storage I simply recycle the newspaper and the freezer/fridge has no odors at all. Bill

I do three - kind of like turning off the lights. Just becomes habit after a bit. Bill

The next closest place is the air conditioner, but that would leave the wire showing from the attic to the air conditioner. Tom's got a good idea to try first or try just putting it in the window

Rumline - tried that but it doesn't work for me. As I said - Weird!

AW - I like the way you think. Perhaps the WD hitch is not strictly required, but, I think that it helps balance the load and gives a bit more peace of mind. A quick call to either Jason Essary or even the Sales office at Oliver should let you know if they have the necessary parts to get you to the correct height. This would both ease your mind and make things easier for you being so close to the start of your trip. Bill

Boy! That's weird! I click on that link and am taken back to another topic. GJ - can you simply post you "link" without trying to make it a link. That way , as Randy said, we can simply copy and paste. Bill

Pete - As has been said many times before - when (if) you see a used one for sale, be prepared to make a move quickly. There are even fewer Elite I's around as compared to Elite II's and they really do not stay on the market long. Good luck! Bill p.s. stay in touch with the sales office at Oliver. Many times they will know of a unit that is coming to market before you will see it posted here or over on FGRV Forum.

OK, sounds good - no sense in beating the heck out of yourself. Don't know either of your plans for the exact route, but, I'd avoid driving straight through Kansas City - especially with the camper. The southern route around KC is better than the northern route and really only adds about 10 to 15 minutes to your overall time, but, it is a much more relaxing route. Of course, when you are heading west with the camper, you will probably take Interstate 70 to just east of Kansas City and then I-29 north to I-80. As you approach the western edge of Saint Louis your GPS or navigator will have you take the southern belt interstate (I-255 I think) to interstate 55 south. Basically you will then parallel the Mississippi through what is some fairly uninteresting landscape. All of this is a fairly easy drive, but a bit boring. Heading back West, if you take either I-64 or I-70 you will basically have no choice other than driving straight through the center of Saint Louis. Not too bad as long as you time your arrival there at something other than rush hour (between 9am and 3 pm). Most GPS units will want to keep you on I-70, but, a simpler and easier to drive route is the following: Once you are on the large bridge over the Mississippi get in the extreme left hand lane as soon as you can and DO NOT MOVE from it. A good view of the Gateway Arch and downtown Saint Louis is had from this bridge. At the end of the bridge your GPS will want you to take the ramp on your right (two lanes over from where you should be) onto I-70, But, with you being in the extreme left lane, you will automatically be placed on I-64 and the baseball stadium will appear very close on your right. Stay in the extreme left lane. Within about a mile or so you will clear virtually all of the "downtown" stuff - yes, the road will curve around a bit, but there are NO turns off of it. With other lanes being added and subtracted, you will automatically not be in the extreme left lane by the time you are about two miles from the bridge. The next thing to pay attention to is the left hand exit back onto I-70. This occurs 20 to 25 miles out from the bridge. Once back on I-70, sit back and relax - you will be in Columbia, MO in about 2 hours and then KC in another two hours. See my notes above regarding a couple of places to camp along I-70 in Missouri. Bill

Mark - I got rid of my R1200GS for the same reason. I did keep my 2001 Kawasaki Super Sherpa (250 single dual sport) for around town, trails up in the forest and to satisfy the occasional "need for speed" (translate that - "for when I need to scare the hell out of myself"). Usually fishing is a bit safer - unless of course the river is too swift and/or a griz decides that he wants your spot on the river. Those four wheel things do look like a bunch of fun but the damage that is being done to some of our forests and the area above the Taylor River Reservoir near Gunnison, CO is a bit much. Around here in North Carolina there a simply too few places to use them in the manner I would prefer. Certainly around Moab and just about anywhere in the desert they would be a hoot. How many days are you planning on taking getting from Montana (or Alaska respectively) to Hohenwald? Bill