topgun2

I owned BMW motorcycles for over 35 years and was a member of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America during this time. Each year the "club" would send out a book (some 238 pages) which contained listings of all BMW dealers, club information, travel information, etc.). As a member of the club one could chose to be listed (or not) and there were a number of "codes" that one could chose to be listed with their name and phone number. Members were listed by state and then by city in that state. Codes included things such as - camping or tent space, spare room, space available to work on motorcycle, working tools available, truck or trailer available, mechanical help, willingness to travel to help in emergency, etc. With thousands of members and a full time office staff, this book was easier to assemble. In addition, advertising was sold to help defray the costs of publishing. From what I read above it appears to me that with our numbers approaching 200 or so, some of us are starting to want things of this sort (rallies, member info). I don't think it is fair or wise to expect or want the factory to do this type of thing for us even though they already have much of the information needed to get it going. We already have a few of us that are closely associated with the factory (I'm thinking the Forum moderators here and, perhaps, a couple of others) that could be the nucleus of our "club". But, we need money and someone to take the "Oliver club by the hitch" in order to get it off the ground. This would be a great topic for our rally in May. Bill

John, I'd recommend having a talk with Anita in the Sales Office. She has been down this road before. I even think that they can help arrange financing - that just might give you an alternative local bank so that you can compare rates and terms. Bill

On another thread a discussion of loading ramps was started and I thought that I'd move it here. A number of years ago I purchased a loading ramp called the "Safe-T-Ramp". This ramp was designed and built by a couple of ex-rocket engineers in Huntsville, AL. While not cheap (as compared to those two lane ramps) the Safe-T-Ramp is very safe and can be used for a number of things other than loading/unloading a motorcycle - think moving refrigerators, washers and dryers, etc. It can be dropped straight to the ground (like other ramps) or be positioned straight out from the tailgate onto a deck or porch. Given that it is as wide as the tailgate there is no fear of having to put a foot down half way up the ramp and realizing that there is no where to put that foot. Either Google Safe-T-Ramp or go to: http://cmc146.tripod.com/safetramp.htm to see one of these puppies. The only "problem" that I see is that the tailgate must be left in the lowered position in order to use the ramp. I have used a receiver extension on a previous camper in order to use the ramp and tow the camper, but, I've not tried it with the Oliver (yet). Bill

Rideandfly - Started a new thread about loading ramps so as not to hijack this thread further. Bill

Windwalker, Do a "search" on this site for "CalMark". There has been a fair amount of discussion on the subject with both the cover that CalMark sells and at least one other. Bill

J-Rhett, I've read a number of studies regarding the economics of the RV travel. In the main it seems that these studies argue that between the initial cost plus yearly maintenance, the cost of gas, the cost of fuel, etc. the monetary "savings" to be gained by owning an RV are not terribly great and may even be higher than some other types of travel. I'm sure that one can argue this and depending on one's "normal" lifestyle traveling in an RV may or may not be more expensive. In any case, money is not the main reason I chose to mostly travel via an RV, but, it sure can help. Similar to owning and traveling via motorcycle, there is a sense of being self sufficient and not having to rely on others for my basic needs, comfort, and, ability to get to places I want to see or things I want to do. Indeed, not only is this accomplished, but, many times an RV also allows me to be even closer to places that I enjoy (forests, hiking, fishing, nature, etc.). I basically see it this way - without an RV (or camping in general), one is pretty much stuck with seeking out motels/hotels and, therefore, staying in towns of some sort or staying home. As I see it, there are a number of "problems" associated with all three of these - some of which you have pointed out. On to your questions - Most I ever paid for a night of camping was at the KOA in Jackson, WY ($60/night for a space just big enough to put my tent on and this was right at 10 years ago too). Problems while on the road - I'd be willing to bet that those of us that have spent any time at all "on the road" have had problems. However, in hindsight, these "problems" are part of what makes life interesting and in some cases even exciting. I'm not saying that I go looking for problems or even enjoy these things when they occur, but, it sure does make life interesting and that sure beats sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch. I try to prepare as best I can to be able to take care of whatever "problems" that might crop up. Bill Sometimes you just have to call for help!

Everyone should know that this Rally (as opposed to the first Oliver Rally) is really an Owner's Rally. Hardrock has already spent numerous hours in coordinating with the folks at Oliver and various campgrounds in trying to arrange dates, places, sponsorship, activities, etc. A big thanks should be sent Coy's way for getting this thing off the ground! And, since it is an Owner's Rally, if there is anything that you might want to see, do, or hear about, be sure to let Coy (Hardrock) know. If there is anyway possible, I'll be there. Bill

Nicely put SeaDawg. For those with interest in carrying firearms, here is a site which covers each State's laws in that regard - http://www.handgunlaw.us/ Bill

Sage, Thanks for the offer and shipping arrangements. Is there a "special" price for your loyal fans? Bill

I received my CalMark cover four days ago. In addition to the cover they also sent several "patches" and a tube of E6000 glue. These patches are to be used to repair any areas that might get worn and/or to be placed in areas that might be subject to extra wear. With time growing short - it is the 2nd of December - and the forecast for a high temperature in the high 50's with abundant sun and little wind, I decided that today was the day to really put Twist to bed for a couple of months. Once I wiped down the entire camper to remove as much dirt as possible (automotive detailer is great for this) and to get the morning dew off, I wanted to fabricate a PVC sleeve to fit over the WiFi Ranger antenna. Since I could not take this antenna off or lower it or even remove the unit entirely, protecting it and protecting the cover was the only choice. I used a 2" piece of PVC with a cap on the end. In addition, prior to putting the sleeve in place, I covered the antenna stalk with a piece of pipe insulation which should help keep the sleeve from moving. In putting the sleeve over the antenna I cut a piece out of the sleeve at the bottom that measured approximately 1 1/4" wide and 1 3/4" long. This allowed the sleeve to fit down over the bracket that holds the antenna to the WiFi Ranger main unit without actually touching the roof. Given the downward pressure caused by the cover and the friction fit on the WiFi Ranger antenna bracket, I don't think that this will move at all under the cover. I then took two six foot pieces of 3/4" pipe insulation and placed them on the edges of the solar panels. Adding shorter sections (about a foot long or so) from the corners of the panels toward the middle of the camper, the cover should be protected from those solar panel edges - next year I plan to use "pool noodles" but I could not find any for sale when I stated looking for them in October. I placed 18" pieces of this same pipe insulation on the corners of the bumper - again to protect the cover from wear. Finally, since the solar panels will be covered, I turned off the main switch (the big red job under the streetside access panel and tripped the two circuit breakers located in the same area) and I disconnected the main negative battery cable. Since it rarely gets below 20 in this part of North Carolina (and even then it doesn't get there for long) and since I plan to either use the camper or charge the batteries no less than every other month, this should not cause undue harm to the four Trojan 105's. Taking the cover out of the box I found the front (a label with CalMark on it is the front) and laid it out next to Twist on the ground. Grabbing a hand full of the cover at about the middle of the camper, I climbed the eight foot ladder and lifted as much of the cover as possible onto the top of the camper. I then used a clamp to temporally hold it there while I did the same thing to both the front and back of the camper. As a part of the cover, CalMark sews on three straps that eventually go completely around the camper. However, these same straps can be used to help pull the cover material over the top. There is a seam roughly placed at the "edge" of each side, so, you can use that as a guide to see that you are relatively evenly spaced. Obviously, given the various things on the roof, the cover does not simply "flow" on and over, but, with the small exception of the cover sleeve that I made for the WiFi antenna and getting enough material up and over the air conditioner it was not terribly difficult getting the cover on and positioned properly. The final step is snugging up the straps mentioned earlier, pulling the rope that is sewn into the hem to tighten the cover around the bottom of the camper and then placing rope through the eyelets that are sewn into the hem further securing the bottom and making the cover relatively tight all around. Questions? Bill

Mike, I agree on the hot weather activity comment. That "natural" curl in the product is very strong. When I put mine on I left the gutter in my driveway in the sun for a couple of hours with weights pulling on both ends to try to straighten it out (all with marginal success). When I read that the "weather cooled down" I agreed that this might be the cause of the failure - I don't really know how long it takes that adhesive to fully set but I'd guess it is at least a full 24 hours. Given that you are going to wait until the weather warms, why don't you send a note to EZE Gutter to ask if they just might give you a "break" on a second try? Can't hurt to ask. Bill

Mike, Sorry to see this happened to you. When I put mine on I was a bit concerned that this might happen and wished that I had made the sides of mine a bit longer than I did in order to give a bit more resistance to that curl via additional glued area. Thank goodness I've not had any problems with mine. Good luck getting them re-stuck. Perhaps a hair dryer would help with both the curl and getting the glue to stick. I'd also plan on doing a bunch of rubbing with something like the south end of a toothbrush once you get them back into position. Bill

ccarole, So, did Sage get you on the right track? Is there something that we missed? Is it all better yet? Bill

Try asking Tommy Staggs at tstaggs@olivertraveltrailers.com Bill

Pictures help! It is well known on the this Forum that John does not like the Andersen but there are others of us that have also had multiple years of experience with the Andersen and other WDH without major issue. A fair amount of discussion on this topic can be read here by simply "searching" for Andersen hitch here. These hitches are usually no more noisy than other WDH and a most often quieter. Having said this - with the little information you provided - it appears that John is correct. However, it usually takes a bit longer for the noise to start if the ball insert is the problem. One of the members of this Forum is an Andersen employee and he is usually very responsive to owner's problems with the hitch. Don't be afraid to either send him a private message or to call the Andersen office first thing Monday morning. Bill

In the December, 2016 issue of Trailer Life magazine is an article titled "Leading Lights" starting on page 28. An Oliver Elite II is the featured picture and on page 32 is a brief synopsis of the Oliver product. Bill

Guys, I've used "DampRid" ( https://www.amazon.com/DampRid-FG50T-Hi-Capacity-Moisture-Absorber/dp/B0029EGUNG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479333927&sr=8-1&keywords=dehumidifier+crystals ) for a number of years without problems in several campers. I do replace and/or refill the crystals at least once over the winter. WalMart also sells this stuff. Bill

Here's another winter project for you. Shortly after picking up Twist this past February I was in my workshop cleaning up a bit when I noticed I still had some left over cedar closet lining boards. So, I took the black mats from the two shelves in the closet of Twist, laid them on top of the shelving boards, traced the outline and then cut each of the boards using a band saw (one could use a scroll saw, small hand saw, or coping saw) on the inside of the line that I traced. I put the boards back together (each board is tongue and groove) and tested for fit. You don't have to be exact on the cuts since most of the edges are difficult to see inside the closet and pantry. A little sanding of the edges and then I took wood glue, placed a small amount in the groove and allowed the boards to sit overnight with a little weight on them to keep them from warping. I did this same procedure for the bottom of the pantry. Finally, I took the little scrap pieces that were left over, sanded them and placed them into the other overhead cupboards. This thin cedar lining can be found at Lowe's and probably Home Depot too. Now, not only does the closet and pantry smell nice, but, the cedar is a natural bug repellent too. Bill

Don, I always carry a set of the "lego" levelers but have found that I tend to use the blocks more often. I guess it is simply because I get too lazy to put the legos together. Bill

Randy - I really didn't round off the corners, other than sanding them a little bit more, than the rest of the block prior to the poly application. I have used them on end without difficulty. The handles make the blocks easier to deal with, easier to see when leaving a campsite so I don't leave them, keep my hands/gloves cleaner and drier and reduces the chance of splinters. John - These blocks are not used to raise the Titanic. Since I rarely camp during the winter, they are rarely used in sub-freezing temps. The application of the poly was intended to prevent water absorption and make them last a bit longer. The main purpose is for use as "stabilizers", fine tuning the level of the camper and as Steve says to save time, lessen the use of power to the jacks, and reduce the risk of a bent jack. If I need to "level" the Oliver to any great extent, I normally use either "legos" or ramps under the tires on the low side. No, I do not use these for winter storage - they are too pretty to be left out all winter ;) Camp12 - Welcome also! In addition to Steve's comments, I've found that these can be used when my campsite is not very level (think mainly boondocking here) and I need the extra height on the low side - I really don't like extending the jacks to the limit if I can help it mainly due to the torque that might be applied to them.

Don and Guys, You're welcome. With a camper that I owned prior to getting Twist, I "lost" a wheel bearing set in southern Wyoming on a late Saturday afternoon AND a couple of the lugs from the drum. With no cell phone reception I dashed into the nearest town and found a trailer place that would help me if I brought the wheel and bearings and drum to them. Dashing back to the camper on the roadside in 100 degree heat I did get the thing apart (amazing how quickly you can do this when you have to) and quickly got back to town. The owner of the store stayed past normal closing to help and by the time I got back to the camper and got all things put back together it was just about dark. I've always carried a set of bearings since. I certainly know that if the bearings on one side of the camper have a problem, it is fairly likely that the other side is not far behind. But, in carrying enough to repair the one side I figure that I will be able to get to a place where I can have the other side looked after. Hopefully I will never have to use the spare set! Bill

These were made from some scrap 6×6. Cut the length at approximately 11 inches – enough to clear the onboard jacks on level ground – and sand lightly. Take a piece of scrap rope (I used plastic/nylon rope because it does not absorb water) at about 9 inches, heated the ends to stop fraying and added a bit or heat shrink tape for good measure. Then using an electric wire staple attach it to one side, bunch it up a little so that you have enough room to side your hand under it and then attach the other side. Finally, give it a couple of coats of exterior polyurethane and you are the pride of the neighborhood. Certainly a good, simple winter project. Bill

Buzzy, Anything that I can do to help the Master! These were made from some scrap 6x6. Cut the length at approximately 11 inches - enough to clear the onboard jacks on level ground - and sand lightly. Take a piece of scrap rope (I used plastic/nylon rope because it does not absorb water) at about 9 inches, heated the ends to stop fraying and added a bit or heat shrink tape for good measure. Then using an electric wire staple attach it to one side, bunch it up a little so that you have enough room to side your hand under it and then attach the other side. Finally, give it a couple of coats of exterior polyurethane and you are the pride of the neighborhood. Certainly a good, simple winter project. (I also posted this over under Mods to make it easier to find in the future) Bill

Joe, As has been said before on this Forum, a call to the sales office at Oliver might help you now or in the future. Many times they will know of an Oliver that is either on the market of about to be on the market before it becomes public knowledge. Bill

Mike, I hate saying this at a time like this and I don't mean to scare you, but, whenever a breaker is tripped or a fuse is blown there are two things that you should do. One - try to figure out why it tripped or blew so that it will not happen again (i.e. repair what caused the problem or try to not overload that circuit again in the future). Two - if it was a fuse that blew then you should not only replace it but you should carry at least one spare of each fuse type you have for those "emergencies" on the road. Have a safe and fun trip! Bill