topgun2

John - Try doing a "search" for "kitchen divider". I think this will show you pictures of what you are seeking. Bill

Buzzy, Interesting point and I don't think that it "hijacks" the thread at all. OTT's willingness to not only fix things, improve things and go the extra mile seems to be in direct contrast to most of the rest of the RV industry. When I dropped off Twist for some warranty issues back in late August, Tommy told me that they would also be doing some additional work. In asking for more specifics on this he told me that the main battery cables would be replaced (I think he said that they were increasing the gauge of these cables to 4). It seems that in conjunction with the solar equipment manufacturer(s) they had determined that there was a minor voltage drop that could be prevented (reduced) with these new cables. In thinking about this I was very pleased that OTT would go to this length to "make things" as good as they could be. However, I also thought about what might I be missing if I had not taken Twist in for other work. For my purposes I do not think that these larger cables make much (if any) difference. But, are there other "upgrades" that might mean something to me, even if I have to pay for them? Given that I do not know what I do not know, how am I supposed to know - if you know what I mean? Certainly it would take a fair amount of time and effort for the folks at OTT to "publish" this kind of material/data. I think that this type of thing is one of the greatest benefits of this Forum. It allows for the distribution of information without a great deal of effort being placed on the shoulders of any one party. Of course, the down side is that one has to be somewhat active on the Forum and have enough knowledge to know just what things might apply to their situation. This is not necessarily an easy task either. For me, the bottom line is that I am more than happy to work with a company that not only produces what I believe to be about the best there is but also does what they can to make sure that the product remains as good as they can make it. As you have said - being familiar with, understanding your camper and its systems, and having a good base knowledge all help in making for a better experience. Having someone at OTT that could "post information" etc. would certainly be very useful and even extend the lead that they already have on being the best. Bill

Steve and Tali, Is that a "Christmas Cactus" on the left in the picture? Bill

From what I've been told, cross contamination is one reason, but, more often it is to reduce consumption in places where water resources are not plentiful. The only places that I've run into the prohibition of the Bandit is in National Forest camp grounds west of Dubois, WY. Bill

I too have a Bandit in my collection and it has been a number of times with great success. However, be aware that in some places the use of the Bandit is specifically prohibited. Best to read all the signs near the water station prior to use. Bill

Canoe12, Not a bad idea and you should probably mention it to the Sales Staff at Oliver. I'd be willing to bet that at some point down the road this manual will be available online. In the meantime, most of the information that a new owner could want can be found here either in the form of a search or by simply asking a question. Having said this, I still find that every now and again I actually enjoy thumbing through the owner's manual either to refresh my memory on systems that I don't use very often or to stumble over something that I never knew. Certainly a "quick start" guide would be most welcome. However, even this is not as easy as one might think given all the options and widely varying owner experience levels that come with each Oliver. For me, first came the research that led me to the point of ordering my Oliver. Then came that loooooog wait from the ordering day to the delivery day. I must have watched Ron Merritt's YouTube video 20 times during that stretch just trying to glean as much information as I could to prepare myself for the delivery. Would the owner's manual have helped me during this time? Probably. But, it still would not have made the wait any shorter. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year! Bill

Reed, No, I've not tried the siphon deal (yet) - I guess it was just too easy to let the pump do the work and not even lift eight gallons of water that LOOOOOng distance up to the top of the bumper. Besides, with the solar and not having to worry about electricity, why not let the machines have their day? I wouldn't worry about that "low" point in the cold water line that you are pointing to. Since one is putting enough antifreeze in the lines so that it comes out of the faucets, there is certainly antifreeze at that low point. Bill

Here's another view of the fresh water tank that clearly shows it sitting on the floor - not on blocks. <p style="text-align: center;">Bill</p>

Yes! And, that inlet really does work (in conjunction with the water pump). This past summer on two separate occasions I had several people watch in amazement as I used this inlet to transfer water from an eight gallon water container into the fresh water tank. All I had to do was stand there and watch the water disappear from the eight gallon carrier. I know this sounds silly, but, if you have ever tried pouring fresh water into the non-pressurized water inlet of a "normal" camper, you will certainly appreciate the magic of this Oliver inlet. <p style="text-align: center;">Note the blue container at the back of Twist.</p> Bill

Reed, I can help with one of your questions - yes, the black tank is basically under the toilet. To see it, simply open the "hatch" under the dinette seat nearest the bathroom. Then look inside the hatch towards the bathroom. Here you will see the black tank with its fluid level sensor on the side and the plumbing coming out from it to include the valve that prevents backflow from the grey water tank into the shower pan. Hope this helps you a little. Bill

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