Steve Morris

Our nearest "build neighbor" seen so far! 👋

Here in northern Ohio, all I see is rain. I'm hoping for better during April's solar eclipse since I'm right on the path, but being Ohio in the spring, It'll probably be similar. I can at least guarantee that it will be dark for 3 minutes and 52 seconds, whether you can see the eclipse or just a bunch of clouds. 🙂

When we ordered last August, not getting solar was not an option with lithium. They came as a package. As noted previously, changing to lithium/solar later is a very expensive proposition. Much more than getting it from the get go. Almost all of the wiring needs to be replaced with the heavier wire that lithium needs, along with the different controllers, and other components. I'm probably misremembering, but I thought someone checked with Oliver, and it was going to be about $10k more than having it done when built. For us, the choice to add the Platinum Pro package was the most expensive option, and the easiest to swallow. On some of your other questions, here's my response as first time trailer owners (we had a square-back teardrop prior, so basically dry tent camping.) Auto Drain: We opted not to get this for two reasons. Keeping things simple (it relies on an electrical switch and a motor), but more importantly, it is out of sight, so something you might forget. With the manual handle, when closing up the trailer, I always fold the steps and look inside to make sure the handle is pressed in. Doing those routinely together ensures I'll never forget (yea, right...) And if like me, you didn't pay attention during the walkthrough, simply remember Drive-In, CampOut. Handle is in when driving, and out while camping (or dumping) We opted not to get the electric door lock. Just something else to go wrong. The key is smaller than the fob when carrying in a pocket. The backup camera was the last thing we decided on when ordering. (Actually, much later, because you can change your order up to the point where you pay off the first 50%) I had considered adding my own, but having the wiring and witch already in place saved a lot of headaches. I expected to only use it while backing into a site, but in actuality, I never do. I use it a *lot* on the highway when watching traffic behind me, and especially when changing lanes. Upgraded mattresses: When we ordered was when Oliver was changing from KTT to whoever makes the current mattresses. When visiting other owners with the KTT mattress, we loved the firmness, and had decided to go that route. When we got to the factory for our tour and to order, they'd switched vendors. Some people love them, but we found them much too soft and flimsy, almost like a cheap motel mattress. So we ordered without the upgrade option, and then ordered a pair of Oliver specific mattresses direct from KTT. Shipped to our home, they were almost the same cost as the Oliver upgrade. A few other owners have done the same. Here's what we ordered: - Oliver Legacy Elite II Twin Bed - Standard Mattresses (KTT mattresses after receipt) - Standard Fabric - Midnight - Hypervent - Omnidirectional Antenna (local weather etc. if we don't have cell service) - Street Side Awning - Frosted Cabinet Doors - Convection Microwave - 20 Gallon Propane (to keep tongue weight down) - Front/Rear Propane Quick-Connects - Standard Toilet (with possible AirHead composting replacement) - Full Truma Package AC, Furnace, Water Heater and Antifreeze kit - Lithium Platinum Package - Backup Camera - Rear Bumper Receiver (converted to 2" after receipt) - Anderson Hitch - Aluminum Storage Basket - Basement Door - No Graphics Over six months after our pickup date and 44 nights of use, there's nothing we'd have changed.

Thank you!

That's what I've found on two occasions with our Platinum Pro package. The first time I ran the AC exactly two hours, and the batteries were at 81% after. This was in May, and using solar only, it took 48 hours to recover. This was using the factory 400W panels without my additional 200W portable panel. In August I ran the AC for about six hours (untimed) and the batteries were at I think 38% after. I was at an electric site a couple days later, so didn't check to see how long the solar would take to recover. So, AC uses about 10% per hour of running time with the Platinum Pro package, and takes about 24 hours per hour of running time to recover using 400W solar only.

I keep having people ask what a "Curiosity" trailer is. When I tell them it is our name for the trailer, and that it is an Oliver, they've generally never heard of the brand before, either. 🤷‍♂️ From this weekend; Halloween weekend at Mosquito Lake State Park in Ohio:

Interesting! I saw those in a previous photo and thought you'd added them yourself. They were not in our 2023, delivered the end of March. So that practice started somewhere in the 26 trailers built after ours. It's been on my list of things to modify.

Things must have moved in recent years. In our 2023 EII, the detector is attached to the aft face of the forward dinette seat. And the fuse is under the street side bed, tucked way up front toward the aisle, almost under the pantry. It was 3AM for us the first night we owned the trailer when that obnoxious wail occured. OTT replaced it the next morning just in case it was a bad unit.

I happened to have this in my watched topics for when I do the separate shower valve.

Thank you!!

@Wildbrew It does, and thank you very much! I'm surprised to see that you only needed a one inch bulkhead fitting to feed the seven antenna cables through. I figured I'd need 1'1/2 or 2". I've seen people use a 1-1/2" PVC pipe through the roof and sealed well inside and out, and sticking up enough into a junction box that a little water in the box wouldn't spill into the open pipe. But that never looked like a solid enough connection to the hull to me. Here's an interesting option for mounting the antenna, too. I got the magnetic base option on the antenna, as I didn't know how I was going to mount it. MMH says you can go from the magnetic base to the standard, but not the other way 'round, so I went with the magnetic just in case. I could use it on top of a junction box to get a little more height. I planned to use this mount on the inside of the rear awning mount to get additional height and move it as far away from the air conditioner as possible. But it sounds as if yours is working fine right beside the AC, so maybe I'm overly concerned with the separation. Bill, it is just an alternative to the Oliver optional internet package, but with more modern (and upgradable) components.

I've been looking into switching after 54 years of AAA membership. Since AAA is regional clubs, coverage (and quality) varies widely. Too many negative reviews for me. I've been watching a lot of roadside service reviews on YouTube, and people seem to love Good Sam's until they actually need it. Stories of hours or overnight waiting for service to arrive, phone operators saying they can't find anyone to come, so sorry..., and many more bad stories. Every single review of Coach.Net that I could find was extremely positive. That's likely what I'll switch to when AAA expires this next time.

Beautiful scenery! (Third one didn't work for me.) I'd never heard of this National Monument, but it is now on my must-see list the next time we are in CO!

Why haven't I seen this before! I bought the same Speed Demon 5G setup from MobileMustHave last November during a sale, and four months before we even had the trailer. I currently have the router with its seven stub antenna in the attic, and it works okay. I can't really compare to my phone, because the phone is AT&T, and the Pepwave uses a Verizon card. I tried putting the big Parsec Husky antenna in the attic to see how the signal changed, and it went down. I'm guessing because it had 49 feet of cable looped under it. (seven seven foot cables.) I haven't yet had the nerve to drill through the attic to mount the antenna externally. My plan is to use the Parsec antenna mount [link] on the rearmost curbside awning mount and bring the cables in through the attic as shown by @Wildbrew He hasn't been on since May, but I sent a PM asking for details on the gland box.

What is causing this part to break? Age? I ask, because prior to getting the Oliver in March, we’d never had a trailer with a toilet. In order to minimize water use, we rapidly push down the pedal and let it spring back up on its own. I’m starting to think that might be asking for trouble! 😳

We did a little off-pavement driving in our travels around Kentucky last week. Managed to get through without resorting to 4-low. We also took a hazardous route through tall grass to boondock at Whiskey Thief Distillery. Having friends who are friends of the owner has its benefits! My wallet left these places a fair bit lighter.

One should never be interrupted while dumping. 🤪

Will do! It probably won't be until after our early October Tearjerkers outing, though.

John, this might help. I plan to do this, as I have the license plate relocation kit for the 1UP. It includes turn signals/brakes as well as the license plate light. Another one of John's gems.

We talked to the guys at the rally and checked on their schedule. Deb and I are going to the Eggs 'n Smores rally in Florida in January, then on to my brother's place in New Smyrna Beach for a bit. We plan to stop in Murfreesboro for a complete detail on our way home.

Congratulations! Your upgrade is similar to ours, coming from a Hiker 5x8 squaredrop to the LEII. It sure is a startling difference. On your Turtleback travels, I imagine you’ve come across my friend Kevin and his family on Lifestyle Overland. They’ve now moved on to an enclosed adventure trailer with the new baby. Welcome aboard!

Fixed that for you. 😉 Which is funny, because with something like my Land Cruiser, in Australia I could add an relativity inexpensive rear end kit that’s been government certified to increase the legal cargo capacity by about 1200 pounds, resulting in a 2600 pound capacity. That’s nuts, and I’d never do it. But doing the same thing here and getting in an accident, I’d loose my home to some lawyer…

I completely agree. We looked at fiberglass trailers specifically because they were not sold through dealerships. If Oliver had been at a dealership, I wouldn’t even have considered it, based on the sleazy treatment we got at all three Cleveland Ohio area dealers a couple years back. No way would I ever take my trailer to one! It is bad enough taking a 30k disposable car to a dealership where the service guys come and go weekly. Imagine taking a $100k trailer to your local car dealer and expecting proper care and workmanship. And I respect auto service guys much higher than RV service guys. Bottom line is that if our Oliver had been at a local dealership, I probably wouldn’t be here now typing this, because I’d be in an Escape.

Tankless heater, so minimal weight change. That's about what ours is with the bikes loaded on the back. If you have a similar delta, you'd be close to 400# with the bikes on, which is 8% of an unloaded unoptioned EII, and recommendation is 10-12%. I haven't weighed our trailer, but it is around 5400 empty (7000 minus sticker cargo capacity.) I have no idea how much stuff I have in it, but if 6000# total, my 475# tongue weight is about 8%, too.

All tanks empty with no bikes and rack folded. Tongue weight 525ish pounds.