Search the Community

Looks like a really nicely built trailer. I have several utility trailers from a 4x6 foot box trailer that I built back in the 1990's to carry camping/SCUBA gear in to a 7x18 foot flatbed. In Gardner, MT at the North Entrance to Yellowstone NP - September, 1997. Getting ready to leave on a rafting trip on the Buffalo NR in Arkansas, April, 2003.

I have a Renogy 20amp DC/DC charger installed in the Oliver under the rear dinette seat, near the battery bank. It was reconfigured for lithium following the battery swap, as well as the Xantrex 2000. The extent of my boondocking is mostly overnight stays while traveling, destinations generally CGs with hookups. In the event the battery bank becomes too depleted and insufficiently charged, I carry generators. In the past, the smaller generator was run from the tailgate for a/c, as necessary. As a contingency, I currently have a 200w solar array atop my TV for purpose of charging a 100ah lithium portable power station to run a Dometic CFX 75DZ cooler staged under cap in the truck bed. My intent is now to use that solar to supplement the Oliver’s house batteries if need be, whether driving are stationary. Given this information, please advise if you have any recommendations to help strengthen my ‘plan’, much appreciated!

For the wires, take a look at this thread: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5271-how-to-junction-box-for-the-7-wire-trailer-harness-under-the-front-dinette-seat/ John Davies Spokane WA

We originally bought a receiver hitch flagpole mount. What with keeping the 1UP bike rack attached to the OTT 2" receiver back aft, we came up with this modification to what @Ollie-Haus and @Patriot mounted on their cargo boxes... The inspiration is definitely from @John E Davies's original flagpole mount post from back in the day. This is a powder-coated aluminum sleeve that holds the flagpole in place. Used two 3/8" x 2.5" bolts with fender washers, lock washers, and nuts to fasten it to the bottom of the cargo box. The weight of the flagpole rests on the surface - the sleeve keeps it rigid. Rock solid. Just need a light for 'Ol Glory during hours of darkness. May need a locking pin through the sleeve/flagpole assembly so it won't grow legs and walk away, HA! Mental Note: "Take down flagpole before driving away." Cheers to all!

I see two in the aft dining basement mounted opposite the inverter box on the wheel well - the red unit with two buttons on it and the black unit to its right with one red button - would these be them? Can you tell me what each does?

I assume that you have a reservation at Wapiti and (as you may know) they do have a number of sites there that have power. There is another National Forest Service campground west of Wapiti - Rex Hale - that has 6 or 7 electric sites if you need them but they are usually reserved well in advance. If push comes to shove and you really need power (or dump or laundry, you can head back east a few miles to Yellowstone Valley Inn. My favorite campground in West Yellowstone is Baker's Hole - north of the town by about 2 miles (just beyond the airport). Site 50 or 51 will get you a wonderful view into Yellowstone National Park and stunning sunsets. There are also a few electric sites there but (again) they are usually reserved well in advance. The best laundry in West Yellowstone is "Little Ducklings" (520 Madison Ave). There are two grocery stores in town if you need to restock. Propane refills can be obtained at Westmart Building Center (100 S. Faithful Street - its an ACE Hardware store) or at the Mobil Gas station (11 Yellowstone Ave). If you do the research, there are a number of places to boondock near the Grand Tetons. One of my favorite places is a decommissioned National Forest Service camp called Box Creek. It is located approximately 10 miles east on Buffalo Valley Road. If you plan to fish, PM me for suggestions. Have a great trip! Bill

Thought I would add to @John E Daviesfine original post. I purchased a nice flag pole with tire foot for Ollie-Haus and wasn't thrilled with the options to secure with camper tire or tongue jack, so I decided to mount it to the front storage box. The foot fits nicely between the box and trailer tongue so I chose to bolt it to the bottom of the box with four pan head screws/nuts. After that it still seemed slightly wabbly so I decided to add a couple of pipe saddle clamp mounts to the mounting post. This turned out to be very solid and adjustable for plumb. The mounts are all stainless with silicone protectors to keep from scuffing the mounting post. I'm very pleased with the results and the quality of the pole. The pole is anodized aluminum and is telescoping and removes in seconds for travel. This is a high grade pole sold by a veteran owned American company that accommodates two 3'x5' flags. Flag Pole Kit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BG6NBVC6?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details Light Kit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XH4M1SR?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details Pipe support brackets: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083FCV9FS?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

If you are specifically talking about staying at Box Creek camp ground you should know that the reason the Forest Service de-commissioned this was due to griz activity. As I mentioned above, the Forest Service took away the picnic tables but left the bear boxes. However, I have never seen a bear in the camp ground but I have observed steaming bear scat on the paved road less than a 1/2 mile from Box Creek. Having said this - I always keep my food in the Oliver. You should absolutely have bear spray and as you fish you are likely to see bear track - both black and griz along with deer and moose. I always carry bear spray AND additional protection measures. As far as fishing goes - the two main streams in that area are the Buffalo Fork and the Snake. Are you fishing with a guide, and, do you prefer wading or drift boat?

This is 33% off, regularly $900. These solar generators/ inverters/ battery packs are FINALLY being made with RV LiFePo4 technology, just like the lithium batteries in your Ollie. Super fast charge time (1 hr via 120 volts AC), safe to leave unattended in your home, truck or RV (no fire risk!), extra high number of charge cycles, high 1000 watt surge, and run to near discharged without harm. This one is a little marginal in terms of capacity for me, but combined with the super fast charge time and the big solar panel it will be perfect for me, to run a fridge and charge a few items. They are probably coming out with a larger version soon. Only the “River 2 Max” has it at this time. This unit has an onboard solar charge controller and can handle 220 watts! This is unusual, most this size are 100 watts max. So you can easily add extra cable length without compromising the charge rate. BTW, since I have begun the transition to tent camping, size and weight are now really important, both of these parts are light weight, and the charger fits in a milk crate with room for cables. EF ECOFLOW RIVER 2 Max Solar Generator 512Wh Long-life LiFePO4 Portable Power Station& 160W Solar Panel for Home Backup Power, Camping & RVs 100% Charged in 60m with 3000+ Cycles & Up to 1000W Output There is naturally an app that lets you control and monitor it. River 2 Max video tutorial John Davies Spokane WA

Airforums has quite a number of discussions about this. The consensus is that the push driven by us boomers to have our grandparent’s cool travel trailer has lowered the quality. That said, an Airstream is far better than the typical box on wheels.

I'm starting a Lithium upgrade on a 2019 Elite II Hull 505 - I've reviewed many other posts and projects (thanks for your postings) and decided to start this one to document my project to install new Lithionics batteries. Comments from those of you with experience very welcome: Overview: Lithium Upgrade Project: Reason I'm upgrading: My 4 AGM's finally died this spring. I've got some time now to do this project now before a 9 month road trip later this year. There are three ways that batteries get charged in hull 505: 1) From Alternator/7PIN 2) From AC Shore Power 3) From Solar: 1) Alternator or DC/DC CHARGING: Our Oliver's batteries get charged through the 7 pin connector while driving. This is considered Alternator Charging or DC/DC charging. For Lead Acid Chemistry this charging method works fine as the amount of current drawn by AGM's or WET Lead Acid's is relatively low because they have higher internal resistance. Many of you know that you can't rely on that 7 pin connection to fully re-charge your batteries but they can keep them from declining. Hull 505 was built with a 20A breaker in this 7 Pin line to protect the wiring and Tow Vehicle alternator. For Lithium batteries with very low internal impedance this current draw can be many time higher, and result in overloading the tow vehicle alternator or cause wiring overloads. To make charging more consistent and protect the alternator a DC/DC charger is the preferred choice for LI batteries. My Plan: I will be adding a Victron DC/DC 30A Charger on board the Oliver. Installation Research and feedback from Oliver Service says that I need to: Carefully inspect the existing 7 pin wiring and do load calculations. Worst case I'll be running a new pair of dedicated 6 AWB charging wires from engine bay of Truck all the way back to the DC/DC charger. Figure out my location to mount for the Victron DC/DC charger. Must be near the batteries and have some cooling space and dissipation plate under the charger. Run new 6AWG wires from my Truck Engine Bay all the way back to an Anderson Connector on the Rear Bumper of my truck. On the Oliver, run 6AWG wires back into the same bay as the DC/DC charger. 2) AC Shore Power Charging - Upgrade to Xantrex XC 2000 Pro Inverter/Charger - provides 100A Battery Charging In my specific hull 505 I have a Progressive Dynamics 4000 load center. This houses the AC Breakers, DC Fuses and a converter section for battery charging. In my PD4000 there is a PD 4065 Converter section (65A) with Lithium Jumper for Battery Charging. In normal operation that charger is set to WIZ (or Lead Acid) position and it follows a profile that's perfect for lead acid batteries and AGM's. If I move the switch (or jumper) to the LI position, it now has a constant output at 14.6V which is OK for Lithium but not optimum for the Lithionics batteries. Lithionics prefers that I use another charger with a programmable LI profile. My Plan: I'm upgrading my current PD converter charger and separate Prosine 2000W inverter to an integrate Xantrex XC2000 Pro Charger/Inverter. Note: I don't plan on running my AC off the batteries so the 2000W inverter is plenty for my needs. In the Platinum Package Oliver installs the XC3000. Installation Research and feedback from Oliver Service says that I need to Disconnect the existing PD4065 converter charging leads that go to the batteries and tape them up. Leave the charger block in the PD4000 load center cage - just in case I need to downgrade later back to AGM's. Remove the existing 2000W Inverter and Auto Transfer switch. (The load and AC wires go back into the new XC2000 along with the 4/0 B+ and GND leads) Mounting issue: I'll need to figure out how to attach the new inverter to the same spot under the street side bed. 3) Solar Charging - No Change at this time In my Hull 505, I have a Zamp 30A PWM Solar Controller. This controller isn't as efficient as an MPPT controller, but it is already installed and works. In keeping this first install simple, I'm leaving that in place. My Plan: I'll be leaving Zamp 30A Charger in place for now, and will upgrade to a higher power MPPT controller in the future along with more solar panels. Installation Research and feedback from Lithionics says that I need to: Install a breaker on the solar + line so I can Isolate from batteries. 4) Decluttering the battery box - It looks like many of you have moved all the loads and negatives to common bus bars as a way to declutter the battery box area. I want to do the same...I've read the posts so far but wonder what's been the most difficult part of those change overs? I plan to wire in a cutoff switche for the main B+ power (Big Red Knob) and a breaker for the Solar Inputs so I can cut all power for winter LI battery storage. Comments welcome before I get to the start line. Craig Hull 505

Some interesting info in the following thread. Those handy bottles don’t have 20 pounds of fuel in them, just 15! You may want to rethink that box store cylinder exchange routine, because your usable fuel capacity just dropped by 25%. I bought a new empty 20 pound bottle at U-Haul for my new pizza oven at home, so I could get an actual 20 pound fill, by weight. My trailer bottles are 30 pounders, which get filled to 30 real pounds. https://www.rvforum.net/threads/the-cost-of-propane-and-propane-tank-exchanges.125642/ Maybe under-filled bottles is one reason those exchange ones are “easier” to lift into position …😬 If I ever start to have trouble lifting my large ones, I will just have them partially filled. John Davies Spokane WA

Hi All: We have 2022 LEII that we parked a few months ago in storage and it has just gone through a huge cold snap. I'm needing to move it from storage and it is totally dead. I have the generator and ground plug but I'm afraid to just plug the cord into it. But everything is dead so I don't think I could change any settings anyway. It is 40f here today after below zero. Will I hurt anything? Should I turn batteries on if they will turn on? Thanks for any info!!

I respect your opinion on this. If the fire is in the Battery Box, inside is logical. So long as every occupant of the trailer knows where it is. On the other hand some believe that if there is a fire situtation, get all occupants out NOW and away from the trailer. Then once the family and pets are safe, kill the power source at the batteries or some other outside accessible location. Looking for a master switch hidden under the beds or in a closet somewhere is not time efficient. However fire fighters will go to the battery box and either cut the 4/0 cable or use the red master switch. That likely will be their first action once finding the buring trailer. Regardless, your comment begs having clearly visable signage that "Emergency Battery Switch Here" would be advisable for all locations where the switch is located. Personally I show my guests our 350 amp rated Blue Seas master switch as part of our trailer tour. GJ

Yeah, brother - I'm racking the brain-box figuring out how to hit that 10-12% window with the bikes hanging out the back end... Thoughts?

Great data dump, @Steve Morris; thanks for sharing. We're doing the same weight data collection with our's. Just curious, we plan to weigh with the 6gal water heater full, do you have the tank-type or tankless? If tank-type, was it full or empty? We're using the hitch scale from eTrailer, FYI. Our last weight measurement was: 1. Tanks: Empty 2. Garage: 25# tool kit, 30amp cable, "Lego" blocks for rear jacks, patio carpet, solo stove. 3. Front Box: X-chocks, fresh water hose/filter, 15# misc. items 4. LPG: Full 30# tanks 5. No food stuffs in the larder, full water heater, 1UP folded. 6. Full cooking/kitchen kit Tongue WT: 485#. This seems a bit low to us... (Haven't weighed it yet with he two bikes on the 1UP (approx. 55#).

Mark your calendars, the day this network becomes official indicates the death of an un-matchable independent brand. I hope there are very firm stipulations to prevent price manipulations by the clueless dealer sales droids. If dealers can set prices, it will destroy the stellar resale value of existing Hulls. I have some personal experience with a local “premium” dealer, RnR RV Superstore, I sure hope they are not in the new network ;( They do indeed have a fine glitzy indoor super showroom, they took over a defunct Fred Meyer box store. I guess that would be good for showing an Ollie… Sad times ahead! IMHO of course. John Davies Spokane WA

All RV electrical systems are wired with their Ground and Neutral buses floated (unbonded from each other). There are lots of good reasons for this, most specifically that it’s an NEC and RVIA code requirement that the safety ground wire never carries any load current. Also, there can be only one Ground-to-Neutral bonding point in any distributed electrical system in the USA. So when your RV is powered by its on-board generator, this G-N bond connection is created by the transfer switch set to generator mode. But when the transfer switch is set to receive shore power, your RV expects the external power source to bond its Ground and Neutral wires together. Now, if you have an inline voltage monitor system (EMS) from a manufacturer such as Progressive Industries, your voltage monitor is checking for the Neutral and Ground voltages to be very close to each other, probably within 3 volts or so. This works well if you’re plugged into shore power that’s properly grounded and bonded, but this voltage protector can be tripped off by plugging your RV shore power plug into a portable generator without an internal Neutral-Ground bond. If you don’t have a voltage protection device on your RV, then you may never know that your generator has a floated neutral (unbonded G-N bus). I doubt you're stupid, but after being a member here for going on 3 years, I'm surprised you've never seen this mentioned before.

Summary I have installed a rear mounted cargo carrier, with lights, to our 2022 Oliver Legacy Elite II (LEII) travel trailer. We recently completed a two week, ~2000 mile trip, using the cargo carrier, which performed flawlessly. Below are photos of the installed cargo carrier, which are followed by a detailed description of its installation. Storage Constraints Prior to ordering our Oliver Legacy Elite II (LEII) travel trailer I knew we would need additional storage space on the trailer. We are using a 2014 BMW X5 35d (diesel) as our tow vehicle, rather than a pickup truck. Thus, we could not plan to use the pickup bed for supplemental storage. We also needed to stay within the tow vehicle's cargo capacity of 1100 lbs and maximum tongue weight of 600 lbs.. Expecting a tongue weight of approximately 500 lbs. plus two occupants at approximately 300 lbs, we could only accommodate a maximum of 300 lbs. of other cargo. The available payload will be partially used by our camera gear, which must be protected from exposure to moisture. A tongue mounted cargo carrier was not viable, given the tongue weight limit for the tow vehicle. Storage Requirements I anticipated needing additional storage space for the following items: Champion Dual Fuel Generator- 2500 watt (~45 lbs.) (too large for basement storage) Napoleon TravelQ™ 285 Portable Propane Gas Grill and hose (~35 lbs.) (too large for basement storage) Anderson Ultimate Leveling kit (~25 lbs) Harbor Freight rubber chocks (4) (~20 lbs.) Camco Stabilizer Jack Supports (3) (~10 lbs.) Miscellaneous accessories All of these items can tolerate some exposure to moisture, which is likely when stored in any external cargo carrier. A closed and reasonably secure cargo carrier was needed. Searching the owners' forum, I found examples of rear cargo carriers/bike racks and found several examples, including: Oliver's original bike rack design using twin receivers and extending approximately 3 feet beyond the rear bumper; Various rear mounted metal cargo boxes, including custom designs; Rear mounting of an Oliver tongue cargo box by John E. Davies. I also looked extensively at aluminum cargo boxes from various manufacturers, trying to find options which could accommodate the cargo items listed above. I already owned a cargo carrier which we had used on the BMW X5 tow vehicle. This carrier has a heavy steel swing-away frame which mounts to a standard 2" receiver. Mounted on the steel frame are a polypropylene tray and an enclosed container with 13.5 cubic foot capacity. The tray and enclosed container interlock. This cargo carrier also is equipped with fully functional lights (running, brake, turn, flasher). Interlocking pins on the enclosed container mate with the tray. Locking latches secure the container to the tray. Solution Approach I decided to re-use the polypropylene tray and enclosed cargo container, but not the heavy steel frame. Instead, I would use a design similar to the original Oliver bike rack. I ordered the current optional Oliver bike rack when we placed our LEII order, planning to utilize some, but not all, of its components. The current Oliver rear hitch (photo below) utilizes twin receivers that are 11" long, constructed to receive 2" x 2" X 0.25" (wall thickness) T6061 aluminum square tube support arms, which are 17 inches long. The receivers are each mounted to the LEII frame by two long 0.5" diameter stainless steel bolts and nuts. The other components of the rack are a 2" x 5" x 0.25" T6061 aluminum cross-member, 51-1/8" long (with end caps), and a 1-1/4" receiver for connecting a bike rack. I planned to use the twin receivers, and the cross-member, but not the support arms, nor the 1-1/4" receiver. Instead, I would replace the 17" long original support arms with longer equivalents, whose length was to be determined. I would utilize the original 2" x 5" x 0.25" T6061 aluminum cross-member and add another cross member, this one 2" x 2" x 0.25" T6061 aluminum, also 51-1/8" inches long with end caps. The cross members would be bolted to the support arms, in the same manner as on the Oliver rear hitch. The tray and enclosed container from my existing cargo carrier would be mounted to the cross-members. Note the clevis pins circled in the photo below, there are two 0.50" diameter horizontal clevis pins securing the support arms in their receivers. Each clevis pin has a washer on either side of the receiver. Removing the clevis pins permits the support arms to be pulled to the rear, enabling removal of the spare tire cover and spare tire without dismount the support arms. Solution Model A critical dimension to be determined was the length of the 2" x 2" x 0.25" support arms. The new support arms need to be long enough to: Support the polypropylene tray and enclosed cargo box and attach using the molded mounting holes in the tray; Allow the lid of the enclosed cargo box to open without striking the spare tire cover; Permit removal of the spare tire cover and spare tire without removing the cargo carrier and support frame; Permit access to waste water hoses stored behind the bumper; Minimize the additional length of the cargo carrier and support frame to the LEII's length. I fabricated 2" x 2" wooden support arms, approximately 40" long. Using woodworking equipment, I cut slots into one end of each support arm to fit around the bolts holding the twin receivers to the frame. I also drilled horizontal holes for the clevis pins which retain the support arms in the receivers. Positioning the Cargo Carrier on the Cross-members The wooden support arms were inserted into the twin receivers and secured with the clevis pins. Then the 2" x 5" x 51.125" T6061 cross-member was placed across the support arms near the bumper. The additional 2" x 2" x 51.125" wooden cross-member, was also placed across the support arms, but further from the bumper. Clamps were used to hold the cross-members in place on the support arms. The polypropylene tray and enclosed container, latched together, were positioned on the cross-members, centering both to the trailer's width. I opened the lid of the enclosed container and adjusted the spacing (fore and aft) between the lid and the spare tire cover to ensure they did not contact each other. Once I had located the joined tray and enclosed container in what appeared to be a desirable position, I adjusted the positions of the cross-members fore and aft to establish alignment with the mounting holes in the tray. The 2" x 5" cross-member engages two mounting holes on each side of the tray. The 2" x 2" cross- member engages only one mounting hole on each side of the base of the tray. Six 5/16" carriage bolts will fasten the tray to the cross-members. Only four carriage bolts attached the tray to its original steel support frame. I used a mason's string stretched across the width of the tray with weights on either end to aid in aligning the mounting holes in the tray with the positions of the cross-members. I also used carpenter's squares to verify the cross-members were perpendicular to the support arms. Another check of squareness was made by measuring the distance from the trailer bumper to the cross-members. Once I was satisfied with the position of the tray and enclosed container on the support structure, I marked the locations for the holes to be drilled for the six mounting bolts to secure the tray to the cross-members. The tray overhangs the rear cross-member at the rear. With the cargo carrier tray and enclosed container in place on the clamped cross-members, I wanted to determine if the spare tire cover could be removed without removing the entire cargo carrier and support assembly. I found I could remove the clevis pins and pull the support arms aft approximately 7 inches out of the twin receivers and enable removal of the spare tire cover. With the tray and enclosed container positioned on the cross-members, I could now determine the required length of the support arms, which is 33.75 inches. The location of the rear cross-member determines the length of the support arms. After locating the mounting position of the tray and enclosed container I marked all key positions and hole locations on the wooden support arms and wooden rear cross-member. I cut the wooden support arms to the desired final length. Material Sourcing and Machining The required T6061 aluminum components required are: 2" x 2" x 0.25" x 33.75", square tube, quantity 2 (support arms), cost= $110.18 2" x 2" x 0.25" x 51.125", square tube, quantity 1 (cross-member), cost= to $99.08 2" x 12" x 0.125", flat bar, quantity 1 (to be cut into 2" squares for end caps on the support arms and rear cross-member), cost= $6.86 Sales tax= $17.83 No shipping charge. I picked up the materials at the local Metal Supermarkets warehouse Total cost= a $233.95 The above T6061 aluminum components, cut to specified length, were obtained from: Stainless steel bolts and nyloc nuts were obtained from: I was referred by Metal Supermarkets to a local machine shop: When I received the materials I took them and my wooden mockups of the support arms and cross-member to Air & Earth. I also took one of the original support arms. I discussed the machining needed: to cut the slots in one end of the support arms and to drill the needed 0.50 diameter holes for the clevis pins and mounting bolts. I also asked them to cut the 2" x 0.125" flat bar into 2" x 2" squares. I did not ask them to drill the smaller holes for mounting the cargo tray to the cross-members. I was quoted $220 and turnaround of the job within a week. They did an excellent job within the promised timeframe. Finishing and Assembly of the Support Structure After Air & Earth completed the requested machining, I performed the following finishing steps, which included: Rounding the edges of the 2" x 2" square tubing on the slotted end to be inserted into the receivers. I used a 3" wide belt sander with 100 grit sanding belts to round the corners of approximately 12" of the tube which would be inserted into the receivers . The original Oliver support arms also had the corners rounded to more easily slide within the receivers. Several trial fittings were required to verify smooth insertion and removal to/from the receivers. The support arms and the rear cross-member were sanded with an orbital sander using 200 grit disks. This sanding removed markings on the tubes and made the surface textured, similar to the Oliver rear hitch components. The support arms were inserted into their receivers and fastened with the clevis pins. The cross members were aligned with the mounting holes on the support arms and bolted into place. The cargo tray was positioned on the 2" x 5" cross-member at the previously determined mounting position and holes drilled to mount the cargo tray. Holes were then drilled in the 2" x 2" rear cross-member. Carriage bolts, flat washers and double jamb nuts were used to secure the cargo tray to the cross-members. Once all test fittings of the support assembly were completed, lithium grease was applied to the ends of the support arms which are inserted into the receivers. 2" x 2" x 0.125" caps were attached to the open ends of the support arms and the rear cross-member, similar to the end caps used by Oliver. These were attached to the square tubing using JB Weld epoxy. Cargo Carrier Lighting The cargo carrier partially blocks visibility to the taillights of the trailer, which is most noticeable when viewed from close behind the trailer. At a distance the taillights are largely visible. The cargo tray is fitted with two LED light fixtures and a wiring harness with a 4-pin flat connector. A corresponding 4-pin flat connector was installed on the LEII to integrate the lighting on the cargo carrier with the trailer lighting. Details of the installation of the 4-pin connector in the trailer are covered in a separate article. The lights on the cargo carrier ensure the trailer is quite visible from behind. A license plate mount was added to the cargo carrier tray, since the license plate mount on the spare tire cover is blocked by the cargo carrier. Lighting for the license plate mount is provided by adding a Y connector to the license plate light cable under the spare tire cover and adding an extension cable routed to the cargo tray mounted license plate mount. I also added reflective tape to the support frame members. I used the following reflective tape: https://www.amazon.com/gp/your-account/order-history/ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_search?opt=ab&search=reflective Conclusion This addition to our trailer provides significant benefits, with no significant disadvantages. It does add approximately two feet to the length of the trailer. Besides the additional storage space, the cargo carrier and its load slightly reduces the tongue weight. I measured the tongue weight, using a Sherline scale, at 450 lbs., with no water onboard. Tongue weight seems sufficient, as no swaying or other handling issues have been observed. This project had a successful outcome due largely to the information I was able to glean from the Oliver Owners Forum. I hope this information is useful to others on the forum. Comments and suggestions welcome. Regards, Don

@Nan, we have an older trailer with a furnace only thermostat, so did not affect us. If you read through the replacement posts by newer owners in @katanapilot's thread, you'll see that the dometic thermostat you newer owners have requires a relay box (either a replacement part, or salvaged from the Dometic install), to operate the furnace from your thermostat. It might be simpler to ditch the dometic thermostat (since it won't operate your houghton, anyway), and replace it with a simpler single purpose thermostat for the furnace. Who is doing your install? it's all quite thoroughly discussed here:

that's very nice and motivating for sure. Always thinking about how to carry more stuff especially with an at-capacity truck. Now you've got me thinking about a(smaller) truck box for the rear bumper / bike add-on for our LE I

I bought this on eBay at a great discount, they advertised it as Open Box. This is what I found on the outside of the Dewalt box: I am not sure what happened. Was this a case where somebody tried to ship a firearm illegally as "tools" and the shipping company found it? It looks like somebody tried unsuccessfully to peel off the sticker, which explains why it shipped to me inside another plain box. I have never heard of this situation when buying an item online, any comments? There was nothing wrong with the tool or any of its parts; unfortunately there was no free Uzi inside…. 😬 John Davies Spokane WA

This spring as we were prepping for a new road trip, I noticed the battery box door seemed to be sticking out further than normal. I thought I would adjust the latch to pull the door in a bit tighter. What I found was that the battery box had started to tip forward away from the main hull as shown the pix below. All the rivets up both sides and all across the top of the box had sheared and the box was tipped out about 1/2". I contacted Oliver Support to understand how the box was designed, mounted etc. They cleared me for travel after having me check the support strut inside the trailer (under the pantry area) . After some further consultation I was able to perform a repair. Here's a sketch of how the battery box is installed in our Hull 505 (2019 Elite II) trailer. The repair steps I took following Oliver instructions were: 1) Remove the batteries from the slide tray to get weight off the box. 2) Drill out all sheared rivets. (3/16" bit) 3) Release the 2 support bracket bolts inside the trailer under the pantry (one of which is adjustable). (This step is a pain and requires some long extensions for the ratchet wrench to make reaching nuts possible.) 4) Tip box back into position. (Check that the box base still has a slight outward tip for water drainage.) 5) Re-tighten support bolts. 6) Re-rivet all around the perimeter. 7) Clean seams and add a bead of boat life white sealant around the battery box seam. (See pix below). Repaired Box Above: Door closes with a good seal all around and the box sealed to the body. We are going to keep an eye on this as we travel this next year, and make a trip to the Oliver factory for them to inspect and repair if necessary. I'm not sure of the root cause or mechanism by which the box tipped out in the first place. One concern would be that the box is putting too much pressure on the outer hull while bouncing down the highway. I don't see any indications of cracking in the glass hull or box at this point. Hope this helps if anyone else see's an issue. Craig Hull 505

I mounted a piece of square aluminum tubing (1" x 3" x 12") under the front inspired by @mountainoliver and then I added a strip on aluminum on the inside back for additional rigidity. I don't think I needed that as they welded nice aluminum angle brackets along the front and back. I will NOT be carrying a generator in this box, it is primarily for our camping needs. I just have an issue putting things that are wet or dirty in the basement so close to the sleeping area although I try to clean them as much as possible before putting them in there. BL

Correction! Saw this Champion 2500 on Amazon yesterday at $414 and today it’s at $399. I have found the reason for the price change, it’s a different generator. The generator priced at $414 is dual fuel and the one priced at $399 is gas only. Sorry for the misleading post! Gasoline only. https://www.amazon.com/Champion-Power-Equipment-200961-Ultralight/dp/B08L47G374/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2UTQ1DDM03KCO&keywords=Champion%2B2500%2Bwatt%2Bgenerator&qid=1688037717&sprefix=champion%2B2500%2Bwatt%2Bgenerator%2B%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-3&th=1 The dual fuel model is here. https://www.amazon.com/Champion-Power-Equipment-200961-Ultralight/dp/B08L45W2V9/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2UTQ1DDM03KCO&keywords=Champion+2500+watt+generator&qid=1688037717&sprefix=champion+2500+watt+generator+%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-3 Mossey