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Old 03-04-2016, 08:57 PM   #21
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Name: Jack L
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Originally Posted by RandyNH View Post
OP mentions wanting the 18.5 which is a single 5k axle, everyone says won't take long to exceed his limit, but that would also be overloading the trailers axle too, Oliver takes every trailer they make to the weigh station upon completion (with selected options installed) so the plate is exactly correct, just call them and ask what they've been. Unless he plans to criss cross the Rockies the Toyota should handle it without too much trouble.
Actual weight! That's very professional ! Wish every manufacturer did that.
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Old 03-04-2016, 09:01 PM   #22
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Diane, I'm curious on why you are only considering Oliver and Lil Snoozy ? They are both fine products but they are so very different in size and amenities.There are so many fine choices. What about Escape, Scamp, Casita and all the others. If you want something larger than a Snoozy but lighter than an Oliver, you do have lots of other options.
After closely examining what I believe will be my camping style, I decided on the Ollie because I will probably do some cold weather camping. I like New England and will probably spend some time there. Also, the Ollie is a beautifully designed trailer!
If I must take a step back to a 2-3 season trailer, the Snoozy is the most suitable for me and my dogs. Wide aisle width, big bed. However, not for winter! Also the Snoozy plant will customize it for me.
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Old 03-05-2016, 07:41 AM   #23
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I decided on the Ollie because I will probably do some cold weather camping. I like New England and will probably spend some time there. Also, the Ollie is a beautifully designed trailer!
I have found that they are completely capable in cold weather. Went down to 0F without issue connected to 115v, on just the coleman heat strip, when it dropped to -10F the heat strip in the coleman couldn't keep up, so the automatic switch to the furnace took over and maintained it, no problem. With the entire interior gel coat and easily replaceable cushions, it can stand up to any dog use too.
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Old 03-05-2016, 08:37 AM   #24
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For the record, because I think I made this mistake too, OP is a she, not he Though I shouldn't be so presumptuous as to assume all Dianes are women.

Any of the fiberglass trailers can be 3 season. Almost any trailer claiming "all season" will not be truly all season without modifications.

I camped in a 1978 Toyota Chinook, which had giant single pane windows, drafty gaps in the door and windows, no insulation around most places. I camped in it down into the low teens, with no problems.

Don't assume that you need an "all season" to camp in all seasons. People tent camp in the winter. Just having a hard sided, insulated camper is extremely luxurious compared to that. Insulated water tanks, double paned windows etc is just icing on the cake.

"Winter packages" aren't exactly "hype", but the idea that you need them in order to camp in cold weather, or that they actually even cover everything you need for true winter camping, is hype. If by "all season" you're expecting something you can be warm and comfortable in, in teens or twenties, any fiberglass trailer with a heater fits the bill.

Having said all that, Olivers are really good trailers from what I can see and I think you'll be really happy with it.

I just don't want you to be thinking "I either need an "all season" camper, or I need to be in hotel rooms in cold weather". I didn't even turn my heat on at night when it was in the teens, with no insulation. Just slept under a nice fluffy down comforter and turned on the heat when I got up in the morning. Dog did just fine.
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Old 03-05-2016, 09:53 AM   #25
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Hi, everyone. So glad to be a part of this community. I've been online researching travel trailers and have narrowed my selection down to two. The Oliver and the Lil Snoozy. I believe the Oliver is at the very maximum of my towing capacity. I have a 2014 Toyota 4Runner and will not sell it for another TV. Must work around it. Love the Ollie, Legacy Elite 18.5 but believe it may be something I cannot tow safely. Like the 4 season use. Lil Snoozy is certainly light enough but not 4 season. What am I to do? Does anyone have real tow weights for this model Ollie? My GCWR is 11,300 and towing capacity is 5000. Need help! Thanks
The 4Runner comes (I think) standard with a trailer hitch, so you know it is good for towing. Don't be shy. There is always some margin of safety in those rated capacities. As the trailer gets heavier, just be sure to add air to your rear tires.
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Old 03-05-2016, 09:58 AM   #26
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My 2002 BF has a factory stated dry weight of about 2700 lb. A couple of years ago I measured loaded weights of 410 lb hitch weight and 3108 lb axle weight (CAT scale).
I personally think you'd be okay as long as you don't overload your trailer. I would add a transmission oil cooler (not very expensive) and get the trailer weighed on a CAT scale when it's loaded for a trip, to help evaluate your load capabilities. Most truck stops (e.g. Pilot) have CAT scales.

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Old 03-05-2016, 10:04 AM   #27
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Shape and frontal area are persistently ignored, as if weight were the only consideration. Fact is, they are at least equally important.

All else being equal, you will likely find a lot less stress on a tow vehicle towing an Oliver with its aero shape than say a Bigfoot which is square.
That is Airstream's legitimate claim to fame in the world of stickies.

Remember that a large parachute weighs so little that a healthy adult could lift and carry it, but once deployed, try towing one down the road.

There should be a "drag coefficient" rating on trailers, but the Tow Vehicle's shape and frontal area affects the trailer enough to make such a thing impractical. There is however commonly an overall frontal area rating for most TVs.
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Old 03-05-2016, 10:13 AM   #28
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I completely agree, except that though I'm not very experienced, when someone asks "can I tow this?", I tend to give an answer based on safety. Which means braking and handling, I think. I saw an early model Tacoma pulling a full size Airstream once, and it also had it's bed completely full of camping gear, bikes, boats etc.

Vehicles can pull all sorts of stuff. It might just damage the vehicle, and that's up to the owner of the vehicle to decide. But what kind of weight you can safely stop seems to be more important to me.

That's how my Chinook was. They built it to be right at Toyota's weight limits, wet. But not including any of my stuff. So that camper was driving around the last 30+ years, almost always slightly over it's weight capacity. It would go down the road 80 mph (on flat ground). That thing could move. But evasive maneuvering? Emergency stopping? No way. In that sense, it was kind of a death trap. I think that's where someone needs good advice. I mean yeah, you should know about wear & tear on your vehicle. But if you're inexperienced, you should really be warned "no, you shouldn't tow that" based almost strictly on what your vehicle can safely stop and control.

Only thing you're doing pulling too much wind resistance is making your engine and tranny work really hard, and spending a lot on gas. Important, but only "at least equally important" in a general sense, not a safety sense.
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Old 03-05-2016, 10:21 AM   #29
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Originally Posted by ZachO View Post
I completely agree, except that though I'm not very experienced, when someone asks "can I tow this?", I tend to give an answer based on safety. Which means braking and handling, I think. I saw an early model Tacoma pulling a full size Airstream once, and it also had it's bed completely full of camping gear, bikes, boats etc.

Vehicles can pull all sorts of stuff. It might just damage the vehicle, and that's up to the owner of the vehicle to decide. But what kind of weight you can safely stop seems to be more important to me.

That's how my Chinook was. They built it to be right at Toyota's weight limits, wet. But not including any of my stuff. So that camper was driving around the last 30+ years, almost always slightly over it's weight capacity. It would go down the road 80 mph (on flat ground). That thing could move. But evasive maneuvering? Emergency stopping? No way. In that sense, it was kind of a death trap. I think that's where someone needs good advice. I mean yeah, you should know about wear & tear on your vehicle. But if you're inexperienced, you should really be warned "no, you shouldn't tow that" almost strictly on what your vehicle can safely stop and control.
So, perhaps the question should read... "Can I autocross this trailer at 80MPH in heavy traffic?" The answer is a resounding NO!
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Old 03-05-2016, 10:30 AM   #30
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Weights of bigfoot

The earlier Bigfoots weighted considerably lass than the newer 17 ft. Not sure of the years that changed that.
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Old 03-05-2016, 10:42 AM   #31
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Yep
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Old 03-05-2016, 12:43 PM   #32
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Originally Posted by ZachO View Post
...Don't assume that you need an "all season" to camp in all seasons. People tent camp in the winter. Just having a hard sided, insulated camper is extremely luxurious compared to that. Insulated water tanks, double paned windows etc is just icing on the cake.

"Winter packages" aren't exactly "hype", but the idea that you need them in order to camp in cold weather, or that they actually even cover everything you need for true winter camping, is hype. If by "all season" you're expecting something you can be warm and comfortable in, in teens or twenties, any fiberglass trailer with a heater fits the bill...
You can be warm and dry in almost anything at almost any temperature.

But you can't be warm and wet without special construction for winter conditions. Plumbing systems in garden variety molded fiberglass trailers are just not designed for extended use in well-below-freezing conditions.

I do agree that four-season design doesn't solve every cold weather issue: fresh water has to come in from outside and waste water has to go out, and additional measures are needed to manage those interfaces.

I lived one winter in a tiny trailer without inside plumbing. I lived three winters in a four-season trailer with full plumbing systems operational. Big difference.
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Old 03-05-2016, 12:56 PM   #33
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Yeah that's true. I think I'm going on the assumption that daytime temps are above freezing, with temps dipping well below freezing at night. That sort of thing is no problem.

It seems like even with most four-season packages you still need to put heat tape on water lines and such, right? Or have newer trailers addressed that?

I agree, "extended use in well-below-freezing conditions" is the key phrase. I don't know Diane so I'm assuming a lot... But I have been assuming she doesn't mean to camp in a northern climate all winter. That this is more of a "having to deal with some temps in the teens and twenties and some cold, wet days stuck in the trailer".

Please correct me if I'm wrong!

Any trailer with a heater will be cozy so long as you aren't in extended below-freezing weather.

If I were going to spend a winter in my camper I would almost definitely put in a small wood stove.
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Old 03-05-2016, 01:59 PM   #34
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Well stated Zach.

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Old 03-05-2016, 06:04 PM   #35
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I should be fine. I'm traveling solo with 2 big dogs so things I carry will be minimal. I will be camping at campgrounds with full hook-ups so water isn't an issue. I could easily go with no water in tanks. I'm investigating a cassette toilet so won't have need for a black water tank. Seems to be ok. Oliver sent me this info to describe their definition of Dry Weight:

"Dry Weight is the actual weight of a vehicle or trailer containing standard equipment without fuel, fluids, cargo, passengers, or optional equipment. I had a lady that purchased one from Florida, she picked up last year in April and it weighed 3520. Lbs. She had it loaded with additional options too, like the solar etc.… When we weigh the units before you close on it, once the unit is built, it is weighed with all components and filled propane tanks. This is the dry weight. And actually the dry weight would be less the propane filled tanks."
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Old 03-05-2016, 06:10 PM   #36
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZachO View Post
Yeah that's true. I think I'm going on the assumption that daytime temps are above freezing, with temps dipping well below freezing at night. That sort of thing is no problem.

It seems like even with most four-season packages you still need to put heat tape on water lines and such, right? Or have newer trailers addressed that?

I agree, "extended use in well-below-freezing conditions" is the key phrase. I don't know Diane so I'm assuming a lot... But I have been assuming she doesn't mean to camp in a northern climate all winter. That this is more of a "having to deal with some temps in the teens and twenties and some cold, wet days stuck in the trailer".

Please correct me if I'm wrong!

Any trailer with a heater will be cozy so long as you aren't in extended below-freezing weather.

If I were going to spend a winter in my camper I would almost definitely put in a small wood stove.
You've assumed correctly! I will spend some time in Maine and Vermont visiting friends. I've live in Maine and during month of Oct. it can snow and freeze for short periods. Will I stay there all winter? Probably not unless in a hotel! I like the Ollie because the heating and tanks are inside the shell. I'll know more after the visit to Tennessee.
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Old 03-05-2016, 06:12 PM   #37
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I'm sure that's useful but the best information about your travelling weight always comes from getting it weighed at a CAT scale for $10.

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Old 03-05-2016, 06:27 PM   #38
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Originally Posted by ZachO View Post
For the record, because I think I made this mistake too, OP is a she, not he Though I shouldn't be so presumptuous as to assume all Dianes are women.

Any of the fiberglass trailers can be 3 season. Almost any trailer claiming "all season" will not be truly all season without modifications.

I camped in a 1978 Toyota Chinook, which had giant single pane windows, drafty gaps in the door and windows, no insulation around most places. I camped in it down into the low teens, with no problems.

Don't assume that you need an "all season" to camp in all seasons. People tent camp in the winter. Just having a hard sided, insulated camper is extremely luxurious compared to that. Insulated water tanks, double paned windows etc is just icing on the cake.

"Winter packages" aren't exactly "hype", but the idea that you need them in order to camp in cold weather, or that they actually even cover everything you need for true winter camping, is hype. If by "all season" you're expecting something you can be warm and comfortable in, in teens or twenties, any fiberglass trailer with a heater fits the bill.

Having said all that, Olivers are really good trailers from what I can see and I think you'll be really happy with it.

I just don't want you to be thinking "I either need an "all season" camper, or I need to be in hotel rooms in cold weather". I didn't even turn my heat on at night when it was in the teens, with no insulation. Just slept under a nice fluffy down comforter and turned on the heat when I got up in the morning. Dog did just fine.
Hey...this is the 21st century. I would never assume. Hee, hee! But yes, I am a woman albeit a very capable one! I'm also an interior designer so whatever I see when I awake in the morning had better look GOOD! Does this mean I'm a borderline Glamper?
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Old 03-05-2016, 06:48 PM   #39
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Oh, I don't know. I think we all have a little of that in us. I spent a lot of time in my last camper, just looking around, thinking how good it looked and how it could look better.

As an interior designer I'm sure you take it to another level...

It was a woman, in college, who helped me with my first auto repair I was her assistant replacing the alternator in my truck.
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Old 03-05-2016, 09:45 PM   #40
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I own Ollie #14, The Wonder Egg. She's a single axle Elite with one 160W solar panel on top and nothing else that would significantly alter the weight. I always start my travels with the fresh water tank full. That's a bit under 250lbs of water. I avail myself of dump stations as the need arises to return to a full fresh water tank and a newly "charged" black tank. (I can't conceive of a situation where I am hauling a full fresh, grey and black tanks of liquid)

I stopped by some scales as I started out on a trip, fully loaded, with the fresh tank full and she weighed in at 3900lbs. This is well below the axle bearing weight of 5200lbs and 40% below my Toyota Tacoma's 6500lb towing capacity. The Wonder Egg has been equipped with 16"wheels, has 12" drum brakes and has had zero difficulties on any of its five crossings of the Rocky Mountains
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