Just got the Scamp painted last weekend, first time the weather moderated enough to do so.

Also welded on the rear hitch to pull the 12 foot boat. The whole boat and trailer with motor and battery and anchor only weigh about 500 pounds with about fifty pounds of tongue weight.

So I hitched up yesterday and went to Swan Lake (no, not the ballet) up on the Swan River, it was still winter there, had eight inches of snow the day before. The ice just came off last week and it was pretty rough and windy. Fishing was slow, but shucks, cannot have everything.

The whole setup pulls like a dream, no sway, no fuss, 60 to 65 no problem with plenty of more OOOMPH for the hills.

Garo

I like the camo!
do you take her hunting? offroad?

"Garo, where did we park the trailer?"

Yep! the little Scamperoonie goes just about where ever the truck goes, hunting and fishing to out of the way off road places...ever pulled her over Mosquito Pass in Colorado at 14,385 feet--eightmiles of four wheel low range low gear rear diff locked creepy crawl----Wife just loves the paint job--

Garo

Does the Tacoma get the treatment next? It looks kind of shabby next to that gorgeous Scamp!

Roger

Hi: "HONEY I LOST THE TRAILER(S)"!!! Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

OK, What does the hitch assembly look like on the back of the boler? And is it camo on the inside too?

David,

Attached are pics of the hitch, a 3x4 x 1/4 Angle Iron, full penetration welded with a hitch setup for a step bumper fully welded. The new angle iron is welded to the frame and the existing rear angle iron Scamp bumper. The light harness I tied in with the rear trailer lights. Twenty five years ago I was a certified welder and still maintain most of my skill but only on an infrequent basis. Make my own boat, general construction hauling and drift boat trailers.

No the interior is redone--but not in camo. I can only get away with so much. I posted some pics in earlier postings--

Garo

Interesting! Please keep in mind that this double-pony-trailer rig is illegal in many jurisdictions, including north of the border in Alberta and British Columbia. In Alberta, the first trailer must have its hitch over the truck (like a typical gooseneck or fifth-wheel), and in B.C. a non-commercial rig can't have double trailers at all.

yeah, I am in Ontario, dont think I can get away with it either.

I saw a posting indicating that the fiberglass shell wont take a lot of beating from the off-roads. Glad you know you go hunting with it.

It has spent the last fifteen years that we have owned it off the paved road on pretty gnarly roads, deep snow, high winds, rocky, bumpy, just go slow when really rough. I would expect per year this trailer see several hundred miles of dirt and gravel roads, as well as some only dotted lines on the map as unmaintained two tracks all over the west, especially in our home state of Montana.

When I redid the interior this past winter, I put in only four new metal floor to frame screws to replace the thousands of miles of vibration this little rig has taken. In my estimation, without the fiberglass egg--I would have ruined at least one standard panel type trailer. The new screws replaced were not broken, only rusted and unable to be retightened. These trailers are a lot tougher than some may think. A larger trailer like a 16 might not hold up as well, with the added height and weight I would assume. But for us, I see this little rig tagging behind us for many years to come.

In Montana double trailers are legal as long as not overlength of 72 feet.

Now, where did I park that thing?
Garo

Heya Garo
What kind of axle do you have under it, and what size tires? The picture shows the wheel- wells pretty full of tire.
Is the suspension torsion, or leaf-spring? Can see the axle in the side shot of the trailer.

Joe/Ontario

Actually Joe, it is a leading arm up axle, with the axle tube below the wheel center. The trailer is a 1985 and is original. The original owners has Scamp put the axle mounts on channel iron for height, and the tires ar 185 / 80R / 13's. There is actually a lot of room inside the actual wheel wells, more than appears.

I will be putting a new axle on this summer as one side of the old rubber torsion is tweaked from all the miles. I will likely redo the underside of the frame to put on a trailing arm axle or even go with a standard axle and leaf springs.

But it rides well and only bounces once due to the torsion type.

Garo

Thanx Garo,
What are your thoughts on a leaf-spring axle? Would you go with shocks, to help the damping, which is apparently less with leafs, than with torsion suspension?
I am looking at a new axle soon for my Trillium, and trying to decide which axle to go with. I'm running 14" tires.

Joe

I love the paint job. Do you have a close up picture of the trailer? You also have my dream truck in the "right" color.

We are hoping to make it to Montana this summer after spending a few days with friends in Wyoming. We have never been there and are really looking forward to the trip. Friends from our fishing club go every year and love the beauty of the area.

Lizbeth,
I'll try to get some close ups of the paint job in a couple of days.

Garo

Anyone know how we can find out which US states allow double trailers? I love this idea but don't feel it will be permissalbe in Florida.

Non-commercial use is not legal in Oregon either....which means everyone except semi-trucks.

I saw a pickup pulling a Scotty sticky pulling a utility trailer loaded with two 4wheelers a couple of days ago here at the lake. Don't know how legal, probably not. But you gotta take your toys with you don't ya? Mike

How much tongue weight do you have on the boat trailer? and then how much tongue weight on the 13 ft trailer?
By the way the double hitch is legal in Iowa as long as the total length of vehicle and towed units does not exceed 65ft. It is not legal in Minnesota.

If you Google "state towing laws", you will find lots of matches. Many companies associated with towing (selling hitches, etc) post some version of a list, and I suspect most are pulled from the same source. I also suspect that most have errors, and are out of date. The one from LoadRite is in the Excel file format, which could be convenient if you have Microsoft Excel available. The LoadRite list, by the way, says "No" for two trailers in Florida.

I would check with an authoritative source (such as the state or provincial government web site's posting of actual regulations) for destinations of particular interest.

Some good stuff too in the Helpful-Links - Travel Trailer Laws

Dan B.

Tongue weight on the Scamp is probably about 125 to 15o LBS--I can lift it but nut much

Weight on the boat is about 80 pounds--pulls like a dream.

Garo

Hey Gary
Catch any fish yet,looking forward to seeing you and your newly painted baby soon.Have lots of questions regarding your major renovation.Sent you a personal email thru the board here did you get it?
Later
Bailey
Aka Gary

Been gone for the last six weeks or so off the web, yep fishing............. Working some and hitting the regional 3-D archery shoots in Libby, Helena and Clearwater.

Going to have to put a new axle on the Scamperoony in a couple of weeks and after some deliberation am going with the leaf springs and straight axle. I like the torsion axle but if it needs replacement as now the whole thing needs to come off.

I'll beef the frame up and install gussets for ridigity... I'll take some photos and post them.

Garo

And Bailey I did not get the PM.