New (old) 16 ' Scamp Owner

[JOSIECOP]

OK, i bought a camper 12 hours away and will be picking it up in late July!! I am very exceited but have NO CLUE where to start. I am getting my hitch installed this week before i go. I am taking my momin-law along for the LONG ride to pick it up. She is an old camping vet (non-fiberglass).

Anyone have any resources for me ? Books, website, etc....

It is a 1987 Scamp 16 foot


Thanks Josie in Illinois

[Roger H]

Hi Josie! Congratulations on your new-to-you Scamp! And... Welcome to FiberglassRV!

You have probably found THE most comprehensive source of information available in the world on fiberglass RVs right here. There isn't much in the way of books or other print material on these trailers, but our members here are more than happy to help you pretty much anything you need or want to know about fiberglass trailers in general and Scamp 16' trailers specifically!

Scamp can also be very helpful when it comes to needing factory replacement parts or information about your specific trailer.

Make sure you check out the various tutorials on the left hand side of the page, and use the "Search" feature at the top right to research questions you may have. The odds are, whatever it is, it's probably been discussed at least a little somewhere.

You list "Illinois" as home in your profile, and I'm in eastern Iowa. I've had three Scamps now over the years, so don't hesitate to ask me either. Dan and Dawn's website is also a great reference: Dan and Dawn's Scamp Trailer site

We've got everything here from photos to axle replacement help to decorating ideas and tips. Don't be shy, ask away!

Roger

[Taylor Kissinger]

Welcome
This is a good place to start, with a wealth of information, This is a place to ask questions Look at the Tutorials and archives . Post questions as they come up. Most of all enjoy the experience.
Taylor the Sailor

[JOSIECOP]

Thanks Everyone, i am sure i will have a TON of questions once i get it home.

Josie

[bdiscount]

Thanks Everyone, i am sure i will have a TON of questions once i get it home.

Josie

You will need brakes control in TV(tow veh)16 ft have brakes. Your reciever ball height should be 18" High. Of course you need the matching Ball diam. Should check or grease bearings. If tires are worn or old mite replace them. I have had 3 and everyone had 1 of the tires on it blew 1 as I was taking it home. (there was no loss of control)Just had to us e the spare.
Call your insurance company. Be sure plugs match(Brake wire). These are just precautions. Good luck and have a nice trip enjoy the scamp

[JOSIECOP]

Great,

I will keep all that it mind!!

Josie

[Morgan]

Josie, are you a cop? One of our great moderators is.

[DianeP]

The Question you asked was, " Where do I begin?"

You have addtressed the hitch and ball issue right up front.

The number one and two things to begin with.........before you start towing home..... is the complete inspection of the tires and bearings. B. Discount mentioned bearings and I hope others will too. On used trailers of any brand they need to be inspected before towing any distance.

If you don't feel qualified to do the inspection yourself ....... pay to have it done.

12 hours is a lot of miles and if you have bearing issues, it could be expensive and dangerous to find out in mid-tow. It would be a shame to damage your treasure on the trip home......not to mention yourself and MIL.

Happy Scamping,

Dave and Diane

[potteralice]

hi josie, welcome,

you don't say where you are going to pick up your scamp. if you do list the locatiom maybe you can ask if a member lives close enough to it to help you inspect it and get going. maybe, just maybe you will be lucky enough to get someone experienced in bearings and all to tell you he/she thinks it is ok. THINKS IT IS. NO GUARANTEES.

happy scamping!

[JOSIECOP]

I was a cop until September 2003, when i quit to take a job as a fraud investigator. I was a cop for 10 years.



I miss it and i don't


Josie

[JOSIECOP]

Hi, i am traveling to Virginia, can anyone help me that way? Burke Va to be exact.


Josie

[potteralice]

josiecop,

burke va is a suburb (NOW!) of washington D.C. it is at about seven o'clock if you look at a map of d.c. as if it were a clock face. it is just southwest of fairfax. i knew the area well until the whole world descended on it to build monster mansions on the beautiful countryside. i moved.

if they are back by then, you might ask tom & keith, members who live in leesburg, about 30 miles northwest and on your way home. send them a P.M. and ask if they would look at it as you go by.

tom & keith are on a long trip out west right now, returning sometime in july. if that doesn't work out, if you would like to stay here on your first night you are welcome to my driveway and whatever you need.

I can only feel the wheel hubs to see if they are hot, (VERY BAD) or cool. there is a koa 4 miles away if you need something they have, and walmart is nearby. if not, there are several big rv places on highway 81 north at approx the town of Hagerstown md. that would be about where you would head west toward home. intersection of 81 and 70.

this is not to scare you but offer reassurance that you will probably be o k.

i have brought two casitas from their former homes in florida with no trouble except my own stupidity. it is probably roadworthy as it is. if you would like me to go look at it before you come, i could do so, but no guarantees!

[John & Sandy M]

This is what I did after we got our '99 Scamp 16' home. By the way, Scamp recommends a 21" hitch height for the 16', 18" is recommended for the 13'. Be sure the electrical connections on the tug and the trailer match since the original for the older (prior to '98 according to the factory) used a different connector rather than the 7-pin Bargman.

New to us 1999 Scamp Deluxe 16' check-out... the trailer appeared to have been used for the first couple of years of it's life and has been sitting for much of the last 3-4 years. We camped a couple of days on the way back from the DC metro area where it was purchased to get a little "feel" for the trailer.

>>>Detail cleaned and de-mildewed the exterior with a strong detergent, a white (well worn- won't scratch plastic) Scotch Brite pad and used a bleach solution as needed for the mildew. Removed rust stains with a product designed for bathroom rust stain removal.
>>>Waxed the trailer (used rubbing compound on the front and top as the gel coat was quite oxidized).
>>>Checked tongue weight at 21" factory recommendation=285 lb. and 20" (suspension sag on the Durango)=325 lb. I estimate the weight of our Scamp to be around 2600 lb. based on the weight of a Scamp Deluxe with the wood cabinets listed at 2800 on Ebay. Well within the 10-15% specified by the Dodge owners manual.
>>>The tires seemed to be the original 6 ply bias, showed some sign of "sun rot" and one had some side-wall damage. Called the Scamp factory and they recommended replacement with a Goodyear 175 80 R13 radial load range C (ordered through a local Goodyear dealer... Trailer King... I'm not familiar with the brand but was told they were mfg. by/for Goodyear. I had the tires balanced as the original were.
>>>We were told that the wheel bearings had been repacked the previous fall and I checked temps on the trip back home.
>>>Checked, wire brushed and repainted any signs of rust on the trailer frame (under and on top).
>>>We discovered a leak under the trailer on the return home. Traced to a cracked inlet strainer on the water pump (it appeared never to have been cleaned as it was full of leaves, bugs and lint). Replaced.
>>>Turned on the propane to the trailer (seemed to be the original tanks containing the original propane). Gas smell at the connection of the flex line to the tank. Replaced both with the current design propane lines and soap tested these and every other connection I could locate and all checked out.
>>>Checked all propane appliances for proper function (fridge does work great on propane). Everything checked and most of them appeared never to have been used?
>>>Removed the cover from the air conditioner to remove the hornet's nest. Cleaned the drain pan and did some PM work on the blower. Replaced the acorn nuts with stainless nylock nuts as I have little confidence in the standard acorn nut and road vibration (prefer the cover doesn't blow off when going down the road).
>>>Tail lights didn't work. Replaced trailer electrical connector and added a weather protector to keep it clean and dry.

hope this is of some help. Have a great trip.

[JOSIECOP]

josiecop,

burke va is a suburb (NOW!) of washington D.C. it is at about seven o'clock if you look at a map of d.c. as if it were a clock face. it is just southwest of fairfax. i knew the area well until the whole world descended on it to build monster mansions on the beautiful countryside. i moved.

if they are back by then, you might ask tom & keith, members who live in leesburg, about 30 miles northwest and on your way home. send them a P.M. and ask if they would look at it as you go by.

tom & keith are on a long trip out west right now, returning sometime in july. if that doesn't work out, if you would like to stay here on your first night you are welcome to my driveway and whatever you need.

I can only feel the wheel hubs to see if they are hot, (VERY BAD) or cool. there is a koa 4 miles away if you need something they have, and walmart is nearby. if not, there are several big rv places on highway 81 north at approx the town of Hagerstown md. that would be about where you would head west toward home. intersection of 81 and 70.

this is not to scare you but offer reassurance that you will probably be o k.

i have brought two casitas from their former homes in florida with no trouble except my own stupidity. it is probably roadworthy as it is. if you would like me to go look at it before you come, i could do so, but no guarantees!

Thanks , so much. The husband has now taken the place of the mother in law as my traveling partner. He has camped his whole life. I am really happy that everyone here is so nice..... i really thank you for the offer of the driveway!! That is the nices thing yet. I will probably jsut stay at a nearby Hotel since (SURPRISE) we are traveling with our 3 year old who wants to swim ALL the time. We will make it a MINI vacation for the family unitl we can get home and learn the new trailer. I am SO excited, Thanks again for the tips and advice.

Josie

[potteralice]

josie,

you are going to be in a VERY urbanized area until you get to at least interstate 81 at hagerstown. even it is even very busy with shopping malls for the entire 3 state area. any motel inside metro dc area will cost a fortune and they are few and far between in that area.

there is a really great park at the edge of fairfax county and prince william county it is just off interstate 66 near centerville va, where you can camp for the first night. they have a huge swimming pool and lots of other kids and families for your 3 year old. it is only about 20 miles from burke so not such a risk if the trailer isn't as great as you hope.

one of the biggest rv dealers is located in manassas, just down 66 a few miles if you need anything and have LOTS of money.

who knows,you might even enjoy yourselves, hope so! have a safe trip whatever you do.