Raise Scamp For Boondocking

[TimandLaurie]

My husband and I just returned from a fabulous month-long trip in our 13 foot Scamp out to the state of Washington. We did not make campground reservations anywhere, so consequently we camped in a great many national forests. This is fine with us but the logging trucks put deep ruts in the forest roads. We knocked off our pump below the shower that sends the waste water to the grey tank. We would like to raise up our Scamp to put on 14 inch tires to lessen damage from boondocking. Does anyone have any experience doing this?
Thanks
Tim and Laurie

[John Linck]

Originally Posted by TimandLaurie

My husband and I just returned from a fabulous month-long trip in our 13 foot Scamp out to the state of Washington. We did not make campground reservations anywhere, so consequently we camped in a great many national forests. This is fine with us but the logging trucks put deep ruts in the forest roads. We knocked off our pump below the shower that sends the waste water to the grey tank. We would like to raise up our Scamp to put on 14 inch tires to lessen damage from boondocking. Does anyone have any experience doing this?
Thanks
Tim and Laurie

I raised my 13' Scamp three inches using a bolt on lift kit from Perfect Casita. 20 thousand miles later I am very pleased. Currently on sale for $79.00.

This method of raising the trailer does not lift the axle, leaving it exposed to any center of the road obstruction, though it can take a lot of abuse. It is a big help on dips and steep driveways, etc. Larger wheels/tires will lift the axle too.

john

[ZachO]

Yep, it makes a big difference. I replaced the axle on my Bigfoot, so I put a straight axle in instead of the 4" drop axle. It made a huge difference in my clearance.

It sounds like you aren't getting carried away, but just in case, that's my only warning. A little lift is great. Too much is crazy. I have at times wished I had a few inches more clearance. But in the end I've realized that any road I need more clearance than I currently have to get down is not a road I should be pulling my trailer on.

But yeah, the way a lot of the trailers sit, you can't hardly take them on anything more crazy than a flat gravel road, and even pulling out of parking lots if there's a dip can cause scraping. So a 2-4" lift is definitely a good thing.

[Jim and Kathie]

We did what is called a 'Gretsky Lift" - inserted two hockey pucks between the frame and the axle, one each side - you will need to drill a hole in the puck for the mounting bolts... small lift, (about an inch) but with 14 " wheels it gives us just that little bit more lift for the logging roads around us! You can add a second puck if you need to.....

Have fun, kathie

[Byron Kinnaman]

ALWAYS slow down when on rough rutted roads. Otherwise you shake your trailer to pieces.

[Jim and Kathie]

no kidding!! and your teeth and..... It is a slow trip, but worth it! Even the dust!

[ZachO]

I notice with myself anyways, that having owned a motorhome in the past makes me go pretty slow on dirt roads. If you've ever rode inside your trailer while it's going down the road (not recommended, obviously, but that's what your always doing in a motorhome), you know how much abuse they take.

Only the blissfully unaware can happily drive down washboard roads at anything faster than 15mph or so...

Hockey puck lift sounds like lift blocks. In a passenger vehicle, pretty unsafe. In a trailer...probably just fine.

[BARNEYCONE]

My 16' cassie has 12" (1'-0") g.c. Running on 17" gt mustang wheel and 265/70 cooper lt's, stump jumper!!!

[cmartin748]

I moved the pump back about 3 feet and between the frame and body.

[stevebaz]

If your going to use your Scamp for severe duty I would frequently check the frame for cracks. Scamp uses a pretty light frame and with age and the twisting and racking on unpaved roads, signs of failure may show up and needs to be attended to before you end up in a stranded situation. Do a search on this site for frame failures and note the most likely places to keep an eye out for signs of failure.

[TimandLaurie]

Thanks for all the good info. I will share with my husband and will report on how it worked out. I can report that a month in our 13 foot Scamp was no hardship. It made our marriage more fun.

[Eddie Longest]

What year is your Scamp 13?

[TimandLaurie]

Our Scamp is a 2016. It does have a bolted-on axle.

[Eddie Longest]

You should have a stock 22.5 deg. up angle axle. If you swap out to a 0 deg. you should gain about 2.5"-3"in height of the axle beam and trailer. Anything higher you may need an extra enterance step. You will also be raising your hitch height. If you go to 22.5 deg. down you could add a few more inches. (You will need to consult axle Mfg. charts to get exact measurements.) You can save quite a bit on a new axle by ordering a bare axle and reuse your hubs, brakes and bearings. Blocking your axle gives you no more ground clearance for the axle beam. It will help with plumbing clearance issues.
Eddie