Scamp Shell Problem

[MattW]

Hi guys,
I am brand new to this forum (1st post).
I recently bought a 2003 13' scamp and had a few questions. First one: we purchased it in the Seattle area, and the day it was pulled home for us, we noticed that someone had taken what looked like a beer bottle and smashed the bottle against the shell of the camper, breaking out a coupple BB size holes right next to the door. I was wondering if anyone knows of a good filler that I might be able to put in these holes to patch them. Something that does not expand when it dries.
Second question: We have yet to use it for camping as we are unable to get any turn signals to work when we try to hitch it to our '95 toyota 4runner. The people that pulled it over for us had the right kind of connector (the round 7 pin), yet we have the 4 flat. I bought an adapter to hook the two together, but no dice. I can't even get a turn signal to work. I took the vehicle to an RV place and they tested both the 4 flat and the adapter and said they both worked. I read another thread where someone was trying to pull with a toyota truck and had similar problems.
Thanks in advance

Matt

[Christi V.]

I have used Bondo Marine Epoxy Putty ( found at Walmart) for filling in small holes

Not sure about the turn signals and stuff with the Toyota.. You might want to call the service dept at Toyota dealership..
Someone here surely has a Toyota..can help in that dept..

[Mike Watters]

Assuming that the holes are small and shallow and that you want to keep the exterior white - I'd suggest getting a gelcoat repair kit and using it to fill the holes. I've found them in the automative section of the local hardware store. Generally they were promoted for repairing the bottoms of personal watercraft and such things. The ones I saw only came in one color: WHITE

mike

[MattW]

Thanks for the replies guys, that helps me.
The great thing about these campers is that I cen pretend I am out camping anywhere.....even if I'm sitting in my own driveway, whichis where I have camped for the past two weekends. LOL

[Frederick L. Simson]

We have yet to use it for camping as we are unable to get any turn signals to work when we try to hitch it to our '95 toyota 4runner. The people that pulled it over for us had the right kind of connector (the round 7 pin), yet we have the 4 flat. I bought an adapter to hook the two together, but no dice. I can't even get a turn signal to work. I took the vehicle to an RV place and they tested both the 4 flat and the adapter and said they both worked. [b]I read another thread where someone was trying to pull with a toyota truck and had similar problems.
Thanks in advance

Matt

You mean this thread?
I had a similar problem. Test to see whether your 4-to-7-pin adapter picks up the white ground wire from the 4-pin truck end and passes it through to the 7-pin trailer end. Mine did not. I had to ground the adapter separately to the frame of my tow vehicle, and then it worked.

[Flygal]

Mine did not work at first either and of course I am not an electrician I just pretend I am one....it had something to do with the wiring inside the seven pin adaptor..I think it was the brown and red are reversed and is a very common problem...from what I understand...when I took the adaptor apart I switched the two and then viola it worked....most recently I went and had it changed completly to a four prong adaptor to match my car since that was the easiest...I have two of those seven pin adaptors in my garage if you need one let me know.....Later Brandy after reading your next post it sounds as if there is stuff going on with the car and for that I am at a loss....

[MattW]

You mean this thread?
I had a similar problem. Test to see whether your 4-to-7-pin adapter picks up the white ground wire from the 4-pin truck end and passes it through to the 7-pin trailer end. Mine did not. I had to ground the adapter separately to the frame of my tow vehicle, and then it worked.

yeah, the guy at the RV place told me I would probably have to manually ground the adapter to the frame. I tried that, but it didn't work. I really am at a loss as to why it won't work. A little history on the vehicle: A few months ago, we had no turn signals or break lights working on the vehicle, we took it to our mechanic and he said it was the 4 pin tow adapter hooked to the vehicle. Whatever he did to it fixed the problem. We never used it so I figured if he unhooked it, no problem. We buy the scamp some months later and I notice that the adapter is all corroded, so I wire in a new one.
It's weird, because now I have a battery light on on the dash and have had to jump the vehicle the last two days. It runs for a minute then sputters and shuts off. I am unable to start it unless I jump it again. Maybe the alternater, I don't know. Whatever it is, the wife is blaming me on the wire job I did, despite the RV guy saying that it is wired correctly. Darn it all...I really want to take this camper out for a trip, but am unable to get this problem figured out. I had a plan to tow the scamp with the 4runner , down to the RV shop. It's super close by and with the wife following me in our car, I think I could get away with no break lights or turn signals, but now the 4runner won't even run, let alone start. I always thoguht I had good Karma, maybe I need to rethink a few things.

[Byron Kinnaman]

yeah, the guy at the RV place told me I would probably have to manually ground the adapter to the frame.

The trailer frame is NOT the electrical negative (ground) side of battery power. There should NOT be current flowing in the frame. The white wire is for that and black wire is for the positive side.

I tried that, but it didn't work. I really am at a loss as to why it won't work. A little history on the vehicle: A few months ago, we had no turn signals or break lights working on the vehicle, we took it to our mechanic and he said it was the 4 pin tow adapter hooked to the vehicle. Whatever he did to it fixed the problem. We never used it so I figured if he unhooked it, no problem. We buy the scamp some months later and I notice that the adapter is all corroded, so I wire in a new one.
It's weird, because now I have a battery light on on the dash and have had to jump the vehicle the last two days. It runs for a minute then sputters and shuts off. I am unable to start it unless I jump it again. Maybe the alternater, I don't know. Whatever it is, the wife is blaming me on the wire job I did, despite the RV guy saying that it is wired correctly. Darn it all...I really want to take this camper out for a trip, but am unable to get this problem figured out. I had a plan to tow the scamp with the 4runner , down to the RV shop. It's super close by and with the wife following me in our car, I think I could get away with no break lights or turn signals, but now the 4runner won't even run, let alone start. I always thoguht I had good Karma, maybe I need to rethink a few things.

First question is how old is the battery in the 4runner? It sounds to me like you battery in the 4runner is a gonner.


Byron

[MattW]

actually, the battery is quite recently new, but I think something is just draining it, hence the battery light being on on the dash.
And Brandy, now that you mention it, I do remember the RV guy saying something about wires being switched. I will have to try that on my next days off.
thanks guys,
Matt