Small wheels for Scamp garage parking??? - Fiberglass RV
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Old 09-11-2015, 05:17 AM   #1
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Small wheels for Scamp garage parking???

Hi all,

I tried searching all forums but using "Scamp" "parking" and "garage" and permutations only popped up non relevant posts.

There was discussion earlier in the year on 10" ??? wheels or some sort of lowering options. I could not find those.

I do not have the exact height/ clearance for a 16' Scamp with Dometic AC on top. It is 9' and change.

What is realistic for small wheels to be able to slip a Scamp in a standard 8' opening on a garage door?

We are considering moving to AZ but the HOA prohibits parking a trailer in front of he house for more that 72 hours.

Alternative is to find an RV storage area, but sitting outside in the desert sun may not be the best long term options.

Tnx all for suggestions,

Bruce
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Old 09-11-2015, 07:10 AM   #2
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Changing wheels will give you maybe 5-6" reduction, definitely not a foot or more. If you measure from the ground to the bottom of the brake drums and subtract an inch, that's the most you could hope to do. Also, 7' garage doors are far more common than 8' doors. Are you sure the one you're thinking of moving to is 8' tall?

Have you looked into covered RV storage? Or different housing options?
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Old 09-11-2015, 07:15 AM   #3
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I don't think any size wheel will drop your Scamp over 12" since the diameter of the current road wheels are only 24". Even sitting your Scamp right down on the hubs will lower it 10" at most and that is without brakes.

Most of the discussion on smaller wheels focused on the 13" Boler and Scamp, there you can use 8" wheels which lower the trailer about 3" often enough to clear a 7" opening for the smaller trailer. These 8" rims fit right onto the hub on units without brakes and can be installed with the rim backwards on units with 7" brakes. They will not fit trailers with 10" brakes.
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Old 09-11-2015, 07:16 AM   #4
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First, the "Standard" garage door opening is 7' not 8'


There are 8" rims and tires that have been used on tent trailers out there that offer some degree of lowering, but having an A/C on top may well be the deal breaker.


About as low as you can get is with bare 8" rims rolling on strips of 1/4 plywood (to prevent floor damage) and I believe that gives about 6" of additional clearance.


Measure the current height of the center of the trailers hub, subtract about 4.5 " from that number and you will have the approximate amount of drop you will get with 8" rims.


But again, good luck in finding a garage with an 8' door. Converting a 7' opening to an 8' opening often requires major structural work and may not even be possible in many cases.


Covered storage and even indoor storage are common RV storage options in AZ.



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Old 09-11-2015, 08:47 AM   #5
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Tnx all.

If it is a choice between a new place in AZ and eliminating the Scamp vs. staying in Michigan replete with OMG awful winters and our Scamp... well…



BatDude has spoken... covered storage will be the way to go.
Da Scamp ain't going nowhere, it's like family!
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Old 09-11-2015, 09:36 AM   #6
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The best possible opening for your trailer is without wheels to the top of the ac unit. I used car dollies with 2x4s for my boler. If the distance from the bottom of the hub with wheels off to to top is more then the door opening. You will have to alter your door. I was even scraping the hubs on the floor. May have to be creative
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Old 09-11-2015, 09:53 AM   #7
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This is my setup for moving my 13' Boler in and out of the garage. One on each hub and away you go. Works great.


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Old 09-11-2015, 10:08 AM   #8
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Looks great but can you provide dome details (i m having a hard time)
Figuring out what you are using
I'm having a senior moment as they say



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Old 09-11-2015, 10:19 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ArneB View Post
Attachment 88597

This is my setup for moving my 13' Boler in and out of the garage. One on each hub and away you go. Works great.
Good solution if you have a paved driveway, my driveway is gravel so I have to use the 8" wheels so they roll on the gravel
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Old 09-11-2015, 10:35 AM   #10
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We installed an air conditioning unit on our unit in the garage,THEN we realized that we could't get it out. Problem solved 10'' pontoon boat wheels.
You are correct,Arizona heat deadly on the whole unit.
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Old 09-11-2015, 11:51 AM   #11
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For those of you that fixed this issue using car dollies, do you leave your trailer sitting on these for an extended time ( over winter)
Or do you switch back to original
Tires once it is in the garage
Also what do you find is best type of jack for this ?


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Old 09-11-2015, 02:30 PM   #12
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FYI from Wayne Pitlick at Scamp on the subject..
" You will need a 9' door, as the trailer with the a/c unit is 8'11 1/2". I've attached a new copy of our brochure."

Cheers,

BatDude
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Old 09-12-2015, 06:57 AM   #13
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Nice fix there ARNE but tried that and still couldn't get it in, too high still. So dollies at front and back (only at back at first) then a hand truck/dolly in front and pushed it in with the snowblower. (Still had snow on the ground.). Once in, added two more dollies at front. Made it nice to move around. Could push it in any direction. This gave me the hieight of the dolly. My garage opening is 6'11".
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Old 09-13-2015, 12:20 AM   #14
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Arne, is this an off-the-shelf item, or did you make it?
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Old 09-13-2015, 05:42 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by Samwise View Post
Arne, is this an off-the-shelf item, or did you make it?
Harbor Freight, and most auto supply stores, have similar items:
Search results for: 'car dolly'

BUT... Personally, I wouldn't be too keen about resting the weight of the trailer on the brake drums. They weren't designed to be load carrying.

A while back there was a pic from a member that made plywood disks slightly larger than the brake drums and bolted those on with the wheel lug nuts to prevent pressure on the drums.



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Old 09-13-2015, 07:11 AM   #16
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Bob, thanks for the link, I'm going to see if that will get my Scamp low enough to get it into the garage.
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Old 09-16-2015, 03:43 PM   #17
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Arne, is this an off-the-shelf item, or did you make it?
If your asking about the car dollies they are a standard item. Here's a pair at Harbor Freight.
Vehicle Dollies - 2 Piece, 1500 Lb. Capacity

Arne has put some 2x4's on them to keep the trailer on them.

Joe
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Old 09-16-2015, 07:00 PM   #18
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Sorry to respond late.
The dollies are custom. However Princess Auto sells very similar and are the same height off the floor. I found the hubs rotated in the dolly when moving the Boler. In the picture I placed a 2x4 in front and back of the hub to minimise rotation and to stabilise I placed a 2x4 under the bolts and in back. Bungee it to the dolly and its secure. I have about 3" clearance under a 7' door. I do not have a ceiling vent in yet.
This dolly setup sure makes it easy to manoeuvre the Boler in the garage. I use a hitch dolly to pull the Boler.


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