Stabilizers

[Sandy Sue]

I need to have some kind of stabilizers installed on my 13ft. Scamp. Not sure what my choices are but I don't like crawling around in the dirt trying to fit the jacks under the bumper etc. There must be another way. I'm open to suggestions
Sandy

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Sandra V. Smith

I need to have some kind of stabilizers installed on my 13ft. Scamp. Not sure what my choices are but I don't like crawling around in the dirt trying to fit the jacks under the bumper etc. There must be another way. I'm open to suggestions
Sandy

I love my Bal stabilizers...

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Sandra V. Smith

I need to have some kind of stabilizers installed on my 13ft. Scamp. Not sure what my choices are but I don't like crawling around in the dirt trying to fit the jacks under the bumper etc. There must be another way. I'm open to suggestions
Sandy

Before I installed the BAL stabilizers I had the stock "kickstands".Having the same issues with them as you do, I simply welded flat steel handles on them which extended up behind the bumper and allowed me to deploy them from above the bumper by just pushing the handles outward.


In another application I bought square nesting size sign post material and made stabilizers for all four corners of my LoveBug.Simple and very easy to deploy. Here are some pics...
( you may have to click a couple of times to get a good close-up)

[Sandy Sue]

That looks wonderful. Where can I have them installed?
Is that a "hand-crank?" Is there such a thing as pushing a button?
P.S. I'm not really a wimp!

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Sandra V. Smith

I need to have some kind of stabilizers installed on my 13ft. Scamp. Not sure what my choices are but I don't like crawling around in the dirt trying to fit the jacks under the bumper etc. There must be another way. I'm open to suggestions
Sandy

Typically Scamp comes with drop down stabilizers. They are bolted to the rear bumper, swing down, extend to the ground.
To me they're easier to use than the crank down kind. Check with Scamp, I'm sure they have them for sale.

[Raz]

Not as elegant but they work............



Walmart or any junk yard. Raz

[mary and bob]

etrailer.com has the drop down stabilizers. I have them on the rear, and use shortened screw type on the front. I use one of those flat garden knee pads so I'm not kneeling in the dirt.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by Sandra V. Smith

That looks wonderful. Where can I have them installed?
Is that a "hand-crank?" Is there such a thing as pushing a button?
P.S. I'm not really a wimp!

You can add a motor option to the BAL stabilizers, but then you're talking $$$.
Charlie Y

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Sandra V. Smith

That looks wonderful. Where can I have them installed?
Is that a "hand-crank?" Is there such a thing as pushing a button?
P.S. I'm not really a wimp!

Sandy, what is easy to use, and something we do at times, is use a small 12V impact driver with an extension and a 3/4" socket on it. Lickety split they go, though really, hand cranking is not too bad either.

I have this kit, but only take the impact driver. I got my kit reconditioned, and it had a real handy flashlight in it too.



I added a small 1/4" ratchet to this Impact Accessory Kit, for maintenance use. I have eliminated a bunch of big wrenches from my repair kit. It has all that is need to adapt to the stabilizers.

[Ice-breaker]

Originally Posted by tractors1

You can add a motor option to the BAL stabilizers, but then you're talking $$$.
Charlie Y

You can also bring an electric drill (either cordless or corded if you are on sites with 120V) and a socket with you and use that instead of the crank.

[Steve L.]

Originally Posted by tractors1

You can add a motor option to the BAL stabilizers, but then you're talking $$$.
Charlie Y

Wowser! Three of us posting pretty much the same thing all at the same time...

Probably cheaper to use a cordless driver (not an impact driver I would think) and a socket. I don't bother, though and just use the crank that comes with it. I usually crank it about halfway down, toss a plastic "lego" pad down, poke it into position with the crank end and roll (crank) the stabilizer the rest of the way down. It only takes about 30 seconds each. I'm not trying to lift the trailer so I wouldn't need a big honkin' driver if I went that route.

One of my better mods for me. I hated those drop down stabilzers that came with the Casita.

[C&G in FL]

The BALs are great. If you add the stabilizer arms, it has been my experience that trailer "shake" is further reduced.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by CPW

The BALs are great. If you add the stabilizer arms, it has been my experience that trailer "shake" is further reduced.

They make arms for the ones similar to the style pictured in post #6 and they need them.
The ones I have pictured in post #2 have their own frame crossmember and are nearly as stable as a house foundation.
With a 2000# capacity on each foot, I use them to jack the trailer up for service or for storage, rock stable even for repacking wheel bearings,checking brakes etc.
Of course the Scamp 13 is no challenge for them.

[Sandy Sue]

Thanks so much. I will probably go with the BAL but first I better crawl under and be sure I don't already have something there, never thought to do that. I am definitely not mechanical

[Doug Mager]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

Not as elegant but they work............

Attachment 66596

Walmart or any junk yard. Raz

This is what we use, four of them but NOT mounted to the frame (so you can better place them where needed, even as a jack to help fix a flat tire or wheel bearing). Also we have had the nut cut off the ends and had welded on 3/4" nuts. Use an appropriate corded (or cordless) drill (impact or otherwise, our impact is smaller, more compact but with equal torque) with an attached 3/4" socket to raise n lower the junk yard (we opt'd for Honda jacks) at a whopping cost or $10 for all four. Helps preserve them if you splash them with a little (matching??) color.

Consider too doing something similar with your trailer tongue jack.
Done once and you never have to do it again....

If you go with a cordless tool you can ALSO pack other cordless attachments with you when you go.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Here's what I use. They came with the Scamp, It's what Scamp sells and puts on their trailers. That's good enough for me. No crank, no cordless drill, Just drop down with the trailer front a bit low. Jack the front the trailer after the stabilizers are down. DONE.

Other way simply drop the front of the trailer down, retract the stabilizers and swing them up behind the bumper. DONE.

I think there's a potential problem with scissors jacks, you have to be careful that you don't twist the frame, easy to do with as force and you apply.

[peterh]

We have BAL stabilizers on our Scamp 5er and use a cordless drill to raise and lower them. Our Scamp came with swing-down or "kickstand" stabilizers like these, but they weren't quite long enough for our "lifted" trailer. The BAL screw stabilizers work very well.

We're using swing-down stabilizers on out Surfside because they are much lighter and we are trying to be very weight-conscious during our re-fit. Some people hate 'em . . . I'm fine with them.

[David B.]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

Here's what I use. They came with the Scamp, It's what Scamp sells and puts on their trailers. That's good enough for me. No crank, no cordless drill, Just drop down with the trailer front a bit low. Jack the front the trailer after the stabilizers are down. DONE.

Other way simply drop the front of the trailer down, retract the stabilizers and swing them up behind the bumper. DONE.

I think there's a potential problem with scissors jacks, you have to be careful that you don't twist the frame, easy to do with as force and you apply.

I had once read a thread on this forum that stated the STABILIZER Jacks are just there to keep the trailer from bouncing around while you are inside, and that if deployed to support the weight of the vehicle, could end up bending and eventually breaking the frame due to the leverage forces applied from the extreme ends of the frame (tongue jack to bumper). The closer to the axle one supports the weight of the trailer to level, or change tires, etc., the easier it is on the frame. I installed auto jacks and use my cordless electric drill to deploy them as others in this post have done, AFTER I had to have the frame cracks repaired. I also use the small jack stands on the front of the frame where the tongue and trailer body meet.