Maintenance & Restoration

Nancy O · 07-08-2012, 04:35 PM

I'm looking for posts for the bunk in my 13' scamp. The hardware they fit into on the bottom was there when I bought it but it was missing the poles and the hardware that attaches the poles to the bottom of the bunk.

I'd appreciate any suggestions about where to come by that hardware and if some steel pipe of the right dimensions would be just as good as the poles that were originally there.

Thanks a bunch!

Sherril · 07-09-2012, 02:20 PM

hi Nancy, mine was also missing the posts and I bought 2 from Scamp directly. They weren't very expensive.

Sherril

RogerDat · 07-09-2012, 02:35 PM

The top bunk does not really have any hardware for the posts. Other than a screw.

The posts have a little loop welded on that supports the top bunk and slips over a screw head on the underside of the top bunk. Loop is tapered (almost a triangle) so screw head can only fit in at one end.

Here is a link to the bunk post in the parts store Bunk Post View Larger Image and you can see the loop.

Nancy O · 07-09-2012, 03:33 PM

I see what you mean---no top hardware. Thanks so much for the advice. It now seems rather obvious that I should have started at the Scamp store to get an idea what I was after anyway. Thanks again.

Roy in TO · 07-09-2012, 03:39 PM

You might want to ask them if there is anything that goes into the top bunk when you are ordering. Mine has a little plastic thing the screw goes through. But mine is not a scamp.
Is there anything on the underside of your top bunk?

Nancy O · 07-09-2012, 04:31 PM

Thanks Roy---There's nothing attached outside the upholstery. I'm assuming the previous owners reupholstered it and never planned to use it as a bunk.

Another thing. Is there normally a hinge at the back of the bunk? I didn't see one at the Scamp store and ours has nothing. Are the poles enough to secure the bunk up on that ledge under the window?

Thanks! Nancy

RogerDat · 07-09-2012, 04:32 PM

Yes there is a a pair of hinges, they are on second page of hardware, called chest hinges. http://shop.scamptrailers.com/p-353-...st-hinges.aspx

Make sure to take a look at the plywood shelf that the bunk hinges are screwed into. On my 77 the wood is fiberglass "tabbed" to the wall, fiberglass was starting to shear off at edge of the wood at one end. And the screws had rusted to the point of almost not having threads, wood was turning to dust around screws. Damage was not really obvious.

I have top bunk removed currently and will post a picture of the place I need to repair as a guide to what you might want to look at before having someone sleep on the top bunk.

Good news is it's not an especially tough repair to make. At least according to the folks that posted about doing it.

evanwilliams · 07-09-2012, 04:35 PM

Yes there are hinges that attach the top bunk to the wall beneath the window. You can also get them from the Scamp website or from your local hardware store. I think they are chest hinges but you can see what they look like on Scamp's website.

Nancy O · 07-09-2012, 05:01 PM

Thanks----I'd really appreciate seeing those pics! Is it a fiberglassing fix?

RogerDat · 07-09-2012, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nancy O

Thanks----I'd really appreciate seeing those pics! Is it a fiberglassing fix?

Yes a FG repair, but totally hidden, so looks don't matter. It's like using fiberglass cloth and resin as "tape" to tape the wood to the front wall, hidden behind the ensolite wall covering. I'll have to gently scrape the ensolite off and then glue it back down after the FG repair. You may not have this problem. But I did not see it until taking the bunk off.

First picture is front wall, with bunk shelf in the foreground. Look close at the crack, you can see the ragged edges of white fiberglass cloth peeking out from behind the ensolite along the top edge. That crack should not be there, fiberglass "tape" is starting to break at this one end of the bunk shelf.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/m...icture2355.jpg

Second picture is bunk upside down to show chest hinge that attaches to shelf. Note the empty screw holes going from two directions, into edge of shelf and up from bottom of shelf.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/m...icture2356.jpg

Third picture is bunk upside down to show bunk post on screw, you can see how pushing pole "in" would allow screw to slip out of loop. You will also note that PO did not know about putting wood glue and toothpicks into stripped screw holes and instread just moved screw. Sigh.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/m...icture2357.jpg

Nancy O · 07-09-2012, 09:53 PM

Great pics! Bummer of a discovery. I am trying to sort out how the hinge fits in and from your second picture it looks like the weight of the bunk is hanging on the hinge from the edge of the ledge. Does your bunk not rest fully on the ledge, flush with the wall?

Robert Detrick · 07-09-2012, 10:17 PM

Nancy with my hinges on. the bunk overlaps the shelf about 2".When folded down it does not hit the bench

Nancy O · 07-09-2012, 11:11 PM

Robert, ok--that's what I was expecting. So are your hinges mounted that two inches from the edge of the bunk? Not flush---because that wouldn't allow for any overlap and put considerable strain on the hinge/screws as well as the wall/ledge joint----right?

RogerDat · 07-09-2012, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nancy O

Great pics! Bummer of a discovery. I am trying to sort out how the hinge fits in and from your second picture it looks like the weight of the bunk is hanging on the hinge from the edge of the ledge. Does your bunk not rest fully on the ledge, flush with the wall?

You are correct bunk essentially "hangs" from the self by the hinge. I would guess that much of the strength comes from the screws going horizontally into the edge of the shelf.

Makes some sense, put the hinges on bottom of shelf where they won't be seen.

I can set the bunk back in place to check but I don't think the bunk frame overlaps the shelf, I think just the cushion does.

On the other hand after 35 years who knows if this is all original.