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Old 11-11-2014, 10:15 AM   #21
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I'm out on a trip through the Arizona Strip & Zion right now. The first meaningful trip since I installed the shocks on the Scamp. HUGE improvement!

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Old 11-11-2014, 02:52 PM   #22
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Name: Mike & Helene
Trailer: Scamp 5er
Florida
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John, enjoy your trip and I would be interested in finding out more about you shock install. Please let me know when your off your trip and have time to talk. Thanks Mike "Sully".
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Old 11-11-2014, 03:04 PM   #23
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Name: JD
Trailer: Scamp 16 Modified (BIGLY)
Florida
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I would be interested in a kit for the 16' Scamp.
Weld on towers are OK with me.
As to welding on a grade 8 bolt, yes it is no longer grade 8, but it probably does not need to be and it would be less likley to break. Bend maybe, but not break.
I haven't looked at the pictures that were referred to , but my guess is it would be no problem.
OK I went back and looked at the socket head shoulder bolt welded in at the top and I have two observations.
1. this is NOT a grade 8 bolt. It is a SHCS which is above grade 8 and the metal is of a much better grade.
2. The head of the shoulder bolt is welded around the outside and the actual matal in the shoulder is probably little affected, but again is much stronger than most cooking grade bolts and the loads are smoothed by the shocks themselves.
I see no problem here. It looks like a very good solution and could be fariley easily repaired if necessary (which I doubt will ever happen)

Good job!
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Old 11-12-2014, 12:01 PM   #24
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Trailer: 2012 ParkLiner #006
New York
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I wonder if I could put shocks on our ParkLiner? We have those torsion stub axles on ours. Not sure if it would help, but every little bit can only be good.

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Old 11-12-2014, 02:50 PM   #25
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Name: JD
Trailer: Scamp 16 Modified (BIGLY)
Florida
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I wonder also if the axle mounting plates would fit a Flexiride axle brake plate?
The mounting holes are the same since they all use basically the same electric brakes and mount.
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Old 11-16-2014, 07:33 PM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by redbarron55 View Post
I would be interested in a kit for the 16' Scamp.
...
OK I went back and looked at the socket head shoulder bolt welded in at the top and I have two observations.
1. this is NOT a grade 8 bolt. It is a SHCS which is above grade 8 and the metal is of a much better grade.
2. The head of the shoulder bolt is welded around the outside and the actual matal in the shoulder is probably little affected, but again is much stronger than most cooking grade bolts and the loads are smoothed by the shocks themselves.
I see no problem here. It looks like a very good solution and could be fariley easily repaired if necessary (which I doubt will ever happen)

Good job!
Back from a tour through the Arizona Strip and Zion National Park...

I'm glad that the installation meets with your approval for what it's worth, but I'm not sure what pictures you looked at. The upper mount is in fact a Grade 8 hex bolt (at least according to the head markings) and is not a Socket Head Cap Screw as you suggest. The lower bolt is a shoulder bolt as provided with the Monroe shock.

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Old 11-17-2014, 09:55 AM   #27
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Name: JD
Trailer: Scamp 16 Modified (BIGLY)
Florida
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Not the same picture I looked at for the Blue shock tower from the orbital kit.
What is welded to the plate on the traile may well be a grade 8 or 5 in the posted picture. I still don't see a problem.
The picture I saw on the orbital sitewas of a SHCS shoulder bolt welded to the bracket.
If you are concerned and don't mind welding then instead of mounting the plate with the bolt welded then weld a tube thorught the 3 X 1 1/2 " frame member and pass the bolt through that. It would be considerably stronger and pass the stress to the frame better as well.
Still don't see a problem as shown as long as the welder did a good job.

Here is the link to the picture I looked at (for the Casita?)

Casita Travel Trailer Modifications - Bolt-on Shock Absorber Kit - The Casita Club
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Old 01-22-2015, 03:38 AM   #28
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Name: Bert
Trailer: BOLER
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If it fits my '74 BOLER, I would buy it.
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Old 01-22-2015, 09:56 PM   #29
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Name: Pineapple Man
Trailer: Scamp 13'
Ohio
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Being a Newbie, does anyone know if this kit would fit a Scamp 13' ?
I checked out the link to the Casita Club page and it looks like a valuable upgrade !
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Old 01-23-2015, 02:27 AM   #30
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Name: Dave
Trailer: Avion 30P and 1979 Scamp 16
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Would it make any sense to have them on smaller Scamps like the Scamp 16?


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Old 01-23-2015, 07:02 AM   #31
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Trailer: '88 Scamp 16, layout 4
North Florida
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Originally Posted by Dave Frazer View Post
Would it make any sense to have them on smaller Scamps like the Scamp 16? Dave
I would think so, and plan on adding them (someday) to my Scamp 16. But then some people don't believe in even balancing their trailer's tires. I don't understand that one. If balanced tires are good for the tug, aren't the trailer's tires rolling down the exact same roads? It is OK to vibrate the trailer to pieces but not the tug? I feel the same way about the shocks although I don't have a real good grasp on how much they will help.
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Old 01-23-2015, 07:40 AM   #32
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There are various requirements in Germany to get your car-trailer combination speed limit raised from 80km/hr (50mph) to 100 km/hr (62mph) and having shocks fitted is one of them. No doubt that is why many European axles are designed to retrofit dampers easily.
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Old 01-23-2015, 08:17 AM   #33
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Originally Posted by Andrew Gibbens View Post
There are various requirements in Germany to get your car-trailer combination speed limit raised from 80km/hr (50mph) to 100 km/hr (62mph) and having shocks fitted is one of them. No doubt that is why many European axles are designed to retrofit dampers easily.
AL-KO has easily installed shock absorber systems for their European axles. I am planning to copy their system and use the Octagon red shocks on my Scamp 16' trailer.
This will include retro-fitting the existing AL-KO original 2500 lb (dead) axle with a Flexride. This is because I can remove the swing arms and either weld the brackets on or machine a keyed groove like the AL-KO (Euro) axle.
The US AL-KO does not have the provisions for the shock mounting or I would use them instead.
The Flexride also will allow me to select the ride height in 6 degree increments so I can fine tune the trailer.
The axle will have to be positioned differently since the arm length is different. Also the arm is shorter and this will affect the shock tuning, but I think that it will work out since the AL-KO reds are rated for slightly higher damping and the shorter arm will work in this direction.
youtube video of installation:



AL-KO Handbook:

http://www.al-ko.co.uk/edit/files/ha...s-handbook.pdf

I think that removing the Flexride swing arms will allow me to fabricate arms to match the supplied stamped AL-KO arms and Heliarc them in the proper position. Then the addition of the frame mount end will not be much of a problem.
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Old 01-23-2015, 07:40 PM   #34
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I asked my husband why put shocks on our 19' fifth wheel? Well, the dog would have felt better had we had them when she was riding back back there going "God, how long until they stop and discover I am covered in things.?"
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Old 01-24-2015, 12:08 AM   #35
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Originally Posted by Cyndi B. View Post
I asked my husband why put shocks on our 19' fifth wheel? Well, the dog would have felt better had we had them when she was riding back back there going "God, how long until they stop and discover I am covered in things.?"
The simple answer, Cyndi, is because the TRUCK rides so much better when towing the trailer after the shock installation. Any 'chucking' from the trailer is essentially eliminated.

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Old 01-25-2015, 09:40 AM   #36
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Name: JD
Trailer: Scamp 16 Modified (BIGLY)
Florida
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Shock absorbers (more properly dampers) work with the springs and weight to control the oscillations (and also the tires). These oscillations contribute to the bucking from the trailer to the hitch on uneven road surfaces and also the sway when the wind blows or maneuvering.
The rubber suspension needs less damping than pure springs since the compliance of the rubber damps out some of the bounce and converts it to heat. This is not enough to take care of the problem completely.
AL-KO Europe has recognized this and offer the above shock absorber systems every where other than the US. The regulations in Europe encourage shock absorbers to provide better handling.
The shocks absorbers damp side to side tipping oscillations that contribute to swaying. Since the weight of the trailer is forward of the wheel contact point the oscillations from straight bounce excites an oscillation on the hitch that is reflected to the tow vehicle.
Dampers add to the stability of the overall system and add safety to the handling and comfort to the ride in the tow vehicle. This is a large part of the exceptional reputation of the Airstream trailers.
Just because you don't ride in the trailer and experience the ride directly does not mean that the shocks do not provide a benefit to the overall package.
My decision to use the AL-KO shocks is that they have developed 4 different damping values based on the weight of the trailer and axle. The amount of damping required varies with the spring rates and weight involved.
My guess is that that even though I am planning on using the Flexride axle since the arms can be removed to install the brackets etc. the red Octagon shocks from AL-KO Europe are probably closer tho the correct value than the single available Monroe trailer shock.
Of course this is based entirely on gut feeling and guesswork.
If you look at the video you can see that there are several top mounting positions for the shock and this allows for some tuning of the system. I don't know if these shocks are 50 - 50 % or any other ratio and neither have I found any specifications on the Monroe. The mounting on the pivot point of the trailing arm of the AL-KO mean that the compression and rebound are reverse from the Monroe mounted at the wheel hub.
I will post more information when I have the Flexride axle and the AL-KO shock absorber system.
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