Scamp 13 with Receiver hitch and carrier - Fiberglass RV
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Old 09-19-2017, 09:16 PM   #1
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Name: Leon
Trailer: Scamp 13' 2017
Missouri
Posts: 19
Scamp 13 with Receiver hitch and carrier

I tried putting a carrier in the receiver hitch on the back of a 2017 Scamp 13 but it started whipping the trailer as I tried to get up to highway speeds. I had to remove almost everything on the carrier to keep it from whipping the trailer as I went down the road. I was told that putting a friction sway control device on the tongue of the trailer would help. Does anyone have any comments about this?
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Old 09-19-2017, 10:10 PM   #2
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Trailer: 2004 13 ft Scamp Custom Deluxe
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A friction sway control device is a great accessory, but it is NOT intended to correct the problem you describe.
Your Trailer MUST have at least 10-12% of its overall weight on the hitch.
The rack you describe will have too much leverage as well as too much weight to safely tow your trailer with it in place.
Keep it under 50 pounds and add extra weight to the tongue to compensate.... Better yet, just REMOVE IT and discard it.
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Old 09-20-2017, 08:35 AM   #3
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Name: Greg
Trailer: 2008 Casita 17' SD
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Smaller trailers, including the ubiquitous 13 footers, are generally pretty light-weight to begin with, which is why many people like them. However, they do come with some very stark limitations when it comes to how much additional weight they can handle and also how that weight is distributed relative to the axle placement, (usually pretty much centered, making it a teeter totter.) By adding weight to the back of a trailer with an already light tongue weight is just asking for problems - as you already found out. It's a classic case of the tail wagging the dog. Also, adding additional weight on the tongue end to compensate isn't really a good work around for your dilemma either. You need to consider ALL the weight you add to the trailer, whether on the front, middle, or rear, to keep from just plain overloading it, which could cause catastrophic structural failure of the frame. Most of these small trailer's frames are only built strong enough to handle the trailer itself and just a little more than they "go out the door" with. It's amazing how much weight you can add by loading up for a trip without realizing it, putting you at, or over, your safe tow weight.

A friction sway control bar is nice, and I use one myself, but it isn't a cure or resolution to your problem. Your problem is trying to put weight on the back of a 13 footer. They aren't up to it. Totally unsafe.
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Old 09-20-2017, 08:46 AM   #4
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Name: claire
Trailer: 2013 casita pd
Texas
Posts: 86
leon, casita experts helped me add a rear receiver hitch/honda 2000i generator secured with a low pro lockdown to my 2013 13ft casita PD (patriot deluxe) in 2014 and i have been safely full timing ever since without swaying. the key is to add weight up front to counterbalance what you just added to the back. in my case, i have 2 propane tanks and my battery on the tongue. be sure to weigh your trailer and tongue whenever you add weight anywhere, your tongue weight should be around 10% of your trailer weight and be level to tow safely. i love my arrangement, best of luck with yours
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Old 09-20-2017, 11:39 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Casita Greg View Post
Smaller trailers, including the ubiquitous 13 footers, are generally pretty light-weight to begin with, which is why many people like them. However, they do come with some very stark limitations when it comes to how much additional weight they can handle and also how that weight is distributed relative to the axle placement, (usually pretty much centered, making it a teeter totter.) By adding weight to the back of a trailer with an already light tongue weight is just asking for problems - as you already found out. It's a classic case of the tail wagging the dog. Also, adding additional weight on the tongue end to compensate isn't really a good work around for your dilemma either. You need to consider ALL the weight you add to the trailer, whether on the front, middle, or rear, to keep from just plain overloading it, which could cause catastrophic structural failure of the frame. Most of these small trailer's frames are only built strong enough to handle the trailer itself and just a little more than they "go out the door" with. It's amazing how much weight you can add by loading up for a trip without realizing it, putting you at, or over, your safe tow weight.

A friction sway control bar is nice, and I use one myself, but it isn't a cure or resolution to your problem. Your problem is trying to put weight on the back of a 13 footer. They aren't up to it. Totally unsafe.
The frame design, and material is the same on the 13 as it is on the 16 except for the length. In fact being shorter in length the 13 is inherently stronger if anything. The weight limit on the 13 axle however is 1400 pounds less than that of the 16. That would mean that the 13 has a much larger margin in frame strength compared to its larger counterparts.
Margin on axle rating, however is somewhat less on the 13... on average about 1000 pounds compared to maybe 1600 pounds on the 16.
Ride quality actually improves as you approach the axle rating.
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Old 09-20-2017, 11:48 AM   #6
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Trailer: 2008 Casita 17' SD
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Even with the frames being made from the same sized 3" C channel, I still consider all of these trailers mounted on 3" channel to be marginally constructed at best. I'm not sure if it was to keep the weight down, or most likely, to keep their costs down by going with smaller thin-walled metal. If I ever do an off-frame trailer rehab, I will build my own trailer frame from the ground up, including a leaf spring 5,000 lb axle, and I will use 4" heavy-walled channel with added gussets. Just me, but then I don't do things half-a$$ed.
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Old 09-20-2017, 01:23 PM   #7
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Name: claire
Trailer: 2013 casita pd
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Quote:
Originally Posted by floyd View Post
The frame design, and material is the same on the 13 as it is on the 16 except for the length. In fact being shorter in length the 13 is inherently stronger if anything. The weight limit on the 13 axle however is 1400 pounds less than that of the 16. That would mean that the 13 has a much larger margin in frame strength compared to its larger counterparts.
Margin on axle rating, however is somewhat less on the 13... on average about 1000 pounds compared to maybe 1600 pounds on the 16.
Ride quality actually improves as you approach the axle rating.
thanks, floyd, for this info. i didn't know there was a difference in the scamp/casita axle limits. casita uses a 3500lb dexter axle on all 3 of theirs (13ft, which they discontinued last christmas,16ft and 17 ft). some owners carry much heavier weight in their trailers and end up replacing the factory axles with sturdier ones (5000lbs).
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Old 09-20-2017, 02:28 PM   #8
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Name: Leon
Trailer: Scamp 13' 2017
Missouri
Posts: 19
Thanks for the input!

I will limited the use of the carrier to other vehicles and not put it on the Scamp.
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Old 09-20-2017, 02:31 PM   #9
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Name: Mike
Trailer: 2012 Escape 19
Oklahoma
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Leon, you must weigh your trailer and your hitch (a bathroom scale should work for the hitch weight). Get the hitch weight to 10%-15% of the total trailer weight. If you can do this with all that stuff behind the rear bumper, fine; if not, leave it off. I still would consider using a friction sway control device when there's a carrier hanging on the back, though, if there is even a hint of waggle; my preference is the Andersen No-Sway weight distributing hitch, but even a simple friction sway bar is better than nothing.
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Old 09-20-2017, 03:33 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Leon H in MO View Post
I will limited the use of the carrier to other vehicles and not put it on the Scamp.
I would have to say that you made a very smart decision Leon. I only wished that more people would reconsider some of their set-ups which I have seen zig-zagging down the road with either too light a tongue weight, or too much "junk in the trunk."
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Old 09-20-2017, 04:49 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Casita Greg View Post
Even with the frames being made from the same sized 3" C channel, I still consider all of these trailers mounted on 3" channel to be marginally constructed at best. I'm not sure if it was to keep the weight down, or most likely, to keep their costs down by going with smaller thin-walled metal. If I ever do an off-frame trailer rehab, I will build my own trailer frame from the ground up, including a leaf spring 5,000 lb axle, and I will use 4" heavy-walled channel with added gussets. Just me, but then I don't do things half-a$$ed.
Good news! Scamp doesn't use C channel for frame rails. They use rectangular tubing. also they increased wall thickness a couple of decades ago.
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Old 09-21-2017, 09:38 AM   #12
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Trailer: 2008 Casita 17' SD
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Too bad Casita didn't take a lesson from them...
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