Finally - Shocks on our Scamp

[John & BJ S.]

For over 25,000 miles I've been thinking about how to install shocks on our Scamp. At one time, Monroe made a lower mount that clamped onto the trailing arm, and although the reports on it were positive, it looked like a baling wire fix. This past year, Orbital Machine Works developed a wonderful bolt-on kit for the Casita.

I talked to Jim at Orbital and leveraged their lower mounts along with a simple, custom upper mount to finally get shocks installed on our Scamp 19. Pictorial report is on our blog.

[Donna D.]

John, you and BJ need to come back to Oregon so I can personally take a look! I bet the shocks are going to work well for you guys.

[John & BJ S.]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

John, you and BJ need to come back to Oregon so I can personally take a look! I bet the shocks are going to work well for you guys.

I was just noting the dates for the Fall NOG and wishing there was a way. Hope you all have a wonderful time. Already dreaming of places to go and things to do in the Northwest next summer!

[Donna D.]

John Spring NOG is the last full weekend in April at L.L. Stub Stewart. We're making reservations now Come on up!

[Timber Wolf]

Thanks, now I have to go lay under my Scamp this weekend and scheme on another modification (that I probably won't do anytime soon).

John, I see you went with the "stock" Casita mount, but if you made it all from scratch is there any reason it could not all be 3-4" higher? Looks like the upper mount could be higher on the frame and the trailing arm mount come back straighter rather than with such a downward dog-leg.

[John & BJ S.]

Donna - I'd love to come to the Spring NOG but it's too early right now for me to start planning. Hoping to extend our stay in the Northwest next year so that I can attend the Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend in early September, but I have lots of arm twisting to do on the homefront before that dream could become reality.

Tim - I could have fabricated a lower mount, but there is LOTS of fabrication that went into Orbital's lower mount and I didn't have the shop equipment to come anywhere close to the quality of what I could buy off the shelf.

[Timber Wolf]

Originally Posted by John & BJ S.

Tim - I could have fabricated a lower mount, but there is LOTS of fabrication that went into Orbital's lower mount and I didn't have the shop equipment to come anywhere close to the quality of what I could buy off the shelf.

I understand, it was more of question that now that you have seen it installed and in action if you see any reason it could not be higher. I assume it is the way it is becasue of how things mount to a Casita or the bolt on nature of it. If one is fabbing anyway, well one can fab to suit!

[frank_a]

Very cool! Nice work.

Frank

[GMike A]

I have my shocks scheduled to be put on by Larry in November. When I traveled to Or and back in July. Everytime I stopped for the night I had cushions and stuff all over the place. The blinds are ruined from the jiggle/joggle and bent blades. I finally took alligator clips and snapped them puppies down so they wont move but some blades damaged and will have to fix the bend in them. Cant wait to see how the shocks work. Hopefully as good as or better than the video.

[John & BJ S.]

Thanks, Frank!

Mike - I'm sure you're going to love the Orbital kit on your trailer. It was all of the positive comments from the Casita crowd that convinced me it was time to get it done.

[John & BJ S.]

I got a note from Jim at Orbital this morning after he saw the installation pictures on the blog. He noted that the plates were designed for the gussets to be nearly vertical rather than nearly horizontal which made all kinds of sense when I thought about it! Took less than 30 minutes to swap them side for side so that they're installed as engineered AND that resolved the clearance issue I'd had on one of the plates.

A big thanks to Jim and the folks at Orbital for a quality product and exemplary customer service!

[Jared J]

Good idea. I might have to copy that.


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[Roger C H]

I knew a fellow who built a hot-rod that used these:

Speedway Friction Shocks - Speedway Motors, America's Oldest Speed Shop

I often wondered why eggs don't use them.

I notice on your website that you welded the Class 8 bolts to a plate. You no longer have Class 8 bolts. These bolts get their strength through heat treating. Welding removes this heat treat.

Welding High Strength Bolts « Ask the Expert Blog Archive « Ask the Expert

Sorry.

[WizWid]

This naturally brings up a question for you Scampers.
If we were to produce a weld-on kit for adding shock absorbers to Scamp 19's - would anyone buy one?

Kit would include

1. 2 wheel plates + locknuts
2. 2 Monroe 555003 shocks
3. 2 Trimmed lower mount bolt + washer/nut
4. 2 Weld on towers using trimmed shoulder bolt + washers/nut

Price would probably be just under 2 Benjamins.
Is it worth us pursuing this idea?
Where do all the Scampers hang out to ask this question - if not here?


Thanks,

Jim

[Timber Wolf]

Originally Posted by widgetwizard

This naturally brings up a question for you Scampers.
If we were to produce a weld-on kit for adding shock absorbers to Scamp 19's - would anyone buy one?



Kit would include

1. 2 wheel plates + locknuts
2. 2 Monroe 555003 shocks
3. 2 Trimmed lower mount bolt + washer/nut
4. 2 Weld on towers using trimmed shoulder bolt + washers/nut

Price would probably be just under 2 Benjamins.
Is it worth us pursuing this idea?
Where do all the Scampers hang out to ask this question - if not here?
Thanks, Jim

If it would also fit the Scamp 16 (don't know why it wouldn't) I would be in for one (set). I still want to know why the whole affair could not be moved up 2-3" though. Just less hanging down low by the tire. You might want to start another thead to keep from the question getting lost on this one.

[Mike Sullivan]

I would be VERY interested in a good kit. Tell me more

[WizWid]

Originally Posted by Mike Sullivan

I would be VERY interested in a good kit. Tell me more

Mike,

I started a new thread here: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post484397

But it has been hijacked by the armchair quarterbacks.
So I've pretty much given up.

To answer your question it would likely be based on our Casita kit.
There is a high-level write-up about that here Casita Travel Trailer Modifications - Bolt-on Shock Absorber Kit - The Casita Club
and more info on our website here: Casita Shock Absorber Kit

Following Johns method above we would not need that large axle plate but would make a simple tower bracket that you would weld directly to the frame. Before we invest time/money in CAD work and prototypes we need to see if there is enough interest.

Cheers,

Jim

[Borrego Dave]

Hi Jim, interesting reading of the responces by folks on both threads of your question of interest for Scamp shocks. I've seen the video Donna mentions. I can see the advantage of shocks added to torsion axles. I do believe your answer that shocks damper in one direction as opposed to rubber axles dampening both ways, pretty much sums up an advantage to adding shocks, at least to me. Certainly not everyone is interested in adding shocks, to each their own. The questions that come to my mine is as a manufacturer of these for Casitas, have they sold well enough so far for what went into the R&D ?. If so and with them on the shelf, I would think with the vast numbers of Scamps/Casitas out there it would be kind of a no brainer, at least to me, not to tool up for Scamps also. A few more trips with things getting rearranged in the Casita I may pop for them just to see if it makes a difference. Your 3" lift worked great on my SD 17 and was a quality built part so I can only think the shock kit would be the same.

[Joe Romas]

Something I've not seen mentioned is the improved ride in our Silverado after installing Orbital's shock kit on our 1999 17' Casita SD

After a long drive over well worn interstates feeling relaxed is a new feeling

Joe

[GMike A]

I had my shocks installed this week by Larry Gamble and a lift kit and axle. On the way over I muttered to myself about how noisy the ride was as the steps clank away. After I picked my SD up I realized how much quieter the ride was and smoother. No more clang. I am guessing that when my trailer bounced and the wheels or wheel came off the ground and then back down that it applied a counter force to forward motion like a quick brake tap and caused a jerkier movement but no more. [thats my uneducated guess] Anyway I think it was one of my best investments and Larry did a great job.