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Old 10-31-2012, 10:58 AM   #41
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Francesca, not positive but I believe the hitch weight is approx 400 lbs. I think it is listed on the Scamp website. It's more than a bumper pull but far far less than a typical 5'er.
I should have been clearer- I know what the pin weight is with the ordinary fifth wheel hitch on a Scamp...

I wondered about the hitch weight of this particular modification...the weight of the added tongue alone must amount to extra poundage. And does moving the pivot point (trailer wheels) so far back have any effect???

Thanks!

Francesca
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Old 10-31-2012, 12:59 PM   #42
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Actually it looks like you are going with just the ends also, unless there is a cable in there somewhere.

Francesca, not positive but I believe the hitch weight is approx 400 lbs. I think it is listed on the Scamp website. It's more than a bumper pull but far far less than a typical 5'er.
Yep, I'm using the old cable. I had the same thoughts as you, plus this comes with a waterproof connection for the cord at the outlet box, anyway. I didn't even know these were on the wrong side. I'll leave them as is though, I don't want to deal with filling holes in fiberglass right now. Good info though, I might have to plan for a longer cord.

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Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles View Post
I should have been clearer- I know what the pin weight is with the ordinary fifth wheel hitch on a Scamp...

I wondered about the hitch weight of this particular modification...the weight of the added tongue alone must amount to extra poundage. And does moving the pivot point (trailer wheels) so far back have any effect???

Thanks!

Francesca
I would say it weighs about 40-ish pounds or so. It does put more leverage since it's further back, so it will act like more than the actual tongue weight. It wasn't an issue at all on the titan, though.

Here's a picture of the hitch, the chains and boomers/binders are to triangulate it to the bumper.



The ups man handed me graphics just as I was about to start replacing the water panels, so I got one of them on.



I'm off to the vinyl shop with the other one to see if they can whip up some matching scamp decals.
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Old 10-31-2012, 01:32 PM   #43
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Boy, talk about one picture being worth a thousand words...Thanks, Jared!

I had it in my head that the P.O. modified the trailer's hitch, not the one that goes in to the receiver...

Yet another Proof of Josh Billings' immortal saying:

It ain't the things you don't know that gets you into trouble- it's the things you know for certain that just ain't so!"

Thanks again

Francesca
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Old 10-31-2012, 02:46 PM   #44
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That looks really nice, too bad that seam is right in the way.
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Old 11-01-2012, 09:48 PM   #45
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Boy, talk about one picture being worth a thousand words...Thanks, Jared!

I had it in my head that the P.O. modified the trailer's hitch, not the one that goes in to the receiver...
Ah, that makes more sense to me now. It's a workable solution, not one I'm incredibly fond of, but plenty safe.

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That looks really nice, too bad that seam is right in the way.
Yeah, it causes some trouble. I had to put the big decals in a different place on each side due to the door window on the right side, and rivets on the left side, but no big deal. Somebody has to be really picky to point out that they aren't in the same spot.

I just got to the sign shop today, they made my scamp decals in 2 hours! I was VERY happy with their service. They're dark gray, they look a little black, depending on the light. I would have liked a little lighter, but beggars can't be choosers on a 2 hour turn time. They definitely finish off the camper.





It was dark by the time I got this side done, hence the bad picture.



I picked up the new axle today:



New weld on kingpin from redneck trailer, and the rest of my interior lights from american rv:



The B&W companion fifth wheel hitch for the pickup also came today.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to finish sanding down the rest of the gelcoat that was under the old stripes (220 grit on an orbital is doing a nice job). It doesn't remove them, but it gets the shine off, and turns them from yellow to a white like the rest of the camper. Then remove the spare tire and propane tanks, and give the whole camper a good washing again. After that, glue on all the rivet caps. I know it's better to replace the rivet and do it right, but there isn't time for that right now. If the trailer doesn't get coated this weekend, it probably won't until spring, and I don't want it unprotected all winter. It also needs them on for the waterproofing, as we might get weather soon.

If I get all that done, I can floor wax it saturday. sunday will be starting on the axle, if I'm lucky.

I'm really hoping to have the exterior done, including axle and fifth wheel hitch by the end of next weekend.
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Old 11-02-2012, 04:14 AM   #46
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Hey, the stripe on the drivers side is different! Just Kidding!!!!
It looks very very nice. An update without breaking the bank.

Did you get the lift kit with the axle? They make a 3" lift kit to go with those. I don't think it is much more than 3" stock square tubing welded into place with the axle mounted on it.

Also, where did you get your 30amp power plug ends?
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Old 11-02-2012, 01:01 PM   #47
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Looks really good. I can't believe the amount you have accomplished in such a short time - great job!
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Old 11-03-2012, 02:26 AM   #48
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Hey, the stripe on the drivers side is different! Just Kidding!!!!
It looks very very nice. An update without breaking the bank.

Did you get the lift kit with the axle? They make a 3" lift kit to go with those. I don't think it is much more than 3" stock square tubing welded into place with the axle mounted on it.

Also, where did you get your 30amp power plug ends?
Yep, I got the lift kit. They also supplied 1.5" square tube for an additional lift, if I need it.

I'm leaving the factory male end on the cord, all the rest of it came in this kit: RV Direct Online Store

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Looks really good. I can't believe the amount you have accomplished in such a short time - great job!
Thanks! I used the orbital sander on the stripes with 220 grit today, then spent the rest of the day wet sanding stains and stuff out with more 220 grit. I also have about 3/4 of the rivet caps glued on. I was hoping to be done, but oh well. In the morning I'll finish them, and touch up the bad spots in the gelcoat with some flat white paint. If I have enough time, I'll give it a quick rinse (wind is blowing dirt and leaves like mad), and floor wax it. If not, I'll start on replacing the water/electrical hookups and wash/wax it sunday. Looks like it'll be a late start, supposed to be cool this morning.

I need to find a new battery box, hoses for the propane tanks, and a new tube for the stinky slinky. I think I'll hold off, though. Since the trailer is going to be much higher after the axle and 15" tires, I might just move it from the front of the camper to underneath by the hookup.
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Old 11-03-2012, 02:44 AM   #49
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"a new tube for the stinky slinky."

I bought a nice one from Camper World however I've seen several people on here use that 5" or 6" inch square vinyl fence/mailbox post and mount it under their rear bumper with zip ties. Looks like it would work great and much cheaper than the $50 I spent on mine.
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Old 11-03-2012, 10:23 PM   #50
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"a new tube for the stinky slinky."

I bought a nice one from Camper World however I've seen several people on here use that 5" or 6" inch square vinyl fence/mailbox post and mount it under their rear bumper with zip ties. Looks like it would work great and much cheaper than the $50 I spent on mine.
Thanks for that, great idea.

I finished gluing the rest of the caps on. They weren't set up enough today to wash and wax it, hopefully tomorrow. I also put some touch up paint on the spots the gelcoat was worn through. It looks slightly better than the black or green showing before, but not a good match. Oh well, it's a 28 year old camper. The only real fix is a paint job, and that's not happening now.

So, I started on the hookups.

First was the shore power:

Weathered, and wide open to the inside. That's great if you're a mouse or ant that needs shelter, not so great for the camper owner. Plus, I got sick and tired of running inside to snake the darn cord from around the water tank every time I tried to pull it out.



This adapter plate only had 3 screws originally. I didn't like how it sealed, and sure as heck didn't want to mess with any caulk, so I added 3 more to it. Nice and tight now.





The new end on the old cord:



Weatherproof, waterproof, bugproof. Coil it up and throw it in the closet.
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Old 11-03-2012, 10:23 PM   #51
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Next was the outside outlets. The old box was painted, corroded, and bulky. The ground screw was rusted to heck, and the hot/neutral were put into those stupid push in holes on the outlet. Big pet peeve of mine. It had apparently been leaking also, the ground was corroded about 12" down the wire. So, I ripped the wire out of the breaker box, and put some new 12-2 ground in for the outlet. I didn't hook it up yet, I think the breaker box has to move to fit the new city water hookup, and if so, I'm replacing the panel.



I cut a bigger hole in the side to fit an old work gang box.











After that, I tore out the old fresh water filler. Then I got to thinking, and held off on putting the new one in. The fresh water tank is 10-12 gallons. I had thought about installing another under the other bench, and running a hose to connect them. After I removed the cover for the pump, I'm rethinking that. I can get a new 32x12x12 fresh water tank from here: RV Direct Online Store. The tank will basically go from the sink cabinet to where the other tank currently is now, If I move the pump. That should leave plenty of room to put the pump between the tank and the back wall of the camper. that also leaves the other bench wide open for storage.



I was planning on replumbing the whole thing while I'm messing with it anyway. 28 year old hose is sketchy, and it's cheap to replace.
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Old 11-04-2012, 02:12 AM   #52
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Your additions look really nice! I can't find an outside 110v outlet anywhere on mine. I wonder if yours was an add on. Where was it located? I think I will be adding at least one 110v though.
I've thought about getting rid of my water storage tank altogether. It is pretty gross, I couldn't imagine consuming any water from it. I suppose it is still good for flushing so it stays temporarily.
Your Scamp's looking really really good so far. Can't wait to see how it looks all waxed up.
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Old 11-04-2012, 08:23 PM   #53
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Your additions look really nice! I can't find an outside 110v outlet anywhere on mine. I wonder if yours was an add on. Where was it located? I think I will be adding at least one 110v though.
I've thought about getting rid of my water storage tank altogether. It is pretty gross, I couldn't imagine consuming any water from it. I suppose it is still good for flushing so it stays temporarily.
Your Scamp's looking really really good so far. Can't wait to see how it looks all waxed up.
The outlet is right behind the door, it goes into the top of the bottom cabinet in the coat closet. It could have been added, hard to say on something this old. I will use city hookups if available, but want the water tank just in case. I'm seriously thinking of modifying the new one with a deck plate right away, so if it's used, it can be wiped out and dried after. 28 years of stuff in this one is nasty.

Well, I got 5 coats on it today. It's definitely putting lipstick on a pig, but the lipstick was cheap ($200 or so for decals, floor wax, and cleaners), and the pig looks half decent. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

It was windy, so there's a bit of dirt, etc. in it, but it's not too bad. Still 20x better than before. I had to wash it AGAIN before I started, and stuff was stuck into the rough old gelcoat like you wouldn't believe, after having been washed the day before. Then the woodpecker that has been tearing up my trees and dropping branches all over, crapped on the roof 4 times while I was waxing, so I had to strip parts of it and redo it. He was also probably the one that crapped all over my new car to the point it ate up the clearcoat on it, and I had to polish the whole car. Let's just say he won't be doing it again...

Top half done:







All done. It was getting dark, so it doesn't show as well on the camera. It's definitely pretty shiny. I can't wait to see it in the morning.









This shows a good shot of 5 coats vs. none, going straight down from the tube.



My knees are grinding, my back is screaming, and I'm pretty sure my shoulders are dislocated. Other than that, though...
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Old 11-05-2012, 12:59 AM   #54
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Lookin good! Get that axle on so we can see the new wheels, that should make a huge improvement!
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Old 11-05-2012, 05:35 AM   #55
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My knees are grinding, my back is screaming, and I'm pretty sure my shoulders are dislocated. Other than that, though...
Welcome to sweat equity

Looks TERRIFIC
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Old 11-06-2012, 03:22 AM   #56
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Well, I got it on the jack stands today. The axle didn't move while jacking it up, the arms are stuck in the up position.



The axle is definitely welded on, yay! Between the torch, plasma cutter, and the wizz disk, it'll come out.





I also found out the floor is sagging.



The cross members are installed incorrectly, so there's no vertical support. The short cross members should be one piece. I'm cutting it all out, and replacing it with 1/8" wall, 2" square tubing every 2'. There's no need for the piece running front to back, I'm not putting one in.

I got the new wheels today, also.

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Old 11-06-2012, 04:06 AM   #57
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The underneath looks like mine. Imagine someone welding shackle mounts and installing a leaf spring axle that hangs down a good 3 inches below all the cross members. Plus on mine I'd assumed someone had taken a plasma cutter and notched out the members to allow for the axle to travel up and down. Now it looks like, YIKES, that is a stock configuration. I have come to terms with the fact that the axle isn't stock and after checking it out more closely I think it is actually sound so I'm not messing with it. Plus while I was towing it all over last summer I was thrilled with how it towed. It rode very well and the height was great.

Your wheels look very nice. I actually bought the basic 5 star aluminum. I did buy them in 14" (my new tires are 14") and now after reading on the Casita forum and on here I wish I'd went with 15". Oh well 14" or 15" have to be a lot better than the 13".
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Old 11-06-2012, 02:15 PM   #58
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The underneath looks like mine. Imagine someone welding shackle mounts and installing a leaf spring axle that hangs down a good 3 inches below all the cross members. Plus on mine I'd assumed someone had taken a plasma cutter and notched out the members to allow for the axle to travel up and down. Now it looks like, YIKES, that is a stock configuration. I have come to terms with the fact that the axle isn't stock and after checking it out more closely I think it is actually sound so I'm not messing with it. Plus while I was towing it all over last summer I was thrilled with how it towed. It rode very well and the height was great.

Your wheels look very nice. I actually bought the basic 5 star aluminum. I did buy them in 14" (my new tires are 14") and now after reading on the Casita forum and on here I wish I'd went with 15". Oh well 14" or 15" have to be a lot better than the 13".
Torsions ride better, but as long as the leaf sprung one is installed well, I wouldn't mess with it, either.

The crossmembers could probably be left alone, I doubt it would sag more, but it just makes my redneck engineering sense twitch when I look at it. It won't take long to make them go away, anyway. half a day shoudl get that all replaced.

I was planning on the wheels you have, until I stumbled upon the ones that matched my truck. I'm glad I did.

Well, the torch promptly ran out of acetylene, just as I finished the two cuts that the plasma cutter didn't have clearance for.

I was almost done plasma cutting the axle out, when the regulator blew on my compressor, luckily I had just enough air left to finish.

Talk about lucking out.

The arms are far from being 25* down.

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Old 11-07-2012, 06:37 AM   #59
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The arms actually look negative. Should ride a whole lot better when the new axle is on.

I've just about got my house tiled, at least to a point where my mean gal will let me do some work on the camper, lol!(as I quickly glance over my shoulder)!!! I ordered a new 100 watt solar panel on Monday. It is 40" X 22" so I'm gonna have to get creative in installing it. I'd like to get a second one but at $200 and still needing several other costly "items" I'll start off with just one. I need to get over to Sam's Club or Costco and pick up a couple of golf cart 6v batteries. After having Solar I don't know if I could live without it again. It is so nice to never be without power.
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Old 11-07-2012, 07:32 AM   #60
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...I ordered a new 100 watt solar panel on Monday. It is 40" X 22" so I'm gonna have to get creative in installing it. I'd like to get a second one but at $200 and still needing several other costly "items" I'll start off with just one.
Steve - I've documented power draw on a number of items in our Scamp 19. If you convert to LED lights, I doubt you'll need a second module unless you're planning to run the heater all night. We can go eight days comfortably on the pair of Interstate GC-2 batteries without any charge.
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