Rear Jacks - Am I missing a part?

[Sheryl M]

We took our 13' Scamp out for our first camping weekend, to test all the parts, and see what we've forgotten. And to make a list of what we'd like to have. Mostly everything worked great, and we had a fantastic time [it was great weather here in Georgia].

I do have a question about the rear stabilizer jacks. Is there supposed to be a steel rod that that helps move up and down? [Like an old car jack]? We didn't find any spare parts, other than the bumper mounted jacks, and aren't sure about how they work. At one point -- even though we had leveled the camper, the rear jacks were still 1" above the ground.

Walkng around the camp ground, we came across a 17' Casita... the owner did mention that he had a rod that helped adjust the jacks in the rear.

Thanks.

[Gina D.]

Yes, there is a rod. It fits into the top front hole you can see, and angles down to a fixed hole on the back of the jack. It pushes against the locking lever in front. Push and cinch.

If you don't have one, after you level, push on the lever in front and let the pad come down as far as it will. Use YOUR foot to secure flatly to the ground. Then go give your tongue jack 1/2 a crank up and it should seat them firmly in place.

I am constantly losing my bar. I gave up, and now I use a metal tent stake! They come in multiple packs and are useful elsewhere around camp.

Since I started using one, I haven't lost it (go figure!)

[Byron Kinnaman]

I very rarely use the rod.
Leveling procedure follows.

Level side to side while still attached to tow vehicle. Chock trailer.
Uncouple.
Lower trailer tongue to between 1/2 bubble and 1 bubble off level.
Deploy stabilizers and push to pads as close to the ground as they'll go. They should be almost or just touching the ground.
Raise the tongue to level. That applies enough pressure to the stabilizers for them to do their thing.

When getting ready to leave procedure like this.
lower tongue jack to relieve pressure on the stabilizers. I use my foot to release the stabilizers after the pressure is off. Retract and stow.

Connect, remove chocks. Drive off leveling blocks if that what use to level. (I use a BAL leveler so I have to remove it. It also works as chocks.)

[Sheryl M]

Does anyone know exactly what size diameter the rods are? Maybe I can find a replacement at home depot...

The casita guy's looked to be about 3/8" or so.

[Gina D.]

any rv supply place should carry them.

[Roger H]

Does anyone know exactly what size diameter the rods are? Maybe I can find a replacement at home depot...

The casita guy's looked to be about 3/8" or so.

Sheryl... don't bother. Use Byron's method. It's half the work and does a much better job than the rod method.

Roger

[Joseph Domingos]

Isn't the tool/rod you use to adjust the stabilizer jacks usually also your lug wrench for the trailer? So if you don't have one, shouldn't it be pretty important to get one? Just curious... Of course now I'm trying to remember if MY trailer has a lug wrench on board somewhere! hehe
Joe

[John Perry]

Isn't the tool/rod you use to adjust the stabilizer jacks usually also your lug wrench for the trailer? So if you don't have one, shouldn't it be pretty important to get one? Just curious... Of course now I'm trying to remember if MY trailer has a lug wrench on board somewhere! hehe
Joe

It is just a straight metal rod 12 inches long and about a 1/2 inch in diameter. If you want one just call Scamp. They are about $3.00 plus shipping.
John

[Brian B-P]

For those of us who are not Scamp owners, this is the style of jack most commonly associated with Atwood (although their component list no longer includes them) right?
From the Coast listing:




If it's just a metal rod, a random tire-changing wrench from a car or truck (they usually don't come with trailers, do they?) would likely fit.

To avoid shipping, I would just buy the rod at Home Depot if I needed one... but it's nice to know that Scamp has what owners need. Since Coast distribute them, RV places should have the official handle, for a list price of $3.69 (in Canada) / $2.99 (in the U.S.)

I rented a tent trailer once which had four of these jacks. I didn't know that there was supposed to be a handle, and basically used Bryon's method, which worked fine. That is, the method worked... you couldn't give me the jacks for nothing to use on my trailer... but some people prefer them.

[Donna D.]

That is, the method worked... you couldn't give me the jacks for nothing to use on my trailer... but some people prefer them.

You and I are in complete agreement on this Brian. After two uses, I took the pair off the rear bumper of my Scamp and gave them away. What a pain to use... and they were FILTHY from dirty/greasy road rash. The kind that took lots of soap and water to get the ole hands clean. And yes, you do have to touch them to pull them down from the bumper. I use something else now (Wayne's stabilizers) and the leveler Byron uses. It's like night and day!

[JOE DRISSEL]

Byrons way is my way. And a pair of gloves for the dirty jobs should be on every trailer.

[barring]

It's helpful to hear the comments of others about the short-comings of the rear jacks. I found cranking them to be a total pain, and not even very effective - thought the shortcoming was on my part.....

They're not particularly good at leveling at the best of times, we have done some angled sleeping over the summer level (level is often in short supply in CO anyway).

I am always running them into rocks which further complicates getting them pulled out.

Should one worry about stressing the frame by jacking one side up a ways?

I'm open to suggestions for alternatives.

Barring

[Byron Kinnaman]

It's helpful to hear the comments of others about the short-comings of the rear jacks. I found cranking them to be a total pain, and not even very effective - thought the shortcoming was on my part.....

They're not particularly good at leveling at the best of times, we have done some angled sleeping over the summer level (level is often in short supply in CO anyway).

I am always running them into rocks which further complicates getting them pulled out.

Should one worry about stressing the frame by jacking one side up a ways?

I'm open to suggestions for alternatives.

Barring

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "cranking them". There are no cranks on or used by the standard stabilizers on Scamp trailers.

[barring]

wrong word. Jacking" them with the rod under discussion.

[Byron Kinnaman]

wrong word. Jacking" them with the rod under discussion.

Then I agree that jacking them with the rod would be a real pain. But it's an unnecessary pain. No need to use the rod at all. Read my post above about my set up procedure. If it doesn't make sense let me know.

[Brian B-P]

Should one worry about stressing the frame by jacking one side up a ways?

Yes and no... I would not be concerned about the frame, but if you twist it (my Boler twists significantly if I jack on one corner) the [b]body will either flex or crack... and that's not good.

If the frame of most of these trailers is lifted, it should be evenly on each side, or near one suspension mount (see the leveling jacks on the new Oliver Legacy for a nice illustration of that approach). I think that jacking on one rear corner to do anything more than take up slack and stabilize it a bad plan, which is one reason why Byron's method (which seats the trailer firmly on the stabilizers, but doesn't try to lift with them) makes sense.