Maintenance & Restoration

ASW · 03-23-2016, 01:53 PM

I'm finding it difficult to raise and lower the rear stabilizing jacks on my new
13 foot Scamp. Has anyone found a remedy or is it better to get new jacks?
Thanks for any suggestions,
Ann

MRClaus · 03-23-2016, 02:04 PM

how old are the jacks

steve dunham · 03-23-2016, 02:12 PM

The rear stabilizer on my Scamp were binding and difficult to deploy due to rust and dirt . I disassembled the stabilizers ,then cleaned , sanded , primed and painted them .They then worked well right up to the time I sold the trailer .Spraying them with penetrating oil may also help.

ASW · 03-23-2016, 02:13 PM

Scamp was new last summer.

ASW · 03-23-2016, 02:16 PM

Thanks Steve. That's probably beyond my pay grade.

piperjim · 03-23-2016, 03:03 PM

WD-40 worked for me. Give the jacks a good spray anywhere they move, and hit both the inside and outside of the jack. Then "work" them so the spray gets moved around. This might solve your problem, and should be an annual maintenance item.

Triker · 03-23-2016, 03:16 PM

Jim is right, as the new Scamp Manual, page 4, says: It is a good idea to lubricate with WD40 or similar lubricate (sic) occasionally.

I like the new spring-loaded rear bumper jacks as they are very easy and quick to set up and put away.

SactoWendy · 03-23-2016, 03:20 PM

I got so sick of fighting with my rear stabilizers. I bought new ones for $29 and life is easy again. On Amazon...
Camco 44560 Olympian Aluminum Stack Jack Stand - 4 pack

floyd · 03-23-2016, 03:49 PM

BAL stabilizers were the solution for us, much more stable and easier to deploy. They ad an extra frame member as well and they are strong enough to lift the trailer to change a tire or service the brakes.

Byron Kinnaman · 03-23-2016, 05:13 PM

WD40 or one of the high tech lubricants worked for me. I'm not sure what movement you're have trouble with. The swing down/swing up will be difficult if the extend/retract of the foot is extended. The foot will bind with trailer body. I find that on rough roads they will sometimes extend. Then I have release the retract lever and push the foot part back in so that it clears the trailer body.

tractors1 · 03-23-2016, 06:52 PM

Unload the pressure off the jacks by lowering the tongue first. When setting up, after leveling, I drop the tongue just a bit maybe 1/8th inch at most), lower my jacks to the ground, and raise the tongue back up again.

Byron Kinnaman · 03-23-2016, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tractors1

Unload the pressure off the jacks by lowering the tongue first. When setting up, after leveling, I drop the tongue just a bit maybe 1/8th inch at most), lower my jacks to the ground, and raise the tongue back up again.

I almost the same thing. But I use the level to lower about 1/2 bubble low in the front, then deploy the stabilizers, then bring the front back up to level. This puts enough pressure on the stabilizers for them to work properly.

gordon2 · 03-24-2016, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

...I use the level to lower about 1/2 bubble low in the front, then deploy the stabilizers, then bring the front back up to level. This puts enough pressure on the stabilizers for them to work properly.

I've done it the same way many times but I don't recommend it in many cases. You need a pretty good "feel" for how far to crank the tongue jack. There is less margin for error and if the ground is not level at the back of the trailer (from side to side) then the pressure on the jacks will not be the same. The one that is on higher ground will be "tighter" and more likely to get damaged.

IMHO you dont even need to put pressure on the stabilizer jacks, just drop them so they make contact with the ground (or wood block, etc.) and they will be OK. Yes, the trailer might feel a little firmer if there is a little pressure on the jacks but it will be stable enough and not tilt backwards if the jacks only touch the ground with no pressure on them. I don't mind a little bounce in the camper.. thats my idea of roughing it but YMMV. I usually do it this way and usually can bring the jacks back up with no tools and without dropping the tongue.

PS to Floyd.. re "BAL stabilizers were the solution for us, much more stable and easier to deploy."

Interesting.. I had these on my pop-up and no way I would say they are easier, unless of course you are comparing to Scamp style jacks that are sticking or non-functioning. But the Scamp style is easier when they are working right. Plus you need the crank, and I could never remember where I left it. No tools needed for the Scamp Jacks. But when mine start to age and rust, I might be on board with the BAL style.

Darral T. · 03-24-2016, 07:39 AM

Ann...I'm taking it that you're having trouble with the little rod and getting it to line up to the right holes????? These ARE the worst jacks (actually for the Scamp they're "stabilizers" and not jacks) that I've ever used. I nearly broke one the first night I set up camp after leaving Backus. The old jerk they had showing us our Scamp when it was new didnt want to nor did he take the time to teach me how to use some of the stuff. All he wanted to do was get us out of there.

IF you continue to use these, you'll just have to practice lining up the rod through holes, push the rod down to jack it up, then you'll have to find another hole as it's raised if you move very much. The trick with these are, level your Scamp FIRST, THEN deploy these stabilizer jacks by putting slight pressure on them to stop the Scamp from rocking. That way, you shouldnt have to readjust the rod. I simply tap the release tab on the jacks to release them and raise them up.

One thing to keep in mind, ALWAYS use at least one when you're setting up camp or you could find your Scamp popping a wheelie!

Maybe this will help a little.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASW

I'm finding it difficult to raise and lower the rear stabilizing jacks on my new
13 foot Scamp. Has anyone found a remedy or is it better to get new jacks?
Thanks for any suggestions,
Ann

crowwing · 03-24-2016, 09:13 AM

With these stabilizers practice and patience pays off. As suggested already I lower my front before extending the stabilizers. If your on an uneven sight eyeball the level you want than raise the front jack until your level. I think the main thing is to realize they are stabilizers and not jacks.
Darral T. 'jerk' was enough to explain your experience, 'old' is something everyone (or the lucky ones) grasp sooner or later.

Darral T. · 03-24-2016, 09:22 AM

It wasnt a jab against the "older" population as I'm old myself. It was a point that has been discussed in other groups MANY times about this same person. He was believed to be an older family member biding his time and didnt care how he treated others (and there's been 10-15 more posts through the years about the SAME treatment). Fortunately for me, I dont mind reading/studying to figure something out. But there's been many people that go there knowing basically nothing about an RV and knew about as much about their new Scamp when they left as they did before they arrived. Hopefully he's gone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crowwing

With these stabilizers practice and patience pays off. As suggested already I lower my front before extending the stabilizers. If your on an uneven sight eyeball the level you want than raise the front jack until your level. I think the main thing is to realize they are stabilizers and not jacks.
Darral T. 'jerk' was enough to explain your experience, 'old' is something everyone (or the lucky ones) grasp sooner or later.

ASW · 03-24-2016, 09:50 AM

As a new user to this forum I am amazed and grateful for the many helpful responses. For now we are using the car scissors jack in the middle of the bumper to raise it in order to raise and lower the Scamp jacks. The metal rod was too difficult. In the future the stabilizers may be the best solution for me.

Radar1 · 03-24-2016, 09:57 AM

Ann,
I hope you aren't making the same mistake I was with my first camper and using the stabilizers as "jacks". I used to stick the rod in the hole and jack the back up a couple of clicks. The type used on Scamps and most small campers are simply meant to stabilize the camper from tipping, and just need to be dropped to the ground. Some have mentioned lowering the tongue a little from level, dropping the stabilizers to the ground, and then raising the tongue back to a level position. That works for us.
You should never need to poke the rod through the hole and "jack" the stabilizers up. I believe the only purpose of having the rod is to enable releasing the stabilizers so they can be stowed. I never have to use my rod since I just lower the tongue when breaking camp and that relieves the pressure on the stabilizers.
It always helps to put blocks under the stabilizers so they don't have to be extended too far, since the more extension they have, the less stable the camper will be.