Preparing a 1991 Scamp 16

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by honda03842

I have to believe that there's a market for a Scamp specifically designed for 1-2 people. I can't imagine why it doesn't exist.

But, what would that perfect layout be? It's doubtful you'd find all the 1-2 people who would agree 100% to the layout. Some want big beds, others want twin beds, others big bathrooms, some no bathrooms, etc., etc., etc. The only perfect layout is the one that works perfectly for the owner....

[honda03842]

The only perfect layout is the one that works perfectly for the owner....

I agree there's probably no perfect, though Ginny comes close.

Maybe we could agree that there are other layout solutions not offered that could provide a trailer more suited to many if not all owners needs.

When we bought our Bounder the dinettes were similar to the Scamp's, foolishly difficult to access. Fortunately the Bounder people listened to their owners and eventually provided drawer access to the space. ( I give Bounder credit for supporting the Bounder club, attending rallys and listening to owners.)

From the modifications I've done I think that most people would like a handier use of all the dead space, even if it was a 'pay for option'. I would have paid an additional $500 for 6 drawers I've added.

I believe there are additional trailer layouts that could expand the sales of Scamps and Casitas, really fraternal twins. It seems their has been little advancement in layout creativity by either company.

I'm not complaining, I just think there's missed opportunity for both companies.

Safe Travels

[DavidSo]

Originally Posted by honda03842

David,

I didn't extend my kitchen utensil drawer but I did get rid of those aluminum channels, they drove me crazy.

I have to believe that there's a market for a Scamp specifically designed for 1-2 people. I can't imagine why it doesn't exist.

Clearly, at least to me, Scamp could use better use of the storage space. Anything that is a nose bleed to get to might as well not be there. Aside from that it would be nice to have more layout options or perhaps options from a pull down menu. When I bought my Scamp there were no options designed for a single person. One of the benches by the table is now converted soley to storage, because ...well, I can't sit on both sides at once . For me it would be nice to have a really comfortable chair and a smaller table. I love to read in the evenings and there is no place I can sit for long because it's just not comfortable.

Anyway, we are just wishing at the moon you know. The sky is the limit

David

[honda03842]

For me it would be nice to have a really comfortable chair and a smaller table. I love to read in the evenings and there is no place I can sit for long because it's just not comfortable.

David[/QUOTE]

We have a small table. Ours is 24x30". It has to be one of the easiest mods and really opens up the trailer and removes a lot of OSB.

[DavidSo]

Norm,
I love that table! What wood is that? Cedar? I cut about a foot off my factory table and refinished the edge, but a new wood table would be sweet. I wish I had a planer/joiner

You are so right that shortening the table makes the room bigger. Access to the rear cabinet storage is so much easier. It's also easier to sit down and get up.

David

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by DavidSo

Norm,
I love that table! What wood is that? Cedar? I cut about a foot off my factory table and refinished the edge, but a new wood table would be sweet. I wish I had a planer/joiner

You are so right that shortening the table makes the room bigger. Access to the rear cabinet storage is so much easier. It's also easier to sit down and get up.

David

Easy Table.

I went to Home Depot and bought a 2'x3'x0.6" built up board of glued pine boards and cut it to 30" I stained it and then urethaned it a couple of coats and gave it a light sanding to knock down the 'bumps'.

To get a nice thick coat of urethane on the top I put the table top on a level surface. I put a piece of blue painters tape around all edges so the tape was above the top surface about a 1/4 inch and than simply poured urethane on the top surfaces. I used fast drying gloss urethane.

Mounted the old hardware and one has a table.

I made it 30" wide so it could still bridge the dinette seats. As well if you look at the Preparing thread you'll see my top surface is attached to another virtually identical table piece with hinges that lets me bridge the whole dinette length so we can make up our bed. The hinged half table is much easier to set up than the OSB table.

We have had a table like this in our previous trailer and it worked there as well. For that table top we used an Oak stair tread, cutting it in half and gluing the two halfs together. The pine version is lighter, thinner and less expensive.

The shortened table is much simpler, even when having another couple over, the whole sliding in thing disappears. If I were clever I would have designed this so when it unfolded it could create a full table when up.

Snow Thursday in NH......

[DavidSo]

Norm,
The pre-made board idea is perfect. I wish I had a Home Depot near. The closest such place is an all day round trip. Maybe I can mail order it. The top looks like glass. Thanks for the tape tip. They make a "pouring urethane" too, but I've never used it.
David

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by DavidSo

Norm,
The pre-made board idea is perfect. I wish I had a Home Depot near. The closest such place is an all day round trip. Maybe I can mail order it. The top looks like glass. Thanks for the tape tip. They make a "pouring urethane" too, but I've never used it.
David

Lowes sells it as well and so do many lumber yards.

[honda03842]

We now have 800 miles on our Tire Pressure Monitoring System and have learned a couple of things.

The sensors are on the Scamp's tires and our Honda CRV's rear tires.

The Scamps tires were set to 46 pounds )max rating is 50 lbs cold) and the Honda's tires were set to 39 pounds (max rating is 44 lbs cold),
I used a traditional old fashioned tire gauge to set them.

When running the trailer's tire pressure seems to jump to 51-52 pounds when running and the Honda's to 42-43.

The sensors also measure air temperature within the tires. Though it may not be truely accurate, changes and relative temperature are probably relevant. It interests me that the Honda's rear tire temperatures are typically 5-10 degrees higher than the trailer's tire temperatures.

Still learning....

[DavidSo]

Originally Posted by honda03842

We now have 800 miles on our Tire Pressure Monitoring System and have learned a couple of things.

The sensors are on the Scamp's tires and our Honda CRV's rear tires.

The Scamps tires were set to 46 pounds )max rating is 50 lbs cold) and the Honda's tires were set to 39 pounds (max rating is 44 lbs cold),
I used a traditional old fashioned tire gauge to set them.

When running the trailer's tire pressure seems to jump to 51-52 pounds when running and the Honda's to 42-43.

The sensors also measure air temperature within the tires. Though it may not be truely accurate, changes and relative temperature are probably relevant. It interests me that the Honda's rear tire temperatures are typically 5-10 degrees higher than the trailer's tire temperatures.

Still learning....

Norm,
Perhaps the trailer sensors are cooling at a faster rate? Do the numbers change much when you stop? Are the starting temps comparable? Those things might give an indication. It's also completely believable that differences will occur . The sensors in my tires don't give an actual pressure or temperature unfortunately. They only alarm when one drops below the others.
David

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by DavidSo

Norm,
Perhaps the trailer sensors are cooling at a faster rate? Do the numbers change much when you stop? Are the starting temps comparable? Those things might give an indication. It's also completely believable that differences will occur .

I did a more careful test and went around and adjusted the tire pressure with a digital gauge, not that they are absolutely accurate but they should be relatively accurate, the same from tire to tire.

When I start up the car all tire temperatures read the same. After a little driving the Honda's rear tires are 5 degrees warmer than the trailer tires. When we stop the temperatures equalize.

Today the Honda tires were at 44 psi and the trailers at 51 psi.

[honda03842]

Some thoughts on modifications:

Solar Panels.
We shut off our converter and use the Solar Panels to keep the battery charged. We run about 5 LEDs and one incandescent for about 5 hours a night. We run the fridge's 12 volt muffin fans all day and night.

The solar panel keeps the batteries fully charged and are in the charging mode about 11 hours a day.

Closet AC.
We used our 5000 btu AC unit yesterday for the first time and it works well, quickly knocking down the humidity.

Fridge Fan
Our fridge is under the kitchen counter. The fridge is usually pretty full. Without the fan running the top of the counter gets hot. With it on the counter stays cool. Fridge temps in Florida seem to range between 35 and 42, related to time of day or opening of the door or reloading of the fridge.

Thermometers.
We have three thermometers in the trailer. One in the AC's exhaust box, one in the fridge on the door and one in the trailer.

Red Max 3.
Every one who see's our trailer thinks it's brand new. Actually we have a few small spots where the Red Max 3 has come off, a couple of spots on the rock shield and a couple on the roof. I'm not sure if these were places I did not clean wax off well enough. I will say the trailer glows.

Daily Bed.
This is our first year of making the bed up every day. We do the bed together. I put the table down and rearrange the cushions. Ginny gts out the mattres topper and the pillows. It takes about 5 minutes.

Mattress top storage.
We store our 1.5" thick mattress topper under the bottom and back of the front couch. It's invisible to visitors and comes out in seconds. It is cut into two nearly square pieces.

Handy solutions.
Probably the most handy solutions are the addition of a number of in-place small white baskets with specific items in them, like one with bandaids and antiseptic cream, another clippers and tweasers, and so on...

Another highly used item is our simple rear bumper clothes line used every day to dry towels and swim suits.

Hamper
This is our first trailer with a hamper compartment located above our Air Conditioner. We keep a laundry bag in there that dirty clothes go into. It easily holds a weeks worth of clothing.

Future mods.
Before we enter the Neveda Mountains in September I hope to add a second battery and possibly complete the transmission cooler heater off the hot water tank.

[honda03842]

I have now mounted 3 boxes to the underneath of the floor of the trailer. These boxes are located between the frame and the fiberglass side of the trailer.

Each box is 14x11x3". One box contains a 10' hose, filter and miscellaneous plumbing items. Another box holds caulking compound, white caps, and other miscellaneous repair items. The third box contains a 50' 14/3 construction extension cord and other electrical items. This is all stuff I rarely use but do carry. It is now out of the way.

It is my plan to add two large boxes on slides behind the gray tank and under the trailer when I reach Seattle.

The smaller box's covers are simply screwed to the bottom of the floor and their handles lock on to the covers. As insurance each box also has a security bungee cord. I may enhance this before we leave NM.

A picture of one of the $3.50 boxes from Dollar General follows.

[honda03842]

We've added 3 small storage boxes to the bottom of our Scamp and have now driven some 400 miles with them. I want to report there have been no issues.

Before we left Benson, NM I added a large brass cup hook to each handle of two of the box to stiffen the holding power. You simply rotate the hooks a 1/4 turn, release the handles on each end and the bottom of the box comes off. I have kept the bungee cords as a back up to the hooks.

The second picture shows two boxes on one side. The closet box contains a hose 'y' for connecting two hoses, a water filter and a spare 10' hose. Things I rarely use but sometimes need.

[John_M]

I was hoping to hear that they were working out well, this is a great way to store some of the stuff you need only once in a while.

Thanks Norm and Ginny!

[honda03842]

John,

I've wondered if they will get water in them though they stuff I've stored is not water sensitive. I guess I'll see what happens as we near Seattle.

They may be relatively watertight because the lids overlap the boxes.
We have had very high winds and sand does not seem to have entered the boxes.

My next plan is to get a couple of larger boxes for the center section behind the gray tank. I plan to mount those on slides so they can drop down and slide under the bumper box.

To this point I have not figured what I'd store in the two larger boxes If the boxes are water tight I might store some of the clothing that is regional, like our heavier sweaters I suppose as a second level of protection I could enclose them in a plastic bag inside the box.

Another option is to store the fluids (distilled water, paint, oil, ...) I now carry in the back of the Honda in one of these boxes.

The larger boxes also have an advantage over the smaller boxes in that they are not located directly behind the wheel wells and less in the line of wheel well splash.

[honda03842]

I've added the first of two storage boxes in the center section behind our trailers gray tank.

The storage box is suspended from ball bearing slides. Releasing the front of the box causes it to pivot down and extend 20 inches out towards the side of the trailer for access.

Each box is 18x12x7 inches.

Picture 1 shows the box in place.

Picture 2 shows it extended on it's slides.

[Thomas G.]

Very clever Norm.

[honda03842]

Thanks for the kind words. The concept of using the underneath for storage came from someone selling their Scamp. I've extended it a little by adding slides.

When I'm finished I'll have 5 boxes in the rear, 3 small and 2 large. I also plan to add 2 large boxes to the front.

[Carol H]

Norm in post 213 you have a small box mounted under what on my trailer would be my fresh water tank. Is yours not located on the passenger side under the rear bench as well? if it is how did you screw them into the floor without worrying about going into the tank above???