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09-19-2014, 09:42 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 113
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Finally - Shocks on our Scamp
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.
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09-19-2014, 10:44 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Trailer: 1988 16 ft Scamp Deluxe
Posts: 25,708
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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.
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward - 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Double Yolk - 1988 16' Scamp Deluxe
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09-19-2014, 10:49 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 113
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Quote:
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.
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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!
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09-19-2014, 11:06 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Trailer: 1988 16 ft Scamp Deluxe
Posts: 25,708
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John Spring NOG is the last full weekend in April at L.L. Stub Stewart. We're making reservations now Come on up!
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward - 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Double Yolk - 1988 16' Scamp Deluxe
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09-19-2014, 11:28 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Name: Tim
Trailer: '88 Scamp 16, layout 4
North Florida
Posts: 1,547
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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.
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09-19-2014, 12:40 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 113
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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.
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09-19-2014, 01:22 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Name: Tim
Trailer: '88 Scamp 16, layout 4
North Florida
Posts: 1,547
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Quote:
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.
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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!
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09-19-2014, 02:21 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Name: Frank
Trailer: 2012 ParkLiner #006
New York
Posts: 2,273
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Very cool! Nice work.
Frank
__________________
2012 ParkLiner #006
2013 4wd 4 door F150 3.5L Ecoboost with 9200# tow package
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09-19-2014, 02:45 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Name: Mike
Trailer: 2001 Spirit Deluxe 17" K5NAN
Texas
Posts: 688
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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.
__________________
Mike
K5NAN
"Miss Adventures"
If you Rest, You Rust
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09-19-2014, 05:44 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 113
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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.
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09-20-2014, 12:45 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 113
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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!
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09-22-2014, 06:23 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Name: Jared
Trailer: 1984 19' scamp
Kansas
Posts: 1,610
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Good idea. I might have to copy that.
Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV
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09-24-2014, 10:53 AM
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#14
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member
Name: J
Isle of Wight
Posts: 536
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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 - 2 wheel plates + locknuts
- 2 Monroe 555003 shocks
- 2 Trimmed lower mount bolt + washer/nut
- 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
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09-24-2014, 11:02 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Name: Tim
Trailer: '88 Scamp 16, layout 4
North Florida
Posts: 1,547
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Quote:
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 - 2 wheel plates + locknuts
- 2 Monroe 555003 shocks
- 2 Trimmed lower mount bolt + washer/nut
- 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
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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.
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09-25-2014, 09:58 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Name: Mike & Helene
Trailer: Scamp 5er
Florida
Posts: 105
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I would be VERY interested in a good kit. Tell me more
__________________
Mike "Sully" Sullivan
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09-25-2014, 08:57 PM
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#17
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member
Name: J
Isle of Wight
Posts: 536
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Sullivan
I would be VERY interested in a good kit. Tell me more
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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
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09-26-2014, 12:18 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Name: Dave
Trailer: Casita SD17 2006 "Missing Link"
California
Posts: 3,738
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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.
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10-14-2014, 02:59 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 721
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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
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11-09-2014, 10:36 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Name: Mike
Trailer: 2001 Spirit Deluxe 17" K5NAN
Texas
Posts: 688
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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.
__________________
Mike
K5NAN
"Miss Adventures"
If you Rest, You Rust
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