Scamp 19 anyone modified to tow behind an SUV?

[Wayne Hill]

Good morning,
I was wondering if anyone has modified their 19 ft Scamp to enable it to become a bumper pull?
By either modifying the trailer frame and hitch or extended the ball mount on the SUV or a combination of both?.
Is the frame a one piece support or is it bolted onto the existing trailer frame somewhere so that modifications can be made to it?

Anyone have any thoughts on how safe this would be?
How about handling characteristics when towing?
Would the trailer front clear the back of the SUV when turning?
It would sure look weird.
Wayne

[Jerry71]

Originally Posted by Wayne Hill

Good morning,
I was wondering if anyone has modified their 19 ft Scamp to enable it to become a bumper pull?
By either modifying the trailer frame and hitch or extended the ball mount on the SUV or a combination of both?.
Is the frame a one piece support or is it bolted onto the existing trailer frame somewhere so that modifications can be made to it?

Anyone have any thoughts on how safe this would be?
How about handling characteristics when towing?
Would the trailer front clear the back of the SUV when turning?
It would sure look weird.
Wayne

Here is a thread that has discussed this before.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...eel-25839.html
I don't know what the out come was, but it may help. I swear at one time I saw a picture of some one that had done that exact thing. But I can't find it now.

Addendum: I knew I had seen a picture of it before. Here's the thread that I was referring to:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ull-37358.html
Doesn't look or sound like too many would be in favor of doing this however.

[Wayne Hill]

Jerry71,

Thanks for the information, links and picture.
Somehow I missed seeing that when I did a search.
As per some of the conversations. My "gut" said that it is a bad idea but I was interested to know if anyone had put together a system.
I had something like that picture of the modified hitch arrangement figured out in my head, except that it would be a 18" rise ball mount that fit into a regular 2" receiver. The ball and ball mount are certified and manufactured to carry more than the hitch is rated for. (750 - 7500 lbs)

Rear weight on the receiver would be approx 500 lbs. Trailer towing weight would be well within the 5000 lb hitch capacity.

Wayne

[Jerry71]

You mean something kind of like this?
You may have seen this before, but it is worth a second look.
Sometimes you just have to shake your head and wonder.

[Wayne Hill]

Jerry,
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA ...Wipe tears from my eyes.. Look again. HA HA HA
Especially like the wood 4 x 4 on the hitch complete with dowel so that it doesn't slip out HA HA HA HA
How about the sheet metal screws holding the hitch on? They don't appear to go thru both sides of the tail gate.
I guess why bother? After all he did reinforce the tail gate with dog chain? HA HA HA
And last but not least, any turns you make would have to take 10 miles or so or you would bend either your rear or the trailer. Oh my aching sides.

And it's in the mountains somewhere.. HA HA HA HA

Jerry, that is so NOT what I had in mind. HA HA HA

Wayne

[Borden]

what about a hitch connected to a dolly rig with 5th wheel on it; the dolly would take the weight and the suv would do the pull This system is used to pull a pup behind a Tandom dump truck all the time.

[Borden]

Wayne Hill
See pic from wikipedia of pup 5th wheel dolly behind a tandom dump truck

[Borden]

A solution is but an idea away

[Borden]

Like all the info I get on this site great group! Great pictures of the pickup truck solution

Originally Posted by Jerry71

You mean something kind of like this?
You may have seen this before, but it is worth a second look.
Sometimes you just have to shake your head and wonder.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Borden

what about a hitch connected to a dolly rig with 5th wheel on it; the dolly would take the weight and the suv would do the pull This system is used to pull a pup behind a Tandom dump truck all the time.

Commercial rigs have one set of rules of the road, etc. and common citizens get another set of rules. Using a dolly to pull a 5th wheel or gooseneck by a citizen with a non-commercial tug is not legal in Oregon. Same may apply in other states.

[Jerry71]

It looks like folks have been trying to figure this porblem out for quite some time now.

YouTube - 1974 Volkswagen Beetle & Camper - road test

At least since 1974.

I guess the link won't let me imbed it here. If you so inclince check out this utube vidio. It's pretty amazing.

[Borden]

The ideas all would likely be band by MTO in Ontario but this is fun.

[Donna D.]

The only solution I can think of that would work and would (probably) be legal everywhere is to put the 5th wheel on a flat bed trailer. But perhaps that would cause an over weight problem....

[Wayne Hill]

Hi Jerry71,
Where do you find this stuff?. The hitch looks suspiciously like the Scamps present day hook up. Has anyone from Scamp seen this?

YouTube - 1974 Volkswagen Beetle & Camper - road test

By the way I got the video to run just fine. I clicked on the top line which turns yellow , actually I right clicked it and hit OPEN.

Boy, am I ever behind the pack, since 1974 wow. LOL

We couldn't do it today - no rain gutters on most vehicles. LOL

Wayne

[Lizbeth]

Over the last few year there have been a couple (or possibly the same one more than once) Scamps for sale that have been modified to bumper tow. There was a bolt on framework that ran from the trailer frame under the trailer and also under the overhead. Kind of an "L" shaped affair that could be removed to return it to a bed hitch.

[Greg H]

I always get in trouble but, why would you do this?

[Lizbeth]

Because not everyone loves having the bed of the truck taken up by the hitch but still wants a 5th wheel.

[Greg H]

Yeah I guess, I've got a 31'Nomad 5er here but I guess I never really worried about the hitch because it was removable and the trailer was big enough to haul the junk that didn't fit the bed. I have seen guys pulling Gooseneck horse trailers to the dealers with the second trailer hooked to some kind of two wheeled dolly.

[Lyndon Laney]

[QUOTE=Wayne Hill;234771]Good morning,
I was wondering if anyone has modified their 19 ft Scamp to enable it to become a bumper pull?
By either modifying the trailer frame and hitch or extended the ball mount on the SUV or a combination of both?.
Is the frame a one piece support or is it bolted onto the existing trailer frame somewhere so that modifications can be made to it?
I think the weight would be too great for most smaller TV's But it has been done and quite sucessful by a friend of mine in Wi. This set up has worked for the many years now and he has done this all his life so not just a whim. I have seen another that was not very safe Here is a picture of Frank's set up

[Wayne Hill]

Lyndon Laney;
Thanks for the photo. You are right, it would be too heavy for most smaller SUVs - typically tow rated at 500 lbs and 5000 lbs? Just running the numbers on my SUV, pretty much anything added to the front frame of the trailer would put my SUV over its rated capacity. Interesting hook up none the less.
It gave me a good visual of what "my" initial design would look like.
Wayne