Scamp--Why do people change the axle & tires?

[jessluna]

Hello Friends. I'm new here. I am considering a vintage Scamp purchase (pre-fire & one that will fit in my garage). I have read that many here have changed their axle and upgraded to 15 inch tires to be zero-degrees compared to the hitch of their car.

So, is there a reason, other than it being even with the towing car, that people need to change their axles even if the axle is in good shape and not bent? Specifically, if I purchase a very old Scamp with a very old axle, will I be needing to replace it anytime soon? I apologize in advance if this is a very unenlightened question; this is just not my field of expertise.

I will be towing with an SUV if that makes any difference.

Also, for those of you who own a vintage fiberglass rv, do you find any consistent problems (i.e., leaky windows? mold?) that I should be prepared to deal with?

[Alex Adams]

The torsion axle on Scamps have a useful life of 15 to 20 years at most. If you have the original on an older trailer then it won't do much to dampen the bumps. The way the axle works is the spindles which hold the wheels are driven into a tube filled with rubber. The rubber acts to absorb the shock of bumps. As it ages, the rubber hardens thus lessening the damping effect. You can run on an old axle, but every bump will have it's force transferred fully to the trailer and sooner or later things will start to fall apart.

If you buy an older trailer and the windows have not been resealed, then its a good bet they will leak. A typical giveaway would be if the previous owner put silicone caulk around the window frames like on my 1979 Boler. If you see silicone or if the windows have never been resealed, then you should do that as soon as possible.

[floyd]

One main reason I went to a zero axle is that my "prefire" 13Scamp has a graywater tank and a shower sump and waste drain pipes under it.
It has always been at risk when entering or leaving curbs or driveways such as fuel stops.
Also I acquired 10" brakes with the new axle.
I did keep 13" wheels and tires however since I saw no advantage in going larger.
The increased ground clearance is nice.

The newer Scamp13s have 2-1/2" more interior height but most prefire 13s have difficulty with 7' doors anyway what with A/C, vents and such on the roof.
I changed my axle after 16 years and 80+ thousand miles to gain ground clearance and big brakes....
My original axle was in good shape did not unduly wear tires. Torsion axles do not "time out" although like everything else they do eventually "wear out"and develop negative camber and tire wear.

[jessluna]

I appreciate the response. It's very helpful.

[Jon in AZ]

There are three reasons to replace an axle: (1) because it’s worn out, (2) to get brakes, and (3) to increase ground clearance.

Don’t automatically assume an older trailer needs a new axle. There’s always the possibility that it’s been replaced at least once before. One simple test involves jacking up one side of the trailer (on the frame just behind the axle, never on the axle tube). Measure how much the wheel drops in the well as the trailer rises. Little or no movement means a dead axle. Uneven treadwear is another sign, but many sellers will replace bad tires before listing, so that may not show up until you've towed several thousand miles.

Some older Scamps have the axle mounted backward, with the axle arms facing forward (leading arm). Newer units have the arms pointed toward the rear (trailing arm), which is the normal way. Older Scamps had 4-lug wheels. Now they have 5-lug wheels. Updating to 5-lug requires modifying the spare tire mount. You can keep the original configuration or change to the current set-up.

Look behind the wheel on an older trailer to see if it has brakes. If it doesn't, look for a tilted square flange on the axle with bolt holes in the corners. If it has that, you can add brakes without changing the axle. If not, changing the whole axle is the only way to get brakes.

Ground clearance and garageability are mutually exclusive. Older (2005 and earlier) 13’ Scamps with the factory axle and wheels and without any roof add-ons (A/C , TV antenna, MaxAir fan...) will barely fit in a 7’ garage. Some finagling may be required (reducing tire pressure or putting on small storage wheels). Any changes that increase height will make it a no-go.

Getting 15” tires to fit on a 13’ Scamp will require a pretty extreme lift on the axle (16’ and 19’ are easier). And there's this: if you are planning any serious off-road use, the whole frame should really be rebuilt and reinforced as well, especially on an older Scamp, which has a lighter frame. If you're just planning highway and improved back road use, then the stock 13" wheels are fine. Tires are now available in a more robust load range D.

[Timber Wolf]

My axle was dead, dead, dead. I gained new, larger brakes and five lug spindles in the swap. I stayed with the original size wheels/tires, just new and better. I am very happy with the “upgrade” to my 16.

[JessieJanet]

We upgraded after our bearings burned out early in a trip, & we had to buy a new hub - we bought 2, as who knew how much life the other had. The same trip, on the way home, we had a punctured tire, & had to buy 2, as the store did not have our size. Turns out, the 13's in our area are difficult to come by (according to our tire guy). We upgraded to 15" (more readily available), which also raised our height by about 3", meant we had to adjust our (replaced) gooseneck accordingly! Never a dull moment.

[Dan Meyer]

Originally Posted by Alex Adams

The torsion axle on Scamps have a useful life of 15 to 20 years at most.

I'm not sure where this old saw comes from. The 20 year old axle in my '00 Scamp 16 (that I bought new) is functioning just fine. I don't bother taking any weight off the axle in the winter either. Of all of the systems in my Scamp, I don't worry about the axle at all.



--Dan Meyer

[Jon in AZ]

That “old saw” comes from the manufacturer. Of course they would like to sell you a new axle.

OTOH, I have heard many reports from folks who replaced their axle and experienced a significant improvement in ride quality. Typically these kinds of reports come from owners of older trailers with axles well beyond the 20 year mark.

Bottom line is they don’t suddenly expire at 15 or 20 years, but neither do they last forever. The rubber cords inside degrade and lose their resiliency, just like tires, bushings, gaskets, and countless products made from rubber. Lots of factors affect how quickly they age, including climate and use. The decrease in ride quality is very gradual, so it often goes unnoticed. Unlike tires, there is no great safety issue with keeping a superannuated axle in service as long as there is no unusual tire wear and you keep the bearings greased.

I will probably replace the axle on my 2008 sometime in the next 3-5 years. I'd like to have the extra ground clearance of the new zero degree axle and the larger brakes for safety.

[Lisa in Michigan]

We had a 1974 boler 13, replacing the axle after 40 years made a remarkable difference . The "rolling earthquake" turned into a "rolling tremor". It was much easier to tow on Michigan's bumpy roads.

[jessluna]

Originally Posted by Lisa in Michigan

We had a 1974 boler 13, replacing the axle after 40 years made a remarkable difference . The "rolling earthquake" turned into a "rolling tremor". It was much easier to tow on Michigan's bumpy roads.

Did you raise it higher? Or you saw an improvement even when the same height, just new axle?

[Lisa in Michigan]

We just did a new axle. Didn't want it higher because we stored it in our garage. Though it did raise a smidge with the new axle, 1/2 inch maybe. Could still just get it in the garage if we took the trailer roof vent cover off.

How old is the very old scamp you are considering?

[jessluna]

Originally Posted by Lisa in Michigan

We just did a new axle. Didn't want it higher because we stored it in our garage. Though it did raise a smidge with the new axle, 1/2 inch maybe. Could still just get it in the garage if we took the trailer roof vent cover off.

How old is the very old scamp you are considering?

Its from the 1980s. I probably will need to change the axle and add in brakes. Im glad to hear that yours still fits in the garage even with a new axle. Im hoping for the same results.

[Duane M. Rykhus]

Hi everyone just thought i would give my exsperience with low clearance on a Scamp 13 2017 every year we go on a trip of 3,000 miles or more with alot of diferant terain and found we have the clerance when off road but some city driveways are the ones to watch out for. Higher axle will mean a higher garage door some people can get a Scamp in a 7 foot but i made mine a 8 foot from a 7 foot now i could if i want but a lift on. E Trailer has this on thier web site easy to install but im going to stay with factory setup. If you feel the need for real off road camping Scamp might not be the right chiose.

[Peder_y2k]

Are replacement axles available with urethane instead of rubber as the damping agent? Urethane should last much longer as it is impervious to things that degrade rubber. But then it may be less flexible.....

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Peder_y2k

Are replacement axles available with urethane instead of rubber as the damping agent? Urethane should last much longer as it is impervious to things that degrade rubber. But then it may be less flexible.....

No, but remember that on torsion axles the rubber is sealed inside the axle and not exposed to the elements