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Old 06-13-2020, 07:56 PM   #1
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Name: zack
Trailer: scamp 13
California
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Tow ball height

Hi. I tow a 2015 Scamp 13 with a 2008 4Runner. Mostly just covering short distances (40 miles). I like to camp with the trailer and tow vehicle hooked, moving around several times a day, and my problem has to do with the tow ball height. The idea tow ball height for camping, that makes it most easy to park with the trailer level, is a 4" drop. However, when towing over cattle guards and other things, that puts the jack dangerously low and I wrecked one jack, it bottomed out, during my first year. After that I went to a 2" drop, but that makes it more difficult to get the trailer level when I park. I am not sure there is a solution to this; I don't think that there are hitches that can be adjusted while connected, but I just thought I would put it out there and see if anyone has a suggestion. (Basically, 2" drop is works for towing, while a 4" drop is better for camping.). Thanks.
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Old 06-13-2020, 08:21 PM   #2
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You might want to take a look at the Fastway flip jack foot.
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Old 06-13-2020, 08:55 PM   #3
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The trailer should be level, not nose up, when towing, so I’d work on the jack. Another option is the Ultimate Jack.
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Old 06-14-2020, 11:20 AM   #4
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Name: Bill
Trailer: Scamp
CA
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Tongue jack for Scamp 13

Quote:
Originally Posted by zack sc View Post
Hi. I tow a 2015 Scamp 13 with a 2008 4Runner. Mostly just covering short distances (40 miles). I like to camp with the trailer and tow vehicle hooked, moving around several times a day, and my problem has to do with the tow ball height. The idea tow ball height for camping, that makes it most easy to park with the trailer level, is a 4" drop. However, when towing over cattle guards and other things, that puts the jack dangerously low and I wrecked one jack, it bottomed out, during my first year. After that I went to a 2" drop, but that makes it more difficult to get the trailer level when I park. I am not sure there is a solution to this; I don't think that there are hitches that can be adjusted while connected, but I just thought I would put it out there and see if anyone has a suggestion. (Basically, 2" drop is works for towing, while a 4" drop is better for camping.). Thanks.
The standard jack on my Scamp 13' was to low to go over some humps. I went to my local R/V supply store and bought one that raises the foot about 5.5" higher than the old one. It's a Tuff-Tow brand, model TTJA2001T. https://tuff-tow.com/jacks_aframe.html.
There are several models on the web page that appear to raise higher. The 5.5 inches were more than enough. The prices weren't on that page, but they're probably between $30 to $40 delivered.

Bill
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Old 06-21-2020, 06:11 PM   #5
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Name: Larry
Trailer: Trillium
Arizona
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Swivel Jack

Solution...

Get a swivel jack. Pix of a new one and the old one I have been
using on My 78 Trillium 1300. It was on there when I purchased
over 10 years. Works great and is completely out of the way
when towing....

Uncle Larry
Attached Thumbnails
Swivel Jack 2.png   Swivel Jack.png  

Trillium Swivel Jack.JPG  
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Old 06-21-2020, 06:28 PM   #6
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Name: JD
Trailer: Scamp 16 Modified (BIGLY)
Florida
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The top of my ball is about 19" and the trailer is set up for that height, but if I stay hooked up and the front needs to be raised to level I will just use the Ultimate jack to raise both the trailer front and the TV rear. If I have to do that I usually also deploy the stabilizers to the ground and then tension them with the raised front.
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Old 06-22-2020, 08:27 AM   #7
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Colorado
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There are very many kinds of ball mounts like this:


https://www.etrailer.com/Drop-Hitch/Curt/C45900.html
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Old 06-22-2020, 10:46 AM   #8
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Smith Valley, Nevada
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The swivel jack is probably the best solution for you. But you can also carry a couple of 2 x 6 boards to drive up onto for leveling. Or three, so you can also level side to side. I stop often without disconnecting. Usually I don't put down the stabilizers, and often not even the jack, unless I have to level it a bit.

My trailer is about an inch low in the front and I'm getting used to stopping on a slight upgrade to naturally level it. Or drive up onto a board on one side to level it side to side. Or drive the truck rear wheels up onto the boards if I'm on a downslope.
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Old 06-22-2020, 12:20 PM   #9
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Swivel jacks are okay- a bit more wobbly than an A-frame jack in my experience- until you end up in a place where you don’t have enough clearance to swing the jack down. Then they’re a PITA.
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Old 06-22-2020, 12:37 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon in AZ View Post
Swivel jacks are okay- a bit more wobbly than an A-frame jack in my experience- until you end up in a place where you don’t have enough clearance to swing the jack down. Then they’re a PITA.
Yeah, all true, but not as much of a PITA as snagging a fixed jack on the ground while driving, or constantly having to compensate for it.

One could put larger diameter wheels on the trailer, or replace the worn out axle, or add stiffer springs, or just tow it nose high and park on blocks, etc. Or mount the jack higher and put a block under it each time it gats used.
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Old 06-22-2020, 12:56 PM   #11
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The Ultimate Jack solves all those problems very elegantly and without the disadvantages of a swing-away jack.

Personal preference of course, but I’ve owned trailers with swing-away jacks and I just don’t like 'em.
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Old 06-22-2020, 01:18 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon in AZ View Post
Personal preference of course, but I’ve owned trailers with swing-away jacks and I just don’t like them.
They do seem to mostly be wobbly. I had one break and drop the trailer. I'm in the process, today, of replacing the swivel jack on my Black Series with a fixed Bulldog jack.

I've found what works best for me is mounting the fixed jack up high and using a modified jackstand to support the foot. This has a number of advantages, such as not having to wind it so far, making it adaptable to slopes, and keeping it up out of the way. The jackstand offers a wide stance on the ground for stability and the jack stem can go into a socket that keeps it from slipping off the jackstand.

All three of the jacks on my Oliver, the front jack and the two stabilizer jacks, had these jackstand bases and it worked very well.
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Old 06-22-2020, 01:30 PM   #13
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One of the problems with having the jack at the front of the tongue is that is seems to always get in the way of the tailgate. I hate that design flaw in trailers. Oliver had the good sense to mount the jack rearward and have a long tongue to not block the tailgate. Same with my Black Series.

Swivel jacks are mounted on the side of the tongue. Which means you have to be on that side to work it and it means all of the stress is on one side of the tongue.

My new Bulldog is getting mounted back near the body and on center. It will have an extension leg with wide ground plate, and an extension leg that can be used with a wheel or a jackstand.
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Old 06-22-2020, 02:38 PM   #14
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Tow ball height

The Scamp factory A-frame jack does not interfere with the liftgate on our previous Sienna and current Pilot, nor with the cargo doors on our Chevy Express van (even though the ball sits unusually close to the bumper). Guess the problem is mostly with pickup trucks. There is another option for pickups: the Jack-E-Up, which makes the tongue jack completely removable without tools.

One issue with a smaller trailer is you don’t really want to have to cart around too many extra bits and pieces due to limited storage. Unless you have a truck... [emoji6]
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Old 06-22-2020, 05:28 PM   #15
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I agree with not wanting to carry around too many extra parts, and it is less likely with the more level the ground is. I tend to get off-road more and the extension of the jack can vary wildly.
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Old 06-27-2020, 04:13 PM   #16
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Been there Done that

Hey, Did the same thing to our 1st jack. Got another jack (probably Harbour Freight) and made standoffs to raise the foot high enough to at least be above the bottom of the hitch ball. Used 4" long 3/4" galvanized pipe & some long bolts. (See Photo) Works just fine. Just need to make sure that your new jack is short enough so that you can still open the tailgate of the TV. Dennis.
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Old 07-01-2020, 11:07 AM   #17
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I just cut off a few inches from the part that protrudes down. May not have been a good idea but it worked to solve the immediate problem.
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Old 07-01-2020, 11:41 AM   #18
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Name: zack
Trailer: scamp 13
California
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ultimate

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon in AZ View Post
The trailer should be level, not nose up, when towing, so I’d work on the jack. Another option is the Ultimate Jack.
that looks promising. does it work well? any downside to the ultimate jack?
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Old 07-01-2020, 11:43 AM   #19
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Name: zack
Trailer: scamp 13
California
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vs

Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry C Hanson View Post
Solution...

Get a swivel jack. Pix of a new one and the old one I have been
using on My 78 Trillium 1300. It was on there when I purchased
over 10 years. Works great and is completely out of the way
when towing....

Uncle Larry
what do you think about swivel jack vs ultimate jack. What are pros & cons?
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Old 07-09-2020, 05:38 PM   #20
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Name: zack
Trailer: scamp 13
California
Posts: 342
new

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon in AZ View Post
The Scamp factory A-frame jack does not interfere with the liftgate on our previous Sienna and current Pilot, nor with the cargo doors on our Chevy Express van (even though the ball sits unusually close to the bumper). Guess the problem is mostly with pickup trucks. There is another option for pickups: the Jack-E-Up, which makes the tongue jack completely removable without tools.

One issue with a smaller trailer is you don’t really want to have to cart around too many extra bits and pieces due to limited storage. Unless you have a truck... [emoji6]
Do you think maybe I could ask Scamp to install an ultimate jack from the get go on the Scamp 13 I have in the que now? (Instead of their usual one
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