Maintenance & Restoration

boats19 · 01-24-2015, 08:22 AM

Hi,
I'm a tent camper. My boy's and I take a week every summer and rough it in the woods. Also, my brothers and I spend a week kayaking down a Michigan river and camping along the shore as we go.

Recently, my older brother got a pop-up trailer. I have borrowed it a couple of times... I like the convenience of cooking on a stove top and (as I'm getting older) sleeping on something a little more comfortable than a tree root. The down side is all of the set up involved with the thing. And I'm the kind of guy that likes to return things better than I find them, so I have to set it up again at home to wash/vacuum/fabreze...before I take it back.

My first career was in the USCG. During my tour in Sault Ste Marie I used their morale trailer, a 13' Scamp on several occasions. It had all of the necessities with none of the excesses. It towed as if it wasn't even there behind a Dodge Caravan. For me it was the perfect RV!

Now I am getting close to a second retirement and I want to spend more time in the woods. I've been on this site for nearing two weeks browsing and chatting with great people while looking out at the cold white stuff... All the while dreaming of the smell of the woods and a camp fire.

Then I am reminded of Veruca's song "I want it now!"

Sign me as patiently searching for a 13' Scamp.

TomK · 01-24-2015, 01:40 PM

Boats19, you could do far worse than a Scamp! My wife and I have been looking at a variety of small trailers, from Scamps, Casitas, Aliners, Teardrops, T@bs, etc. In fact we looked for 8 long years. We kept coming back to Scamp. We bought a new 13 Standard because they weren't all that much more $$ than a nice used one. By buying new, we picked out the options we wanted and would use. Scamp allows a surprising amount of flexibility as far as that goes. Bottom line is we picked ours up last Aug, and couldn't be happier.

Many of the reasons you related applied to us. Long time tent campers, ready to kick back a little and enjoy our surroundings in comfort. We want to do some traveling as well. A Scamp or similar allows you to drive to a location and enter your castle in seconds if you need to. A pop-up as you know is a different animal. It takes a long time setting up and tearing down. It's just not practical for stopping every night and setting up when on a multi-day trip to your destination. You know all this. Now you just have to listen to that little voice in your head, or should I say "song" in your head?

You are at the right place here at this forum. I learned enough to get a bachelor's degree in Scampology on these pages. I, or many of the even smarter folks here would be happy to answer your questions. Just don't wait 8 years!

Tom

EcoHeliGuy · 01-24-2015, 03:05 PM

Wife and I have been car camping and tenting for years. First it was backpacking trips in the Rockies. Then double mattress in a Jeep Cherokee. Then a double mattress in a CRV. Then back to tent camping with a Mini Cooper. Then back to double air mattress in a Subaru Crosstrek (funny thing the mattress actually fit the "smaller" Subaru inside better then the jeep or CRV)

A trailer had been in the sights for awhile. But like you a tent trailer wasn't an option. We live on the wet coast and a tent trailer isn't a nightly stay while road tripping due to wet canvas. And you can't just hop in to make lunch and get back on the road.

We bought a boler

Sent remotely

Timber Wolf · 01-24-2015, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boats19

Recently, my older brother got a pop-up trailer. I have borrowed it a couple of times... I like the convenience of cooking on a stove top and (as I'm getting older) sleeping on something a little more comfortable than a tree root.

Preach it brother! Amen! At my age I intend to at least get a good nights sleep on a decent bed, every night I can.

Mike Magee · 01-24-2015, 09:10 PM

You have made me curious; what river were you kayaking for a week? I have canoed on the Rifle and elsewhere, a couple of hours at a time... it's hard to imagine being in a kayak all day, for several days.

I hope you find your perfect Scamp soon. Are you looking strictly for used ones, or have you given thought to ordering a new one just the way you like it? Prices on Scamps hold up really well over time, so a new one can actually be a decent investment.

boats19 · 01-24-2015, 10:01 PM

Mike,
We have done the Au Sable twice, Muskegon from Big Rapids to Muskegon, Muskegon from Reeds dam to Big Rapids, the Pine two or three times, Pere Marquette, Pigeon from head water to the Straits through Mullet Lake and Cheboygan. A couple of summers we stayed on Government Island on the Tippy dam pond and did day trips fishing. My boys and I did a quick day trip on the Rifle river last August. We will be there again next August too! We put in at Maple Ridge Road and get out at our church camp.

Pineapple Man · 01-24-2015, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boats19

Hi,
I'm a tent camper. My boy's and I take a week every summer and rough it in the woods. Also, my brothers and I spend a week kayaking down a Michigan river and camping along the shore as we go.

Recently, my older brother got a pop-up trailer. I have borrowed it a couple of times... I like the convenience of cooking on a stove top and (as I'm getting older) sleeping on something a little more comfortable than a tree root. The down side is all of the set up involved with the thing. And I'm the kind of guy that likes to return things better than I find them, so I have to set it up again at home to wash/vacuum/fabreze...before I take it back.

My first career was in the USCG. During my tour in Sault Ste Marie I used their morale trailer, a 13' Scamp on several occasions. It had all of the necessities with none of the excesses. It towed as if it wasn't even there behind a Dodge Caravan. For me it was the perfect RV!

Now I am getting close to a second retirement and I want to spend more time in the woods. I've been on this site for nearing two weeks browsing and chatting with great people while looking out at the cold white stuff... All the while dreaming of the smell of the woods and a camp fire.

Then I am reminded of Veruca's song "I want it now!"

Sign me as patiently searching for a 13' Scamp.

Yep, tents, pop-up, and we just brought home our "new" 2011 Scamp 13' with our Dodge Caravan. You're right ! Had to keep checking to make sure it was still back there !! And to boot, my cousin just retired outta USCG

Best wishes with your search. We thought we were going to have to get a new one and had contacted MN for Scamps in our state that we could see in person. Turned out the one couple had been thinking of selling theirs (to build a cabin) and the rest is history....

Flyboyscamp · 01-25-2015, 11:50 AM

We tent camped for years, our honeymoon was tent camping in Colorado, top that! Yes, tent and pop up Campimg is a lot of build up and tear down. Nothing but nothing is worse than taking down wet camping gear! Now we have our 16 ft Scamp to treat us to the pure joy of the great outdoors! Much planned for 2015!

Ken C · 01-25-2015, 11:57 AM

Good non-fiction memoir book too

boats19 · 02-05-2015, 08:57 AM

Friends! I may have just become an owner! A 1976 Scamp in Colorado Springs. I'll be making the Trek starting Friday night. I have heard stories, so I won't count my chickens (or egg) yet, but look for an update from "Shopping" to "Owner" soon!

Flyboyscamp · 02-05-2015, 11:07 AM

Sure hope you find one like we did. We drove from St. Louis to Columbia, SC for our Scamp, and we got a 2008 pristine Scamp,just loaded with the features we were to get when ordering a new one. Look forward to pics and your post on your Scamp purchase!

Flyboyscamp · 02-05-2015, 11:11 AM

Wonderful news on your Scamp, hope to see you on some Scamp outings! May 27 is the big Lonesboro MN event and we are going. Hope you can make it too. Check out the Scamp forum site for more info.

Jon in AZ · 02-05-2015, 11:16 AM

Have you found and downloaded this: Fiberglass RV - Document Center - Buyers Check List ?

It'll help you not miss anything during an inspection. If you need to find it again, it's in the document center in the tab that says "More" at the very top of the screen (above your log-in information).

Good luck!

boats19 · 02-09-2015, 02:22 PM

Well, where to start... I am at home and safe and a Scamp owner!

The trip to Colorado Springs was mostly uneventful except the extended parking lot on I-80 to clean up a previous accident. That delay put us (my brother and I) into our pre-booked hotel in Kearney, NE at 5:30AM. Saturday morning we had breakfast, I walked my Springer, Cubbie, and we were on the road by 9:30. The seller had to take his grandson to a hockey game by 2:30 so he was a little nervous when I told him our ETA was 2:10 and it turned out to be 2:20. The Scamp looked good for a 1976. Someone had rehung the lower hinge of the door as evidenced by to visible holes, and the upper bunk fabric was sun rotted. The floor was acceptable for original and there were normal signs of wear for one this age. As arranged, the seller had greased the bearings and had two new tires installed. We did our business quickly and I drove off giddy as a school boy on his first date. The Scamp towed smoothly although the 4-banger in my KIA Sorento revved a little more than on the way out there.
Just before dark the trailer lights went out...and about 40 miles from Kearney I was advised of that fact by Dept. B. Harris in written form... Thankfully just a warning! We spent the night in the Scamp at the Kearney Walmart's parking lot and were back on I-80 at dawn... the trailer lights now working...
The stretch of I-80 through Omaha is unsafe at any speed and on this Sunday it took it's toll on Scamp's new right tire. The radial belt separated causing a lump that shook the trailer badly. Everything that was above the floor was now on the floor Curtains, rear table (which was in bed position) water tank access cover, closet door, stove grills... and worse than that, several of the rivets holding the cupboard and the closet to the hull had popped out and the rest were loose! The uprights supporting the cupboards were unattached at the bottom and dangling from the cupboard...and the ligjhts are out again
I had two new tires installed (the spare was original and never had a cover from it's looks) and the other "New" tire I moved to the spare position. I bought magnetic trailer lights and we were again on the road. Due to the delay we spent the night in Scamp at the Davenport rest stop on I-80. The furnace still works!
Today's trip was uneventful and now the Scamp is in my garage awaiting repairs.

Jon in AZ · 02-09-2015, 03:26 PM

Welcome to the owner's club! Now the fun begins.

Might want to check out the axle. If the rubber inside is worn out, the axle will ride like a buckboard, which would exacerbate bouncing caused by a bad tire or a bad road.

boats19 · 02-09-2015, 04:18 PM

Are you saying the inside tread of the tire, or is there rubber inside the axle?

Mike Magee · 02-09-2015, 04:51 PM

Sounds like the new book of exodus (from Colorado), complete with trials along the trails. Glad you made it back ok. Gotta wonder about those "new" tires, huh?

The axle itself contains rubber (that you can't see, in the axle tube). It stiffens and sags with age. As for sag, I've read comments to the effect that you should be able to get your fist vertically in between top of tire and the wheel well above it, and if not, the axle is probably shot. But even if not sagging that much, the rubber could be hard as a rock and making the torsion arm (going to the wheel) not move enough to really do its job when going over bumps.

kootenaigirl · 02-09-2015, 04:55 PM

What an exciting journey. You won't forget that in a hurry. Loved the part about the lights and warning ticket. Glad you and the Scamp are home safe.
Post pics when you have recovered

Jon in AZ · 02-09-2015, 05:05 PM

Mike is correct. I meant the rubber inside the axle. In addition to the "fist test," you can jack up the trailer (on the frame near the axle, not on the axle itself). As it rises, watch for the torsion arm to drop down. If there is little or no movement, the rubber has hardened and the axle is shot. Here's a short video clip showing how rubber torsion axles work: