Hi from Bill in AZ, and camp setup question

[Bill in AZ]

Hello all,

New here to post, but reading for awhile. Just bought a 2011 13' Scamp standard with bath, going to pick it up next month. Towing with a 2009 Subaru Impreza just to get it home, then will probably add brakes. I do have a question about camp setup, as I have never towed before: what's the gadget that supports the rear end when you camp, and does it brace directly against the frame? I assume the hitch stand is good enough for the front. Thanks in advance!

Bill in AZ

[Steve L.]

There are usually welded-on stabilizers in the back of the trailer frame. Some people put scissors jacks back there. Your's will depend on what the previous owner opted for.

[Bob Miller]

That new a SCAMP should have rear, fold up, stabilizers already installed at the back end of the frame. In addition, it should also already have electric brakes installed. Ask the seller to look underneath and/or see if it has a 7 pin power connector. That said, you can have your brake controller and 7 pin connector installed before towing with the Subaru.

You need to know... the front bath 13' SCAMP can get a bit tongue heavy. Ignore the SCAMP specifications and look at the typical weights in the "Trailer weights in the real world" in the Misc discussion forum.

Good Luck

[captsteve2002]

I have a 2001 Scamp 5'er and it has stablizers bolted to the rear bumper. If your doesn't currently have these and you are considering putting them on make sure that you offset the bolts a very small amount so the stabilizers fold inside the bumper. Mine work fine and I'm very happy with the setup.

[TomK]

Bill, we just got a 2014 Scamp 13 and the rear stabilizers are standard equipment. I'm not sure when they became standard equip, but I'm pretty sure it's been quite a while. You are correct, the combination of the rear stabilizers and front tongue jack are all you need to support the trailer. Of course you'll want some leveling device, like boards, or plastic blocks if the ground you camp on is not level.

Welcome to the forum!

Tom

[Byron Kinnaman]

Your Scamp should have rear stabilizers that fold down as others have described. The trick is how to use them and set up camp to get it stable (not too bouncy) and level enough for fridge to work.
Here's my simple procedure.
I do have a BAL Small Trailer Wheel Leveler which makes set a lot easier but you can use some other method to raise the low side wheel.

1. Pick the spot I want the trailer, then put the trailer there. (Sometime easier said than done)
2. Once the trailer is where I want it, the Bal Wheel Leveler come out levels the trailer side to side. NOTE: Still attached to tow. Reason, the trailer's not going to go away (roll down a hill) while still attached.
3. After leveling side to side with BAL Leveler (NOTE: BAL Leveler works as chocks for one wheel, if some other method is use to level side be sure to place chocks at this time.) Now that it's level side to side and chocked so it's not going away, unhitch and drive tow a bit away.
4. Lower the tongue with the tongue jack so that the front of the trailer is a bit below level (About 1/2 a bubble work great for me)
5. Deploy the rear stabilizers making sure the feet firmly against the ground or a block if needed.
6. Raise the tongue back to level with tongue jack.

Now the trailer should be level, not too much pressure on the stabilizers, not too much bounce. Time to turn on the propane and light the fridge.

Now open the fridge, grab a cold beverage, put your lawn chair in convenient location. Sit down, relax, and enjoy that cold beverage.

[jazzjunkysue]

Bill: You've got brake lights for the pickup, right? A 7 pin connector to the subaru that makes the brake and turning lights go on?

I made the mistake of not knowing that there were different kinds of connectors, and my uhaul had a 4 pin. Yikes! Luckily, a local rv guy built me an adapter on the spot.

Just checking.
Sue

[RogerDat]

If you don't deploy rear supports then once unhitched if you walk to the back the trailer it will teeter totter rather abruptly. Don't ask how I know.

You don't say if you have brake controller in the towing vehicle. That has to exist so that it can be wired to a 7 pin plug on the tv to operate the trailer brakes when you brake the vehicle.

The trailer 7 pin plug will have the wire going to the electric trailer brakes if the camper has them. Easily spotted as wires running to both of the rear wheels.

So it's wired as brake controller to tow plug to trailer plug to brakes.

[Bill in AZ]

Thanks for all the good advice, guys and gals! I have yet to inspect the trailer, but I know it has a 7-pin spade connector, don't know about the brakes yet. I do have a hitch with both 4-pin flat and 7-pin spade connectors on it. The 7-pin is only partially wired, but I intend to at least add the ground and aux 12V wire as well to at least charge the trailer on the go.

[Bob Miller]

I think that most will agree, especially for someone new to towing and who will be towing close to or over the tow vehicles limit, that trailer brakes are a lot more important than the charging line. You can always move the brake controller to another vehicle at a later date.

FWIW: Many Subaru's are limited to towing 1000 lbs when the trailer is not equipped with brakes, check your owners manual

[Bill in AZ]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

I think that most will agree, especially for someone new to towing and who will be towing close to or over the tow vehicles limit, that trailer brakes are a lot more important than the charging line. You can always move the brake controller to another vehicle at a later date.

FWIW: Many Subaru's are limited to towing 1000 lbs when the trailer is not equipped with brakes, check your owners manual

Had them check, and found out it *does* have brakes! Now to choose a brake controller (in another thread ut seems the P2 is a popular choice). Thanks!

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

That new a SCAMP should have rear, fold up, stabilizers already installed at the back end of the frame.

The Scamps actually have the retractable jacks mounted to the inside of the rear bumper not on the frame. They work well and all I use on my 16'. Scamp has been using the same rear jacks for many years or at least 24 years that I know of. Scamp does not recommend putting jacks directly on the frame at any points other than near the axle on the section where the two channel beams are doubled up.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Bill in AZ

Thanks for all the good advice, guys and gals! I have yet to inspect the trailer, but I know it has a 7-pin spade connector, don't know about the brakes yet. I do have a hitch with both 4-pin flat and 7-pin spade connectors on it. The 7-pin is only partially wired, but I intend to at least add the ground and aux 12V wire as well to at least charge the trailer on the go.

The 09 Impreza as far as I can see had a 2000lbs tow cap for the automatic and manual 1000lbs. Subaru does not supply a brake line on their vehicles even the ones with a larger towing cap so you will have to have the brake line installed from scratch. Yes you can add an adapter to the simple 4 pin they supply from the Subaru factory to connect to the 7 pin on the trailer but that does not give you any brakes or charge line. In addition to the brake controller , you will also have to have a little electrical modular box added to factory 4 pin (added at the 4 pin) as well in order to run the brakes. I would have the brake line installed before towing anything with the Impreza as you will be towing close to, if not over your towing capacity. Even if the trailer is under your tow capacity you may find as many of us who have towed with Subaru's have, that its hard to keep a loaded trailer under the 200lb tongue limit found on most Subaru's. Especially hard with a front bath model Scamp. See Trailer Weights in the Real World thread.

[RogerDat]

Yes the P2 is a good choice, if you get the "caddy" to mount it you can unplug and remove controller. Either to use in another vehicle or just so it's not in the cab when not used. From what I understand it does require you to re-select some settings if you disconnect from power. E-Trailers has a good site for checking out the features.

Allows for a wider range of up/down angle when mounting which can be important with the way the undersides of the dashboard where it is typically mounted have different slopes in different cars.

[Bill in AZ]

Just an update to my purchase...I got to have a nice chat with the previous (and only) owner of my Scamp and got a good health report on the unit

Everyone have a grand 3-day weekend (even you folks who have perpetual weekends)

Bill!

[TomK]

That's good news Bill. If you only have half as much fun with your Scamp as we are; you'll have plenty of "grand weekends" yourself. Wish you nothing but the best. Don't forget to send us pictures.

Tom

[SimplyLesa]

Congratulations Bill! Hi neighbor - what part of AZ are you in. I'm in Cottonwood tho meeting friends in Q and Yuma for winter - with visits to Slab City and Holtville CA.

[Mike Magee]

Stabilizer jacks are sometimes called "stab jacks" for short. When camping alone, I rarely bother using them. They are indispensable when two or more people camp, because every time one person moves around in the trailer, the other people feel the trailer bouncing. But the person moving around doesn't feel much trailer movement, so it isn't bothersome.

[Donna D.]

You know how can use something.. and it works as designed but you still despise it? Those dang stab jacks were on my hate-to-use list. After about the third time out I figured I should wear disposable gloves because they were so full of dirt/grime and road rash I had to thoroughly wash my hands before I could do anything else. No wonder people figure out different methods to accomplish the same thing. I couldn't wait to unbolt those dang things and throw them away. AND YES, they did get washed, but it didn't help a whole lot when traveling in the rain. Obviously YMMV

[Bill in AZ]

I'm in Mesa during the week fir work, but I reside in Prescott.

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