Newbie couple looking to buy for f/g camper to fit in 7' garage - Fiberglass RV
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Old 09-10-2012, 05:27 PM   #1
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Name: Tom
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Colorado
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Newbie couple looking to buy for f/g camper to fit in 7' garage

Hello, we are looking to purchase our first f/g camper, but are looking for a model that will fit in our 7' garage (83" tall) w/o taking off wheels. We were looking at tin can trailers, but want to do some cold weather camping and insulation/heater are important. It looks like most of the newer ones are too tall and I'm not sure were to get older specs w/o e-mail every add. If any knows models that would work please help us focus our search. Thanks.

-Tom
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Old 09-10-2012, 05:58 PM   #2
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Trailer: 1974 Scamp 13'
Malvern, Ohio
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My 1974 Scamp fits in my garage (83" tall).
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Old 09-10-2012, 06:44 PM   #3
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Todd, thanks for that info. Is that a 13' w/o putting on smaller tires? I'm curious up until what year the scamps were this low.
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Old 09-10-2012, 06:46 PM   #4
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Hi Tom, welcome to FiberglassRV.

You'll need to look for an older trailer where the axle has sagged or I'd suggest any one of the Hunter/Compact cousins. They have "pop tops" and you don't need to raise the top to use the trailer.

Be careful about buying an older trailer... one that the axle will need to be replaced in the future. You may get it in the garage when you buy it.. but replace the axle and it may not fit!

Something else is to watch the roof clearance... no roof A/C or cover over the vent.

Others will pop in with suggestions, I really wanted to take the opportunity to say
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Old 09-10-2012, 07:05 PM   #5
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My tires are 175/80/R13. I have about a quarter inch clearance on my vent.
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Old 09-10-2012, 07:10 PM   #6
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I have friends who made a notch in their garage entrance to fit their camper in. They cover it with a removable board, which blends in with the rest of the front of the garage.
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Old 09-10-2012, 09:44 PM   #7
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Trailer: 1996 Scamp 16
South Dakota
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We have a 1996 Scamp 16 that fits our 8 foot garage with 3-4 inches to spare. It would not fit in a 7 foot garage. Our year of Scamp is pre fire so it would be similar to the older ones. I am kind of surprised an axle could sag that much that it could ever fit a 7 foot garage. It almost seems if the axle sagged that much it would be shot. I think you will have trouble fitting a molded fiberglass trailer in your garage, but good luck.
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Old 09-11-2012, 05:10 AM   #8
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After the Scamp fire of Jan. 2006, only the 13' trailer grew in height. The 16' and 19' stayed the same. So, a 2005 and older 13' Scamp is three inches shorter in interior height. Exterior height depends on age of axle, tires/wheels, options on roof, etc.

While the OP can use brand as a starting point, the only way to make certain any trailer will fit will be to absolutely measure a particular trailer.
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Old 09-11-2012, 06:28 AM   #9
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According to the sales manual, a new 1979 Boler 1300 with 13" tires was 13' long 7'2" high; G.V. Weight - 1250 lbs / Tongue Weight - 90 lbs. / Outside Width - 6' 8". Ours is a 1975 and fits in the apartment underground garage but would be a tight fit if we had replaced the original roof vent with a Fantastic fan. (It was on my wish list but, sadly, given the clearance issue not feasible.) Years ago neighbours who owned a Boler used to let some of the air out of the tires to park it in their house garage and would pump just enough air to get to the nearest garage when they'd take it back out.
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Old 09-11-2012, 09:49 AM   #10
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garage clearnace

I have a 1984 perris pacer....in order for it to fit into my standard garage I simply made the roof vent removable ....i used simple simple Knobs /washers etc from the local hardware store. I takes me about 5 minutes to reinstall and plug in the power for the fan...very simple
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Old 09-15-2012, 07:12 PM   #11
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My 72 boler 13' went into my garage (barely), but after my mods like lighter-weight cabinet doors and removing all the heavy wet gunk out of the door... I had to let some air out of the tires to get it back out! That works for me though--it's worth it to be able to put it inside.
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Old 05-02-2017, 12:44 PM   #12
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Name: Nicole
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May I ask what type of camper you ended up purchasing? I'm in a similar situation - I'd like to fit a small camper in our 7ft garage if possible.
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Old 05-02-2017, 01:00 PM   #13
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Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
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1974 Boler 13 fits 7' door w/considerations

Our former 1974 Boler 13 fit in our 7' garage door opening with the following considerations:

- camper had a NEW Dexter axle that raised it 2" higher than old axle
- unplugged door opener and wedged door above level of frame
- removed roof vent (EDIT: easily done by removing 2 screws)
- unhitched and used a hitch jack wheel to roll the camper in

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Old 05-02-2017, 01:56 PM   #14
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Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Waskos View Post
May I ask what type of camper you ended up purchasing? I'm in a similar situation - I'd like to fit a small camper in our 7ft garage if possible.
This is a very old thread and the OP hasn't been back since 9/2012.. You might get more current information if you start a new thread.

That said, Donna's posts #4 and #8 are still relevant. Likely candidates include older Scamps (pre-fire, 2006 and earlier), Bolers, and similar low-slung models, as well as the pop-top models (Hunters and Campsters). But as Donna said, you have to measure each unit on a case-by-case basis because many modifications affect the overall height.

Once you get close, some tricks to gain a few extra inches include (1) removing roof vents, (2) letting air out of the tires, (3)replacing road wheels with 8" rims without tires, (4) raising the tongue to get the back end in, then lowering the tongue to get the front in, (5) pushing the garage door higher,...

Bottom line is it is going to be marginal at best. Consider the math: minimum 5'10" of interior headroom plus the thickness of floor/frame and ceiling/vent... and you need at least a little clearance under the trailer so you don't hit every rock, speed bump, and pothole... Gets you to 7' pretty quickly.
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