Scamp 13 2012 Lift

[MLWarshaw]

Howdy Y'all!

My little camper is just a little too close to the ground and I think a bit of a lift will do us a lot of good. Just wondering what the community thinks is enough to get us to where we want to go.

My little camper bottoms out at the tongue and tail too often when searching out those great parking spots. Usually it is a small creek crossing or empty gully that causes some stress for my wife and copilot when I drag some bumper in the dirt. We have not caused any non-cosmetic damage yet but it would be nice to avoid some of the scraping and grinding that happens.

My question to you is how many inches is enough and what kind of hardware is best?

[AC0GV]

Originally Posted by MLWarshaw

Howdy Y'all!

My question to you is how many inches is enough and what kind of hardware is best?

E-trailer sold me a 3.5 inch lift kit for my 16'. There are a couple of styles for the bolt on axles.

[MLWarshaw]

Was the 3.5 inches enough to eliminate most of the bumper drag problems?

[alan H]

Originally Posted by MLWarshaw

Was the 3.5 inches enough to eliminate most of the bumper drag problems?

Are you sure your axle isn’t in need of replacement

[Jon in AZ]

That depends on where and how you drive. AC0GV has a 16’er with a higher stock axle and a longer rear overhang, so it has a different basic geometry.

On your 13’er I would think 3.5” would make a very significant difference, and it’s the low-hanging fruit. I’ve taken my stock ‘08 13’er down a couple of bad roads without hitting anything. It did require close attention to the task: keeping tires on the high ground and crossing dips, humps, and washouts at an angle. Another 3.5” would definitely make it easier.

Speaking of low-hanging fruit, have you swapped the protruding tongue jack for a swing-away?

The Cadillac solution might include replacing the factory axle with a Flexi-Ride torsion axle with adjustable start angle. Warning, though- it has shorter arms, so installation requires relocating the mounting brackets to keep the wheels centered in the wells. You could also do a direct bolt-in, fixed-angle axle swap, but if you’re going to that much expense, you might as well spend a little more for the Flexi-Ride. It’s a better axle all around, and it allows you to dial down the lift before a highway-only trip for better aerodynamics and handling. (It’s actually a little more complicated than a dial, but it can be done in your driveway in around an hour.)

For myself, I’d try the easy lift kit solution first.

[AC0GV]

Originally Posted by MLWarshaw

Was the 3.5 inches enough to eliminate most of the bumper drag problems?

I did the lift to get 14" tires to clear, the only bumper drag problem I had was at some gas stations. That was OK if I drove in at an angle.

[MJo]

I’m wondering if getting bigger wheels would work, is there room in the wheelwells for larger diameter tires? I’m on a budget, so that seems cheaper if it would work.

[AC0GV]

Originally Posted by MJo

I’m wondering if getting bigger wheels would work, is there room in the wheelwells for larger diameter tires? I’m on a budget, so that seems cheaper if it would work.

The two sides were not the same so I cut them to match and still had to put the lift in.

[Jon in AZ]

You’d have to go pretty high on the lift before larger wheels/tires will fit a 13’er. The tightest clearance is next to the door, and that can’t be trimmed.

[MJo]

My Scamp 2020 wheels are within the wheel well and I was able to put my hands in to put wheel covers on so I thought 14” would fit.

[David B.]

Just remember that for every 1” larger diameter tire, you will only gain 1/2” in over all vehicle height. I had put a flexiride axle under our 13’scamp so I could adjust the ride height as needed, and it worked out very well. You can click on my name over our avatar picture and then on public profile....you can then view our photo albums (one for scamp and one for Lil Snoozy).
Good luck. Keep us posted with your progress.
Dave and Paula

[MLWarshaw]

In response to the new axle suggestion: No but it it is only 8 years old with less than 15,000 miles. I have been good about keeping it well greased but I certainly have been adventurous with our rig if it makes any difference.

[MLWarshaw]

Originally Posted by MJo

I’m wondering if getting bigger wheels would work, is there room in the wheelwells for larger diameter tires? I’m on a budget, so that seems cheaper if it would work.

The cost of the lift kit and installation should be about $200. A set of 3 new rims and tires is going to be more expensive and a whole lot less of a lift.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by MLWarshaw

In response to the new axle suggestion: No but it it is only 8 years old with less than 15,000 miles. I have been good about keeping it well greased but I certainly have been adventurous with our rig if it makes any difference.

No reason it should need replacing, and in your photo the ride height looks about right for the older 22.5* up angle factory axle used in 2012. It should easily last 15-20 years. “Adventurous” use might diminish it a little, but at 8 years, you should have plenty of life left. Only caveat is if you happen to catch the axle tube on an obstacle and bend it, you’re done. They’re not considered repairable. At that point you can get one with a down angle to put the tube up out of harm’s way.

[floyd]

Scamp has quit using the 22.5° UP axle with 7" Brakes and now uses a
0° axle with 10" brakes.

My Scamp13D had the same height issues as yours from new.
We decided last summer to replace the original axle to get the additional clearance and better brakes.
I also went from weld-on to bolt-on.
I am very pleased with the results and no longer need to take extreme care when entering a driveway for a fuel stop or restaurant.
We have about 3" more clearance which is plenty.


You could just remove your axle and reinstall it with a 3" lift spacer.
Increasing tire/wheel size would not really help much and could actually exacerbate your problems.

[BridgetMills]

Can the Scamp 13' axle be replaced with Timbren Axle-Less Trailer Suspension System?

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by BridgetMills

Can the Scamp 13' axle be replaced with Timbren Axle-Less Trailer Suspension System?

Yes, but it probably requires some reinforcement of the frame. How much depends on the intended use.

The Timbren axle-less suspension is typically used for serious off-road travel, something the factory frame isn’t really designed for. The one or two Scamps I’ve seen with this suspension got all-new, heavy-duty frames and lots of other upgrades for backcountry use.

What’s your goal for this project?

[BridgetMills]

I want to Overland with the camper and was looking for a way to both increase clearance and improve suspension. The camper isn't old, so I don't need to replace the entire frame.



Using the existing axle, any suggestions on the best way to get lift?

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by BridgetMills

Using the existing axle, any suggestions on the best way to get lift?

See post #2. You could send AC0GV a private message if you'd like a link to the specific product.

[BridgetMills]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

See post #2.