1989 Scamp 13 really basic questions

[Alex Adams]

Originally Posted by SusanS

Thanks Conrad. That is a good tip. I really hate all this electrical stuff. But that's the way it is.

I would still bring a set of magnetic trailer lights. If you don't use them, return them.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by Alex Adams

I would still bring a set of magnetic trailer lights. If you don't use them, return them.

Sorta like theft, but not?

[Alex Adams]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Sorta like theft, but not?

No more so than buying all the guts to the toilet in case you needed to replace it all, finding out you only needed the flapper and returning the rest. Done something like that many times at the behest of the clerk in the hardware store.

[David B.]

Originally Posted by SusanS

Thanks everyone. i am trying to process all your replies! But I did get a picture of the connection on my stepmom's tow vehicle. It is a 6 pin like I have not seen before.

As for the trailer, everything works on it as it has been used in the last few years. We plan to get new tires when we get there. Good tip on the wheel bearings, so we will get those done too.

I am going to try to attach the picture. My tendency is to just do a 4 pin to 6 pin adaptor on my car.

The trailer does not have a bathroom. They towed it for many years all over the west with a 6 cylinder RAV4 which she still drives. We are going to be in Prescott around April 7 to 17 to make sure we get everything fixed and visit.

thanks,
Susan

You talk of adding brakes at some point, but state you will just wire your tow vehicle with a four flat then use an adaptor to six. This will leave you with the basic running lights/brake lights/turn signals and you will have to rewire your tow vehicle again to add brakes......why not wire once with a seven pin round and adapt it down to the 6 round on the trailer?
Dave and Paula

[David B.]

Originally Posted by David B.

You talk of adding brakes at some point, but state you will just wire your tow vehicle with a four flat then use an adaptor to six. This will leave you with the basic running lights/brake lights/turn signals and you will have to rewire your tow vehicle again to add brakes......why not wire once with a seven pin round and adapt it down to the 6 round on the trailer?
Dave and Paula

Spectrac Parts &Service is where I had Flexiride axles installed on our scamp 13’ (switched from leading arm to trailing arm) and on out Lil Snoozy.
405 E. Baseline Rd. Gilbert, AZ
(480) 545-5533
Best of luck

[AlanKilian]

Originally Posted by David B.

Spectrac Parts &Service is where I had Flexiride axles installed on our scamp 13’ (switched from leading arm to trailing arm) and on out Lil Snoozy.
405 E. Baseline Rd. Gilbert, AZ
(480) 545-5533
Best of luck

!!! This is just what I've been looking for !!!

David B, did you order your Flexiride from them?

Can you post the specifications you sent to them for the Flexiride?
All I've gotten so far is 48" to the outside of the frame rails.
I was planning on measuring the flange-to-flange distances and make sure the frame mounts are centered today as a check.

[David B.]

Originally Posted by AlanKilian

!!! This is just what I've been looking for !!!

David B, did you order your Flexiride from them?

Can you post the specifications you sent to them for the Flexiride?
All I've gotten so far is 48" to the outside of the frame rails.
I was planning on measuring the flange-to-flange distances and make sure the frame mounts are centered today as a check.

Sorry,no, as I simply dropped the trailer off to have them work their magic.

[AlanKilian]

Thanks, I'll give them a call and ask them.

[SusanS]

Hi folks,

Thanks again for all the tips. Got new tires but it turns out there were no wheels bearings to pack! Go figure. Didn’t see the axle before they put the tires back on so that will be another day.

Good idea to put on the 7 pin but I don’t feel capable of wiring that on the car in the time I had before traveling. Well get that done with the brake controller at some point.

So the 6 pin will do. Just need to ground the adapter to the car. Does not work without that, apparently.

Getting a new battery today. I’m nit clear how that fits into the running lights. But I am sure it is dead after 9 years unused.

So on we go. Trailer is in good shape. It has been customized with a counter and storage where the bunks would be. Also it has a home ac under the seat! The folks bought it from the factory used as a trade in.

The Rv place here can’t see us for 3 weeks so we are on our own to solve things. Every trailer I’ve owned, the recurring problem is electrical, so not surprising.

Happy trails to all,
Susan

[RSchleder]

Don't understand "NO WHEEL BEARINGS". I've owned travel trailers since 1970 and every trailer, including small utility trailers have had wheel bearing. I'd be very interested in just how this particular Scamp does not have wheel bearing! What am I not understanding here?

[thrifty bill]

Trailer battery has nothing to do with exterior trailer running, marker, and brake lights. Nine year old battery is toast. You will need the battery for any interior lights (if not hooked up to shore power).

No bearings? Can't imagine such a situation. Even bicycle wheels have wheel bearings.

[SusanS]

No I don’t understand either. This was a tire place but still. In any case the trailer is running well.

Rv place here has a 3 week wait.

While I have you... there is a water leak under the counter where it looks like someone installed a water filter. Have you seen this? Our counter is an ell where the bunks were.

Thanks

[RSchleder]

Originally Posted by SusanS

No I don’t understand either. This was a tire place but still. In any case the trailer is running well.

Rv place here has a 3 week wait.

While I have you... there is a water leak under the counter where it looks like someone installed a water filter. Have you seen this? Our counter is an ell where the bunks were.

Thanks

Just check all the connections. If they are hose clamped, tighten each and every clamp. If they are screw-on connectors, tighten them by hand or with a pair of channel-loc's. If they are the type of connector that is crimped, you have no choice other than to cut the tubing on either side of the connector and install a new connector ( not necessarily the same type that was originally there). Obviously, if the water tube is too short after cutting the connector out you will need to replace some tubing as well as the connector. IF, for some reason, you can't get the leak properly repaired, you are going to be in a position that you cannot use the water system. Scamps biggest enemy is floor rotting, not from the underside, but rather inside from water intrusion from leaky water pipes, windows, vents, etc!

[SusanS]

Just to finish this part of my endeavors. I did ground the 6-pin adapter back to where the 4 pin was grounded. That was per instructions from etrailer which were great, and very specific to my vehicle, 2017 Subaru outback. So the running lights are working now.

Have made adjustments to our trip route to avoid the big hills and will get the brakes on the Scamp at a future date. Could not find an RV repair shop that could schedule this.

By the way, did not ground to under the rear of vehicle because it was too hard to work under there without jacking up the car. I did not have the right equipment. So both the 4 pin wires and the ground wire are hanging from the tailgate. Not elegant, but works.

Thanks everyone
Susan

[RSchleder]

Were you able to correct the water leak?

[Jon in AZ]

Safe travels home. Enjoy your new Scamp!

[SusanS]

Yes fixed the water leak by cutting out the old water filter. Then attached the two hoses with a snap in joint. Bought a really neat cutting tool to get sharp clean edges. Used a 45 degree connector to put less strain on the bending hoses. If that didn’t work we had the straight joint too.

Ace hardware had all the stuff and someone who knew something. Let me practice snapping the hose in the connector to get the feel fit it. You can actually unsnap if needed, so I was skeptical. But it works!

But in this campground we needed a pressure reducer. Blew the hose right off the trailer. Worked that out and all seems to be well.

Thanks!
Susan

[CharlesinGA]

Originally Posted by RSchleder

Don't understand "NO WHEEL BEARINGS". I've owned travel trailers since 1970 and every trailer, including small utility trailers have had wheel bearing. I'd be very interested in just how this particular Scamp does not have wheel bearing! What am I not understanding here?

Some older small trailers, The U-Haul eggs were one, used unitized hub/bearing assemblies like those found on most modern cars. I think I read that the U-Haul one used the front hubs from a Camaro or similar. It was on this board somewhere I read that. That may very well be what the "no pack" bearings is all about.

Edit: yes, it was the U-haul trailers I was thinking of, but could some of the Scamps have been the same? https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...ion-53621.html

The 6 pin connector is fairly common. My 2007 Winnebago View Sprinter chassis motorhome had a 6 pin, and I had one installed on my '89 Jeep Comanche a number of years ago. I think I still have adapters that take the pin tow vehicle down to a 4 pin trailer.

Good to see the OP got tires, they can get very old and still hold air. I recently removed a 1999 dated tire ('99 and earlier have three digit date codes, two numbers for the week and one for the year) from my 5x10 utility trailer. It was on the north side the way the trailer stays parked so no direct sun and was checked real bad but still holding up. I replaced one of the tires on that trailer with the "new" 2007 Goodyear spare off my Bigfoot and the other with a 2017 Hercules from the Bigfoot when I replaced all of them after a blowout.

Charles