What kind of camper do you have?

Mine came from a RV mechanic about 20 years ago.
1 Park camper on level ground
2 level camper using the level on the trailer. Bubble level.
3 measure the height of the trailer coupler.
4 Adjust. Raise/ lower ball height to match coupler.
5 raise camper enough to back truck under coupler.Hook up camper.
6 Using wait distribution set up raise vehicle to level ride height.
What a lot of people start out too low and use the wdh to try and take the weight off.I do know some who did it wrong and took too much weight off and when braking on a down hill basically took his back wheels off the ground causing the trailer to push him and he rolled both truck and trailer.
That’s how I was taught years ago and it has worked for me.
This does NOT mean I am expert. Just as experienced camper.

 

Thanks, I'll have to save this for future reference.
I was told that the trailer brakes and the front brakes on the vehicle were what did 90% of braking power. Basically, the rear brakes are just E brakes. I guess that is wrong..

 

What I was referring to is it is possible to take too much weight off the rear of the truck.In a hard braking sit. With trailer “ pushing you” basically taking rear tires off the ground which means rear brakes are not doing anything.

 

I'm sure my hitch isn't set up properly, I just took some rough measurements in my buddies driveway that wasn't really level and bolted it on for the drive home. I'll adjust it before we head out again.

Appreciate the offer to help Jerry, I'll let you know when I'm working on it.

 

Oh ok. I understand. Sounds very possible to get the rear tires off the ground if it is too tight.

 

Airstream Sport 22fb. Dry weight 3634, gross weight 4500, hitch weight 393. Our 2018 DCLB Off Road tows it well with a good weight distribution hitch and brake controller.

 

We just picked up this last week, 4th of July weekend will be the first weekend out. They hooked up the WDH at the dealer then I am installing the brake controller today. Went with the Redarc pro tow elite controller.

 

This doesn't really work the truck at all. But I do step up to mid-grade or premium fuel when I tow it. Runs much better.

 

That’s a nice little set up. How about some spec’s on this?

 

It's a 2018 T@B 320S Boondock. Empty, brochure says 1851lbs but actually around 2k. Tongue weight 165. Has a wet bath, galley, 3 tanks(black, gray and fresh water) and sleeps two.

 

Very nice. I’ll have to look at this one a little closer. Thanks for the info

 

I just picked up the same trailer back in June! Family and I have had a few trips out this summer, and the Taco pulls it great. How did your 4th of July trip go?

 

Well, the Scamp/Tacoma combo has produced another memorable long distance trip for us. NC, SC, GA, AL, LA, TX, NM, AZ, UT, NV, ID, MT, SC, WY, CO, OK, AR and TN. Four weeks with over 8K miles on a twenty year old camper and a truck with 150K miles and the only problems were a blown fuse in the trailer and a dead low beam headlight on the Tacoma's passenger side (Easy fixes - What's up with Tacoma headlights? I can't get more than a couple of years out em. My 05 was the same way).

We mostly boondocked or dry camped on public lands but did spring for one night in a Fairfield Inn and three in Texas State Parks where we had water and electric. Total lodging cost was around $300 with the motel and SPs running over $200 of that number. Note: Texas is the only state we've ever camped in that charges a fee for camping PLUS a separate per head charge for daily admission. This ran the cost up to over $40/night for us at Palo Duro (although easy access to the play Texas made it worth that). In comparison, Brantley Lake SP in New Mexico, which also has water & electric hookups and nicer sun shelters at each campsite was only $14/day total. We'd definitely be buying the Annual State Park Pass if we lived in the Lone Star state.

The trailer weighs right at 3,500#'s in camping trim. With the 400# tongue weight, total payload was at or maybe a little above max (3KW generator, 73 qt cooler, 5 gal Scepter fuel can, extra spare tires for both the Scamp and Tacoma, spare 20 lb propane tank, grill, tools and us). Firestone air bags keep everything leveled out. Overall gas mileage was just over 12 mpg and might have been a little better if I'd towed at 60 rather than 65-70. One thing I learned was non-ethanol got about 10-15% better than the blended stuff. Stayed in OD for the most part unless the terrain caused the tranny to hunt. No problems at all towing UNTIL I hit Teton Pass between Jackson WY and ID. Nothing overheated but I couldn't get over 25 mph going up that puppy and was in second gear (auto) and pulling 4500+ rpm all the way. Bikers were passing me. No issue at all with brakes on the downside. Sorry to say but, if I lived in that area and had a camper, a Tacoma wouldn't cut it.

The genny, Scepter and cooler sit on a platform above the wheel wells and are secured with straps and cable locks. Spare tires, 20 lb propane tank, 5 gal bucket, grill and chairs are not shown here but ride on the roof rack.


Just an overnight stop somewhere in Texas - didn't even unhook.


Dry camping in Black Hills National Forest

 

That is the coolest thing ever! I didn’t know that they made a 5th wheel Scamp!

Any interior pics?

 

Yeah I saw it and thought the same thing. Even more surprised they make a 5th wheel fo Tacoma’s

 

Cool seen pics of them on FGRV.but didn’t know anyone had one. Awesome.

 

Saw two of them on our road trip. One behind a Tacoma and don't remember the other. Just remember seeing them since they look pretty unique!

If I remember right when we looked them up online (curiosity) I thought there was something different with the hitch. Like it's a gooseneck style but had a smaller ball or something.

 

Thanks for the kind words folks. We’ve had this camper for about ten years and think it’s just about perfect for our needs. Although it’s a 2000 model, there’s not much difference between it and Scamp’s current product. Newer versions of the appliances of course but the basic floor plans,and especially the exterior, are pretty much unchanged. Scamp offers both a standard and a deluxe version with the main differences being fiberglass vs wood cabinetry and side bath vs front bath. At 6’4”, the front bath works much better for me because I can stand upright in the shower (side bath headroom is 6’ at best).

I can take and post any inside pics wanted but the scamptrailers website has quite a few shots of all models plus floor plans. If anyone needs something else, just let me know.

Scamp’s hitch on the 19’er is really a hybrid contraption that’s closer to a standard bumper pull than a true fifth wheel. When I bought the trailer, I was told it wouldn’t work with a Tacoma because of the composite body. Who in their right mind would want to tow anything bolted only to a truck bed whether it was metal or composite? The first picture in my post shows what I came up with. The two pieces of flat stock attach to the frame using the three stock Tacoma bed bolts on either side. I copied Scamps design for the uprights and those are bolted to the flat stock. The cross bar is a piece of ‘C’ channel with a 2” ball. It was somewhat awkward getting anything forward of the crossbar in or out of the bed so I added the platform over the crossbar and wheel which nicely holds the generator, fuel can and cooler. Between the 05 and the 12, I’ve put at least 100k towing miles on this setup with no problems.

It’s obviously not a hard core off-road setup, but it handles the Forest Service primary tracks fairly well.

 

Very good information. Glad you took the initiative to build something that would work. Was the original hitch on the camper modified? What do they use for a full size truck? How is it to back up a small 5th wheel? I’m thinking it could be kind of squirrelly. Thanks.

I would love to get some kind of small camper. It’s been 5 years since we sold our last one. I’m not sure how I could get my crew to go with a small unit. They are SPOILED. We went from a 25’ to a 29’ to a 35’ and finally a 38’ toyhauler. They want a motorhome. I think the Scamp would be perfect.

 

I love everything about this setup. <3