Looks good. Any issues with reversing the door?
Also like your new awning rack.
Smittybilt Scout Trailer Reviews?
- Thread starter Tkhawk
- Start date
Also like your new awning rack.
McDowra
Observer
It took about a hour to do it. Just physically flipped the door held it where it needed to be and used the hinges for a template to drill holes. Only other thing you have to do is grind/cut off the stop on the now bottom latch making it where it will pivot 180 degrees instead of 90. I'll post a picture of how I modified it later today.
Pau Hana
Member
Wow. I just looked through close to 100 pages in this forum for gas strut info. Must have not gotten to those posts yet. Can you tell me the size of the struts you used? Length, throw, and lifting capacity? A link would be awesome. I have a Tepui Autana that weighs 195#, an awning, and of course the "rack itself" that I want to lift.
I'll search some more while I await your answer. LOL.
Kraxler
Active member
I want the simple route. I got a strut kit from https://habitatoffroad.com/
It includes 4 struts and all the mounting hardware. The instructions are good also. You need to drill holes for the lower mounting brackets. The rest is bolt on. I have the smittybilt RTT XL with the rhino rack 270 awning. Takes very little effort toe raise or lower.
McDowra
Observer
I did that also, great kit well designed.
Pau Hana
Member
Thanks guys!
ebrabaek
Adventurer
I feel that is is too wobbly with 4 people sleeping high up the the tent on top.
As my tongue weight is only just over 200 pounds I would be worried about it falling back.
That would be less likely with the stock tongue weigh of close to 400 pounds.
I would leave them in place.
I have not used them one time and it's because I was staying at Pyramid lake in NV and it's all sand. The stabilizers did nothing because they just kept digging deeper and deeper into the sand. I also could not disconnect the trailer from my truck for the same reason lol. So my rig stayed in place. Luckily my buddy Greg met up with me there and we took his 4 runner where ever we needed too. I also felt like anytime I rolled around I could feel ton's of movement. I would have liked to have them down. That said I also plan to add to stabilizers up front because I just feel unsafe unhooked from my truck with my family of four, hoping that the crappy wheel jack that comes with it holds up. I have looked all over and cannot find a wheel jack that is better built that will go to the heights that theirs will. I also feel that one day when I try to move the trailer around in my garage to get to something its gonna snap in half and a trailer tongue is gonna end up on my toe.
My trailer tongue reinforcements have been stuck in Canadian customs since march 28th now.
Since I've got nothing to outside of work, I'm idly wondering about creature comforts on the trailer. Specifically a water tank (not scout pictured):
I have a fairly decent understanding of venting and pumping, but attaching the tank itself, how would one go about it? Say I managed to source correctly sized tank and the metal straps like in the picture above where would I be able to attach them? Could I drill upwards through the frame members and put a bolt through? Or is it a bad idea to put a hole into a the frame?
Would love to hear some thoughts or some resources.
Since I've got nothing to outside of work, I'm idly wondering about creature comforts on the trailer. Specifically a water tank (not scout pictured):
I have a fairly decent understanding of venting and pumping, but attaching the tank itself, how would one go about it? Say I managed to source correctly sized tank and the metal straps like in the picture above where would I be able to attach them? Could I drill upwards through the frame members and put a bolt through? Or is it a bad idea to put a hole into a the frame?
Would love to hear some thoughts or some resources.
I have thought about this a lot. Any spots available under the trailer are going to do one of two things. One add weight to the tongue weight or Two remove ground clearance. There are some smaller tank options that would not do this but your only going to have 5 gallons of water or so, max 8 from what I have worked out. What I have been looking at now is to put the water tank on top of the main box. I have not done the calculations on what a tank would cost to make or how may gallons it would hold but it seems to me the best option at this point. Camping season is getting close so I have already been dreaming about my water tank. For right now I do have a hot water heater and water pump on the trailer. But I switch out water can's as needed. I usually bring 22 gallons of water. To be honest most of it gets dumped on the fire after each night of drinking. But I am a super freak when it comes to fires and don't want it to happen on my watch. I would say, I could do a weekend trip minus the putting out of fire's with my family with 10 gallons of water. Me and a buddy have done 8 days on 6 gallons. But two of my family members are kids so..... they just don't get saving water lol.
I have thought about this a lot. Any spots available under the trailer are going to do one of two things. One add weight to the tongue weight or Two remove ground clearance. There are some smaller tank options that would not do this but your only going to have 5 gallons of water or so, max 8 from what I have worked out. What I have been looking at now is to put the water tank on top of the main box. I have not done the calculations on what a tank would cost to make or how may gallons it would hold but it seems to me the best option at this point. Camping season is getting close so I have already been dreaming about my water tank. For right now I do have a hot water heater and water pump on the trailer. But I switch out water can's as needed. I usually bring 22 gallons of water. To be honest most of it gets dumped on the fire after each night of drinking. But I am a super freak when it comes to fires and don't want it to happen on my watch. I would say, I could do a weekend trip minus the putting out of fire's with my family with 10 gallons of water. Me and a buddy have done 8 days on 6 gallons. But two of my family members are kids so..... they just don't get saving water lol.
Also to be fare to my family when we go out as a family its usually group trips. We have a lot of tent campers that also use our sink to do their dishes, because of the hot water. So even though I feel like I'm always yelling at my kids to shut the water off they might not be the ones using up my water lol.
Thanks for your thoughs. If you position the tank as far back as possible I believe the physics works in our advantage and actually lightens the tongue, so that's a positive. In terms of ground clearance, you're absolutely right. The scout has massive 27" or so from the ground to the hitch receiver.. My F150 has about 17" (and the diff is actually lower). So if the tow vehicle can go through the trailer will follow easily. I feel like we could easily sacrifice 8-9", the tanks I've seen that would be about 10-12 gallons. Not bad.
In the winter, I camp by myself with 5 gallons for ~5 days (of course there're copious beers). WHere do you store your 22g worth of jerry cans?
Flatland_XJ
New member
Sorry it's taken so long to reply. 13mm ball end struts. 29.5" extended and 85lb lift capacity. The work perfectly to lift a CVT Mt Rainier summit and awning