Smittybilt Scout Trailer Reviews?

trae

Adventurer
Do you happen to know the dimensions for the Engel MU40 you have pictured? I can't find any info about that model online anymore. Seems like that would be a pretty good reference for the max size to fit on the slider (you showed you could go back, and width/height is still limited by door frame).

Pictured is not the Engel, that's the Costco special I had before Engel.

It is 24"x15"x19". I did not install the handles to make it fit. There's maybe an inch or two wiggle room height wise, otherwise this is the max that would fit.
 

emtmark

Austere Medical Provider
@emtmark are you on thenewx? I've towed my scout with the Xterra a couple of times and it was a struggle over BC's mountain passes. F150 is way better.

I am it’s slower but doable a full size truck would be better

Or

Hear me out

A vk swap


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

DeMar39

New member
How far do the main slides come out. I'm thinking of putting in a Blizzard Box 99qt (39.1"L x 21"W x 18.7
"H). I might have to put in a flat plate on standoffs on the slides to get the width over the slide tray. How far do the slides extend? All 48".... maybe 6" less? I figure the only thing on the one slide here is the fridge so if it fits go big.
 

fd6axc4

Member
Has anybody swapped the spindles out for an equivalent stock size? I saw somebody here that was fabricating extra heavy duty ones. But I'm looking for something that's stock sized. If you swap the spindle, do you need to weld it in? Or does it just bolt into that pipe?

I noticed a tire issue on my last trip and the tire wiggled when I jacked it up. I took it apart today and it looked like there's a pretty decent gouge in the spindle. It looks like it misses the oil seal lip, but it's pretty close to it. I'm guessing water got in there and contaminated the grease.

If welding is necessary, I'm thinking about filling it in with jbweld and filing it down. Or using something like a redi-sleeve. Ideally I'd like to replace it, but I'm not about to test my amateur welding capability on it. :)
 

Lemoineml

New member
Has anyone replaced the stock axle with a different or custom axle? I was thinking more serviceable hubs and spindles, and a different bolt pattern. I am looking at getting a scout possibly used and wanted to see what my options were to go to Toyota 6x5.5 bolt pattern.
 

givemethewillys

Jonathan Chouinard
Has anyone replaced the stock axle with a different or custom axle? I was thinking more serviceable hubs and spindles, and a different bolt pattern. I am looking at getting a scout possibly used and wanted to see what my options were to go to Toyota 6x5.5 bolt pattern.
Not for this trailer, but for my Jeep trailer (Spen Model S, similar to an m416), I ordered a custom Dexter 3500lb axle. It was a simple swap.
 

fd6axc4

Member
I replaced the bearings but there's an extremely tiny wiggle when I grab the tire and shake it. When installing the bearings, I tightened the castle nut all the way until the wheel couldn't spin, backed it off, spun the wheel, tightened the nut, etc... I did this a few times just to get the bearings to seat. I then loosened the castle nut and put it on tightly by my finger.

Some people say an extremely tiny amount of play in the wheel is better than too tight. Other people say there shouldn't be any play. I took a half hour test drive on the expressway and I would say I couldn't see any wheel jiggle and the temperature around was pretty even at around 100* to 110*.

What do you think? No wiggle at all or a tiny bit of play is OK.

Thanks!
 

Itsbobbyagain

New member
Has anyone figured out how to improve the dust seal on the doors? I adjusted the door latches and I still get lots of dust (I live in the desert southwest). I’ve been thinking about trying lever type latches to really crank the door down on the seals.
 

CRYA

Member
What’s the largest RTT anyone is running and what mods were necessary? My Smitty XL is at the end of its lifespan and I need to decide what next or switch to kayaks up there. I’m looking at the 23Zero 87 or other big boy for a fam of 4.
 

fd6axc4

Member
Has anyone figured out how to improve the dust seal on the doors? I adjusted the door latches and I still get lots of dust (I live in the desert southwest). I’ve been thinking about trying lever type latches to really crank the door down on the seals.

I replaced the original latches under warranty from Smitty and the replacement batch was just as bad. I've been on a quest to find better latches, mostly for security...

I ordered some 'tch hardware' from amazon that I feel is a big improvement over the original design. They feel pretty solid and actually lock. I needed something quick so that's what I ordered. However, I would say the fit is similar to stock. You can also adjust the latches so you need to press on that door to compress the rubber seal.

The other style that I wanted are hard to find here in the US. They are called 'whale tails'. It seems like they are more popular in Australia. They look like they're a direct fit, they clamp the door shut, and you can double lock them. However, they are pretty expensive.

Another idea that I haven't tried to keep water/dust out is to add some foam weatherstrip to the areas of the door that may not compress the rubber good. I'm guessing it compresses well by the hinges but not by the latches. Just a thought.
 

greyfox14304

New member
Had a trailer failure this year elk hunting. Basically went on a very long bumpy trail, approximately 2 hours of trail time with the trailer. I'm not to sure what to call it the control arm/ skid plate looking piece that the shocks and springs articulate on is the piece that broke. I ended up losing 1/4th of the square tubing as you can see in the picture. Luckily I was able to find help in a nearby town and we were able to weld on a replacement piece for the ride home. The other side on the same skid plate started to separate at a corner as well from the other failure. We put a bead on it as well to secure it. Got lucky I think.
 

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fd6axc4

Member
Had a trailer failure this year elk hunting. Basically went on a very long bumpy trail, approximately 2 hours of trail time with the trailer. I'm not to sure what to call it the control arm/ skid plate looking piece that the shocks and springs articulate on is the piece that broke. I ended up losing 1/4th of the square tubing as you can see in the picture. Luckily I was able to find help in a nearby town and we were able to weld on a replacement piece for the ride home. The other side on the same skid plate started to separate at a corner as well from the other failure. We put a bead on it as well to secure it. Got lucky I think.

That's interesting....out of all things failing I'm surprised to see it fail up there. I would had thought maybe down by the spindle area. What's your plan going forward? Keep it as is or find a replacement?

How did you find somebody to weld it on? I always wonder if I have a failure, what do you even look up....fabricator?

Thank you for posting. I'm always learning about this stuff and what to look for and how to fix.
 

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