It was a year ago I replaced those two rivets and they are still holding up fine. I did not know the rivet specs that Scamp uses so the easiest thing for my pea brain was to use a threaded fastener. Stainless made sense, I didn't want rust to show up inside the trailer and the I knew not to torque it too much. All the rivets I have are steel shank and I was sure I would have pulled it through. I'm glad to hear others saw my post and repaired theirs.
When if was at the factory all day, at the completion of my work and payment they gave me a going away gift. They graves handfuls offal sorts of rivets, collars, and caps,putt them in a bag and handed it to me. Now in addition I have SS bolts, washer, and nuts with inserts for locking. I also,still carry my cordless drill, rivet gun as well. My tool box is more than adequate for almost any repair on the Scamp.
I'd like to join this discussion and ask for a bit of information. We recently bought a '99 16' Scamp. My wife complains about the appearance of all the bare rivet heads on the exterior. In this string, someone mentioned caps. Are there decorative caps for the rivets? If yes, how do they fasten on? The rivet heads don't seem to offer anything to grab onto.
I have a 2009 Scamp 16 SD. I have had the loose roof pop rivet problem on the curb side of the trailer from the entry door to the end of the cupboard over the stove top. What I found was there was to much weight (full fresh water tank, full water heater, and full refrigerator) on the frame in this area. This was causing the frame to flex up and down over the axle on rough roads. This is easy to check out while the trailer is unhooked from the TV and just on the tongue jack in your drive way. By using a jack under the rear bumper on the curb side of the trailer to jack it up so the curb side wheel just clears the ground. This will put the max. load on the real problem (the frame) that is pulling the pop rivets loose. Just do a visual check of the loose ceiling rivets with no jack load on the rear curb side bumper and then with full jack load on rear curb side rear bumper so the curb side wheel is a little off of the ground. The floor & cupboards flexes with the frame up and down motion when being towed down the road; the roof flexes very little. This is what is making the pop rivets come loose over time when using the trailer. My solution was to weld in additional 1 1/2" X 3" tubing to the frame so it is the same double tubing over the axle clear out the bumper on the curb side of the trailer. Then I welded on a 5" X 3/16" plate to the curb side of the frame from the door step to the bumper area. This stopped my loose rivet problem. I blame this engineering problem on Scamp mfg. for their cost cutting when building my trailer. I'm a retired journeyman machinist that looks to get to the real problem so I can find a permanent solution to my pop rivet problem . I hope this adds a new light to an old problem like I have experienced with my Scamp 16 SD and other Scamp owners are also having .
I bolted up my modified car radio on my aft compartment. The radio alone was about 4-lbs alone and thought it would be more secure to add an extra rivet to the cabinet (for traveling purposes). I was going to use a pop-rivet but since I work alone, that wasn't a practical solution.
Since someone has to hold the acorn nut up against the pop-rivet (inside) and MOST IMPORTANT, I couldn't see how much pulling-pressure was being applied to the cabinet inside (while cranking down on the pop-rivet from the outside). Too much pulled-pressure could warp or even crack the fiberglass either on the cabinet or camper itself (overtime). It should be remembered, that there is bubbled insulation and rat fur between the inside cabinets and the outer fiberglass shell. So, too much pulled-pressure (via the rivet) will have a tendency to cause uneven pressure from the location of the rivet and the rest of the item that is sitting on the insulation and rat fur.
For me, my solution was to use SS bolt, washer-(inside) and locking nut. Using this combination allowed me to control how much pulled-pressure was being applied to the location of the bolt. I realize it's not the best looking mod, but I really don't think it looks all that bad either. Time will tell if this was the correct mod or not.
Hi Kilovictor and also Greg A: Back again after many months of travels with our Scamp! We are about to use our 16 ft. 2007 scamp one more time before winter (?) sets in at our daughter’s place in northern CA. We have the exact same problem with loose rivets and nuts at the closet as you did! My husband (more of a backpacker than a Scamper) decided he could help me replace the rivets with screws. My question is: do you install the same size screw (#10-24 X 1”) inside and outside? I asked the Scamp Co. about rivet sizes, as I originally going to replace everything with rivets, and they gave me quite a detailed answer, below:
There are many different sized rivets that go into these trailers. Large cabinets, or overhead cabinets generally use 6-10, 6-12, and a few 6-14. For a backsplash or insert, size 6-16. For small items such as curtain rod brackets you would need size 4-6 or 4-8. Roof vents, side vents, water heater, and misc ports/connections have been size 5-6 and 6-6. I'm afraid I can't be more specific because each trailer is custom made and things change over time. Also, depending on the circumstances (thickness of insulation, fiberglass etc.) a longer or shorter rivet than usual may be needed.
So, I need to know if anyone else has changed out rivets to screws elsewhere on a 16 ft (2000 to 2010?) Scamp? Also there have been replies about the nuts. Which do either of you use? We may have to wait until end of October to finish... though we need rain, hope it stays dry until November! Any help with this project would be appreciated. (See photo of closet nut, and accompanying rivet on roof). Lupine
If you read my original post and follow the sequence you will be fine. Br sure to note I used Machine screws, NOT WOOD SCREWS! I did that so I could feel the force I was applying to the fiberglass and not squish it. Only snug it. If you were to use rivets and used one too short it will damage the roof, thus the long explanation from Scamp. The acorn nuts look good but you could use regular nuts.
This process looks good for my 2014, both rivets failed in the same locations. I've not replaced any rivets. Do you use a washer on the outside, or inside? I noticed my awning has a washer inside, then a regular nut then the acorn nut for cosmetics. Thank you!!
It was a year ago I replaced those two rivets and they are still holding up fine. I did not know the rivet specs that Scamp uses so the easiest thing for my pea brain was to use a threaded fastener. Stainless made sense, I didn't want rust to show up inside the trailer and the I knew not to torque it too much. All the rivets I have are steel shank and I was sure I would have pulled it through. I'm glad to hear others saw my post and repaired theirs.
KVJ
When if was at the factory all day, at the completion of my work and payment they gave me a going away gift. They graves handfuls offal sorts of rivets, collars, and caps,putt them in a bag and handed it to me. Now in addition I have SS bolts, washer, and nuts with inserts for locking. I also,still carry my cordless drill, rivet gun as well. My tool box is more than adequate for almost any repair on the Scamp.
<p>Doug Allen 2016 Ford F-150 2018 Lance 1575</p>
I'd like to join this discussion and ask for a bit of information. We recently bought a '99 16' Scamp. My wife complains about the appearance of all the bare rivet heads on the exterior. In this string, someone mentioned caps. Are there decorative caps for the rivets? If yes, how do they fasten on? The rivet heads don't seem to offer anything to grab onto.
Thanks,
Randy
Randy in Paonia
see first: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW1Nva-X8yw
See second: https://www.facebook.com/297691030279431/videos/113727918754768
Randy,
in the maintenance table of contents are two threads covering the rivet snap cap process,
http://www.scampowners.com/forums/maintenance-table-contents
If you have bare rivets on the exterior you have some work to do very soon. Not too expensive but lots of labor.
Our Trailers:
2015 19 Escape
Buying or Selling Molded FG Trailers:
Fiberglass-RV-4Sale
I have a 2009 Scamp 16 SD. I have had the loose roof pop rivet problem on the curb side of the trailer from the entry door to the end of the cupboard over the stove top. What I found was there was to much weight (full fresh water tank, full water heater, and full refrigerator) on the frame in this area. This was causing the frame to flex up and down over the axle on rough roads. This is easy to check out while the trailer is unhooked from the TV and just on the tongue jack in your drive way. By using a jack under the rear bumper on the curb side of the trailer to jack it up so the curb side wheel just clears the ground. This will put the max. load on the real problem (the frame) that is pulling the pop rivets loose. Just do a visual check of the loose ceiling rivets with no jack load on the rear curb side bumper and then with full jack load on rear curb side rear bumper so the curb side wheel is a little off of the ground. The floor & cupboards flexes with the frame up and down motion when being towed down the road; the roof flexes very little. This is what is making the pop rivets come loose over time when using the trailer. My solution was to weld in additional 1 1/2" X 3" tubing to the frame so it is the same double tubing over the axle clear out the bumper on the curb side of the trailer. Then I welded on a 5" X 3/16" plate to the curb side of the frame from the door step to the bumper area. This stopped my loose rivet problem. I blame this engineering problem on Scamp mfg. for their cost cutting when building my trailer. I'm a retired journeyman machinist that looks to get to the real problem so I can find a permanent solution to my pop rivet problem . I hope this adds a new light to an old problem like I have experienced with my Scamp 16 SD and other Scamp owners are also having .
DB
I bolted up my modified car radio on my aft compartment. The radio alone was about 4-lbs alone and thought it would be more secure to add an extra rivet to the cabinet (for traveling purposes). I was going to use a pop-rivet but since I work alone, that wasn't a practical solution.
Since someone has to hold the acorn nut up against the pop-rivet (inside) and MOST IMPORTANT, I couldn't see how much pulling-pressure was being applied to the cabinet inside (while cranking down on the pop-rivet from the outside). Too much pulled-pressure could warp or even crack the fiberglass either on the cabinet or camper itself (overtime). It should be remembered, that there is bubbled insulation and rat fur between the inside cabinets and the outer fiberglass shell. So, too much pulled-pressure (via the rivet) will have a tendency to cause uneven pressure from the location of the rivet and the rest of the item that is sitting on the insulation and rat fur.
For me, my solution was to use SS bolt, washer-(inside) and locking nut. Using this combination allowed me to control how much pulled-pressure was being applied to the location of the bolt. I realize it's not the best looking mod, but I really don't think it looks all that bad either. Time will tell if this was the correct mod or not.
Hi Kilovictor and also Greg A: Back again after many months of travels with our Scamp! We are about to use our 16 ft. 2007 scamp one more time before winter (?) sets in at our daughter’s place in northern CA. We have the exact same problem with loose rivets and nuts at the closet as you did! My husband (more of a backpacker than a Scamper) decided he could help me replace the rivets with screws. My question is: do you install the same size screw (#10-24 X 1”) inside and outside? I asked the Scamp Co. about rivet sizes, as I originally going to replace everything with rivets, and they gave me quite a detailed answer, below:
There are many different sized rivets that go into these trailers. Large cabinets, or overhead cabinets generally use 6-10, 6-12, and a few 6-14. For a backsplash or insert, size 6-16. For small items such as curtain rod brackets you would need size 4-6 or 4-8. Roof vents, side vents, water heater, and misc ports/connections have been size 5-6 and 6-6. I'm afraid I can't be more specific because each trailer is custom made and things change over time. Also, depending on the circumstances (thickness of insulation, fiberglass etc.) a longer or shorter rivet than usual may be needed.
So, I need to know if anyone else has changed out rivets to screws elsewhere on a 16 ft (2000 to 2010?) Scamp? Also there have been replies about the nuts. Which do either of you use? We may have to wait until end of October to finish... though we need rain, hope it stays dry until November! Any help with this project would be appreciated. (See photo of closet nut, and accompanying rivet on roof). Lupine
<p>Lupine</p>
Lupine,
If you read my original post and follow the sequence you will be fine. Br sure to note I used Machine screws, NOT WOOD SCREWS! I did that so I could feel the force I was applying to the fiberglass and not squish it. Only snug it. If you were to use rivets and used one too short it will damage the roof, thus the long explanation from Scamp. The acorn nuts look good but you could use regular nuts.
Good luck
KVJ
This process looks good for my 2014, both rivets failed in the same locations. I've not replaced any rivets. Do you use a washer on the outside, or inside? I noticed my awning has a washer inside, then a regular nut then the acorn nut for cosmetics. Thank you!!
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