1982 16'. Axle is welded in. 1st picture is under no load (swing arm hanging free, and NOT touching the floor jack even though it looks like it!)
2nd picture is with scissors jack under hub, lifting trailer off the floor jack.
Unloaded, the top of the swing arm is parallel with the frame member. Loaded, the swing arm is slightly angled upwards in relation to the frame member.
With 155/80-13 tires installed, and the weight of the trailer on the tires, there is about 2-1/4" of vertical space between the top of the tire and the upper wheelhouse.
Is this what it is supposed to be? What angle did the swing arms originally come in on this model?
Thanks!!
You have an ALKO axle with a three sided tube. The early S-16 axles were only rated for 2.2K and had 7" brakes. The triangular piece on the swing arm should point up with no load. The current S-16 axles are 3.5K with 22.5 deg down swing arm with 10 in. brakes. I think the old axles were also 22.5 deg down angle but can't say for sure. Your axle is almost 40 YO It's time for a change.
Alko was bought out by Dexter which are good axles and Scamp is now using Lippard axles. The simplest thing and usually the cheapest is to take a vacation to the Scamp factory and get them to make the swap. (You must make an appointment.) Usually takes them about 2 hours to do the swap. Also you have 4x4 wheels. Figure on having to buying 5x4.5 wheels since that is what everybody is using. Scamp will sell you a 3 bolt bracket for your 5 lug spare. Also order with the bolt on brackets you may never use it, but you can install a lift block for larger tires or if you get a bad axle it will be an easy swap.
Good Luck
Eddie