[huachuca]

2019 ZR2, crew cab, gas with Bison package and 2001 Scamp 19 ft. Deluxe (wood cabinetry) 'fifth wheel' owner here since 2009 with over a 100k towing miles on Tacoma's (05 & 12 TRD O/Rs) and now the Colorado

First, its not a true fifth wheel or gooseneck. Scamp uses a hybrid system where the trailer coupler is really the same as that found on a bumper pull, It attaches to a bed mounted hitch using rails, towers and a cross bar from a fifth wheel but a 2" ball instead of a plate. I've built two Scepter MFC holders and mounted them to the rails on either side of the hitch towers. These and the hitch itself are removable in about five minutes leaving only the rails in the bed.

In camping trim with all our gear aboard, the trailer's gross weight is around 3,500 to 3,600 lbs with a tongue weight of 425 lbs or so. The truck has the Bison package along with a 9.5K ComeUp winch with synthetic line. A 3000W Honda genset, 73 qt rotomolded cooler and five gallon Scepter water can ride on the toolbox which contains recovery and emergency gear. GVWR is right at the 6,100 lb limit.

With the ball centered just slightly behind the rear axle, I have enough clearance to hookup with the tailgate down and can make 90*+ turns without the nose of the trailer contacting the cab. With the generator and cooler aboard, I'm limited to around 80*s but that hasn't been a problem.

The mid-size truck and 19' Scamp is a great combination. The Colorado has much more power than the 4.0L in the Tacoma's I owned and gas mileage is significantly improved - 16-17 vs 11-13. The transmission has been trouble free for me in 25K miles (5K towing). As to the single axle, I had four tire failures (tread separations) before I radiused out the wheel wells and went from 175 to 205 14" tires. All were at 65-70 mph and there was no trailer sway. When I first bought the Scamp, it did not have the axle lift option and the small tire was all that would fit until I trimmed. With the Colorado's higher sides, I had to install the 4" lift axle will probably go to 15" tires with my next replacements. This should totally eliminate any tire issues.

I'm very familiar with the Escape 5.0 TA and that's a great trailer which would also be good with our trucks. The Scamp just does everything we want to do for now,

We generally set up camp on public lands, stay in one place for several days and use the truck to explore trails and backroads in that area. The Tacoma's were good at this and I think the ZR2 will be even better. Obviously, not the Chevy but this site in Black Hills National Forest is a typical camping spot for us.

 

[huachuca]

Hi huachuca, i had some questions about your colorado and scamp 19 set up. I have an order in to pick up a scamp 19 in 2023. I plan on getting a ford ranger 2022 or 2023 model too. Supercab with the 6 foot bed and 4x4 with off road shocks package to be precise. I only have experience towing a utility trailer with my polaris rzr 2 seater on it with a ford escape xlt using the bumper and ball hitch. My questions are did Scamp install the bed hitch in your truck or did you have to order it and install yourself? Is the one you have the one that is listed on their parts site (minus those can boxes) ? And is the hitch connected to any frame of the truck or just the bed? im not familiar with these and want to understand how the hitch parts are bolted down, to which parts of the truck and what kind of wear and tear it puts on the bed box, if any. I haven't been able to find a ton of helpful information online but your post is detailed, appreciate it.

thanks for your time!

Scamp did the hitch install on the Colorado. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, the Chevy's bed is much taller than the Tacoma so the standard axle had to be replaced with a high lift (it was twenty years old and probably due anyway). The hitch I'd built for the Toyotas couldn't easily be modified to work on the new truck so.................. road trip to Backus. Scamp cut me a pretty good deal on labor since I was getting both the axle and the hitch from them plus they let me 'help' with the install.

It was pretty straightforward - the front rail was secured by drilling three pair of holes (3/4"???) spaced evenly across the rail through the bed. A backing plate (6"x4"x5/16" ???) was sandwiched under the bed for each pair and nylock nuts installed. The rear rail used two similar mounts. I think the whole process took a half hour to forty five minutes. I'd secured the hitch towers to the frame using the stock bed bolts on the Tacoma and would've had concerns about not going that route on the Colorado if I hadn't known other Chevy/Scamp 'fiver' owners using just the rails, bed and backing plate method.

The hitch Scamp sells is comprised of Reese fifth wheel components - rails, towers and cross bar - and the cross bar has been modified to connect with a ball rather than a fifth wheel plate. Nothing Mickey Mouse about this at all. I've got probably 20K towing now and absolutely no problems. No indication the hitch, frame, bed or bed mounting bolts are being adversely affected.

A couple of suggestions - If you're planning for any sort of bed protection do it BEFORE you add the hitch. I didn't and had to remove and then re-install the hitch. Unsolicited testimony - the BedRug is awesome! If you're picking the camper up in Backus, let them install the hitch (I built my own for the Tacomas and it worked well but at the time nothing else was available). You want it centered as much over the rear axle as possible while still allowing you to backup with the tailgate down until the coupler is directly over the ball. I know at least one owner who has his too close to the front so he must get out, raise the tailgate and back up another few inches to get things lined up. If you haven't already, go the the MFROG website for more info. Poster by the name of Floyd believes the sun rises and sets on Rangers and Scamps. He's an opinionated SOB but knows his stuff.

If you have further questions, drop me a PM. I don't mind sharing my phone number if you want to talk.