(first posted 11/23/2012) Sadly, I’m not getting in a lot of daytime scouting outings lately due to my current schedule. Fortunately, we knocked off early on Wednesday, which allowed time enough for our preferred urban hike. I was waiting at the traffic light at Sixth, when what do I see coming down the road? Whoa! Not exactly the usual fare. Time to whip out that camera and hope it fires up in time.
Maybe if I’d panned a bit while shooting, this pic might have come out sharper. Nevertheless, it’s quite clear that this rig is just a wee bit unusual. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Scout (or even a picture of one) with a fifth-wheel trailer. This one looks to be circa 1973, plus or minus a year or two.
Heading for the coast for Thanksgiving?
That grille being painted body color would make it a 73, at least if it left the factory that way. 74 had the same grille but it was painted silver. 75 used the same grille too but added square bezels around the headlights. However since that is not a stock color, the wheels have been painted body color, and someone has fitted the bulkhead in the Terra position it really could be any year. Though the way the rear is sitting, particularly the angle of the shackle it is unlikely that it is a 75 or later with their 1-ton rating.
Cool find though.
What a find. Such a short wheel base vehicle makes it an odd choice for a fifth wheel hauler. Of course that is one of the smallest fifth wheel trailers I’ve ever seen.
The fifth-wheel tow setup is ideal for a short-wheelbase tow-car.
I had a Jeep Wrangler with a hitch…and the first time I towed a substantial load, the handling on it scared the snot out of me. The short wheelbase, with the pivot point behind the rear axle…meant with every curve, the weight of the trailer would push against the rear at an angle; and then tire deflection would change the car’s angle and create sudden oversteer.
A tow hookup right over the center axle would have eliminated the problem and made it more stable.
Yes, but this set up has the pin behind the rear axle center line.
Still a lot further forward than a trailer hitch.
I’d rather have a weight distributing conventional hitch so that the weight is carried equally by both axles rather than unloading the front like this does. Add in an anti sway device and I’m sure it would tow better than this set up.
Trust me; it wouldn’t help. Weight-distribution or not, when the trailer goes into a turn, it first resists the movement and then shoves on the rear of the car. If it’s shoving behind the rear axles and you have anything other than dubs on the wheels, the tires are going to deflect.
This deflection is GREATLY amplified by a short wheelbase. On the other hand, if the point of anchor is on top of or very close to the center of the rear axle, there won’t be the leverage to make much tire deflection. Likewise, if the tow vehicle is a long wheelbase, that minimizes the effect.
I’d towed the same load later with my Dodge Ram Van…never even felt the shove. Even though it was the short wheelbase model.
That’s what I was thinking–how very short for a 5th-wheel trailer. Most of the ones you see are considerably longer and dual-axle.
The trailer looks like a slide-in camper unit, for a pick up.
Not really. The sides don’t “step in” toward the bottom to clear the sides of a pickup’s bed, and slide-ins have the door in the rear.
Neat setup.
5th wheel is a good idea here. A buddy of mine had a 4X4 Ramcharger for towing his racing trailer, and even after a full front end rebuild to tighten everything up it was still spooky to drive. He switched to an extended cab pickup & no problems.
In the middle photo it sure looks like the “landing gear” wheel is down, but it must be a reflection on the pavement..
Keep it out of the high plains of Texas! All I see in this is a cross-wind death trap.
Not a combo I would care to drive. Spent a lot of time driving a 64 scout in Panama and agree with the handling shortcomings. Love to have this rig for my S10.
With the diagonal brace being so close to the Scout’s tailgate it looks like it was intended for something with a longer bed. Interesting setup though.
That would tow ok anyone experiencing trailer push should stop towing until you learn how to do it properly, Nice little rig.
What’s up with the little 3Rd wheel under the propane tank in the second picture?
For when its removed from the tow vehicle, its a jockey wheel so you can push it about.
I figured it was but I would think it should be retractable for when it is being towed. A well placed bump would reak havoc on it and that tiny wheel can’t be rated for highway use.
Somebody might have forgot to crank it up out of the way?
That is an odd combo. About as odd as the slide-in camper Jeep once offered for their CJ’s
That sure is bizarre looking…
Nothing unusual about this (or anything else you might see) in Portland Oregon.