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Re: [LML] Trailering a 360
Have you guys ever considered finishing the planes and just flying them from point to point, rather than dragging them around on a trailer?
I know there are advantages of the whole trailer thing — truck stops, hot coffee, public restrooms. And you can pull over for a nap anytime you want. And you don’t have to worry about weather etc. But having done both the trailer thing and flying, you may want to consider the flying thing;)
John Hafen
On 7/14/09 10:35 AM, "rwolf99@aol.com" <rwolf99@aol.com> wrote:
I've posted how I do this on at least two occasions. Here is what I wrote. This time I included a picture of Dan Olsen's airplane on my trailer. He's in the foreground, watching me in the green jacket do all the work... ;-)
- Rob Wolf
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I consider myself the world's most experienced person at transporting a 360 by road. I have moved my airplane from Cleveland to SoCal to NoCal to SoCal to Denver and numerous shorter trips as well.
I use a dual-wide snowmobile trailer. This trailer cost me $750 brand new in 1996. My modifications to it were minor, consisting of bolting chocks in strateigc places and tie down rings in other strategic places. I also bolted an ammo can to the trailer tongue -- 75 pounds in the box is needed when the trailer is empty to keep the tongue weight right.
Some things to remember.
1) It doesn't matter when you do this -- it WILL rain on your airplane. Wrap it up with 4 mil polyethylene sheet (or equivalent) from Home Depot. Use lots of tape. Plan on stopping at least twice in the first couple of hours to tape down flapping plastic. Use a tarp for the engfine compartment.
2) Use BLACK plastic to eliminate UV exposure, unless your airplane is painted or in primer.
3) A stretch net (for pick up truck beds) is good over the canopy area.
4) I replace the folding main landing gear links with a 1/2 x 1 inch aluminum bar. The bar extends slightly outboard of the gear strut. A shackle goes there and is the anchor point for a come-along.
5) The lower engine mount is used for two come-along straps. I cannot trailer with the cowling installed.
6) The aircraft is restrained from moving fore and aft by large chocks cut from a 4 x 4. These are bolted thru the plywood floor of the trailer. I unbolt the aft chock to roll the plane on, then bolt it back on. Smaller wooden pieces (2 x 2, I think) go alongside the tire on the inside to keep it from skittering sideways.
7) The nosewheel rides on a metal center piece to which the plywood is attached. The trailer came that way.
8) The plywood trailer floor tends to sink at the main wheels. Screw on a 2 x 2 to the plywood underneath the wheels to limt the sinking of the plywood.
9) The best way I've found to load the trailer is to make a set of ramps with three 2 x 12s. Don't build anything -- just lay one end of the 2x12 on the trailer and the other end on the ground. Have at least two other people to help.
I have towed this 2000 miles with a Honda Civic, and another 1000 miles with a Miata. It doesn't take a truck to do it, but now that I have one, that's what I use.
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Omigod I've done it over a dozen times. Once to the painter, sometimes to the airport, sometimes over a thousand miles to a new home.
I bought a double wide snowmobile trailer and bolted down chocks and tie-down rings to the plywood floor in strategic places. Yes, it's a tilt-bed, but it's easier to use ramps. I use three 2x12s 12 feet long. One under each wheel. Any shorter and the tail will scrape the ground.
You may need tongue weight with the plane off the trailer. I find 75 pounds on the trailer neck works well. I have an ammo can U-bolted to the neck and shot bags are either in there or not. A side benefit is if you put the shot bags on the back end of the trailer, you can pick the trailer up and wheel it around with one hand.
I replace the folding main gear links with a similar sized aluminum bar. The bar extends outboard far enough to attach a clevis. This ring is for one end of a tiedown strap. The other end goes to a strategically placed tiedown ring on the trailer floor.
Chocks in front of and behind the main tires keep it from rolling. (Yes, you bolt the back one on AFTER the airplane is in place.) Two by two "chocks" are along the inner side of the main wheel to keep the plane from skittering sideways.
The nose is held down by tiedown straps around the lower part of the engine mount. I have never trailered it with the cowling on.
If it's a one-day trip, skip wrapping it up. Otherwise, use black 4-mil polyethylene sheet (Home Depot) and lots of packing tape to keep it dry and to keep the UV off. Unless it's painted, of course, and then you don't have to worry. Plan on stopping twice in the first hour or so to retape the loose flapping things that you missed. An elastic mesh net can help out over the canopy. I think these are intended for pickup trucks.
I have towed this 1500 miles with a Honda CRX. Again 1250 miles with a Mazda Miata. Both worked fine. But now I prefer to use my wife's 3/4 ton diesel truck.
Oh, and the wings travel separately.
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