I also did this once just as described
below, but from one airport to another using a snowmobile trailer and had no
problem. If you do this make sure the wheels are freshly greased and
maybe even have a spare set including bearings (cheap and maybe not available
in Kansas).
Small diameter wheels make a lot of revolutions in 2000 miles.
The next time, I moved 2000 miles and
North American Van Lines “subbed it out” to a trucker with a low
boy flatbed 18 wheeler. He and I loaded it with a couple of 2x12 planks
and a bunch of people to push it up the ramp. The 320 rode on it’s own
gear secured to the truck bed. Wings were padded and tied to the truck
bed.
Cost in 2001 was about $800 and included
insurance thru the van line --- I would get a quote before a DIY adventure with
a small trailer. I don’t remember the cost of fuel in 2001 vs 2009.
Bob Mitchell
L-320
From: Lancair Mailing List [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of rwolf99@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 10:36
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: [LML] Trailering a 360
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
*****************
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.
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.