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Long distance trailering

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Lion8

Joined: 21 Jun 2009
Posts: 31

Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:46 pm Post subject: Long distance trailering

I have a 21ft. dual axle boat trailer with coil springs that I will be using to bring home a Kitfox IV soon.  It will be tail forward.  The Vertical Stab. is 70 in. high. That,  with the trailer 22in. off the road is quite high.  

Is their any tips for towing like this?

_________________
Tom (Lion8), Currently Flying an LSA Trike
Rebuilding a Kitfox IV Speedster
Southern New Jersey

wb2ssj(at)frontiernet.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:55 pm Post subject: Long distance trailering

Make sure you have the wing to tail braces and make sure to secure the 

elevator. And have a red ribbon on the nose or you will get a ticket.

Lion8

Joined: 21 Jun 2009
Posts: 31

Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 5:58 pm Post subject: Re: Long distance trailering

Thanks for the info. I will check that.

_________________
Tom (Lion8), Currently Flying an LSA Trike
Rebuilding a Kitfox IV Speedster
Southern New Jersey

roncarolnikko(at)hotmail.
Guest

Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 6:09 pm Post subject: Long distance trailering

The height is no problem except for the drive up a Mickey dees'.  Be sure to have the wings level so as the angle of attack does not create lift or stress on the plane.  Also beware that the fellow who bought my Avid made it from Oregon to Oklahoma before the carry through spar broke.  Be sure to support the leading edge spar down to the fuselodge.  I have also heard of a wing folding out and hitting a pole.  Ron NB Ore  KFIV

[quote] Subject: Long distance trailering

 From: ctmcdowell(at)comcast.net

 Date: Thu C 17 Sep 2009 16:46:08 -0700

 To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

 I have a 21ft. dual axle boat trailer with coil springs that I will be using to bring home a Kitfox IV soon. It will be tail forward. The Vertical Stab. is 70 in. high. That C with the trailer 22in. off the road is quite high. 

 Is their any tips for towing like this?

 --------

 Flying a Trike for 9 years. (at) years LSA. Looking for a Kitfox IV or newer

Lynn Matteson

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan

Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:24 am Post subject: Long distance trailering

Keep the tire pressure low in the trailer so as to soften the ride.  

Chose a non-rainy day to tow. Drain all fuel, if any, from wing  

tanks. Make sure you have the "front-spar-to-lower-fuselage" braces  

in place. Keep weight off tail wheel by elevating tail slightly then  

attaching braces from trailer up to the tubing that is welded into  

the fuselage near the rear spring. This keeps the weight off the tail  

spring.



Lynn Matteson

Kitfox IV Speedster, taildragger

Jabiru 2200, #2062, 770.6 hrs

Countdown to 1000 hrs~230 to go

Sensenich 62"x46" Wood prop

Electroair direct-fire ignition system

Rotec TBI-40 injection

Status: flying

On Sep 17, 2009, at 9:58 PM, Lion8 wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   



 Thanks for the info. I will check that.



 --------

 Tom (Lion8), Currently Flying an LSA Trike

 Kitfox IV coming soon.

 Southern New Jersey





 Read this topic online here:



 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p 63621#263621

_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

Lion8

Joined: 21 Jun 2009
Posts: 31

Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 2:21 pm Post subject: Long distance trailering

Thank you Lynn and all the other people who are giving good advice.  Thiswill save me some damage=$$$. 



---

_________________
Tom (Lion8), Currently Flying an LSA Trike
Rebuilding a Kitfox IV Speedster
Southern New Jersey

KeysFox

Joined: 05 Jan 2009
Posts: 137

Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 4:53 am Post subject: Long distance trailering

Re: trailering



I have trailered my model IV coast to coast and north to south border to

border more times than I can now remember. I stop where ever I want to

(all the usual tourist destinations) and fly. Just got back from trip

between Key West and Canada north of Vancover British Columbia and Bar

Harbor Maine. So I have loaded my model IV in a trailer and unloaded it

maybe 200 times, and trailered more than 50,000 miles with no known damage

done so far.



The tail is easy to lift with the wings out in flying position so I lift

it until the fuselage is level and set the tail wheel into a fixed

"cradle" on the trailer and pin it so it can't get lose.



Then I run a ~ 7 foot long 4 X 4 side to side under the tail, placing one

end up on a fixed mount. Next I lift the low end of the 4 X 4 up under the

front portion of the tail wheel spring to take some of the load off of the

tail wheel and immediately swing a support that is connected by large

hinges to the floor up into position to support that end of the 4 X 4.



The 3.5 foot lever arm from the tail wheel spring to that end of the 4 X 4

makes it relatively easy to lift the tail a bit and there is no risk of

hurting the plane or puncturing the fabric. Lifting the tail to position

it in a bracket to pin it in place can risk puncturing fabric in some

cases.



 I then bolt two pieces of 3 inch aluminum angle to the 4 X 4 so that they

extend up on each side of the fuselage in a fixed position with a small

amount of space between fuselage and aluminum brackets for fender washers

and cushions. Next I run a bolt thru them and the tube thru the fuselage

frame that others have mentioned. Note that the  tail is attached at two

points, the tail wheel and now the fuselage in case of accident or a

failure at one attach point. Trailer enough and things will get lose.



The long 4 X 4 provides a little "give" on rough roads (much like the idea

of soft tires). There is redundant support for the tail thru both the 4 X

4 and second the tail wheel spring but much of the load remains off of the

tail wheel spring and it can't flex and be stressed too much. The tail

wheel spring can't contact and possibly damage the rudder. In my Model IV

there is very little clearance in that area.



I find it quicker and easier to siphon fuel out of the wing tanks rather

than drain thru the gascolator or sump drains, and find that i get the

most fuel out when the tail is elevated so the fuselage is level and the

wings are folded. My early model IV has the large tanks if that makes a

difference.



BJ

N154K

443-480-1023

Bjones(at)dmv.com

[quote]

 Thank you Lynn and all the other people who are giving good advice.Â 

 Thiswill save me some damage=$$$.

 ---

_________________
B Jones
N154K
443-480-1023

earnestj0

Joined: 04 Jan 2009
Posts: 13
Location: McCall, Idaho

Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 6:38 am Post subject: Re: Long distance trailering

I have a boat trailer that I have adapted for my Kitfox.  I haven't seen a Vixen being trailered, so this may be different from yours.  I have included a picture.  Supports are always used, either homemade or purchased from John McBean.  Hope this helps. 

Ted

KFOnTrailer.JPG

Description:

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1.95 MB

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6871 Time(s)

_________________
Ted (Earnest Jacques)
McCall, ID
Kitfox V Vixen/Subaru Turbo

clint_bazzill(at)hotmail.
Guest

Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 7:25 am Post subject: Long distance trailering

That sounds great.  How about some pictures C Thanks for sharing.

  

 Clint  Living with Kitfox in garage.

  

 

 

[quote] : Sat C 19 Sep 2009 08:49:53 -0400

 Subject: Re: Re: Long distance trailering

 From: bjones(at)dmv.com

 To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

 

 --> Kitfox-List message posted by: bjones(at)dmv.com

 

 Re: trailering

 

 I have trailered my model IV coast to coast and north to south border to

 border more times than I can now remember. I stop where ever I want to

 (all the usual tourist destinations) and fly. Just got back from trip

 between Key West and Canada north of Vancover British Columbia and Bar

 Harbor Maine. So I have loaded my model IV in a trailer and unloaded it

 maybe 200 times C and trailered more than 50 C000 miles with no known damage

 done so far.

 

 The tail is easy to lift with the wings out in flying position so I lift

 it until the fuselage is level and set the tail wheel into a fixed

 "cradle" on the trailer and pin it so it can't get lose.

 

 Then I run a ~ 7 foot long 4 X 4 side to side under the tail C placing one

 end up on a fixed mount. Next I lift the low end of the 4 X 4 up under the

 front portion of the tail wheel spring to take some of the load off of the

 tail wheel and immediately swing a support that is connected by large

 hinges to the floor up into position to support that end of the 4 X 4.

 

 The 3.5 foot lever arm from the tail wheel spring to that end of the 4 X 4

 makes it relatively easy to lift the tail a bit and there is no risk of

 hurting the plane or puncturing the fabric. Lifting the tail to position

 it in a bracket to pin it in place can risk puncturing fabric in some

 cases.

 

 I then bolt two pieces of 3 inch aluminum angle to the 4 X 4 so that they

 extend up on each side of the fuselage in a fixed position with a small

 amount of space between fuselage and aluminum brackets for fender washers

 and cushions. Next I run a bolt thru them and the tube thru the fuselage

 frame that others have mentioned. Note that the tail is attached at two

 points C the tail wheel and now the fuselage in case of accident or a

 failure at one attach point. Trailer enough and things will get lose.

 

 The long 4 X 4 provides a little "give" on rough roads (much like the idea

 of soft tires). There is redundant support for the tail thru both the 4 X

 4 and second the tail wheel spring but much of the load remains off of the

 tail wheel spring and it can't flex and be stressed too much. The tail

 wheel spring can't contact and possibly damage the rudder. In my Model IV

 there is very little clearance in that area.

 

 I find it quicker and easier to siphon fuel out of the wing tanks rather

 than drain thru the gascolator or sump drains C and find that i get the

 most fuel out when the tail is elevated so the fuselage is level and the

 wings are folded. My early model IV has the large tanks if that makes a

 difference.

 

 BJ

 N154K

 443-480-1023

 Bjones(at)dmv.com

 

 

 >

 > Thank you Lynn and all the other people who are giving good advice.Â 

 > Thiswill save me some damage=$$$.

 >

 >

 > ---

Paul A. Franz, P.E.

Joined: 02 Dec 2008
Posts: 280
Location: Bellevue WA

Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 3:40 pm Post subject: Long distance trailering

On Sat, September 19, 2009 7:38 am, earnestj0 wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   I have included a picture.


	


Thanks for that. It's a beautiful machine. Good job!



-- 

Paul A. Franz

Registration/Aircraft - N14UW/Merlin GT

Engine/Prop - Rotax 914/NSI CAP

Bellevue WA



"[W]hy give through agents whom we know not, to persons whom we know

not, and in countries from which we get no account, where we can do

it at short hand, to objects under our eye, through agents we know,

and to supply wants we see?"

-- Thomas Jefferson, letter to Michael Megear, 1823)



The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to

fill the world with fools.

-- Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)



"When occasions present themselves, in which the interests of the

people are at variance with their inclinations, it is the duty of

the persons whom they have appointed to be the guardians of those

interests, to withstand the temporary delusion, in order to give

them time and opportunity for more cool and sedate reflection."

-- Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 71



"Just as people use vastly different amounts of gasoline, they also

use vastly different amounts of medical care -- especially when an

appointment with a highly trained physician costs less than a

manicure. Insurance plans that force everyone in the plan to pay for

everyone else's Viagra and anti-anxiety pills are already completely

unfair to people who rarely go to the doctor. It's like being forced

to share gas bills with a long-haul trucker or a restaurant bill with

Michael Moore. On the other hand, it's a great deal for any lonely

hypochondriacs in the plan. ... You don't have to conjure up fantastic

visions of how health care would be delivered in this country if we

bought it ourselves. Just go to a grocery store or get a manicure. Or

think back to when you bought your last muffler, personal trainer,

computer and every other product and service available in inexpensive

abundance in this capitalist paradise. ... Isn't food important? Why

not 'universal food coverage'? If politicians and employers had

guaranteed us 'free' food 50 years ago, today Democrats would be

wailing about the 'food crisis' in America, and you'd be on the phone

with your food care provider arguing about whether or not a Reuben

sandwich with fries was covered under your plan. Instead of making

health care more like the DMV, how about we make it more like grocery

stores? Give the poor and tough cases health stamps and let the rest

of us buy health care -- and health insurance -- on the free market."

-- columnist Ann Coulter

_________________
Paul A. Franz, P.E.
Registration/Aircraft - N14UW/Merlin GT
Engine/Prop - Rotax 914/NSI CAP
Bellevue WA
425.241.1618 Cell
425.440.9505 Office

Lion8

Joined: 21 Jun 2009
Posts: 31

Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 3:42 pm Post subject: Long distance trailering

Thank Ted. Great shot of your Kit.  My trailer rails sit about 24in. off the road. Hope that is not to high.-Tom 



---

_________________
Tom (Lion8), Currently Flying an LSA Trike
Rebuilding a Kitfox IV Speedster
Southern New Jersey

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