On my trailer I folded the ramps all the way back to touch the tires and
them in place. A good cou0poe of good size blocks to guide the wheels in
place and the ramps to lock them down is all the front end ever needs.
Now I have a welder I'm thinking of welding up a ramp to take my tail wheel.
But I'll design an empennage support into it. I'll probably still tie the
tail wheel three ways for security. All I have to do is figure out when
I'll have the plane off floats again.
Noel
From: owner-kitfox-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-kitfox-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Chuck Popenoe
Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 11:19 AM
To: kitfox-list@matronics.com
Subject: Re: Trailering a KitfoxTrailering a Kitfox
Bob-
I welded up the trailer in my driveway specifically to fit the Avid -- it is
a single axle with minimal spring stiffness --2 leaves. I live on the
outskirts of Wash. DC and have to trailer the bird some 50 miles each way to
Frederick Muni each time I fly to get out of the ADIZ. The mains are secured
with tire chains and the tailwheel is secured with a specially welded up
clamp. I have recently added supports for the empennage which fasten iinto
the cross tubes for towing on its own wheels which takes all of the weight
off of the tail spring. I will attach a couple of photos, but the trailer
details can best be seen posted on the Avid Flyer list under Pops' Avid A.
Actually, while trailering, the wingtips are right behind the car's rear
window, and their movement can be observed easily. The struts that hold the
wings in the folded position will keep the wings from swinging out, but do
little to restrain their up/down movement. This is why I added the struts
down to the cross tubes to triangulate that support location. Without the
added struts, the tips would move up and down on rough roads. Presently, the
tips are absolutely fixed and no movement is possible. Other than truck
vortices, I have never observed any wind generated movement since adding the
braces.
I haven't used the front spar braces, as I don't think that do much with my
triangulated wing support taking the load. My attach point failure occurred
some 7-8 years ago, and I did a lot of thinking then to make changes to
prevent it from ever occurring again.
Pops
