Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

HI Guy's

I realize that there are numerous Trailer SET UP Threads and I have read them all.

What I would like to know is it better to have the Jets strapped on a shelf with the Gear Down this way any bumps would pass threw the Landing Gear Plates.

Previously I transport them with the Gear UP and on Foam but my Yellow F18 developed a small crack that way on a Gear Door.

I also was watching the BVM boy's unload and noticed that several of there Jets were now being Transported Gear Down.

Today I finally purchased a 05 / 12 * 6 Wells Cargo V Nose Trailer so hopefully I can now carry more then 2 planes to an event.

Ian

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

Seems to be a very subjective issue - as well as one where the answers change all the time - e.g. a while ago, BV advocated carrying jets gear up ... but now he sells a rack that only works for carrying jets gear down. :eek:

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

Well, in my experience, if you transport them on the gear and the gear collapses (lack of air pressure, something shakes loose, whatever), it can make much more of a mess than a small crack in a gear door! Since that happened to me, they get transported gear up lying on a bed of 2" foam. Hasn't caused a problem yet...

Bob

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

i guess the way to travel with jets would be gear up and laying flat on a wide surface. use a larger flat platform and NOT 2 rails to set the jets on, and on the large platform, go to any fabric supply store and get 3 or 4 inch thick foam and cover the platform. secure velcro straps on the platform and run them threw the foam to hold the jet in place.

mark

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

Well

I have been looking at this for a few years now and experimenting with the over center locks on the Gear of the Yellow F18 and CJM Gear on my F15e. I can't get them to collapse regardless of air pressure in the system or not.

That and the damage to the Gear door from laying the Yellow F18 Gear up is what prompted this.

Why this matters is I am trying to determine the height of the shelves in the Trailer.

Combing the configuration to work with the Jets and then the 40% and 35% Acrobatic planes and space goes fast.

Someone said in one of the Trailer Threads I was searching and I think it was Bob Covish always buy it bigger then U need.

Bob if U read this thanks I took your advice and I am glad I did.

Ian

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

I would keep the gear up... and put extra foam where the plane can handle it..

Like under bulkhead ect... just enough to get the weight off the doors... you know

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

I just bought a new 2006 trailer last Friday.I got a 14 x 7 x 7 feet tall Hercules tandom axle.The color is beautfiul-its champagne with black trim(I lucked out cause it matches the trim on my Eddie Bauer Expedition almost perfectly.I love this color.This is the nicest trailer I have ever owned,this thing drives far better than my last trailer did which was a Haulmark 12 x 6 single axle .This new Hercules drives/feels so light and the brakes work flawlessly.


I started out by laying black & white checkered tile thru-out.I actually just finished the setup in my trailer yesterday.I built 2 x 4 side rails into the 5/8 " think sidewalls,then used 5/8" thick MDF fiberboard as my jet shelf that run the whole width of 7 feet and runs a length of 10 feet .The shelf is covered in thick black commercial grade carpet.My trailer and layout is large enough that I can safely transport 5 jets on the tile floor & wide shelf I built.I setup the trailer to transport my Super Bandit up in the front of the trailer(secured down with a BVM Jet Cradle) as my trailer has a wider than normal side door-38 inches.I currently have my 2 Skymaster F-18's on the tile floor secured down sitting on the gear and my Kingcat is sitting on the gear on the shelf above as is my SM F-5 which has gear- up sitting on thick foam supports.I have left enough room in between for a JMP Firebird which will join the family early next year

I built a shelf up in the nose with 2 shelves that run 6 feet wide with my pop up tent & all my chairs secured beside it.I have a area below to hold my kero fueltanks ,2 jersey fuelers.I feel better having the majority of my jets secured down sitting on the gear.I have thick foam supports under my jets in the event that the gear should collapse in transit


Steve

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

Your are welcome and a Merry Christmas to you!

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

Ian,
Here is a thought. I haven't tried it but thought about those memory foam mattress toppers you can find at the wholesale clubs. Usually about 2 inches thick with high density but yet countours to shape with objects on it. You could try it with gear up or down. Either way should work. Even if the gear would happen to collapse that stuff is densely soft that it should cushion it fine without damage. Only problem may be fuel leakage.
Mark

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

Mark

That is actually what I'm using is the Memory mattress foam material....I cut some strips large enough to give adequate protection under my jet tie down straps & I also cut out 2 ft x 2 ft squares of it to go under my jets which are sitting on the gear ..The material works great too for our application..conform nicely and no worries of scratching or chafing in transit.I got a 5 ft x 5 ft layer of it from the local K-mart for only 18.00


Steve

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

Ian,
A good way to handle the issue of different size airplanes is to make the shelves adjustable. A lot of us are using Vertical E Track. It's the same track hardware as the more common horizontal E track but by mounting it vertically and using brackets that fit a 2 X 4 you can make adjustable shelves. You can even take the shelves out entirely if you need to move some furniture or something else large.

Sorry I don't have a shot of my trailer set up but I have been very pleased with the adjustable shelf option. BTW, I have been transporting with the gear extended with good success. It's easier to load the planes because you can roll them in (fuse mounted gear or with wings on) and you don't have to worry about damaging pylons, gear doors etc..

Here's a link to a site that sells vertical E track and related accessories.

Craig

http://www.rjays.com/Rjays_tiedowns/tie-downs-01.htm

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

That's what I thought too, but don't underestimate the shaking they get in the trailer and how that can move things around. Plus if you transport them with the gear up you have the benefit of using less space. As others have said, you need a full length shelf and you can cut the foam into peices so that its only under the parts that can take the stress if necessary...

Bob

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

It's not the gear that worries me, it's the flight controls. When I first got my trailer I carried my airplanes gear down with straps to hold it down. I found the flight controls, most notably the horizontal stabs were taking a beating from bouncing around while being transported. Found paint damage and dents on the bottom of the stabs. I got to thinking then about the damage to the servo gear trains that might occur. I have now changed and use a large foam mat to lay the plane gear up that keeps the flight controls stablized during the trip. Something to think about.
Tp

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

"Vertical E Track"

Was looking for just that thing, and hadn't any luck. Thanks a ton for the link.

Lance

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

CraigG Marc Gordon Eddie

Thanks for all your help I registered the Trailer today and ordered the E Track with the 2 * 4 for the shelves.

The next item the Foam for the shelves. I put the 40% Edge in the Trailer today and was mazed on how much room that thing takes up.

The SR71a is a monster in there as well while not tall she is very long.

Anyone like the idea of a work table top made out of Metal in the V Nose area of the Trailer?

Ian

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

The E-track stuff is really cool, and you can get all manner of different fittings for it - some that you plug a 2x4 into, some that have a D-ring for attaching bungees, etc., etc. You can spend a fortune buying all of that stuff !

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

Guy's


Also anyone using anything else like Cabients or other type of Flooring?

Ian

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

Carpet.

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

I actually went through a couple of layouts in my trailer before I found one that I liked.

I made my own cabinets, and installed a workbench in the v-nose section of my trailer. Planned on installing linoleum, but never got around to it. (My concern with carpet would be the extra work involved in getting it clean when you spill fuel etc., compared to an easily wiped lino floor).

Just to throw out some other ideas, here's some of the stuff I added to my trailer:

[ul][*] Breaker box with external hookup for 110v (could hook this to my generator as needed, or to any supplies at a club camp-site etc).[*] 110v outlets everywhere - plenty above the bench I added, plus some higher up for the fluorescent lights I added, plus outlets for chargers, tools etc throughout the trailer (probably had about 30 outlets all told.[*] 12 outlets (banana plug style) throughout the trailer too, for hooking up various 12v power tools, chargers etc.[*] Insulation in the ceiling.[*] "Protec system one" alarm system with 1 mile range on its pager - great for ease of mind about leaving the trailer out of sight from your hotel room.[*] Roof mounted solar panel to keep the on-board 12v battery charged up.[*] Vertical E-tracks for letting me move shelves etc up & down at will[*] Horizontal E-tracks lower down, for e.g. strapping fire extinguishers, tool boxes etc to, to prevent stuff moving around.[*] Eye-hooks bolted through the metal framing on the walls & ceiling, and screwed into the wooden shelf framework, for more points to strap stuff to with bungee cords etc. [*] Rack for carrying spare tire and a suitable jack (Don't assume the jack for your car / truck will do you any good when you need to change a trailer tire!)
[/ul]

If you bought a single axle trailer, beware of what your mod's, layout etc does to your CG though ... I originally ended up way tongue heavy, which was a problem with my wimpy van. (Even after adding gas adjustable shocks to the rear of the van, it still squatted badly, so I repositioned everything in the trailer, and ended up too light on the tongue ... trailer became unstable, like the tail wagging the dog. I took a fair bit of experimentation to get the right balance. If you have a heavy-duty vehicle, you can cope with tongue heaviness better, though the better solution seems to be a dual-axle trailer so that you don;t have to be so finely balanced.)

I also modified my trailer to have a swing-away "nose wheel" since the standard one didn't retract far enough to avoid it 'grounding' when I went through a dip etc. Boating magazines are a geat source of goodies for trailer stuff BTW.

Later,
Gordon

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

Gordon, what's an 'E' track? I've probably seen one but we use different names for things down here. Better still, post a pic. Thanks - John

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

There is good information (and Pictures) on E track here.
[link=http://www.rjays.com/Rjays_tiedowns/tie-downs-01.htm]http://www.rjays.com/Rjays_tiedowns/tie-downs-01.htm[/link]

[8D]

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

Ian, I would highly recommend cabinets. They carry all means of stuff that would otherwise be a nuisance. I also bought racing fuel jugs as they have a very wide mouth and are easy to fill at the airport. The racks that hold the fuel jugs are also a perfect size for the Jersey modeler Hedwin.

My trailer is very small as I need to keep it in a garage with low doors, but the cabinets and fuel racks help to make the most of the space. My new lightning fits fine on the bottom shelf. Note the E Channel, it is great for adjusting the height of the shelves.

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

Thanks Graeme, nope, never seen that before or the accessories. I should get out more! - John.

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

Ian,
Go with gear up and pad the trays with 2"-6" foam. I use 3" egg crate foam in my trailer attached to my shelves. Also go down to Barry's on 41 in Sarasota (or you can call around) and they have the vertical e-track that they will install for you. I made my shelves fixed and now wished I had gone with the E-Track myself. Give me a call if you want to ask questions.

Patrick.

RE: Transporting Jets in a Trailer
 

Keith,

What is your trailer's size?

Thanks,

B