Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Bob McDonald on March 25, 2013 at 7:43pm

Do you have any buddies with a tilt and load wrecker? Maybe use your AAA Membership to deliver it ;>)

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Permalink Reply by Mack P. Kreizenbeck on March 25, 2013 at 10:23pm

Use a ratcheting belt to pull the wheels together when loading then release. Is there a trailer manufacture in your present area that supplies trailers to a dealer in the area that you are moving to? Couple of ideas - offer to deliver the trailer for nothing or purchase a trailer with an agreement with the dealer at your destination to purchase it once your move is completed, at no loss to you. Below is how I moved my bird several hundred miles between Idaho and California. Mack

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Permalink Reply by Greg Wood on June 11, 2015 at 8:52pm

I have a Cruzer tail complete and will be starting my wings this weekend. Am military so it is a safe bet I will move across the country a couple of times before my project is done, and likely prior to ordering my fuselage. I will end up towing the partially complete project behind a van.

I will either end up with a flatbed or I will modify a boat trailer. I think laying the wings flat is the best option for a drive down the interstate. Can you tell me what you used to cushion your wings? Any suggestions or helpful hints?

Thanks,
Greg

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Permalink Reply by John Austin on March 26, 2013 at 7:18am

When trailering my 750's fuselage for painting, my painter just happened to have a tilt-bed utility trailer. The 750's wheels rested perilously close to the edges of the flat bed, and I was afraid a healthy bounce might let one slip off the side. Rather than find a wider trailer, we simply put a 2" x 12" board across the trailer floor and let it protrude over the sides a safe amount and screwed it down to the trailer with deck screws. This was put up against the aft portion of the trailer's dual wheel fenders and the 750's wheels were thus resting against the fenders and on the board and were strapped down. Worked great!

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Permalink Reply by Normand Lambert on March 26, 2013 at 10:57am

Hi Chris,

When I moved my CH701 to the airpost hangar, we had the plane main gear leaf rest against the trailer bed because the trailer wasn't wide enough. The main wheels were hanging outside the trailer bed from both sides.

You can take the main wheels off your plane once it is loaded on the trailer...

I took the stab and rudder off the plane before moving it. Undo 6 screws and better safe than sorry !

Your call.

Regards,

Norm

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Permalink Reply by Scott Hunter on March 26, 2013 at 12:55pm

In the early 2000-2004 building a 701, I moved it several times: paint shop, back to hangar, later to house for SP mods. 2010-current, moved 601 to building shop for "B" mods, then to paint shop, back to garage, to finish. I also transported another E.A.B. from Iowa - Wyo., 1,000 mi., leaving the tails on all 3 examples. I am familiar w/the tire-wheel width issues. I never used a tilt bed, but 6' alum. motorcycle ramps 12x, w/no side effects. A gooseneck trailer is the best. a) rides the best, b) wheels under the trailer w/no fenders, such as on a car transport trailer to deal with, c) width is excellent; the tires & wheels will be along the metal railing edge of the trailer, d) position the 6.00's, pushing the 650 so the tires are = to the stake pockets. e) cut (2) 1'  2x4's - you will have to mider/narrow the ends slightly. Then hammer them down into the stake pockets. This will f) prevent the tires from bouncing off the trailer, as you will ratchet them around from there firmly to the tires & wheels to the stake pockets, after you have g) used 3 wheel chocks. Yellow plastic ones. Pound them front & back on ea. tire-tightly-then use (4) 1" or 1 1/2" wood screws, drilling  2 in front/ 2 in back of ea. chock into the trailer floor, right through the plastic chocks. Run a come-along up front, w/a nylon choker around the front wheel or strut to the front of the trailer, looping once. I use 2 ratchets on the tail, ea. @ a 45 deg. angle over ea. side of the trailer stake pockets. I've never taken the tail off. In 2010 I transported a 601XL from Wyo. to near Oshkosh, aside from the Iowa-Wyo., & other trips mentioned. Yes-you may need to swap-out or borrow a P.U. w/a gooseneck hitch.

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Permalink Reply by Rodney Hall on March 26, 2013 at 12:59pm

When I had to move an experimental I bought, I hired a tilt bed wrecker. For a ten hour drive that would be a bit much. Could you maybe rent one? My plane had an 8 foot wheelbase and it barely fit on the truck. You may also be able to rent a Uhaul big enough to put it inside but it would be tight. Whatever you do make sure it is well secured.

 

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Permalink Reply by Scott Hunter on March 26, 2013 at 1:06pm

Addendum to previous post. Belleview, Neb., yes S. edge of Omaha. 10 hr. trip-where is your destination?

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Nail on March 26, 2013 at 8:20pm

Thanks for the tips y'all. I'm moving from Bellevue Ne to the Dallas area. Ill let you know what I end up doing. Anyone near omaha with a flatbed give me a shout.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Nail on April 23, 2013 at 8:03pm

For all those curious how to move went: the plane made it. The tarp was a pain to keep down but it made it. The tip about using straps to bring the main gear in for loading was very helpful.

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