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Main Gear Leg "Give" For Transporting

9GT

Well Known Member
Patron
After selling my RV-10 last August it looks like I am getting back in the game with an RV-9A quick build project that I am picking it up next week. Its going on a 20' car hauler trailer that is only 83" wide between the fenders. The main wheels measure 89" outside to outside. I will either have to build a ramp system wide enough to accommodate the loading and to getting the mains up and over the fenders where they will be supported for transport on fabricated deck extensions, or if possible I could strap and ratchet tighten the main gear legs in together to fit between fenders, then release the tension so the wheels spread back out resting on the deck extensions. That means I need at least 3" of temporary "give" on each leg. Any one tried this and if so, did it work out? I don't want to risk damage to the air-frame, but it seems to me that the gear legs flex outward a lot more than that on hard landings.
 
Gear flex

My 9A rebuild project came home on a 22' trailer with a 1' tall rail that ran around the sides and front. Engine and tail surfaces were removed but fuselage was complete otherwise and on gear. I removed the wheels and all the brake and wheel pant parts from lower gear legs leaving bare axels. Trailer wasn't wide enough so screwed down 2 ea 10 foot long 2x6's across the wooden deck where I wanted the main gear axels to ride. Just left them long for trimming later. 4 or 5 guys just picked up the fuselage and walked it up the ramps into position. Main gear was 6" wider than the rail so we offset a little to the right side, rolled the fuselage into a slight left bank and inserted left axel beneath the side rail. There was enough room to slide further left and get the right axel beneath the right rail. Centered plane on trailer and screwed down blocks forward, aft and in top of the axels. Trimmed excess width of 2x6's with a cordless circular saw. A big ratchet strap was worked thru the engine mount at the top of the nose gear and tightened down enough the compress the nose gear about 3". Plane was very secure and would have been just fine like this for the 900 mile trip home but I put on more tie downs. Padding material was hard to find on short notice but Walmart had a dozen 3' diameter bean bags. Enough styro peanuts were removed to make a 4" thick "pad" that was used with great results in several places. To do it again would get a couple bean bags and go the harbor freight and buy a bunch of the foam rubber floor mats. You will find uses for them later. I got photos.

Don Broussard
RV9 Rebuild in Progress
57 Pacer
 
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