Best Way to Transport Kit

My brain is dead...still don't know why I didn't think to come here and
ask for help.
I need to move an RV9A from Lawrenceville, GA to Prairieville, LA.
All interstate and 450 miles.
Fuselage has engine mounted, on the gear and tail installed but it can
be removed no problem. Cowling, wings, HS, parts etc etc etc
has to be moved too.
What I have considered so far:
1. 22x7 Cargo Truck...wheels on plane measure 7'8" nut to nut in width.
BUT no way to get it up 4.5' into the cargo area.

2. Can I put a cloth come along and pull the gear closer together? I have access to a low level car carrier trailer but it is 7' between fenders. It with
a 12' cargo van would be perfect..IF I could get the plane on the trailer.

3. Moving company...forget that.

4. Cargo enclosed trailer...don't rent that big.

So....that's where I am at the moment. ANY and ALL experiences
moving an airplane distance GREATLY appreciated.

Moving project

I have hired a roll back wrecker to get planes into semi trucks in the past . $75 to $100 .
Tom

Don't use a come-along to get the wheels closer together. Instead, get a 2x10 and attach it crossways to the trailer and get the wheels up on that. With the 2x10 secured firmly to the trailer, let some air out of both tires. Tie the axles down to the 2x10. Reinflate the tires and it'll be very solidly attached to the 2x10.

Don't be bashful about drilling holes in the trailer for bolts for the 2x10, by the way.

For the cargo truck, can you get the fuselage in angled sideways enough so that the wheels would fit in? My guess is that the answer is probably not. Still, you might be able to find a loading ramp that would let it roll into the truck. Alternatively, a couple 2x8 planks make decent ramps, and some friends and a come-along will get the fuselage up the planks.


Dave

For my move to the airport I rented a tilt bed truck designed for hauling cars. I do not know what it would cost for this move but you could check it out.

David Paule said:

Don't use a come-along to get the wheels closer together. Instead, get a 2x10 and attach it crossways to the trailer and get the wheels up on that. With the 2x10 secured firmly to the trailer, let some air out of both tires. Tie the axles down to the 2x10. Reinflate the tires and it'll be very solidly attached to the 2x10.
Dave

Click to expand...

Instead of using a 2X10, you might build a "jig" out of two 2X4s connected together by short 2X4s so that the tires can "nest" in them.
If the trailer has rails, you can tie the wheels into the "jig" and slide the assembly up the rails.
Kind of hard to describe, but I think you get the picture.

Have you considered having Tony Partain move it? I have used him twice and I couldn't do it myself for the price he moved my planes.

Oops, sorry, just read #3....

Thanks

I think the jig for the wheels might work.
Does anyone know the distance from the nose wheel to
the mains front to back? Sure would help.
Mel, the fenders are 8" high, would I let the nose wheel rest on
the trailer? Tie it down there?

since the wings are not on, i would build a cradle that goes through the carry through and pull the gear. its only a couple of bolts to pull the gear off.

bob burns

Borrow your friends 4 place Snowmobile trailer. They're about 100" wide flatdeck and 12-14' long. The tail would hand off the back, but no big deal.....oh wait probably not a lot of snowmobiles in LA.

Here's how I did it

Bayou Bert said:

I think the jig for the wheels might work.
Does anyone know the distance from the nose wheel to
the mains front to back? Sure would help.
Mel, the fenders are 8" high, would I let the nose wheel rest on
the trailer? Tie it down there?

Click to expand...

I don't know if you've moved it or not so I hope I'm not late to the party, but I can give you some data from my experience.

By the way, is this Jim Sweat's project? I'm guessing it is based on the location.

Anyway, I weighed all those options you listed and rented a 26' diesel truck to move my 9A with an identical configuration (except a tipup vs. slider) from Denver to Dallas. Looks like about the same distance for you. It wasn't really that bad, just a lot of preparation.

If I had a bunch of money, I would have hired Tony. However, time was of the essence for the sale - plus it was about $2/mile. This was too much for me to stomach despite hearing great things about him, so I set about doing it myself.

I went with Penske, because they typically have commercial style trucks (large diesel ones) available for good prices. My rental was about $200 for a one-way. Obviously the gas bill sucked, but that should give you an idea on price.

Now, the truck was 26' long, had an aluminum ramp and just enough horizontal clearance (width). By just enough, I mean that once the nosewheel was in you turn the plane to one side to clear that tire, then do the opposite for the other tire so it clears. It requires some "muscling" but I don't estimate more than 10 lbs of lateral force was imparted on the airframe. That didn't worry me too much either, because presumably this is the strongest portion of the structure.

Do yourself a favor and get a towbar now. It will suck if you do not have one - not for pulling the plane up, but really for steering the plane up/down the ramp.

Mel's suggestion for the jig is a good one. I would definitely do something like that next time (not that there will be a next time.)

Since the plane is not nearly 26', I gave myself a couple feet clearance to the front of the truck cargo bay bulkhead to store things. I also wanted some manuevering room and this appeared to put the CG not too far forward/aft for the cargo itself.

To limit movement within the truck I chose to chock the wheels. I got some scrap 2 x 4 and screwed it into the wooden deck of the truck to sandwich each tire (sorry Penske). That kept it pretty much stable so I could secure the plane to the rails on the side and top/bottom with racheting tiedowns. I used 8 of them, I think. I chose strong points to tie down the plane ... engine mounts, through the spar, etc. and when it was all said and done it was solid. I also used moving blankets and other soft items over plane surfaces to spread the contact area and prevent any rubbing. Obviously it would probably not hold up if I got in a crash, but of course all bets are off for that event anyway. But with this setup it was completely stable and after 2 days of traveling it didn't move an inch.

Now for the wings, those fit quite nicely on the sides of the truck, again using racheting tiedowns and lots of padding (actually used blankets and batt insulation). Again, it's obvious but I was very careful with the control surfaces and would recommend removing them. If I recall correctly, I think Jim had the fiberglass wingtips on there. I'd take those off too. But when racheted to the side rails of the cargo bay of the truck they were very stable, but had a nice "cushion" so they could absorb vibration, bumps, etc.

Now, the hard part. Getting it ON the truck was easy. Getting it off sucked. I had 5 friends and it was still a PITA. Probably should have checked this site more for advice, but the jig idea would do well. What I did was fabricate some ramps for the main wheels out of 2 x 6, and brace that underneath with those 5 gallon paint cans. This was a stupid decision. Nothing happened, but it definitely was "jury rigged" and something could have gotten damaged because it was not the most stable position. The nosewheel on the main ramp appeared to carry very little load so a majority was carried by those side ramps I hobbled together. See if a buddy has a 4 wheeler ramp, or go get some long angle iron from the steel yard and make some nice ramps. This will save you a lot of grief.

I'll post some pics tonight if I can dig them up. It was a process but all told I got it home safe and sound on a budget. Clearly there is room for improvement but this method will work if you are careful. Good luck!

I put mine on a trailer and moved it 700 miles and put it in a hangar last week in Caldwell Idaho. I took the engine and gear off, put the wings in the bottom of the trailer, built a platform for the fuselage and slid it on. The trailer is 7'x16'. I also had an extra completed empennage kit, all my tools, 60g compressor, and a bunch of welding equipment.

My biggest worry was breaking the canopy with a rock from all the road construction. I put a Microsoft sheet on, thin Styrofoam, 1/8" plywood, then bubble wrap foil insulation. It worked great - I guess. Not sure if anything hit it or not, but it looks all intact!

It took my wife and I all day to get everything loaded and was quite a job, but it worked fine and since I had the trailer, only cost was gas.

Ready to Go

Glen and Rockwood, thanks for the suggestions.
What I ended up doing:
Friend had lowboy car carrier trailer with winch on front.
I built an 8' box to go across the trailer just wide and deep enough for
the mains to sit in. I will be able to put a board over each tire to help
hold down and I will have a board against the axle nut on the outside
of each main. Nose wheel will be boxed too but not all the way across the
trailer. Both boxes will be screwed to the trailer decking in many many places.
I will have gear strapped down as well as fuselage but not real tight, more
for sway of the fuselage than anything. Gear will be primary hold down. I will have straps
to limit any front to back movement too.
I am picking up a Penske 16' cargo van in Lawrenceville on Sat morning to
hold everything else coming back to Prairieville.
Jim and I have beat this to death...he is going to have a good number of
the local EAA chapter there since they are doing a pancake breakfast at
the field that day, how about that for luck.
So, I will drive truck with trailer and plane and wife will drive cargo van
with stuff.
We plan to leave Friday evening and go as far as Greenville, Al and then
early Saturday to Lawrenceville. We plan to drive back to Greenville for
Saturday night..staying at the Hampton there.
So with some luck, weather is not shaping up too good and maybe catching
the traffic not so bad on Saturday. We plan to be up and at it early for
the final leg home, again to beat most of the holiday traffic.
I should maybe return almost to sanity some time next week.
Thanks for all

Rent a trailer with a wood deck. Use thin sheet metal steel to go around the tires and screw them to the wood. This prevents it from bouncing and moving forward and backward.

I found a trailer at a local welding shop for 75 bucks a day when I needed to move my plane.

For the wings, just get some thick foam/blankets and strap it to the trailer.