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edgraydallas

Joined: 13 Jun 2008
Posts: 74
Location: Dallas, Tx

Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 7:37 am Post subject: kitfox trailer

I picked up a 19 foot boat single axle boat trailer for less than 300 with decent wheels and bearings.  I plan on cutting off the aftermost “shallow vee” and replacing it with a straight “C” beam dropped about 8 inches so the maingear area will be below the trailer deck and in less wind blast.  The trailer is designed for 1500 -2000 lb load, so I will probably add some iron weights to get better spring performance and a smoother ride.  Underloaded trailers produce a very bouncy ride.  I am thinking about some sort of vee shaped nose with notches for the hor. Stab, also to reduce turbulence and road rash.  Any suggestions appreciated                

   

Seems to me the tail should be fastened with some foam or spring action on the attach point to keep the bouncing isolated from the fuse.  A light weight auto coil-over shock from a small car occurs to me.  Does fuel carried in the wing tanks tend to slosh out if the cap vents are plugged?  How about replacing the caps with non-vented ones for towing.  My final thought is conestoga style hoops over the trailer so a 20 by 20 tarp could be used as a cover for towing and storage.  One inch electrical conduit should make good hoops with sockets welded to the trailer frame.    

   

My 1990 KF II in nearing completion, now wiring and plumbing the engine and building a wire loom to connect the GRC nav unit to the txpd  

   

Ed Gray Dallas K 2, 582. gsc 3 blade.  PS Anyone know an EAA designee inspector in the Dallas area?  

       [quote][b]

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Vic Baker

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 71
Location: Carson City, Nevada

Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 8:02 am Post subject: kitfox trailer

Ed,

  

 You should remove the fuel from your tanks before  transport.   I use a piece of 3/8 fuel line with a bulb to start the  flow.  I also use metal "safety" 5 gal cans for storage.  Only takes  10 to 15 minutes to drain all but 2 or 3 gallons from each of the wing  tanks.   Of course take all precautious during the fueling/defueling  process to avoid static discharge.

  

 Vic

  

  

  

  

 Vic Baker

S7 912S Warp

Phase 1 flight testing

Carson City,  Nv

 [quote]   ---

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_________________
Vic Baker
Series 7
Carson City, Nevada

msm_9949(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 8:15 am Post subject: kitfox trailer

Many good ideas here Ed. I particularly like the shock absorber for the tailwheel. I use a brace between fuse and trailer to unload the t-spring during transport but a shock could both

unload the spring and protect the airplane from potholes. Let us know what  you come up with.

  

 I would recommend defueling the plane for transport. The weight of fuel adds to the already substantial stress on the tailwheel when wings are folded. A fuel transfer tank can be added to the trailer to store fuel, add weight, soften the ride. Defueling adds a few minutes at the beginning and end of each flight but, personally, I feel better about storing the airplane "dry" between flights.

  

 Marco Menezes N99KX

 Model 2 582-90 C-Box 3:1 w/clutch

  

 --- On Fri, 1/9/09, Ed Gray <egraylaw(at)swbell.net> wrote:

  



  	  Quote: 	
		  From: Ed Gray <egraylaw(at)swbell.net>

Subject: kitfox trailer

To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

Date: Friday, January 9, 2009, 10:36 AM



       

I picked up a 19 foot boat single axle boat trailer for less than 300 with decent wheels and bearings.  I plan on cutting off the aftermost “shallow vee” and replacing it with a straight “C” beam dropped about 8 inches so the maingear area will be below the trailer deck and in less wind blast.  The trailer is designed for 1500 -2000 lb load, so I will probably add some iron weights to get better spring performance and a smoother ride.  Underloaded trailers produce a very bouncy ride.  I am thinking about some sort of vee shaped nose with notches for the hor. Stab, also to reduce turbulence and road rash.  Any suggestions appreciated              

 

 

 

Seems to me the tail should be fastened with some foam or spring action on the attach point to keep the bouncing isolated from the fuse.  A light weight auto coil-over shock from a small car occurs to me.  Does fuel carried in the wing tanks tend to slosh out if the cap vents are plugged?  How about replacing the caps with non-vented ones for towing.  My final thought is conestoga style hoops over the trailer so a 20 by 20 tarp could be used as a cover for towing and storage.  One inch electrical conduit should make good hoops with sockets welded to the trailer frame.  

 

 

 

My 1990 KF II in nearing completion, now wiring and plumbing the engine and building a wire loom to connect the GRC nav unit to the txpd

 

 

 

Ed Gray Dallas K 2, 582. gsc 3 blade.  PS Anyone know an EAA designee inspector in the Dallas area?



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         [quote][b]

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Rabon

Joined: 24 Dec 2008
Posts: 2

Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 9:20 am Post subject: kitfox trailer

Rather than adding ballast to better match the trailer weight to the springs, visit a spring shop & swap your springs to a lower rate set.  Trailer springs are quite inexpensive.

  

 If you have multiple leaf springs, you can modify the existing units by removal of the shortest leaf on both sides.

  

 Jack

  

 > I picked up a 19 foot boat single axle boat trailer for less than 300 with

decent wheels and bearings.  I plan on cutting off the aftermost "shallow

vee" and replacing it with a straight "C" beam dropped about 8 inches so the

 maingear area will be below the trailer deck and in less wind blast.  The

trailer is designed for 1500 -2000 lb load, so I will probably add some iron

weights to get better spring performance and a smoother ride.  Underloaded

 trailers produce a very bouncy ride.  I am thinking about some sort of vee

shaped nose with notches for the hor. Stab, also to reduce turbulence and

road rash.  Any suggestions appreciated

 

  [quote][b]

- The Matronics Kitfox-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kitfox-List

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