glider trailer top opening styles

I didn't mention that, with the Pfeiffer, the fold out ramp included
tracks which allowed the dollies to be rolled out exposing the entire
spar. No bending over required. Of course, some folks could bang their
shins if they weren't used to it...

Dan Marotta

On 11/20/2014 8:03 AM, Papa3 wrote:
On Wednesday, November 19, 2014 8:57:37 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Wednesday, November 19, 2014 7:41:04 PM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
The Pfeiffer tube trailer that my
Mosquito came in had an excellent back door design. The door was
hinged on the right side and, when swung open had brackets for
rigging tools, grease, rear jack crank, etc. There was a ramp
hinged at the middle and bottom which folded up before closing the
door. When swung up, the ramp secured the wingtips with padded
cuffs. I thought it was a great design, much better than the home
built trailers, but you did have to bend over to get inside.

Dan Marotta
On 11/19/2014 3:19 PM, Bill D wrote:

Also very good for tripping and shin banging if you are not used to it.
UH


One of the biggest problems I've noticed is that the wing spars have to come out past the end of the tube trailer before you can lift them. That involves some combination of ramps, free-floating dollies, or back breaking lifting. The only time I've actually hurt my back assembling/disassembling a glider was helping a friend to stabilize an LS3 wing that was about to tip over.

In a Cobra/Komet, the dolly is captive in the trailer and the root of the spar is easily accessible to lift and start swinging the wing around. I'm sure a good design could be built for the tube trailer, but I haven't seen one yet.

NOTE: I have seen the Shirenewton (I think) trailers where the wings go in tip-first, but that means a lot more maneuvering to get the spar to the fuselage.

So, the bottom line: Clamshell trailers seem to require the least awkward lifting, fewest steps, and provide the most stable platform for assembly/disassembly IMO.

P3

On Thursday, November 20, 2014 8:04:06 AM UTC-7, Papa3 wrote:
On Wednesday, November 19, 2014 8:57:37 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Wednesday, November 19, 2014 7:41:04 PM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
The Pfeiffer tube trailer that my
Mosquito came in had an excellent back door design.* The door was
hinged on the right side and, when swung open had brackets for
rigging tools, grease, rear jack crank, etc.* There was a ramp
hinged at the middle and bottom which folded up before closing the
door.* When swung up, the ramp secured the wingtips with padded
cuffs.* I thought it was a great design, much better than the home
built trailers, but you did have to bend over to get inside.

Dan Marotta
On 11/19/2014 3:19 PM, Bill D wrote:

Also very good for tripping and shin banging if you are not used to it.
UH



One of the biggest problems I've noticed is that the wing spars have to come out past the end of the tube trailer before you can lift them. That involves some combination of ramps, free-floating dollies, or back breaking lifting. The only time I've actually hurt my back assembling/disassembling a glider was helping a friend to stabilize an LS3 wing that was about to tip over.

In a Cobra/Komet, the dolly is captive in the trailer and the root of the spar is easily accessible to lift and start swinging the wing around. I'm sure a good design could be built for the tube trailer, but I haven't seen one yet.

NOTE: I have seen the Shirenewton (I think) trailers where the wings go in tip-first, but that means a lot more maneuvering to get the spar to the fuselage.

So, the bottom line: Clamshell trailers seem to require the least awkward lifting, fewest steps, and provide the most stable platform for assembly/disassembly IMO.

P3

P3, et al,

The following link is to a PDF of BF's tube trailer one man rigging system. I believe the trailer is a Minden Fab. The glider is an LS-3. Bob did not design or build the system, it came with the glider and works wonderfully. The pictures were taken on a day when the wind was gusting to 25kts from front to back of trailer. I originally created this for a LAK12 group, so references to LAK12 are included. I made a similar steel model for my LAK-12 factory trailer. I think Bob still has the LS-3, but is flying a DG-800B presently.

http://www.coloradosoaring.org/riggi...um_example.pdf

Frank Whiteley

"Frank Whiteley" wrote in message
...

On Thursday, November 20, 2014 8:04:06 AM UTC-7, Papa3 wrote:
On Wednesday, November 19, 2014 8:57:37 PM UTC-5,
wrote:
On Wednesday, November 19, 2014 7:41:04 PM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
The Pfeiffer tube trailer that my
Mosquito came in had an excellent back door design. The door
was
hinged on the right side and, when swung open had brackets for
rigging tools, grease, rear jack crank, etc. There was a ramp
hinged at the middle and bottom which folded up before closing
the
door. When swung up, the ramp secured the wingtips with padded
cuffs. I thought it was a great design, much better than the
home
built trailers, but you did have to bend over to get inside.

Dan Marotta
On 11/19/2014 3:19 PM, Bill D wrote:

Also very good for tripping and shin banging if you are not used
to it.
UH



One of the biggest problems I've noticed is that the wing spars have to
come out past the end of the tube trailer before you can lift them. That
involves some combination of ramps, free-floating dollies, or back
breaking lifting. The only time I've actually hurt my back
assembling/disassembling a glider was helping a friend to stabilize an LS3
wing that was about to tip over.

In a Cobra/Komet, the dolly is captive in the trailer and the root of the
spar is easily accessible to lift and start swinging the wing around.
I'm sure a good design could be built for the tube trailer, but I haven't
seen one yet.

NOTE: I have seen the Shirenewton (I think) trailers where the wings go
in tip-first, but that means a lot more maneuvering to get the spar to the
fuselage.

So, the bottom line: Clamshell trailers seem to require the least awkward
lifting, fewest steps, and provide the most stable platform for
assembly/disassembly IMO.

P3

P3, et al,

The following link is to a PDF of BF's tube trailer one man rigging system.
I believe the trailer is a Minden Fab. The glider is an LS-3. Bob did not
design or build the system, it came with the glider and works wonderfully.
The pictures were taken on a day when the wind was gusting to 25kts from
front to back of trailer. I originally created this for a LAK12 group, so
references to LAK12 are included. I made a similar steel model for my
LAK-12 factory trailer. I think Bob still has the LS-3, but is flying a
DG-800B presently.

http://www.coloradosoaring.org/riggi...um_example.pdf

Frank Whiteley

Oops, winds were 12-15kts on the day. Bob said the rig is good to 25kts
unassisted.

Mea culpa,

Frank

On Thursday, November 20, 2014 8:04:06 AM UTC-7, Papa3 wrote:

One of the biggest problems I've noticed is that the wing spars have to come out past the end of the tube trailer before you can lift them. That involves some combination of ramps, free-floating dollies, or back breaking lifting. The only time I've actually hurt my back assembling/disassembling a glider was helping a friend to stabilize an LS3 wing that was about to tip over.
_______________________________________
True, but unnecessary with a good design. The approach I would take is to use a captive wing root trailer dolly that allows the wing to swing like a gate away from the fuselage after it's been rolled off the trailer. Add a castering wing-tip dolly (think tail-dolly) and you wouldn't have to carry the tip. Add a one-man dolly which is attached to the wing after it's been swung out and you just have to release the root from its dolly and walk it to the fuselage without the sashay out past the rudder. A rig like this allowed me to rig a Twin Lark's massive wings solo in less than 10 minutes with zero lifting.
_____________________________________
In a Cobra/Komet, the dolly is captive in the trailer and the root of the spar is easily accessible to lift and start swinging the wing around. I'm sure a good design could be built for the tube trailer, but I haven't seen one yet.
________________________________
Yes, they're excellent designs and a joy to use but anything can be improved.

Bill D

Aside fromm easier to remove wings from a clam shell as already mentioned the clam shell trailer is a lot smaller (lower profile). since it can close down over the profile of the glider and wings.
I suspect this makes them pull better in general but then my Schreder Style tube trailer pulls great.
Agree the rear door system could still use some improvement.

Brian
HP16T

At 15:03 20 November 2014, Papa3 wrote:
On Wednesday, November 19, 2014 8:57:37 PM UTC-5,

wro=
te:
On Wednesday, November 19, 2014 7:41:04 PM UTC-5, Dan
Marotta wrote:
The Pfeiffer tube trailer that my
Mosquito came in had an excellent back door design.=A0 The
door
w=
as
hinged on the right side and, when swung open had brackets
for
rigging tools, grease, rear jack crank, etc.=A0 There was a
ramp
hinged at the middle and bottom which folded up before
closing
th=
e
door.=A0 When swung up, the ramp secured the wingtips
with padded
cuffs.=A0 I thought it was a great design, much better than
the
h=
ome
built trailers, but you did have to bend over to get inside.
=20
Dan Marotta
On 11/19/2014 3:19 PM, Bill D wrote:
=20
Also very good for tripping and shin banging if you are not
used
to=
it.
UH
=20


One of the biggest problems I've noticed is that the wing spars have
to
com=
e out past the end of the tube trailer before you can lift them. That
invo=
lves some combination of ramps, free-floating dollies, or back
breaking
lif=
ting. The only time I've actually hurt my back
assembling/disassembling
a=
glider was helping a friend to stabilize an LS3 wing that was about to
tip=
over. =20

In a Cobra/Komet, the dolly is captive in the trailer and the root of
the
=
spar is easily accessible to lift and start swinging the wing around.
I'm=
sure a good design could be built for the tube trailer, but I haven't
seen=
one yet. =20

NOTE: I have seen the Shirenewton (I think) trailers where the wings
go
in=
tip-first, but that means a lot more maneuvering to get the spar to
the
fu=
selage. =20

So, the bottom line: Clamshell trailers seem to require the least
awkward
=
lifting, fewest steps, and provide the most stable platform for
assembly/di=
sassembly IMO.=20

P3

Someone must have specified their Shirenewton trailer for tip first
loading of the wings because every modern glider one I have seen
(including the one I owned until last year for a D2cT) has had root first
loading. Iain Evans also makes excellent dollies and rigging gear. Mine
had rotating wing root dollies so the wing could be rotated flat for easy
one man rigging - far far easier than with the Cobra trailer + OMRA for
my new glider - although the Cobra looks a lot cooler and is famously
excellent for towing.

John Galloway.