Ramps to Get Glider Off Trailer

On Wednesday, 21 April 2021 at 04:20:10 UTC+1, John Tapanddie wrote:
Dave,

You are correct that the narrow/thin wooden ramps could be a problem. Not had any issues thus far. But I have thought about replacing the wood ramp with some aluminum U channel (left over from my old home built trailer guide rails) which would keep things in alignment. Or some aluminum flat stock attached to the outside edges of the wooden ones.

As to the wide/thick ramps I am less concerned about things sliding off. Again, flat stock (or U channel) attached to the outside edges (tops) could be added.

That same U channel could be bent to form a copy of the Cobra "workshop rails". Bottom line is that I use these ramps only twice a year (spring updates) so the expense of the Cobra rails isn't justified. The other issue is their length - my thought would be to add a hinge.

Finally, I looked at the solution on the web site you mentioned. Can you help me understand what is meant by "...ramp jack hinge pins...". My jack is not hinged, nor are the ramps - they whole assembly only pivots at the trailer rear. Might be a motorglider thing?

- John DeRosa (OHM Ω)

The Cobra rail extensions work very well and borrow mine rather than buy their own! A point to note is that the jacking ramp has to be set at the right height for so that one end of the bent rail is on the traile ramp rail, the other is on the ground and also so that the raised end of the trailer ramp rails support the middle of the bent rail to stop it from toppling sideways. Also there are couple of pins on the bottom to the rails to be located them over the trailer ramp lip. The point of this post being that if anyone is planning to make glider removal rails themselves then I suggest trying to copy the Cobra ones as closely as possible.