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The Cobra "Ramp Grind" - a fix



 
 
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  #11  
Old July 24th 17, 04:57 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
JS[_5_]
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Posts: 624
Default The Cobra "Ramp Grind" - a fix

On Monday, July 24, 2017 at 5:41:27 AM UTC-7, Dave Nadler wrote:
I installed a set on one of my trailers yesterday - very nice!
No more nasty grinding when sliding out the fuselage ramp!

Bumper sent me a pile to sell at Uvalde (you save the shipping charge).
Send me an email in Uvalde if you want a set.
Just the thing to keep crew entertained in the balmy afternoons
when we're out on task.

Thanks Bumper!


But much easier to do when it's not hot and humid.
Jim
(Uvalde SCUM)
  #12  
Old July 25th 17, 02:24 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
OHM Ω http://aviation.derosaweb.net
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Posts: 147
Default The Cobra "Ramp Grind" - a fix

Installed mine yesterday. The difference is amazing, like going from sand grinding to ice skating. Another great Bumper product.

A couple of thoughts (can't help myself);

- The kit replaces the ramp's sliding bolts located at the forward end. Getting those bolts off was confusing as the bolts appeared to have two heads! Huh? Some sort of puzzle for the uninitiated? I found out that one bolt "head" (top) is actually a nut that had been ground down flush. Picture at http://aviation.derosaweb.net/bumper/SRS.

- The instructions talk about removing the ramp and balancing it on the tail of the trailer and a mechanics creeper while you are replacing the sliding bolts. I found that placing the ramp onto 3 or 4 five-gallon buckets was most stable.

- My original aft rail to frame holddown bolts will need to be replaced due to getting terrifically mangled from, I think, repeated ramp deployment collisions. I heard that there are also suppose to be rubber bumpers on these bolts inside the rail but mine are missing in action. Might have been destroyed due to all those collisions! Picture at http://aviation.derosaweb.net/bumper/SRS.

Bottom line: Well worth the price!
  #13  
Old July 25th 17, 04:13 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
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Posts: 172
Default The Cobra "Ramp Grind" - a fix

My bolts were mangled as wll, so I bought a couple of 1/4" x 2.5" carriage bolts and lock nuts to replace these. Also bought a foot of I think it was 3/8" fuel line and cut two 1/2" pieces to make the bumpers. Bumper should add these bumpers to the kit :-)

On Tuesday, July 25, 2017 at 6:24:43 AM UTC-7, OHM Ω
- My original aft rail to frame holddown bolts will need to be replaced due
to getting terrifically mangled from, I think, repeated ramp deployment
collisions. I heard that there are also suppose to be rubber bumpers on
these bolts inside the rail but mine are missing in action. Might have
been destroyed due to all those collisions!
Picture at http://aviation.derosaweb.net/bumper/SRS.

Bottom line: Well worth the price!


  #14  
Old July 25th 17, 11:00 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
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Posts: 160
Default The Cobra "Ramp Grind" - a fix

Bumper,

Oh great one in all things modified. I am like many in our flock that have older Cobra trailers that do NOT have the extra piece that keeps the wing dolly from flipping over. On all the newer trailers there is a little arm that has a roller that goes in a track on the side of the trailer to keep the wing dolly from flipping over.

Any chance in your spare time you come up with a mod for us? You would to a great service and save many a wing from repair.


Thanks,

Kevin Anderson
92
  #15  
Old July 26th 17, 09:35 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
bumper[_4_]
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Posts: 434
Default The Cobra "Ramp Grind" - a fix

On Tuesday, July 25, 2017 at 3:00:42 PM UTC-7, wrote:
Bumper,

Oh great one in all things modified. I am like many in our flock that have older Cobra trailers that do NOT have the extra piece that keeps the wing dolly from flipping over. On all the newer trailers there is a little arm that has a roller that goes in a track on the side of the trailer to keep the wing dolly from flipping over.

Any chance in your spare time you come up with a mod for us? You would to a great service and save many a wing from repair.


Thanks,

Kevin Anderson
92


Kevin,

I'll have a look at that. Though it could take a while as I have stuff making smoke on the back burner. http://www.mmfabrication.com/ might be another source (good people). They told me they thought of making the SRS some years back, but didn't get around to it (while placing an order for mine!). I've done the same with tools I invented years ago, patenting only one (which did quite well) only to later see others market a few things I didn't think worthwhile.

bumper
  #16  
Old July 26th 17, 09:36 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
bumper[_4_]
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Posts: 434
Default The Cobra "Ramp Grind" - a fix

On Tuesday, July 25, 2017 at 8:13:44 AM UTC-7, wrote:
My bolts were mangled as wll, so I bought a couple of 1/4" x 2.5" carriage bolts and lock nuts to replace these. Also bought a foot of I think it was 3/8" fuel line and cut two 1/2" pieces to make the bumpers. Bumper should add these bumpers to the kit :-)


Bottom line: Well worth the price!


Tom,

Thank you for the review. Apparently Cobra adds the short length of bumper hose to the stop bolts on some and on others doesn't bother. The bumper makes some sense with their metal bolt slider, as it would otherwise bang metal on metal into the stop bolt. The SRS sliders are of UHMW PE, an exceptionally impact resistant long chain polymer that provides some damping.

On some trailers, the head of the carriage bolt will butt against the SRS slider before the slider reaches the rubber hose bumper. This should not damage the SRS at anything resembling normal ramp extension speeds. Though one could grind off the front part of the carriage bolt head if desired - and add the hose I didn't include :c).

bumper
  #17  
Old July 27th 17, 01:23 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
OHM Ω http://aviation.derosaweb.net
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Posts: 147
Default The Cobra "Ramp Grind" - a fix

I have been assuming that the original bumper (rubber, not human) surrounds, and is held in place by, the aft carriage stop bolt. I just added secondary bumpers inside the track of the same type forward of the carriage stop bolt for extra collision dampening. They should stay put. Overkill? Nah. I just don't want anything to happen to my beautiful new Bumper (human, not rubber) SRS sliders, ultra high molecular weight notwithstanding!

  #18  
Old July 27th 17, 04:53 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
JS[_5_]
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Posts: 624
Default The Cobra "Ramp Grind" - a fix

The 2000 Cobra install yesterday required 2 extra washers on each bolt.
Still had the flexibility to lift the ramp up, and bolt clearance under the HDTV stuff.
That trailer has the ramp with a circular flat spot ground into it, previously featured the nuts ground down like OHM's.
Jim
  #19  
Old July 28th 17, 06:26 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
bumper[_4_]
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Posts: 434
Default The Cobra "Ramp Grind" - a fix

On Thursday, July 27, 2017 at 5:23:47 AM UTC-7, OHM Ω http://aviation.derosaweb.net wrote:
I have been assuming that the original bumper (rubber, not human) surrounds, and is held in place by, the aft carriage stop bolt. I just added secondary bumpers inside the track of the same type forward of the carriage stop bolt for extra collision dampening. They should stay put. Overkill? Nah.. I just don't want anything to happen to my beautiful new Bumper (human, not rubber) SRS sliders, ultra high molecular weight notwithstanding!


Thank you for the compliment!

Adding a bumper (not me) forward of the original bolt (with or without a bumper), may cause a problem in that it can prevent the slide from going far enough aft.

Two unintended things could happen, the ramp tray may not get as close to the floor as intended, and this could make it difficult to get the fuselage dolly to roll from the floor onto the ramp. Also the ramp tray "lock pin" (the little screw that is located near the forward end of the tray and extends down below the tray). As you put the jack end of the ramp on the ground, the lock pin is supposed to fit down behind the floor rear lip to prevent the ramp from shifting forward as the glider is positioned on or pushed up the ramp. The stop pin in the reason you have to lift the jack end of the ramp up to get the ramp to slide in.

Don't worry about that UHMW slider - it's tougher than both of us! Just don't pull the ramp out at a run and things will be fine.

  #20  
Old July 31st 17, 02:51 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Michael Opitz
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Posts: 318
Default The Cobra

At 06:38 16 July 2017, bumper wrote:
New "bumper" product announcement:

The ramp sliders on my 2002 Cobra trailer were metal on metal,

bolt
threads=
gouged the extruded aluminum floor rails and there was metal on

metal
wear=
.. Some later trailers have plastic washers, but those don't last or

work
we=
ll either. I made plastic sliders for my trailer a decade ago. They

worked
=
well but the design was not suited for easy consumer installation

and I
bac=
k burnered the idea. That is, until one owner pestered me for 3

years! :c).

The SRS (smooth ramp slider) kit uses a machined one piece slider

of Ultra
=
High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMW PE). This material is

almost as
sl=
ippery as Teflon, and when it comes to abrasion resistance, is

better than
=
steel for many applications. One inch will stop a .45 ACP round

(though I
h=
ave yet to personally test this particular claim). Installation is easy,
20=
minutes. The ramp moves as smooth as oil on glass.

The SRS kit is available now in limited quantities. I announced it

last
wee=
k on a glider model specific forum and had orders for 16 the first

day -
so=
I'm concerned with getting swamped (I have 20 kits available now

and will
=
make more). Price is $35 plus $4 shipping to USA, $12 shipping to

other
co=
untries.

(insert my 6 letter "car part" name) @frontier.com for installation
instruc=
tions, questions, and ordering info. Please include "SRS" in the title

of
y=
our email.


I installed the SRS kit today. It took about an hour due to the 2
carriage stop bolts on the ends of the rails being bent like pretzels
(from the rear of the trailer having occasionally dragged over the
last 18 years). If the bolts had been straight, the whole process
would have taken ~15 minutes to do. Nice smooth gliding action
now. Thanks.
RO

 




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