I trailered my KR2 1800 km (over a 1000 miles) after purchasing it last September. (It has the retract gear which has been permanently fixed down.) My trailer has a suspension designed for 750 kg Gross. I tied it down over the main wheels with tie down ratchet straps, 2 per wheel, and removed the tail wheel and replaced it with a block of wood which I screwed to the trailer floor. This allowed the aircraft's suspension to do all the work. Being that the track does not alter when the suspension works I had no troubles. If I'd had other fixed gear where the track widens when compressed I'd have put an old tyre, on it's side, under the mains, to allow for some movement, then tied down the wheels. (If there are wheel pants, remove them for trailing long distance to allow to tie down securely).
Just look how most vehicle movers tie down cars. Merry Christmas Barry Kruyssen Cairns, Australia k...@bigpond.com AUF Registered 19-3873 http://users.tpg.com.au/barryk/kr2.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Wood, Sidney M." <smw...@titan.com> To: <t...@arctic.net>; "KRnet" <kr...@mylist.net> Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2003 7:39 AM Subject: RE: KR>I would trailer the KR home! > Tom, > About 15 years ago Jeannette Rand and I did an investigation regarding a retract-gear KR-2 that had been trailered from the Seattle area to Alaska on the ALCAN highway by the buyer. The previous owner had checked out the new owner during several left-seat flights at Seattle. An independent A&P had checked the aircraft on a pre-sale inspection - no gripes. > The new owner had removed and securely crated the wings. The box was strapped on the trailer. No problem with that. The fuselage on the gear was placed on the flat bed trailer and secured with 2-inch nylon cargo ratchets running over a single 3/8 inch bolt at the stub wing attach brackets on each side. The tail wheel was secured at the spring with another 2-inch cargo ratchet wrapped around the spring. The new owner stated that the landing gear was deflected "one or two inches" and felt that was firm enough to prevent shifting. After arriving with the KR-2 on the trailer at home in Alaska, several cracks were noticed on the exterior skin at the lower left firewall. Closer inspection revealed cracks all around the plywood fire wall. The VW engine, prop, mount and firewall were making early preparations to depart the aircraft as a unit. So what caused this sad situation? > The problem with the rig was: A 600 pound KR-2 was hard mounted at the main spar on a tandem-axel flat bed trailer rated for 6,000 pounds. Then it was run over hundreds of miles of gravel roads through Canada and Alaska at about 60 mph. The stiff trailer springs and its rock-hard tires had put who knows how many hard landings on that defenseless KR-2. > Moral of the story: If you are going to trailer your KR, let the little Lamb tires and spring gear do their job. Secure the fully inflated KR tires with the right sized tire straps. Use a light weight trailer appropriate for the job. No one needs to set land speed records with a KR. > Regards, > Sid Wood KR-2 N6242 > Mechanicsville, MD sidney.w...@titan.com > > -----Original Message----- > > > One thing I do want to make clear is that it was never MY > intention to fly one of these birds to Alaska. I was thinking > about professional pilots who fly cross country all the time > who would fly the KR to its new home. I guess even pros would > trailer the plane home. > > Since towing by trailer is the way to go, how difficult is it > to take the wings off and put them back on again? Does this > damage the plane in any way? > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- > _______________________________________________ > see KRnet list details at http://www.krnet.org/instructions.html >
