Moving questions for my RV-10 project

tldavis · #1 03-05-2023, 08:57 PM

I'm trying to plan to move my project RV-10.

Current plan is to load it all into a 26-ft U-Haul box truck and drive down the interstate for 2 days from its old hanger to its new home.

It's at the ready-for-finishing-kit stage.
The wings are off, resting in a nice Mouser-style cradle.
The empennage is attached, but there's nothing forward of the firewall.
The horizontal and vertical stabilizers I plan to remove and crate.

As I plan to be sure there's enough room, I need to know how thick the crated stabilizers will be. I can't seem to find the thickness in the plans or online.
I thought I'd move the wings hanging in their cradle, and the fuselage/empennage bolted down via wing roots onto its cart.

Questions:

1. How thick are the horizontal and vertical stabilizers? (I have the longer 2 dimensions of course). I'm hoping small, so they will fit next to the wings and fuselage. But I may need to fly them over the top of the wing root.

2. Any specific thoughts on how you'd pack it?

3. Do I have enough room? I also need to move compressor, about 4 table top tools including DRDT-2, 2 EAA tables, and a whole bunch of smaller stuff.

Thinking I might need to add a trailer.

What do you think?
Thanks in advance.

Mike S · #2 03-05-2023, 11:14 PM

Is it on the landing gear?

If so, you might have trouble getting the mains in the box truck.

tldavis · #3 03-06-2023, 01:35 AM

No gear. Waiting for the finishing kit. The fuse is resting on a nice wooden cart with small wheels. I think I can secure it onto the cart through the holes in the wing roots, and then secure the cart to the truck.

rleffler · #4 03-06-2023, 04:05 AM

I did the same when I moved mine to the airport.

I used 2x4’s that were nailed into the truck’s floor and side rails to ensure the things didn’t move in transit.

The empennage was mounted, but took the horizontal off the tail I mounted the horizontal and control surfaces to the sides. A combination of the special built racks and moving blankets, everything made it safely to the airport. Although my drive was about thirty minutes, not two days.

Since I did that about 15 years ago, my memory is pretty vague at the moment. I don’t think there will be adequate room for your tables and tools.

ppilotmike · #5 03-06-2023, 09:50 AM

When I moved my project to the hangar, I was at about the same stage as you are. I used a car-carrier trailer and used 2x4s to build supports that were ratchet strapped to hold the project down snuggly. I did the move in two trips to get the fuse and wings and everything else, so you'd need a bigger trailer/truck to get it all in one go. The biggest struggle I had was that the shock absorbers on the trailer were not the greatest so I had to consider that in the move, so I didn't beat the **** out of everything as it bounced up and down. Take that into account when you're loading your project. Use foam, blankets, etc. and realize that continued rubbing of any parts as you go down the road could have very detrimental effects.

Duhg · #6 03-06-2023, 11:54 AM

We moved a quickbuild 8, finished tail, and tools in an 18' trailer from Virginia to Minnesota. Took the wheels off the wing cradles and screwed them to the floor. Lots of packing blankets and shrink wrap, but nothing moved.

BobTurner · #7 03-06-2023, 01:25 PM

I picked up my QB wings and fuselage at Vans with their recommended U haul - I forget, I think it was 26’. They tied the wings to the walls, leading edges up. There was plenty of room for the fuselage, not sure about tail feathers. For sure, there was a lot of vertical space left - if you built a platform over the fuselage, plenty of room for tail pieces, maybe tables, etc. If you are solo many tools could fit in the cab with you.
I cannot overstate how rough the ride was. You cannot use too much rope, nor can you have too many blankets!

tldavis · #8 03-06-2023, 04:34 PM

This is all great news. Thank you for all the sharing. What an awesome community.
Love the photo. My canoe is so much wider.

I didn't get the answer to Q#1 but it sounds like "hang them on the walls above everything" will work just fine as long as I use proper techniques to protect the parts.

We make the trip soon and hope to figure it all out within the 2 days or so we have allotted to assess on site, disassemble metal, build wood, and load. Time to getting on the road may depend on how many trips to Lowe's Aircraft or Aircraft Depot or Aircraft Freight will be needed. And how much ends up in the dumpster or in the passenger seat.

I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again!

RV10Pilot · #9 03-06-2023, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tldavis

I didn't get the answer to Q#1 but it sounds like "hang them on the walls above everything" will work just fine as long as I use proper techniques to protect the parts.

When Stewart moved my project they attached the wings to the walls of the trailer. They were wrapped in moving quilts. I would try to do something similar with the vertical and horizontal. Attached is a photo.

Plummit · #10 03-06-2023, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tldavis

I'm trying to plan to move my project RV-10.

Current plan is to load it all into a 26-ft U-Haul box truck and drive down the interstate for 2 days from its old hanger to its new home.

2 Days? You'll be in Mexico! Where's the new "Home?" Trying to figure out if I could help in some way...

-Marc