moving/relocating a project

clam · #1 03-05-2008, 07:42 PM

Amigos,
I am building an RV-8. It appears that I will be relocating in a few months. I'm looking for some experience/lessons learned from anyone who has moved a project.

Big picture: the move will be about 380 miles (Atlanta - Jacksonville). The empennage is finished and resting in a cradle (less the tips), the wings are completed (less the tips), i'm currently working on the fuselage interior (firewall to tailwheel is assembled), and i have the finish kit on hand.

Thoughts to date: speak with insurance company, get 18-20' trailer, pack carefully, drive even moreso, and pray often.

Searched forums, but didn't find much. Would appreciate any thoughts/considerations.

I proposed a 2 month, 24/7, build-a-thon followed by a spectacular fly-off to the new location. But then the wife has to drive the kids. She's not going for it...

Thanks,
Jeff

rzbill · #2 03-05-2008, 08:12 PM

Jeff,
I moved 18 months ago. 500 miles with a moving company. I was in similar finished state as you. I cleco'd every piece I could find onto the fuselage in order to make it as stiff as possible (My upper rear skins were not attached at the time). I cleco'ed from the inside, so the cleco "bodies" were protected from bashing and distorting a rivet hole.

All the parts were removed from cradles because I felt that the narrow contact areas on the leading edges were not good for 10 hrs of bumpy road travel. All parts were laid flat, wraped in moving blankets and strapped down to prevent motion. If you have seen commercial moving vans, you may know about the adaptable shelving they can put in. My RV was situated in the very top of the trailer, above the rest of my possesions. There was absolutely no damage, not even skuff marks that I could attribute to moving.

Good luck. If you need a good bucking partner, my son is at NAS JAX. I'm sure he would buck in trade for some air time as a passenger.

apatti · #3 03-05-2008, 08:40 PM

Hi Jeff,

I went through this a couple of years ago (New Orleans to Warner Robins, GA). My kit was slightly less far along. I had the emp done and the wing main spar, ribs, rear spar riveted. Ailerons and flaps were done. Fuse kit was on order, but Van's agreed to hold.

I spent several weeks after work and weekends designing and building wooden crates to hold the various components. I used a ton of bubble wrap and also bought some scrap pieces of carpet padding which I stapled to the inside of the boxes. The crates were made from 1X6's, 1X8's, 1X10's, or 1X12's; whatever was appropriate. The tops and bottoms were 1/2 inch particle board. Everything was totally enclosed. It was probably overkill. But I didn't want any problems. A guy I knew in New Orleans got transferred out to Sacremento and needed to move his nearly completed BD-?. The quote from a moving company was something like $1800. He pleaded with his employer (who was paying all of his moving expenses; including the plane) to just let him buy a trailer and move it himself. The company said no even though the trailer would have been less expensive. You guessed it... the moving company damaged his airplane. Badly! I didn't stay in touch with him. However, the last I heard, he wasn't sure it would ever fly. Soooooo... I took great care packing.

I did not insure anything. Actually, I don't even think I thought about it. I probably would have been more worried if I had!

Anyway, I loaded several of the crates into the back of my pickup truck and then pulled the pickup onto a car carrier (four wheel kind) which I towed behind the U-Haul. It actually took that trip and then another trip in just the pickup to move all the crates. But all arrived in good shape.

Lessons learned for me was "never, ever use U-Haul again!" On our last trip, they didn't have the equipment I had reserved weeks in advance. They sent me all over souther MS looking for equipment. I eventually got my truck, loaded it and left for GA. Smoke starts pouring out from underneath it in Pascagoula, MS. They left my wife and I stranded on the side of the road for 23 hours. Kept telling me there was someone on the way to take a look at the truck. He gets there after about 6 hours and says "Yep, its broke." Supposedly someone else was going to come by after him to repair it. At 9:00 at night I finally tell them my wife and I are going to get a hotel (she had been following me with our other car). They threaten me with abandoment fees if I leave the equipment!

We left anyway. They would never call us to let us know the status of anything. We would have to call them every couple of hours, get someone totally new, explain everything, get a completely new story... It was the worst example of customer no-service I have ever experienced. ... Sorry for the rant, but I do feel better. Feel free to send me a bill.

The nice thing for you is that your drive will be interstate almost the whole way. That will make it easier on you. Good luck with the move. You are leaving a great area (I used to live there) and heading to what I expect is another great area in which to live.

michael2 · #4 03-05-2008, 09:24 PM

I moved my RV-9 from summer cabin in Blairsville, Ga. to North florida, Steinhatchee, on a 18' boat trailer, no problems. Boat trailer worked good because it was easy to strap parts to runners on trailer. Small parts went in back of truck.
Gerry
RV-9, N92GC
J-3, NG88583

Mike S · #5 03-05-2008, 11:18 PM

Rented an equipment trailer-----only thing that would accommodate the 10s landing gear.

I built a cradle for the wing, stored stuff in the fuse and wherever I could stuff it .

jmbrwn · #6 03-06-2008, 07:36 AM

Tony,
I know this is late news for you, but I just got through moving about 7 months ago, and used Penske. I've used them several times in the past and they are wonderful. Always new equipment and good customer service. I've only dealt with U-haul once, and it was only a local rental for a small pull behind trailer. Old beat up trailer and poor service. Never again. I feel for you and your family. Moving is stressful enough!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by apatti

Hi Jeff,

I went through this a couple of years ago (New Orleans to Warner Robins, GA). My kit was slightly less far along. I had the emp done and the wing main spar, ribs, rear spar riveted. Ailerons and flaps were done. Fuse kit was on order, but Van's agreed to hold.

I spent several weeks after work and weekends designing and building wooden crates to hold the various components. I used a ton of bubble wrap and also bought some scrap pieces of carpet padding which I stapled to the inside of the boxes. The crates were made from 1X6's, 1X8's, 1X10's, or 1X12's; whatever was appropriate. The tops and bottoms were 1/2 inch particle board. Everything was totally enclosed. It was probably overkill. But I didn't want any problems. A guy I knew in New Orleans got transferred out to Sacremento and needed to move his nearly completed BD-?. The quote from a moving company was something like $1800. He pleaded with his employer (who was paying all of his moving expenses; including the plane) to just let him buy a trailer and move it himself. The company said no even though the trailer would have been less expensive. You guessed it... the moving company damaged his airplane. Badly! I didn't stay in touch with him. However, the last I heard, he wasn't sure it would ever fly. Soooooo... I took great care packing.

I did not insure anything. Actually, I don't even think I thought about it. I probably would have been more worried if I had!

Anyway, I loaded several of the crates into the back of my pickup truck and then pulled the pickup onto a car carrier (four wheel kind) which I towed behind the U-Haul. It actually took that trip and then another trip in just the pickup to move all the crates. But all arrived in good shape.

Lessons learned for me was "never, ever use U-Haul again!" On our last trip, they didn't have the equipment I had reserved weeks in advance. They sent me all over souther MS looking for equipment. I eventually got my truck, loaded it and left for GA. Smoke starts pouring out from underneath it in Pascagoula, MS. They left my wife and I stranded on the side of the road for 23 hours. Kept telling me there was someone on the way to take a look at the truck. He gets there after about 6 hours and says "Yep, its broke." Supposedly someone else was going to come by after him to repair it. At 9:00 at night I finally tell them my wife and I are going to get a hotel (she had been following me with our other car). They threaten me with abandoment fees if I leave the equipment!

We left anyway. They would never call us to let us know the status of anything. We would have to call them every couple of hours, get someone totally new, explain everything, get a completely new story... It was the worst example of customer no-service I have ever experienced. ... Sorry for the rant, but I do feel better. Feel free to send me a bill.

The nice thing for you is that your drive will be interstate almost the whole way. That will make it easier on you. Good luck with the move. You are leaving a great area (I used to live there) and heading to what I expect is another great area in which to live.