claycookiemonster

claycookiemonster

Well Known Member
Hopefully, in about a week I'll be back in the airplane building business. I'm heading to Whitby Ontario Canada to pick up Kent Sherm's RV-8 project, then driving it the 8 hours back to Connecticut to it's new home. It began as a slow build, but is now at the QB stage. Any suggestions on restraining the fuse in the back of a 26' box truck? I figure I can put ratchet straps to the canopy bow and mid-cockpit cross bar, but where else can I grab this thing without doing damage? Same question for the wings: a storage stand comes with it, but I'm not sure it's meant for the bounces of an 8 hour drive. I'm inclined to lay the wings flat like the QB wings are for delivery and just pad the heck out of them, but how do I keep them from sliding around?

Anyone got a system for doing this?

Clay
 
You should be able to insert bolts in the wing spar mounting holes in wing centre section in the fuselage, then reach in through where the wing spar inserts to loop nylon straps over those bolts. This would allow you to secure the lower part of the forward fuselage from side to side movement.

If you can bolt the engine mount on, you could tie to that. Insert tail wheel spring and tie to that.
 
Wings

Foam rubber, like an old mattress topper makes good padding and resists slipping. This was a relatively short haul but down a very rough road. No damage... Both wings were stacked with padding between... the top wing was upside down so the straps were less likely to booger the top skin overhang... If they hadn't been painted I would probably have just used the storage dolly...

You can strap to the end of the spar, with bolts inserted to avoid slipping off, or insert suitably sized (long) PVC pipe through a couple of lightening holes to give something to strap to...

 
The wings can be hung up on the side walls of the box truck with wide ratchet straps. Padding between the wing and wall and blankets between the straps and wing.

This method is used by Partain Shipping, the guys who ship for Vans all over the Country.

An important note is to make sure the strap hooks can't jump out of their attach points. You can do this by using additional straps to pull the wings down toward the floor.
 
Id recommend taking a cordless screwdriver/drill and plenty of screws with you, as well as ratchet straps.
 
Thanks

All great suggestions guys. I think I made a local shop owner's day (in 40 degree F Connecticut) when I bought 8 of those pool "noodles" from his back room! They seem like perfect cushions and "fenders" either round or split lengthwise; I'll take some pics and let you all know.
Clay
 
KiloWhiskey1 said:
The wings can be hung up on the side walls of the box truck with wide ratchet straps. Padding between the wing and wall and blankets between the straps and wing.

This method is used by Partain Shipping, the guys who ship for Vans all over the Country.

An important note is to make sure the strap hooks can't jump out of their attach points. You can do this by using additional straps to pull the wings down toward the floor.
Click to expand...

This is what I did for the vertical spar and it worked well when I purchased my 6A kit. I also hung the engine mount. I used a 20' truck and I put the fuse on saw horses. This left lots of room under the fuse for the canopy and cowl. I left the wings in the cradle (it used carpet hangers) and had no damage. I had a wood faux spar installed for support.

Larry
 
Getting there

The project I'm picking up was a slow build, so it never had the wood insert to the wing spar center section. Can someone give me general dimensions for that wood bit or the spar slot? I remember it was two pieces of ply together, so it had to be about 1.5 inches thick and maybe 10 inches high? Great suggestion on hanging the wings along the side, I'm off to get some carpet remnants for padding and 1X6's for rigidity along the length of the wings. If I can restrain the fuse along one side and hang the wings on both sides, then I think I'm golden.

Did I mention all the paperwork necessary to get his back into the US from Canada? Neither country is very eager at the moment (understandably) to give a single man driving a rented box truck the benefit of the doubt. Such a world we live in.

Details to follow.

Clay
 
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