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Europa Trigear Trailer

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Martin Olliver

Joined: 04 Jan 2010
Posts: 35

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 7:30 am Post subject: Europa Trigear Trailer

I am refurbishing a stock four wheel Europa trigear trailer with tilt bed. Can any one who has this type advise me if a winch is required, as it came without one? I am guessing that it is. If that is the case what would be the best position to fit the winch? Would a hand operated or electric winch be best as I am thinking of a one man operation? 

Thank you.

Martin Olliver

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Trevpond(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 7:44 am Post subject: Europa Trigear Trailer

Hi Martin,

  

 I have a four wheel trigear trailer and it is only of use with an electric  winch - they sell them at machine mart.

 It's handy if you can weld a battery box in the trailer and of course a  plate to mount the winch on the centre line.

  

 best regards

  

  

 Trevor

 G-LINN

  

  In a message dated 08/09/2011 16:33:03 GMT Daylight Time,  martflynut(at)aol.com writes:

  	  Quote: 	
		  -->    Europa-List message posted by: "Martin Olliver"    <martflynut(at)aol.com>



I am refurbishing a stock four wheel Europa    trigear trailer with tilt bed. Can any one who has this type advise me if a    winch is required, as it came without one? I am guessing that it is. If that    is the case what would be the best position to fit the winch? Would a hand    operated or electric winch be best as I am thinking of a one man operation?    

Thank you.

Martin Olliver





Read this topic online    here:



http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=351736#351736

	


 [quote][b]

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Martin Olliver

Joined: 04 Jan 2010
Posts: 35

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 7:53 am Post subject: Re: Europa Trigear Trailer

Thanks Trevor. Will look into that. What attachment points (wheel struts) and arrangements do you use? 

Do you have any other advice re the trailer from your experience?

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Trevpond(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 8:21 am Post subject: Europa Trigear Trailer

Martin,

  

 I cut a slot approx 3 inches wide at each end of the mainwheel pads and  then used ratchet tie down straps under the pads and through the slots.   Ratchet up until tyre flattens a bit and I guarantee that there will be no  movement.

  

 I made up a length of seatbelt material with a loop at each end and then  put the hook of the winch wire through one end and attach the other to the nose  gear frame to get the aircraft onto the trailer.  

  

 regards

  

  

  

 Trevor

  

  In a message dated 08/09/2011 16:56:13 GMT Daylight Time,  martflynut(at)aol.com writes:

  	  Quote: 	
		  -->    Europa-List message posted by: "Martin Olliver"    <martflynut(at)aol.com>



Thanks Trevor. Will look into that. What    attachment points (wheel struts) and arrangements do you use? 

Do you have    any other advice re the trailer from your experience?





Read    this topic online    here:



http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=351740#351740

	


 [quote][b]

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Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

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frans(at)privatepilots.nl
Guest

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 12:43 pm Post subject: Europa Trigear Trailer

On 09/08/2011 05:30 PM, Martin Olliver wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   I am refurbishing a stock four wheel Europa trigear trailer with tilt

 bed. Can any one who has this type advise me if a winch is required,


	


Yes, you need a winch. I bought a new <100 US$ electrical winch with

remote control on ebay, and it is perfect for the task.

You need to add two attachment points on the airplane, one next to each

main gear leg. Then route two cables from the winch to these attachment

points. The cables meet the single rope from the winch somewhere close

to the tail. By adjusting the length of the two cables you can cause the

trailer to align itself automatically with the trailer. Do not try to

winch the airplane with a single attachment point near the tail, as the

tail rises up when the airplane crawls up the bed. The winch tries to

pull the tail down, and much stress is put on both the airplane and the

winch construction.



I have the winch mounted just behind the "brake assembly" (I guess this

assembly has a name in English but I'm not sure what it is).

Although my car delivers 12 Volts to the trailer, I added a small

battery to the trailer itself because of the high load of the winch. The

battery is automatically recharged by the car while driving. (I also

have a ground cable on the airplane so the airplane's batteries are

recharged automatically as well while it is on the trailer.



One warning with this trailer: Do NOT use the tailplane stands, it will

wiggle everything loose while driving. I made two wooden boxes on the

"triangle" of the trailer which contains the tail planes.



Make sure to measure the load on the tow hook: In my case it came out

with a whopping 140 Kg's. My 1972 Mercedes I use for towing has air

suspension and won't sag a millimeter, but 140Kg's is just to much for

most cars. I solved this problem my adding end stops for the main gear

so the airplane stays a bit more to the rear of the trailer.



Another thing I found out is the best way to secure the airplane. You

definitely need to secure the tail. I added a "tow hook" on the airplane

and when on the trailer I attach two steel cables with a spring in them.

The springs are needed because of the flex of the trailer itself. You

shouldn't abuse the airplane by using it as a device to stiffen up the

trailer.

The nose gear is my main attachment point. I have made a clamp that goes

over the axle of the nose wheel. If you ommit this, you will find out

that sooner or later the airplane turns slightly and any bump in the

road will cause the nose wheel to jump up and land besides the ramp.

Don's ask me how I know... Just make sure you secure the nose wheel to

the trailer.



Oh, and never forget to install a very strong rudder lock. I didn't had

one the first time I had the airplane on the trailer and the first truck

that passed in the opposite direction smacked the rudder to the other

side. This was enough to cause a crack in the hinge. Luckily the

airplane wasn't finished yet so I could easily repair the damage (and

stiffen up the hinge area with some uni perpedicular to the crack so a

future mistake or tail slide (  ) won't cause the same damage again.



I'm very satisfied with this setup, and we use it every time we are

going to fly because we have the airplane hangared at home. It drives

very stable and 100Km/h is our standard speed on the way to the airport.

We rig the airplane directly on the trailer, and the whole operation

from trailered to unloaded and ready to fly takes 15 minutes. We refuel

directly at a road gas station so at the airport we don't have to refuel.



Initially I was afraid that driving the airplane wouldn't be good for

the gyro's but now with 130 hours the gyro's still sound as new.



Frans

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Martin Olliver

Joined: 04 Jan 2010
Posts: 35

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 3:17 pm Post subject: Re: Europa Trigear Trailer

Thank you Frans & Trevor. All the info noted and will be used.

Martin.

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