Cobra trailer trim

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I would like to replace the plastic bumper trim around the sides of my Cobra trailer. I did this to a Cobra a number of years ago and remember it being a nightmare. Has anyone done this and, if so, do you have any tips to make it easier. This is a ASH 25 trailer and is two feet longer than standard so will be quite a length to pull through the channel.
Thanks Dale

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Call Rex and Noelle at Williams Soaring Center.
They are Cobra dealers. They have all the parts.
They have done this and helped people do it many times.

[Bob Thompson]

It's a tough job, and the extra two feet will make it harder. You will need to do the following:
- Remove any nicks or bumps anywhere on the aluminum extrusion, then clean or polish as necessary to make it as smooth as possible.
- Get the instructions from Spindelberger or Williams and use the exact type of dish soap they recommend for lubricating the track.
- Trim the leading edge to help it feed in the track.
- You'll need at least two good friends - one to spray lubricant in front of you and one to push on the trim and spray more of it where you have been. Also to spot areas where it as popped out of the track. You will need to reward them afterwards.
- Will also need some vise grips to grab the trim for pulling. If you have lower back problems don't even think of doing this. It's tough. If it slips out of the track you can use plastic auto trim tools to push it back in.
- After it's in, let it sit for a few hours to shrink back to normal shape before trimming the ends.
Looks good when it's done, but not sure I'd do it again. Plan B would be remove the glider, park the trailer over flammable materials... Never mind. That's probably illegal.
Good luck.

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I tried changing the bumper trim on my new cobra trailer a few years ago due to sun rot. The red has turned a brittle pink. I purchased the replacement Cobra trim from Rex as well. I was too cool to read the instructions and have a big scar on my ankle to prove it. I cleaned up the dried dirt caked on in channel (taking 3-4 hours) as you should but didn't do the main trick...more on that later...

I could pull the trim through 2/3 of the way and then it was impossible to do more. Also thought of the vice grips idea. A few more feet but it was stuck. Got soap...another foot. Still 8 feet short. "Darn!" Keeping it clean since there were children present watching the debacle.

I had the brilliant idea to get a come-along and attach to the vice grips. 4 to 5 failed attempts later the channel plastic ripped out and the metal vice grips shot like a slingshot right at me and hit me in the ankle smack dab on the bone that sticks out at your sock line. Oh it felt so good!!! ;) Speaking of socks, it turned quite read quite quickly.

So. Now what after the bleeding stopped 3 days later? Time to call Rex and ask what I am doing wrong. They asked, "You are soaking it in hot water right before putting on right?" Uhhhh, thanks....

Slid on like butter with no come-along the first try after doing it right. Duh! Sure made the trailer look like it was new. Have fun and yes it is well worth it. :)

Bruno - B4

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On Thursday, August 29, 2013 5:27:27 PM UTC-6, wrote:
> I would like to replace the plastic bumper trim around the sides of my Cobra trailer. I did this to a Cobra a number of years ago and remember it being a nightmare. Has anyone done this and, if so, do you have any tips to make it easier. This is a ASH 25 trailer and is two feet longer than standard so will be quite a length to pull through the channel. Thanks Dale

[[email protected]]

On Thursday, August 29, 2013 5:27:27 PM UTC-6, wrote:
> I would like to replace the plastic bumper trim around the sides of my Cobra trailer. I did this to a Cobra a number of years ago and remember it being a nightmare. Has anyone done this and, if so, do you have any tips to make it easier. This is a ASH 25 trailer and is two feet longer than standard so will be quite a length to pull through the channel. Thanks Dale

[[email protected]]

Did it last winter by myself without much drama. The vise grip trick worked, as did the dish soap. Heating it might be a good idea. the key was getting the channel clean and soaped, and setting up a good system for feeding the plastic into the channel. I let it feed over the back of a folding chair. Good luck. TimOn Thursday, August 29, 2013 5:27:27 PM UTC-6, wrote:
> I would like to replace the plastic bumper trim around the sides of my Cobra trailer. I did this to a Cobra a number of years ago and remember it being a nightmare. Has anyone done this and, if so, do you have any tips to make it easier. This is a ASH 25 trailer and is two feet longer than standard so will be quite a length to pull through the channel. Thanks Dale

[Eric Greenwell[_4_]]

wrote, On 8/29/2013 7:23 PM:
> I tried changing the bumper trim on my new cobra trailer a few years
> ago due to sun rot. The red has turned a brittle pink. I purchased
> the replacement Cobra trim from Rex as well. I was too cool to read
> the instructions and have a big scar on my ankle to prove it. I
> cleaned up the dried dirt caked on in channel (taking 3-4 hours) as
> you should but didn't do the main trick...more on that later...
>
> I could pull the trim through 2/3 of the way and then it was
> impossible to do more. Also thought of the vice grips idea. A few
> more feet but it was stuck. Got soap...another foot. Still 8 feet
> short. "Darn!" Keeping it clean since there were children present
> watching the debacle.
>
> I had the brilliant idea to get a come-along and attach to the vice
> grips. 4 to 5 failed attempts later the channel plastic ripped out
> and the metal vice grips shot like a slingshot right at me and hit me
> in the ankle smack dab on the bone that sticks out at your sock line.
> Oh it felt so good!!! ;) Speaking of socks, it turned quite read
> quite quickly.
>
> So. Now what after the bleeding stopped 3 days later? Time to call
> Rex and ask what I am doing wrong. They asked, "You are soaking it
> in hot water right before putting on right?" Uhhhh, thanks....
>
> Slid on like butter with no come-along the first try after doing it
> right. Duh! Sure made the trailer look like it was new. Have fun and
> yes it is well worth it. :)

I did it in full sun at 100+ degrees, so the vinyl stayed soft and
flexible. My wife stood in the shade and helped feed it into the track.
I think she felt lucky I didn't have her out in the sun, too (do I look
that stupid?).

I sprayed Pam in the track ahead of the strip I was pulling in, and Pam
on the stuff that was entering the track. It went well, even though my
trailer box is 30 feet long because it's for the one-piece wings on my
18 meter glider.

The downside of using Pam was stray dogs would stand around the end of
the trailer, licking Pam off the rear corners, as the excess seeped out
over the next few months.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)
- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Feb/2010" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm
http://tinyurl.com/yb3xywl

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Thanks everyone for the tips. I won't need to be placed on suicide watch this time around

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

On Monday, September 2, 2013 10:01:59 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> Thanks everyone for the tips. I won't need to be placed on suicide watch this time around

And, thanks for asking the question, Dale. I, too, have a Cobra for an ASH-25, but two feet longer than normal. I am stretching it for a 19 meter span, two piece wing plane I have. Why is yours longer than a "normal" 25 trailer? Just made long enough to leave the longer tips on in the trailer?

Steve Leonard
BSK, N5681 (19 meter stretch and mod of Glasflugel BS1)

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Hi steve. Tell us about your project. It sounds exciting. The previous owner of my 25 (lee Hallerberg) had it lengthened at the factory to make more storage room up front.

Dale

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

On Wednesday, September 4, 2013 9:36:16 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> Hi steve. Tell us about your project. It sounds exciting.

Well, I wouldn't really describe it as "exciting". But, there have been times where there was some level of "excitement" along the way.

My trailer stretch is a re-build of a wrecked 25 trailer. Jack-knifed with the plane in it, caved in the left side of the trailer ahead of the axles, but didn't hurt the plane. Purchased as a project with new floor, side wall, and channel for bottom of clamshell. Had it repaired out in Williams, CA, by a friend of Rex Mayes. Hauled to Minden, where it got loaded with a LOT of stuff I had purchased. Wasn't long enough for the 19 meter wings, so back end of top was drilled off, and moved back two feet with old plywood extensions on the sides. Tail gate was held up by duct tape and the not yet installed floor guide tracks that were stuck out just passed the end of the tailgate. Inside was placed a complete BS1(the stretched set of wings sticking out the back), a set of partially built HP-14 wings, an HP-14 fuselage, salvaged sections of sidewall and top channnel extrusion. On top was a salvaged section of floor, and another set of HP-14 wings, roots forward, one tip on each side of the vertical fin doghouse. Genuine Beverly Hillbillys rig. Oh, and only two wheels on the two axles. One axle just going along for the ride.

Trailer bottom extended using floor and side extrusion salvaged from the removed wrecked pieces. Top extended using slavaged sections of channel extrusion and newly purchased aluminum sheet. Doghouse extended by cutting out the back wall and extending it aft to the new back end of the trailer. New top made for the extension on the doghouse. Will try to get some pictures of the project progress and provide a link.

Currently working all the little fixtures to hold the various parts of the plane in the trailer. It has certainly been an interesting project.

The plane is the BSK. Started life as BS1 serial 16. Modified by Klaus Keim to extend the wings from 18 to 19 meters, replaced the all flying stabilator with a tail from an early Kestrel (stab and elevator), pointed nose, two piece canopy (to replace the 6 foot long, one piece lift off and set on the ground original), gear and 5 inch wheel from a Kestrel in place of the original 4 inch wheel, parallelogram control stick, and water ballast (a whopping 110 lbs!).

I will continue to say "I should get it going later this year" until I actually do get it going.

Steve