Genuine Schweizer trailer question.

[Scott Williams[_2_]]

While modifying our clubs Genuine Schweizer trailer to also retrieve a Grob 103, I noticed that the wing support cuffs mid trailer had two options for placement. One inboard and one outboard, difference of a couple of inches. for years we have been placing the wings on the trailer on the 'wrong side ' of the glider. IE, left wing on the right, etc.
Short of attempting all possible arraingments, does anyone know if this 'wrong side' is just a mistake of placement of the wing cuffs from years ago on our specific trailer, or, mandatory from a wing root support perspective for all 2-33s on a Schweizer trailer?.
Thanks,
Scott

[Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot)]

Hmmmm.....having dealt with Gerhlin/Schweizer trailers before, "wrong side" wing mounts were more for stable capture for the root of the wing to the trailer.....
To load another ship, sorta look at what works.....
I am sure others will chime in...I will say a PIK-20 was loaded on an open trailer in a rush to go from NJ to MI in the late 70's/early 80's....I know, I helped get a trailer ready after an accident.....

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Is there a bracket to hold the drag spar stable? A hole in the pad the spar rests on through which a hold-down bolt is inserted? Other ways to see if the root is misaligned if you rotate/move the wing support cuffs and swap the wings?

I've seen trailers that carry the left wing on the right side but it's typically to squeeze the pieces into a tight-fitting covered trailer. From memory, the old Niemi-type trailers might have been like this. They loaded from the front over the tow bar and the wings came out root first. So IIRC, the curved top surfaces of the wings had more clearance when carried on the opposite sides of the trailer. Actually, since the fuselage was carried facing backward, the wings were on the correct sides but the fuselage was reversed. Oh, well. It's been a long time. I remember a strap we sometimes used to support the spar stub as we bent over to remove it from the trailer and then walked it out carefully.

From experience, carrying a fiberglass glider on a Schweizer trailer has one added risk: because the spar stubs are so much longer than on a Schweizer, they can overhang the front of trailer enough to limit how tight you can turn with the tow vehicle. Obviously this depends on the specific geometry of the trailer but in our case (a 15 Meter Diamant HBV on a Schweizer 1-26 trailer--don't ask), every time we made a tight turn it threatened to punch a hole in the car's sheet metal and/or damage the tip of the spar stub. Good luck.

Chip Bearden
JB

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On Tuesday, February 4, 2020 at 9:56:32 PM UTC-5, Scott Williams wrote:
> While modifying our clubs Genuine Schweizer trailer to also retrieve a Grob 103, I noticed that the wing support cuffs mid trailer had two options for placement. One inboard and one outboard, difference of a couple of inches. for years we have been placing the wings on the trailer on the 'wrong side ' of the glider. IE, left wing on the right, etc.
> Short of attempting all possible arraingments, does anyone know if this 'wrong side' is just a mistake of placement of the wing cuffs from years ago on our specific trailer, or, mandatory from a wing root support perspective for all 2-33s on a Schweizer trailer?.
> Thanks,
> Scott

The placement of fittings at the front of the Schweizer universal trailer makes it such that 2-33 wings go on opposite sides. A 1-26 on the same trailer goes "normal". Rear fittings do not move for us.
For other ships, your experience may vary.
UH

[Scott Williams[_2_]]

On Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at 9:37:18 AM UTC-6, wrote:
> On Tuesday, February 4, 2020 at 9:56:32 PM UTC-5, Scott Williams wrote:
> > While modifying our clubs Genuine Schweizer trailer to also retrieve a Grob 103, I noticed that the wing support cuffs mid trailer had two options for placement. One inboard and one outboard, difference of a couple of inches. for years we have been placing the wings on the trailer on the 'wrong side ' of the glider. IE, left wing on the right, etc.
> > Short of attempting all possible arraingments, does anyone know if this 'wrong side' is just a mistake of placement of the wing cuffs from years ago on our specific trailer, or, mandatory from a wing root support perspective for all 2-33s on a Schweizer trailer?.
> > Thanks,
> > Scott
>
> The placement of fittings at the front of the Schweizer universal trailer makes it such that 2-33 wings go on opposite sides. A 1-26 on the same trailer goes "normal". Rear fittings do not move for us.
> For other ships, your experience may vary.
> UH

UH, thanks,
That is what I suspected, but like to have it confirmed.
Chip, Grob Spar stub problems go away if you add 4 feet to a Schweizer trailer and a drop & pin in wing spar support. Also relocate the axle.
Thanks everyone,
Scott