Tow Out Gear

[Gadget Guy]

I have recently purchased a DG-300, and am in the process of getting it ready to fly this next season. If you have any equipment you are looking to sell, Please forward me pictures and price.
I need a wing wheel, one man rigging unit, tow bar.
Send to jschaffer at techno-mation dot com.

[jcarlyle]

I don't have any gear to sell you, but I do have some well meaning
advice - don't buy a Cobra one man rigger. I found the Cobra rigger to
not only be expensive, but also clumsy and awkward to use. It was
difficult to get it close enough to the fuselage of my ASW-19B when
loading the wing from my Cobra trailer; it was very hard to move the
wing from side to side between the wheels when rigging the second wing;
and the little kickstands did not properly lock in position.

My comparison rigger was a homebuilt unit called the Lewis Loader. The
Lewis Loader was lent to Tool-Tech, and they now produce one man
riggers based upon its design features. This is most probably the
rigger that I'll be buying.

Hope this is helpful to you.

-John

Note: I have absolutely no connection with Tool-Tech or its
distributor.

[[email protected]]

Is this the same Tool-Tech rigging aid that Wings and Wheels sells? I
am trying to compare the 3 riggers that I can find available in the US
(Wings and Wheels, Udo, and M&M) and really cannot make a decision.
The wing holding cradle on the Wings and Wheels model seems like it
might be less good on a flapped wing because it appears to grab the
wing on the trailing edge. The Udo and M&M models seem to be almost
identical in that regard, but the M&M does not have the horizontal
adjustment option. Shipping from M&M is about half of what Udo asks.

Anyone have any advice here? I cannot find anyone at my club who knows
about these, and the only thing keeping me from ordering today is that
I really cannot figure out which to order! Wish that I could go to the
SSA convention to look for myself....

Thanks.

[jcarlyle]

Yes, Wings & Wheels sells the Tool-Tech rigger I referred to. I can't
speak to its use on a flapped wing, as Standard class machines were all
I rigged. In use, the only force from the trailing edge grip would
occur if the wing tried to twist or slide out of the holder. For a
flapped machine you'd definitely want to know if the grip extended far
enough forward to bear on the top surface of your wing. I have heard
that minor modifications are planned for the Tool-Tech rigger - maybe
this is one of them, you'd have to ask Tim Mara.

For me, horizontal adjustment is important. Udo's rigger uses brass
inserts riding on a square shaft, while the Tool-Tech uses linear
bearings on a rod. The Lewis Loader proved to me that metal on metal
makes it hard to adjust precisely, so the linear bearings are a
definite plus. Also, the Tool-Tech appears to offer a larger horizontal
adjustment range than Udo's, which is also useful to me.

As you can see, I've pretty well made up my mind on the Tool-Tech. FYI,
there is another rigger available in the USA, the WingMate from Chip
Bearden. Check out his site:
http://members.aol.com/wingstand/alternatives.htm Be sure to check out
his link "Other Ways to Do It" for additional input on pros and cons.

-John

P.S. - I don't know the M&M model - do you have a link?

[[email protected]]

I should have said MM Fabrication. I have seen one of the trailers
that they have made and it appears to be very well done. Thanks for
your help.

http://www.mmfabrication.com/

[Jack]

I met Mark Mocho at M&M last week. I, too, am looking for a 1-man
rigger. I was impressed with everything I saw. He has an option for the
fore/aft adjustment, I believe. Outstanding workmanship and a good guy.
I wouldn't hesitate to order one, except that my son is now building
one for me for a ... very ... late Christmas present. Gotta wait and
see how that comes out. I looked at his wing wheels and tow dollies,
too. All of it is first rate.

Jack Womack

[[email protected]]

Mark Mocho's (MM Fabrication) wing wheels and tow-out bars are the best
in the business too.