Replacing the stripes on a Cobra trailer

[Eric Greenwell]

My 12 year old blue stripes turned brown several years ago, so I'm now
trying to install the new ones. It's not going well.

The factory instructions call for hot soapy water on the trailer and
stripe, then the end is pulled by one person while another feeds/pushes
it into the aluminum extrusions. This works until about 8 feet is on the
trailer, then it gets hard to go any farther. With 22 feet of trailer
left, I don't think we'll make it!

They do mention using an additional 1 or 2 people in the middle to help
push the stripe along, but we didn't have more people.

Does anyone have experience with this, and how did you get the stripe in
place? Ideas from people that have never done this are also welcome, as
I doubt there are many "stripe replacement" experts, and they might not
be reading RAS.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

[chipsoars]

On Jul 11, 2:37 pm, Eric Greenwell > wrote:
> My 12 year old blue stripes turned brown several years ago, so I'm now
> trying to install the new ones. It's not going well.
>
> The factory instructions call for hot soapy water on the trailer and
> stripe, then the end is pulled by one person while another feeds/pushes
> it into the aluminum extrusions. This works until about 8 feet is on the
> trailer, then it gets hard to go any farther. With 22 feet of trailer
> left, I don't think we'll make it!
>
> They do mention using an additional 1 or 2 people in the middle to help
> push the stripe along, but we didn't have more people.
>
> Does anyone have experience with this, and how did you get the stripe in
> place? Ideas from people that have never done this are also welcome, as
> I doubt there are many "stripe replacement" experts, and they might not
> be reading RAS.
>
> --
> Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
> * Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
> * "Transponders in Sailplanes"http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
> * "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" atwww.motorglider.org

Have you thought about a silicon or teflon lubricant? I did
aftermarket car A/C installations as a summer job back when
airconditioning was not standard equipment. We used silicon spray to
route rubber tubing through the firewall etc, to the evaporator unit.

Chip F

[Paul Cordell]

I've changed out the stripes on a couple of trailers. I use a soapy
wet brush to clean out the channel and a flat blade screw driver to
"repair" or widen areas that may have been pinched. It also helps
to use the wet brush to keep the portion of the stripe that is already
in the channel lubricated.

[Udo]

On Jul 11, 2:37 pm, Eric Greenwell > wrote:
> My 12 year old blue stripes turned brown several years ago, so I'm now
> trying to install the new ones. It's not going well.
>
> The factory instructions call for hot soapy water on the trailer and
> stripe, then the end is pulled by one person while another feeds/pushes
> it into the aluminum extrusions. This works until about 8 feet is on the
> trailer, then it gets hard to go any farther. With 22 feet of trailer
> left, I don't think we'll make it!
>
> They do mention using an additional 1 or 2 people in the middle to help
> push the stripe along, but we didn't have more people.
>
> Does anyone have experience with this, and how did you get the stripe in
> place? Ideas from people that have never done this are also welcome, as
> I doubt there are many "stripe replacement" experts, and they might not
> be reading RAS.
>
> --
> Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
> * Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
> * "Transponders in Sailplanes"http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
> * "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" atwww.motorglider.org

Pre stretch the strip. (make it thinner). also use car wash soap
without
reducing it.
Udo

[John Seaborn]

Eric, Use hot soapy water, and this is the big one, do it on a hot
day, which should be easy in the NW this week. Goes on like butter.

John


On Jul 11, 1:17 pm, Udo > wrote:
> On Jul 11, 2:37 pm, Eric Greenwell > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > My 12 year old blue stripes turned brown several years ago, so I'm now
> > trying to install the new ones. It's not going well.
>
> > The factory instructions call for hot soapy water on the trailer and
> > stripe, then the end is pulled by one person while another feeds/pushes
> > it into the aluminum extrusions. This works until about 8 feet is on the
> > trailer, then it gets hard to go any farther. With 22 feet of trailer
> > left, I don't think we'll make it!
>
> > They do mention using an additional 1 or 2 people in the middle to help
> > push the stripe along, but we didn't have more people.
>
> > Does anyone have experience with this, and how did you get the stripe in
> > place? Ideas from people that have never done this are also welcome, as
> > I doubt there are many "stripe replacement" experts, and they might not
> > be reading RAS.
>
> > --
> > Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
> > * Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
> > * "Transponders in Sailplanes"http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
> > * "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" atwww.motorglider.org
>
> Pre stretch the strip. (make it thinner). also use car wash soap
> without
> reducing it.
> Udo- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Steve Davis]

I removed a gas strut from a 2000 COBRA Trailer and
the strut body is very tightly jammed into the small

square channel. I tried working it out but it is jammed
so tightly I may have to pound it out. This leads
me to
believe that the pressure of it being wedged into the
channel
has led to it losing pressure. Is this common or do
I have an
undersized square channel? Seems like it should easily
slide
out.

[Ira Blieden]

I took mine stripes off a few years back to clean. (I did not remove
the ends which are riveted on).

I just put in place and used my thumbs to squeeze and pop on.

Expect each side to take approx 1.5 hours.

I've had no problems over the years since using that techique.

Ira

Eric Greenwell wrote:
> My 12 year old blue stripes turned brown several years ago, so I'm now
> trying to install the new ones. It's not going well.
>
> The factory instructions call for hot soapy water on the trailer and
> stripe, then the end is pulled by one person while another feeds/pushes
> it into the aluminum extrusions. This works until about 8 feet is on the
> trailer, then it gets hard to go any farther. With 22 feet of trailer
> left, I don't think we'll make it!
>
> They do mention using an additional 1 or 2 people in the middle to help
> push the stripe along, but we didn't have more people.
>
> Does anyone have experience with this, and how did you get the stripe in
> place? Ideas from people that have never done this are also welcome, as
> I doubt there are many "stripe replacement" experts, and they might not
> be reading RAS.
>

[[email protected]]

When I replaced mine the soapy water didn't work perhaps because of
the Az temperature causing it to start drying before it was totally in
place. Spray Pam did however. Just wait until your wife is shopping
and borrow hers. If your caught please don't tell her I suggested it.
I also noted from looking at a lot of trailers that the red strips
weathered much faster than the blue so I changed mine to blue.

[Jack[_1_]]

wrote:


> I also noted from looking at a lot of trailers that the red strips
> weathered much faster than the blue so I changed mine to blue.


Red does that. Mine are 2001 vintage and there is no color left. Too
much FL sun, I suppose. I was going to paint them with something
rather than replace them. It seems cheaper, and perhaps easier.

I'm sticking with red because of the red logos on the glider.

Comments?



Jack

[Eric Greenwell]

wrote:
> When I replaced mine the soapy water didn't work perhaps because of
> the Az temperature causing it to start drying before it was totally in
> place. Spray Pam did however. Just wait until your wife is shopping
> and borrow hers.

Did you spray Pam on just the extrusion, the stripe, or both?

> If your caught please don't tell her I suggested it.

If it makes it easier and quicker, my wife will send you a six pack of
Pam as a gift! We've got one stripe on using the soapy water and 100 deg
F in the sun method, and she was melting into the puddle of soapy water
by the end.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

[Andy[_1_]]

On Jul 11, 11:37 am, Eric Greenwell > wrote:
> Ideas from people that have never done this are also welcome, as
> I doubt there are many "stripe replacement" experts, and they might > not be reading RAS.

Never done it but if I had to I'd try it this way. Rivet both ends of
the warm filler strip. Insert lower edge in channel. Run a tool
between the channel and the top edge of the strip while pressing the
strip inwards.

Imagine it's the inverse of installing a car windshield seal filler
strip (for those that remember before windshields were all bonded).

Andy

[Lars Peder Hansen]

In general, avoid red plastics for outdoor (uv exposed) use. Ever since
cadmium was banned as an additive in the late seventies (?), noone has found
a replacement that will make red last.

Lars Peder
Using, yes, blue on the Cobra



"Jack" > wrote in message
t...
> wrote:
>
>
> > I also noted from looking at a lot of trailers that the red strips
> > weathered much faster than the blue so I changed mine to blue.
>
>
> Red does that. Mine are 2001 vintage and there is no color left. Too
> much FL sun, I suppose. I was going to paint them with something
> rather than replace them. It seems cheaper, and perhaps easier.
>
> I'm sticking with red because of the red logos on the glider.
>
> Comments?
>
>
>
> Jack

[[email protected]]

On Jul 11, 2:37 pm, Eric Greenwell > wrote:
> My 12 year old blue stripes turned brown several years ago, so I'm now
> trying to install the new ones. It's not going well.
>
> The factory instructions call for hot soapy water on the trailer and
> stripe, then the end is pulled by one person while another feeds/pushes
> it into the aluminum extrusions. This works until about 8 feet is on the
> trailer, then it gets hard to go any farther. With 22 feet of trailer
> left, I don't think we'll make it!
>
> They do mention using an additional 1 or 2 people in the middle to help
> push the stripe along, but we didn't have more people.
>
> Does anyone have experience with this, and how did you get the stripe in
> place? Ideas from people that have never done this are also welcome, as
> I doubt there are many "stripe replacement" experts, and they might not
> be reading RAS.
>
> --
> Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
> * Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
> * "Transponders in Sailplanes"http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
> * "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" atwww.motorglider.org

You guys have *way* too much time on your hands.
Don't you have blowholes to clean or something ?
See ya, Dave

PS: No, my glider does not have blowholes...

[Eric Greenwell]

wrote:
> On Jul 11, 2:37 pm, Eric Greenwell > wrote:
>> My 12 year old blue stripes turned brown several years ago, so I'm now
>> trying to install the new ones. It's not going well.

....

>> Does anyone have experience with this, and how did you get the stripe in
>> place? Ideas from people that have never done this are also welcome, as
>> I doubt there are many "stripe replacement" experts, and they might not
>> be reading RAS.

> You guys have *way* too much time on your hands.

When you have a 12 year old trailer with 120,000 miles on it, what are
you going to do? I've replaced 3 sets of tires, one set of brakes, one
tongue, both taillights (with LED units), glued and re-glued the carpet
pieces, and a new axle is on it's way. That leaves the stripes!

Maybe I should've done the stripes at Albert Lea, where I definitely had
*way* too much time on my hands.

> Don't you have blowholes to clean or something ?

Already did that in March (not sure which year, though).


--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

[[email protected]]

On Jul 12, 2:20 pm, Eric Greenwell > wrote:
> wrote:
> > On Jul 11, 2:37 pm, Eric Greenwell > wrote:
> >> My 12 year old blue stripes turned brown several years ago, so I'm now
> >> trying to install the new ones. It's not going well.
>
> ...
>
> >> Does anyone have experience with this, and how did you get the stripe in
> >> place? Ideas from people that have never done this are also welcome, as
> >> I doubt there are many "stripe replacement" experts, and they might not
> >> be reading RAS.
> > You guys have *way* too much time on your hands.
>
> When you have a 12 year old trailer with 120,000 miles on it, what are
> you going to do? I've replaced 3 sets of tires, one set of brakes, one
> tongue, both taillights (with LED units), glued and re-glued the carpet
> pieces, and a new axle is on it's way. That leaves the stripes!
>
> Maybe I should've done the stripes at Albert Lea, where I definitely had
> *way* too much time on my hands.
>
> > Don't you have blowholes to clean or something ?
>
> Already did that in March (not sure which year, though).
>
> --
> Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
> * Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
> * "Transponders in Sailplanes"http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
> * "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" atwww.motorglider.org

Well anyway, pass my condolences to Jan...
Best Regards, Dave

PS: Great to see you at Albert Lea if only in the rain...

[Eric Greenwell]

Eric Greenwell wrote:
> My 12 year old blue stripes turned brown several years ago, so I'm now
> trying to install the new ones. It's not going well.

Since I had an abundance of soapy water and high temperatures (102 F), I
used that method to replace the right stripe. I did it out in the sun,
so the stripe was extra hot. The sun also made my wife extra hot, but in
a sweaty, "can't we do this any faster", kind of way.

The first 22 feet slide on before I couldn't pull it any farther. I had
to remove 8 feet of the stripe from the channel at the end I was pulling
on, then pull the rest of the stripe on. The 8 feet was then pushed on
the channel 1/4" at time with a screwdriver, so it was slow and tedious,
but at least I could do it in the garage in the shade.

Total time was about 1.5 hours.

The left stripe was installed using Pam cooking spray (basically, canola
oil in a spray can) sprayed on the stripe and the channel on the
trailer. That was lot easier - I was able to install the stripe by
myself in 30 minutes in the garage in only 90 F heat, except for the
last 5 feet. Putting the trailer in sunlight warmed the stripe up enough
to easily pull the last 5 feet into the channel.

The canola oil seemed slicker than the spray olive oil we had, but I'm
sure there is something even better than Pam. That would make it easy to
do at lower temperatures. A trailer for 15 meter gliders would be easier
than my 30 foot long trailer box (34 feet with the tongue) for an 18 M
glider.

I noticed the new vinyl stripe is almost twice as thick as the 12 year
old stripe, so someone that's replaced a stripe years ago might be
surprised by the (likely) extra effort required to replace a stripe now.

The trailer looks almost good as new now, with the new fenders (replaced
because one was destroyed by a tire tread) and stripes. Just wait until
it gets it's new axle and wheels!

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

[Eric Greenwell]

While the Pam (spray canola cooking oil) worked well, there was an
unexpected after-effect: the oil seeped out of the channel and ran down
the side of the trailer, which combined with the road dust to produce a
truly ugly sight! After a few days, when the seepage stopped, 5 minutes
with a foam brush at a car wash cleaned it all off.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org