Cobra Trailer - U.S. Axle?

I would like to hear from some people who have put an American axle
underneath their Cobra trailers. I have a early 80's Cobra, and a
wheel-hub with a chip in it that will no longer hold the grease seal
properly. I am thinking of simply switching to a U.S. undercarriage,
and would like to know if anyone has done this. If so, how much did
it cost, and are you happy with it?

Also, I have heard rumors about a "Junkyard" of sorts out in
California somewhere that buys the trailers from wrecked gliders from
the insurance companies. Has anyone else heard of this?


-EX

On Mar 2, 2:41 am, "Mitch" wrote:
I would like to hear from some people who have put an American axle
underneath their Cobra trailers. I have a early 80's Cobra, and a
wheel-hub with a chip in it that will no longer hold the grease seal
properly. I am thinking of simply switching to a U.S. undercarriage,
and would like to know if anyone has done this. If so, how much did
it cost, and are you happy with it?

Also, I have heard rumors about a "Junkyard" of sorts out in
California somewhere that buys the trailers from wrecked gliders from
the insurance companies. Has anyone else heard of this?

-EX


My repair shop put an American axle under my Komet trailer after an
accident damaged it. It's a fairly straightforward procedure that
should also work for a Cobra. We also installed a hydraulic brake
that was far superior to the original mechanical one.

Mike

On Mar 2, 2:41 am, "Mitch" wrote:
I would like to hear from some people who have put an American axle
underneath their Cobra trailers. I have a early 80's Cobra, and a
wheel-hub with a chip in it that will no longer hold the grease seal
properly. I am thinking of simply switching to a U.S. undercarriage,
and would like to know if anyone has done this. If so, how much did
it cost, and are you happy with it?

Also, I have heard rumors about a "Junkyard" of sorts out in
California somewhere that buys the trailers from wrecked gliders from
the insurance companies. Has anyone else heard of this?

-EX

http://www.redneck-trailer.com/

There may be one near you. Unbraked, electric and hydraulic brakes,
custom widths.

I sucessfully replaced the axle assy. on my Avionics trailer a few
years ago. I had a catastrophic failure on the road and found it would
take a lot of time and money to ship the replacement parts from Eu. or
UK if I could get them. So went U.S. It railers/tows much better than
my Cobra before and after the relplacement. I had electric brakes
installed which work great but lost the hand brake function. This was
undesireable but under the circumstances I didn't have much choice. I
don't know if you can get around that problem.

On Mar 2, 4:41 am, "Mitch" wrote:
I would like to hear from some people who have put an American axle
underneath their Cobra trailers. I have a early 80's Cobra, and a
wheel-hub with a chip in it that will no longer hold the grease seal
properly. I am thinking of simply switching to a U.S. undercarriage,
and would like to know if anyone has done this. If so, how much did
it cost, and are you happy with it?

Also, I have heard rumors about a "Junkyard" of sorts out in
California somewhere that buys the trailers from wrecked gliders from
the insurance companies. Has anyone else heard of this?

-EX

I have a newer Cobra with Alko parts. I googled Alko:

http://www.al-kousa.com/products.htm

There is US manufacturing and distribution. Maybe that
helps.............

Chip F.

Don't waste your time and money on butchering your trailer. There are
a couple of ways to get an ALKO trailing link axle.

#1. Williams Soaring usually have them (and other Cobra parts) in
stock, exactly as the ones from Spindelberger. Uses your existing
brake system, including the hand brake.

Williams Soaring
2668 Husted Rd
Williams, CA 95987
USA
530 473-5600


#2. Axle Incorporated in Elkhart Indiana are an ALKO distributor.
Their axles are custom ordered, but have hydraulic (say goodbye to the
parking brake) or electric (incompatible with 90% of glider towing
vehicles) brakes. I put a hydraulic brake ALKO axle on my Nimbus
trailer. It bolted right on.

Axle, Inc.
PO Box 2153
Elkhart, IN 46515
USA
800 349-3427

I miss the parking brake with the hydraulic system. Anyone have a
parking brake mod for hydraulic brakes? ... Other than wheel chocks or
the dog bowl under the nose wheel.

Jim

Mitch wrote:
I would like to hear from some people who have put an American axle
underneath their Cobra trailers. I have a early 80's Cobra, and a
wheel-hub with a chip in it that will no longer hold the grease seal
properly. I am thinking of simply switching to a U.S. undercarriage,
and would like to know if anyone has done this. If so, how much did
it cost, and are you happy with it?

Also, I have heard rumors about a "Junkyard" of sorts out in
California somewhere that buys the trailers from wrecked gliders from
the insurance companies. Has anyone else heard of this?


-EX
Dexter axel makes an electric brake 2200 lb. axel that I put on my
1989 cobra works nice.
About $480. Electric is optional they have a web site. You do have
to get U.S. wheels about
$30. If you do this order high mount this is a 2" rise I made the
mistake of getting the
low or no rise and had to weld angle iron to get the needed rise. I do
like this set up.

I've seen it done both ways. I prefer replacing the factory parts
rather than swapping a U.S. axle. Even using a new U.S.-made axle with
electric or hydraulic brakes, you almost certainly lose the mechanical
surge brake's handbrake feature.

I've ordered from the factory (the trailer maker, not Al-Ko), from
U.S. dealers (e.g., Eastern Sailplane), and from U.S. equipment
suppliers (e.g., Wings & Wheels). Be advised that there's enough
variation from one trailer to the next even among the same
manufacturer that it can be worrisome. I assume the trailer
manufacturers such as Spindelberger and Aschau know what part numbers
were installed on which trailers over the years. Anyone have any
experience with this?

Chip Bearden
ASW 24 "JB"

Al-Ko has a data plate on the axle. You can find it on the rear left
side (when looking toward the front) of the axle.

Ira

Chip Bearden wrote:
I've seen it done both ways. I prefer replacing the factory parts
rather than swapping a U.S. axle. Even using a new U.S.-made axle with
electric or hydraulic brakes, you almost certainly lose the mechanical
surge brake's handbrake feature.

I've ordered from the factory (the trailer maker, not Al-Ko), from
U.S. dealers (e.g., Eastern Sailplane), and from U.S. equipment
suppliers (e.g., Wings & Wheels). Be advised that there's enough
variation from one trailer to the next even among the same
manufacturer that it can be worrisome. I assume the trailer
manufacturers such as Spindelberger and Aschau know what part numbers
were installed on which trailers over the years. Anyone have any
experience with this?

Chip Bearden
ASW 24 "JB"