Worn Cobra rear-door hinges (both pin and hole)

Hi Folks - Anybody else had this problem ?
http://www.nadler.com/Antares/Cobra_...ge_closeup.JPG
I've got replacement pins from Spindelberger and
replacement rear corner channels, but I'm thinking
about an insert so all the loads aren't taken in
a thin bit of channel...
Thanks,
Best Regards, Dave "YO electric"

PS: ~55k miles on the trailer.

PS: ~55k miles on the trailer.

You should fly more and drive less :-).


http://www.mcmaster.com/#bronze-sleeve-bearings/=fekwbm

On Saturday, December 17, 2011 1:59:29 PM UTC-5, T8 wrote:
PS: ~55k miles on the trailer.

You should fly more and drive less :-).

8000 XC miles and 150 hours on my Antares this season.
Might even take it out tomorrow; amazingly Dr. Jack
says we'll have a wee bit of lift.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#bronze-sleeve-bearings/=fekwbm
Yep, Gotta check but I think: 6659K29

Anybody else seen this problem ?
Thanks in advance,
See ya, Dave "YO electric"

Probably better: http://www.mcmaster.com/#5448T18

I have a 2002 Cobra and the pins had worn through the sidewall of the
trailer before I had a chance to sleeve it. I will be forced to add
some sort of reinforcing plate to the trailer with the bush mounted to
that...
Not the best design for sure and I hope by now they will have fixed
it.

Bob 7U



On Dec 17, 4:24*pm, Dave Nadler wrote:
On Saturday, December 17, 2011 1:59:29 PM UTC-5, T8 wrote:
PS: ~55k miles on the trailer.

You should fly more and drive less :-).

8000 XC miles and 150 hours on my Antares this season.
Might even take it out tomorrow; amazingly Dr. Jack
says we'll have a wee bit of lift.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#bronze-sleeve-bearings/=fekwbm

Yep, Gotta check but I think: 6659K29

Anybody else seen this problem ?
Thanks in advance,
See ya, Dave "YO electric"

Hi Bob - You flying Sunday ? Dr. Jack says lift !
I may fly the Antares out of Fitchburg as its close
from my house and no one will be flying at Sterling.
Unlikely I'll make it up to Sugarbush with the short day.

Are your hinge pins worn as well as the channel ?

Best Regards, Dave "YO electric"

On Dec 17, 9:51*am, Dave Nadler wrote:
Hi Folks - Anybody else had this problem ?http://www.nadler.com/Antares/Cobra_...orn_hinge_clos...
I've got replacement pins from Spindelberger and
replacement rear corner channels, but I'm thinking
about an insert so all the loads aren't taken in
a thin bit of channel...
Thanks,
Best Regards, Dave "YO electric"

PS: ~55k miles on the trailer.

I think the question here is, why is the hinge/flange showing soo much
wear? I havent seen it in my 10 year old Cobra, but I have replaced
the side sliding latch seat with a steel plate after it showed
vertical elongation of the hole (also did the same thing to the bolt
that secures the slide out rails. Maybe this stopped the vertical
movement and took the load off the hinge pins?
JJ

On Sunday, December 18, 2011 8:57:42 AM UTC-5, JJ Sinclair wrote:
I think the question here is, why is the hinge/flange showing soo much
wear? I havent seen it in my 10 year old Cobra, but I have replaced
the side sliding latch seat with a steel plate after it showed
vertical elongation of the hole (also did the same thing to the bolt
that secures the slide out rails. Maybe this stopped the vertical
movement and took the load off the hinge pins?
JJ

This trailer has restraints for the wing tip fitted to the
rear door - some funny stuff (loads) going on there. Also
replaced the locking pin (twice now) and yup elongated hole.
Again, this trailer is high-mileage...
Bushing look good to you JJ ?

I'll also replace the locking pin with dual sprung latches
with steel strike/retainer plates (new Cobra standard).

Thanks,
Best Regards, Dave "YO electric"

On 12/18/2011 6:40 AM, Dave Nadler wrote:
On Sunday, December 18, 2011 8:57:42 AM UTC-5, JJ Sinclair wrote:
I think the question here is, why is the hinge/flange showing soo much
wear? I havent seen it in my 10 year old Cobra, but I have replaced
the side sliding latch seat with a steel plate after it showed
vertical elongation of the hole (also did the same thing to the bolt
that secures the slide out rails. Maybe this stopped the vertical
movement and took the load off the hinge pins?
JJ

This trailer has restraints for the wing tip fitted to the
rear door - some funny stuff (loads) going on there. Also
replaced the locking pin (twice now) and yup elongated hole.
Again, this trailer is high-mileage...
Bushing look good to you JJ ?

I'll also replace the locking pin with dual sprung latches
with steel strike/retainer plates (new Cobra standard).

My 1995 Cobra trailer with 170,000 miles still has rear door pins and
holes in nearly new condition. A potential reason for such good service
is my door is pressed firmly down by the top during travel. It wasn't
that way originally, but I added a 0.75" x 0.75" strip of wood to the
top of the door to protect it when it was hanging down and pressed
against the pavement, dirt, rocks, etc during rigging.

I don't know if the door was loose enough to jiggle up and down, but I
suspect so, as afterwards, there was less dust in the back of the
trailer from dirt roads.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

Dave-

I had this same problem on my Cobra, though not quite as bad as you
have pictured. The Cobra design is ridiculous with an aluminum pin
riding on the edge of an aluminum channel hole. I fixed mine
properly. It was a couple of years ago that I did this so my memory
is a little fuzzy on some details. I replaced the aluminum pin with a
steel pin which I cut from .500” drill rod. I made a new aluminum
block that holds the steel pin on the door and I also made a solid
aluminum block that fits inside the lower channel of the trailer
running fore and aft. I de-riveted the vertical channel on the corner
in order to insert the new solid aluminum block. This block was held
securely in place by the bolts that attach through the skid that lives
directly underneath the channel (I think there were new bolts involved
and some threading of the inserted aluminum block – I don’t recall
that detail). Anyway, one of the aluminum blocks is reamed to .499
for a press-in fit and the other block is reamed to .501 for the
bushing function. This is very solid and has worked great for me.
There is no particular need for a bronze bushing there although it
certainly wouldn’t hurt anything to use one. I did not. The
important thing is that there needs to be a solid block in there and
that the bearing involves a hard metal and soft metal rather than
aluminum on aluminum -- yuk.

Steve Koerner
www.wingrigger.com