Size of trailer required to move a Kitfox

[Alberta_Kitfox]

Hi everyone,

I'll be making the trip in the next few days to pick up the Kitfox IV 1050 that I have put a deposit on. I've got about a 16 hour drive each way to Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories to pick it up, including a ferry crossing of the Mackenzie River. It should be quite a road trip.

I am planning to rent a trailer to haul the Kitfox, I'm just wondering how big of a trailer I will need. I have access to a trailer that is 16 feet long and 8 feet wide, will that be big enough?

Thanks,
Randy

[Peteohms]

Hi everyone,

I'll be making the trip in the next few days to pick up the Kitfox IV 1050 that I have put a deposit on. I've got about a 16 hour drive each way to Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories to pick it up, including a ferry crossing of the Mackenzie River. It should be quite a road trip.

I am planning to rent a trailer to haul the Kitfox, I'm just wondering how big of a trailer I will need. I have access to a trailer that is 16 feet long and 8 feet wide, will that be big enough?

Thanks,
Randy

I used a Uhaul car transport trailer. You can probably make an open 8x16 work.

[t j]

Some handy Kitfox model 4 measurements to estimate with.
Spinner to center main wheels = 3'8"
Center of mains to center TW = 13'5"
center TW to wing tip = 4'3"
Center of mains to tow vehicle =20'7"

You need 1/2 your tow vehicle width between wing tips and tow vehicle for clearance to make sharp turns. That is 3 feet in this picture.

This Kitfox empty weight = 550 pounds. Weight on tail wheel with wings folded is 175 pounds. You should support the tail so all weight is not on the tail wheel spring. A milk crate with some padding to set the rear of the fuselage where the TW spring bolts on, something like that.

[rwaltman]

I am planning to rent a trailer to haul the Kitfox, I'm just wondering how big of a trailer I will need.
Randy

What type of trailer, flat-bed or enclosed? If enclosed, must at least meet the following specs, from http://kitfoxaircraft.com/c4specs.htm

Wing Span 32 ft
Wing Area*132 ft²
Cabin Width 39”
Length*18’-5”
Wings Folded*Length*21’-6”
Wings Folded Width*7’-10”
Height*5’8” Tail Wheel
Height*8’-0” Tri-Gear

I would allow some extra width. ( In my KF IV there is a minor misalignment on the right wing that does not allow me to fully fold it. )

If flat bed - I brought my Kitfox in a generic "car-sized" flat bed trailer with no problems.
A suggestion, the previous owner provided a couple of 2”x4” beams that were nailed to the floor of the trailer as “chocks”, just before and after of the main wheels. That provided a very good support.
And the nose should point to the back. (Not knowing any better at the time, I did it the other way around, but fortunately was a much shorter trip.)

[Alberta_Kitfox]

Thanks for the advice, particularly the pictures and measurements. The trailer that I was thinking of using is an open flat deck trailer.

I'm actually considering the option of flying it home as well, but I'm uncertain about flying an unfamiliar plane with a two stroke engine throuh a remote area of northern Canada. There is a highway I could follow though.

[wannafly]

the flat deck will work fine. The advice given is great. I hauled mine home to Lethbridge from Atlanta, Georgia with no issues. I would add a support for the elavator on both sides to lock in place. The air moving around your tow vehicle really liked to slap mine around. I just bolted 2 1x4 with foam around it. Worked fine. I also had wing supports on the leading edge attachment points and of course drain the wing tanks if possible.

[rwaltman]

Found pictures!

Something worth mentioning - For this type of trailer the minimal width will be determined by the width of the landing gear.

Roberto.

[rwaltman]

I'm actually considering the option of flying it home as well, but I'm uncertain about flying an unfamiliar plane with a two stroke engine throuh a remote area of northern Canada. There is a highway I could follow though.

Common sense says "Don't do it."
Then again, if we had any common sense we would not be flying homebuilt airplanes. Would we?

Roberto.

[rogerh12]

kifox2 .... (see attached)

[t j]

On a 16 foot trailer it may work better to load the plane nose foreward. I would cover the wing roots to prevent the wind getting inside the wings and possibly loosening the fabric.

For what its worth. I calculated the center of gravity on my model 4 with the wings folded. The CG is approximately 4.3 feet behind the center of the main wheels. Maybe that will help with how you load it.

[1701S]

Wondering if anyone has moved a Kitfox cross country inside a U-Haul or Penske truck? The Penske truck interior is 22’ x 8’.

[4Hummer]

I was lucky that my Kitfox IV came with a custom trailer. towed wonderfully. If you where closer I'd let you borrow it.

Empty the wing tanks, and don't forget the towing braces for the wings. (You can build your own, or purchase from kitfox)


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