Howdy All, I think i might install the goodyear tires on my 180 when I do the brake conversion. My next question does anyone out there have a supporting 337 for the installation of them on a 180 or similar sized airplane? I saw lots of them in Alaska this summer but figured i would see if i can get mine approved the hard way.

Dave

Hi Wagonwrench,

Send a PM to Hafast, he did them on his and maybe able to send you a copy of his.

Take care,
Rob

Dave
There was also a post either here or on the 180 club website, but I think it was here, where someone thought that the local FSDO offices had some sort of generic paperwork for tire and aircraft application.
I was curios about that but never verified it. You might check it out. If they did, that would certainly simplify things. I have seen any posts talking about talking about the 26" Goodyears. Seems to be a cheaper way to get larger tires. Not a good as the Bush tires because of the stiffness of the sidewalls. But you do get a larger diameter and pretty long tire life. Does add a fair amount of weight.
I run 8.00's and am considering larger tires. A lot of people feel that they arelarge enough for most dirt strips in thelower 48. I like the bigger tires mostly for there ability to absorb to absorb shock/energy when landing and taking off from the rougher strips. I think they go a long way to save where and tear on the gear legs and boxes.
Gary

Shortfielder,
I have a copy of the "work sheet for tundra tire installation" if you need a copy, send me a fax number or I could scan it into a .pdf file.

Dave

Another thing I forgot about was that I was talking with Wup earlier this year and he is going to have an 8.50 Bush tire sometime in the next year or so. I think that would probably be a good tire for me. Just have to see where it comes in price wise. But that would have good flexibility, no grooves on the tire, and no valve stem through the wheel.
Gary

We are very close to field approval for putting 26" good year tires on my M5 Maule. Any leads on some good used ones?

Try stoddards at merril field. He sometimes has used tires in good shape and usually has new tires in stock. You might also try aeroalaska.com

Thanks for the lead on the tires. We are getting the run around from the Fargo FSDO now. They are truly a challenge to love.

Hey Skymaule, let me know if you cant get them approved. I had Shortfielders approved from a out of state fsdo and it worked out for him.

WW

Thanks, I'll keep you posted. I'll let Jeff run through his options. If that doesnt work then I'll have you give it a go.

mark

How low could you go with PSI on 8:50's on a 180 before you run the risk of spinning the tyre on the rim?

Jamie

JamieG wrote:How low could you go with PSI on 8:50's on a 180 before you run the risk of spinning the tyre on the rim?

Jamie

Don't know about the 180, but on a Husky I have gone as low as 10 psi, but prefer to keep them >12 psi.

The possibility of slipping can be reduced by cleaning the tire bead and wheel flange well with denatured alcohol. Then paint on rubber cement (the kind used to patch tubes) and let dry. The cement will make the bead a lot stickier.

If the plane were not certified, one could use a metal lathe with a coarse straight knurl to but "teeth" on the rim to bite into the bead area. I've seen wheels with such grooves sold for homebuilts.

bumper

Jeff Got the tires approved today. Just ordered them. Should be here monday.

JamieG wrote:How low could you go with PSI on 8:50's on a 180 before you run the risk of spinning the tyre on the rim?

Jamie

Hey Jamie,

I have run AirTac 8.50's on my 180 down to 10 psi without any problems with moderate braking. I wouldn't hammer on the brakes with the psi that low on asphalt, but in dirt or grass no slipping problems. I believe pilots have slippage problems when they lock up a low psi tube-tire on any surface, even though they may not completely know it under heavy braking. Especially when you brake hard and the surface is rough, allowing the aircraft to bounce up and down on the roll out. Excess speed on landing as you brake hard increases the risk of slippage. As low as 15 psi and I have hammered the shit out of the brakes at gross and they haven't slipped.

Hope that helps.

If you are going to run relatively low pressure in ANY tube type tire, it's a good idea to adopt an old Alaska practice.....Slippage Marks.

Paint a white stripe (or yellow/mauve, or???) radially across part of the tire AND wheel so that if the tire does start to slip, you will be able to see it readily during a pre-flight. Slippage marks have saved me a lot of aggravation in past, and are a good idea on most any tire.

Frankly, a LOT of the "blown" tires are in fact a result of the tire slipping and the wheel shearing the valve stem off. At the end of THAT day, it doesn't matter how low you ran the tire in pressure....you aint' going anywhere till it gets fixed, and you may break something when it goes flat.

Finally, CARRY AN ACCURATE TIRE GAUGE!!!! And, check the pressures in your tires regularly, including the tailwheel tire. If you are going to run low pressure, checking the pressure REGULARLY is a must! If you have "hub caps" you might want to leave them at home to simplify the pressure monitoring. If you run 12 psi, it doesn't take much of a leak to get to 8 psi, or 6, and.....ugly things will happen. With the popularity of ATV's, there are now lots of good low pressure tire gauges out there. Get one and use it.

Remember that a change in temperature can change the pressure in those tires significantly. Once winter comes around, if you're operating from a warm hangar, and flying in cold temps, bump up the pressure some in those tires to accomodate, cause when you push it out, the pressure will drop in the tires more than you might guess.

MTV

Ya and what MTV said,....................

Jeff Got the tires approved today. Just ordered them. Should be here monday.

BIG Congratulations!!!

Mark,

Did you have this done where I take my plane for annuals?

We started the process last year for the 170 and it came down to $cash$. The Fargo FSDO wanted $800 for paper work, extortion. We were told that if I wanted to go back to stock tires it would take another field approval, and $800. Totally unreasonable. Conclusion was Bushwheels were a better option for me. Haven't done anything yet.

Was in Bismarck a week ago for an annual and they told me that Richard Cranium has left the Fargo FSDO. Maybe their attutude has changed.

And Mark, that is one sweet interior in your Maule. Hope you don't mind, but I was allowed a quick peak inside.
Ver Very Nice

Bill

Man, the Fargo FSDO IS a major pain. Too bad. Ken S was their boss but moved to SEA, but I don't know who the new boss is.

If your stock tires are listed on the TCDS, they CANNOT require you to get a field approval to go back to that size tire. Anything listed on the TCDS for the plane ANY mechanic can bolt on with nothing but a logbook entry. So, if they told you you'd need a FA to go back to what you've got, it BS, even if you have a field approval for what you have now. A field approval is still valid if you change something. You can still go back to the FA'd configuration, I believe, especially with something like tires.

But, for sure if its on the Type Certificate for the plane, you can go there with no further ado--just a logbook entry by an A&P.

And, ALL FSDOs are now supposed to work with the "Tundra Tire Worksheet" as basis for field approvals. Unfortunately, many FSDOs seem to think they don't actually work for the Administrator.

Bummer.

MTV

Well, Fargo came through. That is nice. Bill, next time you come to town, give me a call. Are you going to Idaho for the fly-in?

trying to decide wheather to go with one or two spacers with these tires. Any ideas?

Mike, Your right, 100% absolutely right.
Just because the director of the Fargo FSDO interprets the rules in his own way does not make him right. Someone didn't love him enough when he was a child and now he is a legend in his own mind. Well, now he moved on.

Mark, I have no idea, but I'll stop in.

Bill