If a guy had to buy small tires only for the purpose of using retractable wheel skis (2500-3000 class), what size would you recommend? 8.00x6?

Done a little reading on specs of various wheel skis, some specify a max tire diameter, some don't. What are your "little" tires?

Get the biggest that the ski can handle, check with the ski maker. My Datum's have 6:00's and I can handle the occasional gravel bar or unimproved turf, a prepared grass airstrip is a given, for sure I am not limited to pavement. It's nice having that versatility for when you need it.

Depends on the individual ski.

MTV

My bird...

The TCDS (8GCBC) and STC (C3000A) calls out 8.566. Nothing else is approved for those skis (I asked the manufactures).

courierguy wrote:Get the biggest that the ski can handle, check with the ski maker. My Datum's have 6:00's and I can handle the occasional gravel bar or unimproved turf, a prepared grass airstrip is a given, for sure I am not limited to pavement. It's nice having that versatility for when you need it.

The Datum Air 3000 are the ones I am interested in. There 3000 series specs say max tire size 20". How large does a 8.50x6 measure? Hard to find good data about tires, for me at least. Like anything, I imagine it must vary from mfr to mfr.Thanks.

I believe the max tire size for the Datum 3000 is 8.00 x 6. The 8.50's are taller then 20".

Our skis are designed to use up to 8.50 tires. The 8.50's are just over 21" in diameter. What type aircraft will you be installing the skis on?

Mike Custard
Summitaircraft.com

flybymike wrote:Our skis are designed to use up to 8.50 tires. The 8.50's are just over 21" in diameter. What type aircraft will you be installing the skis on?

Mike Custard
Summitaircraft.com

This is for a 4-place rag and tube taildragger on par with a Maule. 2500-3000 class skis would be needed. I like the Summit skis, do you have plans to make a larger model?

We currently have two sizes. Our LSA ski is 18"x69" and our SS2300 ski is 18"x79". The SS2300 would work well on the plane you have. I can increase the surface area by simply installing our larger plastic ski skins. They make the ski 22"x81" and bolt on around the perimeter of the ski.

Mike