I know this has been talked about in the past from time to time, but Im wondering if anyone has any recent experience running the buffed 29" Airhawks.

On my 180, I have experimented with 600x6, 800x6, 8.5x6, 8.5x10's and now the 29" ABW. By far the most fun have been the ABWs. 600x6 are just lame... 800x6 just slightly less lame, 8.5x6s the most realistic all around, and the 8.5x10's the best cross between ego and practicality.

I've been super happy with the 8.5x10s, but after the past 20-30 hrs on the ABWs, Im sold on the bigger tire irrespective of the speed and weight penalty. Downside is with the long asphalt taxis and 40% pavement landings Im doing, the BWs (as we know) are probably not the best choice.

My question is: Anyone running the 29" hawks? The 8.5x10 is a 6 ply and 29" a 4 ply. Buffing will get them the same weight if not just slightly lighter than the 8.5x10s, but Im wondering about sidewall... Will the 29" hawks be that much stiffer?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I'm running them non buffed on my 207. I chose the non buffed for longevity but I think the buffed would last just fine for many years under normal use.


Sidewall stiffness is about the same as the 8.50X10's judging by the amount of squat when each is loaded up.

The 185 is on floats in the summer but I am planning on putting the 29's on this fall just to try them out before ski season.

I'm running buffed 29's with cleveland 6 bolt wheels and Gar Aero adapters. The whole package weighs 84 lbs for both sides. Desser will buff Airhawks down to 2/32" which should shave a little more weight. I've been running 8.5-10 psi on my Pacer which is right at 1200 lbs empty. Yes the sidewalls are stiffer but I'm guessing you'll get a little more flex from the tire with a slightly heavier airplane. They're never gonna be Bushwheels but they do offer a mechanical advantage over a smaller tire which could save your bacon in the backcountry.

Bender wrote: down to 2/32"

Will they do 1/16" if requested?

Zzz wrote:

Bender wrote: down to 2/32"

Will they do 1/16" if requested?

HAHA!

I was thinking 29" Airhawks would be a good fit for me on the Bearhawk but after going to the Idaho Aviation Expo and drooling on a Cub with 31" ABWs and a Husky with 29" ABWs I don't think Airhawks will do anymore.

I ran 'em on my 180. They were fine. If you land on sharp rock and cactii you might want to rethink the shaving. I would do something to try and reduce slippage and run them around 10lbs on your plane when doin off runway stuff
YMMV Gary

Zzz, don't most people reference 32nds for tire depth even on auto tires? Not sure why it isn't common practice to reduce fractions with regard to tire depth.

I made a reference mark with a paint pen between the rim and the tire a while back. I've run the tires as low as 8 psi and haven't had any slipping yet but I know I'm rolling the dice with the pressure that low and no screws in the beads. Lately I've been targeting closer to 10 for peace of mind.

What about the Desser 31's that were supposed to be in the works? Has anyone heard anything about them lately? If they worked a deal with Alaska Tundra Tires to add them to the Gar Aero adapter STC I'd be really interested.

Bender wrote:Zzz, don't most people reference 32nds for tire depth even on auto tires? Not sure why it isn't common practice to reduce fractions with regard to tire depth.

Ha, honestly I don't know. I just laugh whenever fractions aren't reduced and can't resist making a crack. Keeping the same common denominator is probably very helpful for comparison.

I've had the 29 airhawks on my M4 for a couple years... haven't looked back .. landed some places that would have eaten up my old 800's and just rolled over the rough shit with no problems... I run 12 lbs on pavement and go to 9 when I go to Idaho or the desert... I've found they don't wear any faster than the smaller tires.. after all one turn of a 29 is equal to about 2 of my old 800's.....so if you look at it that way the 29's actually wear less for the same distances,,,,

Have ran for years on a working wagon. I prefer them. Many around here do. If I were not in bad gusty x-wind areas (lots of sidewall rolling on ABWs) on pavement at very heavy loads---I'd prob run 29 bush wheels tho. Had a scare on ABW on a steep beach (steep!) while heavy so I feel this is my best option but if anything changed, I'd run the ABW 29's in a minute.

Gar Aero and Bushwheel 1010 have very different bead seats. I don't stake mine nor have any worry about them slipping on the bush wheel 1010. 10 psi. The 1010 is a far superior wheel in many other ways too. As far as the tires, I don't know why you'd NOT switch to them? I just bought my 3rd set. Never wore any out….just a new wagon. Matter of fact I think the tires probably last forever for these "lighter" applications. Id post a pic of landing some pretty large rock but I can't figure the pic thing out.
Anyway, go for it. You'll not regret it.

Thanks for the info guys...

I am sold on the size and love the durability of the Hawks, but those that are saying they are running the tires are you talking about the 29s in general or specifically the buffed version?

Buffed they are just too heavy I think (14lbs heavier)

Thx!

Zzz wrote:

Bender wrote: down to 2/32"

Will they do 1/16" if requested?

No, but they will do .0625".

bigrenna wrote:....
On my 180, I have experimented with 600x6, 800x6, 8.5x6, 8.5x10's and now the 29" ABW. .....
I've been super happy with the 8.5x10s.....is Anyone running the 29" hawks? The 8.5x10 is a 6 ply and 29" a 4 ply. Buffing will get them the same weight if not just slightly lighter than the 8.5x10s, but Im wondering about sidewall... Will the 29" hawks be that much stiffer? ....

I see a lot of people talk about buffed-down 29" Hawks, but very few talk about running 850x10's. I know a guy who runs 850x10 Airtracs on a Stinson Detroiter, and they look like they'd be a pretty good show for a skywagon if you didn't mind the tread grooves. You did say "I've been super happy with the 850 x 10's"-- I'm wondering what if any advantage the 29 Hawks have over the 850-x10 (I assume they're Airtracs)?

I've been running 29" tires on Ag planes for awhile. Ag Cat and the early Thrushes had a narrower 10" rim than the later Thrushes. This made the brake caliper rub on the tire for a bit. I'm not sure which 10" rim you use on a C-180. I tried the Condor 29x11-10 tire on the Ag Cat. They seem to have a little bit narrower tread which seems to keep them from rubbing. Also, the side walls don't seem to be as stiff.

Chris

bigrenna wrote:Thanks for the info guys...

I am sold on the size and love the durability of the Hawks, but those that are saying they are running the tires are you talking about the 29s in general or specifically the buffed version?

Buffed they are just too heavy I think (14lbs heavier)

Thx!

Used both. I don't think 15# is a significant increase in a wagon. Surely is in a cub tho….% of useful…..power to weight….etc etc.

So I guess if a guy was buying a used set and they were full tread and a great deal…..go for it. If buying new and they're essentially same price, its a no brainer:

1. The unshaved tires throw a lot more rocks. Noticeably more horizontal damage with the unshaved tire. I don't think "gravel runway" so much, I mean rocky river bars etc.
2. I have a personal affliction- I hate any extra weight in my airplanes. They are tools. 14-15# drives me nuts but it shouldn't. But thats my only flaw. So says my wife.

I prefer buffed tires for these reasons and have a couple seasons on full tread version. Several on buffed.

Any of that rational?

Don't know about the new players, but when I bought mine from Wup he would shave off as much as you wanted. They had the machine in their shop, I saw the rubber they took off mine. If I remember right they take off 70% most of the time, I took off 50%.
Those tires are somewhat crude and need to be shaved at least a little to true up their out of roundness.
Other than a few gouges in mine they haven't worn much.

Also the their wheels are oversized in diameter at the bead then what the tire calls for......tight fit lessons the the chance for slippage.

hotrod180 wrote:

Zzz wrote:

Bender wrote: down to 2/32"

Will they do 1/16" if requested?

No, but they will do .0625".

Inches are for hookers and carpenters.

What Terry really wants to know is if they will take them down to 0.0052 tenths.

DUSTERMAN wrote:........I'm not sure which 10" rim you use on a C-180. ........

I just checked the Airframes Alaska site. They offer both a 10" x 6.50" wheel "specifically designed for 35" Bushwheels", and a 10" x 10" wheel which they say "is most often purchased with or for Airhawk tires".