I have a 182 with 8.50 tires all the way around. I am thinking about the AK Airframes 10" wheels with the Airhawk 29x10 tires on the mains.

I am curious about those who have upgraded to the 29"s if they would do it again. Does it really improve the flotation?

Thanks in advanced.

gptc wrote:I have a 182 with 8.50 tires all the way around. I am thinking about the AK Airframes 10" wheels with the Airhawk 29x10 tires on the mains.

I am curious about those who have upgraded to the 29"s if they would do it again. Does it really improve the flotation?

Thanks in advanced.

I've flown 206 airplanes with the combination you're describing, and they were great tires on that airplane. Depends on what you're landing on of course, but if you need to do beaches or rough strips/gravel bars, I'd go there in a heartbeat.

MTV

I would do it in a heart beat again. I got buried to the axles once last year with 8.50 going to a spot I knew better. The 29" offer so much more floatation the 8.50 it's not just s little more it's allot. I also like the durability of the 29 10 over the standards bush wheels and the much lower replacement cost.
My negatives are
Slower cruise by 3-4kts
Nose seems even more in jepordy with mains jacked up and the 8.50 nose. Gives you a nose down feeling. Could be from flying tail wheel my whole life...
They do shake the airframe around in cruise but that's pretty standard with big tires on any plane.
Added 32lbs to the plane with gar aero adapters. I'm pretty sure the airframes solid aluminum 10" wheels are even heavier.
Photo of the beach footprint with 29 10 and 8.50 nose.

never have experienced any shake the airplane with my 29 11 10's... but then I
'm a taildragger lost 10 MPH cruise though..first time anyone has mentioned a shake of any kind due to big tires....

iceman wrote:never have experienced any shake the airplane with my 29 11 10's... but then I
'm a taildragger lost 10 MPH cruise though..first time anyone has mentioned a shake of any kind due to big tires....

Tire shake is pretty common with big tires on spring Cessna gear. It's usually only noticeable on my 170 in perfectly calm air.

Yeah rob is right. I only meant spring gear Cessnas. My cub never shook. It's pretty crazy the right tire will shake and you can feel it go up the leg through the gear box, down the opposite leg and watch the opposite tire shake. It was really bad on my little Cessna 120.

I have 29-10 on my 62F 182. No regrets. big difference on soft beaches and rocky places. So what if lose some speed, these planes are not operated with 2-5 mph accuracy on any trip.

unk

Anyone running the "shaved" Airhawks?

I've been running a variety of tire combos on 206's and really like the bushwheel 10" wheels with 29 air hawks. Currently my 206 has 8.50's all the way around on it and while that setup is ok it is not very ideal for a lot of conditions. One thing that should be mentioned when talking big tires on trikes is gravel deflectors.
The 206's I run at work with 29's all have them and the tails are still in great shape. Mine does not and with 29's or the 8.50's on it blows a lot of gravel back there and it shows on the tail feathers.

As far as floatation I couldn't imagine going to some of the places we work them in anything less than 8.50x10s (soft sand, muck, rough washboard beach) the 29's just do it all better.

98V wrote:I've been running a variety of tire combos on 206's and really like the bushwheel 10" wheels with 29 air hawks. Currently my 206 has 8.50's all the way around on it and while that setup is ok it is not very ideal for a lot of conditions. One thing that should be mentioned when talking big tires on trikes is gravel deflectors.
The 206's I run at work with 29's all have them and the tails are still in great shape. Mine does not and with 29's or the 8.50's on it blows a lot of gravel back there and it shows on the tail feathers.

As far as floatation I couldn't imagine going to some of the places we work them in anything less than 8.50x10s (soft sand, muck, rough washboard beach) the 29's just do it all better.

The gravel deflectors are a good point. ANY tire will throw rocks at your tail, even 8.50s....depending on the landing surface. Even the shaved tires, which work very well, still throw some rocks....just not as much. The deflectors are expensive, but price new leading edges on your stabilizers......

Here's a link to the deflectors: http://www.aerotwin.com/products/main_g ... ctors.html

MTV

Doesn't Peterson Performance also run 29's on their King Katmai's?

I have seen the Petersons with 29" mains.

D.

mtv wrote:

98V wrote:I've been running a variety of tire combos on 206's and really like the bushwheel 10" wheels with 29 air hawks. Currently my 206 has 8.50's all the way around on it and while that setup is ok it is not very ideal for a lot of conditions. One thing that should be mentioned when talking big tires on trikes is gravel deflectors.
The 206's I run at work with 29's all have them and the tails are still in great shape. Mine does not and with 29's or the 8.50's on it blows a lot of gravel back there and it shows on the tail feathers.

As far as floatation I couldn't imagine going to some of the places we work them in anything less than 8.50x10s (soft sand, muck, rough washboard beach) the 29's just do it all better.

The gravel deflectors are a good point. ANY tire will throw rocks at your tail, even 8.50s....depending on the landing surface. Even the shaved tires, which work very well, still throw some rocks....just not as much. The deflectors are expensive, but price new leading edges on your stabilizers......

Here's a link to the deflectors: http://www.aerotwin.com/products/main_g ... ctors.html

MTV

I was checking out their deflector and I could not tell if they are tire size specific.

For example 29"s on a 182.

D.

I'm curious what guys with tube style gears are doing for brakes with the big tires? Airframes doesn't make a torque plate to mount the double puck brakes for the tube style gear, so are guys just running the stock brakes? Or does Cleveland make the torque plates?
Thanks

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

Did you figure out your brake options?

D.

How about some pics is a 182 with the Alaska bushwheel 29” setup. They are some pics up close but one of the whole plane would be nice. See what I am getting myself into.
‘D.

I ran the Gar Aero 29’s on my 206 and later on my C180. I agree with all of the comments, amazingly better off road. Slower and some shaking in flight on both aircraft. One thing I noticed that I haven’t heard mentioned is that it seemed to shallow out my VX or VY climb angle. Same airspeed, lower angle and a decreased ability to clear trees. This was only a seat of the pants observation and I never did try and measure the actual angle relative to airspeed between the 29’s and 8.50’s. I’m wondering if anybody else has noticed that effect?

Can you post pics of your 182 with 8.5 vs 29s.

Thanks,
D.

ddivinia wrote:Can you post pics of your 182 with 8.5 vs 29s.

Thanks,
D.

X2

(Thanks!)

If you’re a little skeptical about the need for 29s, consider 8.50 x 10 tires on the mains. Quite a bit more footprint, with less weight and a bit less drag

MTV