Altered Post - The original poster started a topic about vibration induced in the gear legs from running Desser 8.50x6 tires. The poster since edited their post to delete the content, likely due to liability concerns. No one knows, really.

I had Desser's on my bonanza (obviously not 8.5's). I had a bad shimmy. I had the dampener checked, wheels balanced... Turned out it was the tire.

I thought I just got a bad one. Sorry to hear you got two in a row.

I'm not a fan.

Jim

I have the same tire you do on my C-170B. I have not experienced any vibrations.

Jughead

I have three of them on my 172. No problems.


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Running one on the nose of my 182. Haven’t had any issues with shimmy. I have noticed they will ten to flat spot a bit if it sits but seems to autocorrect after a landing. What pressure are you running? I am definitely on the lower side. It would be hard to go back to the Goodyear 8.50, they aren’t as tall and they are about 5lbs heavier

I’ve noticed the flat spots after sitting as well but usually gone by the time I’ve taxied to the runway. No nose shimmy but I did notice it’s a little harder to steer compared to having a Goodyear 6x6 on the front


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No problems with them on my 180.

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No problems on my 180

I have heard of a few cases of balance issues after mounting new Desser 8.50x6. It was related to me by the aircraft owner, but not sure if it was user error or an actual manufacturing issue of the tire.

Although some people could fuck up a steel ball with a rubber hammer,
generally speaking I'm not sure how much "user error" there could be in mounting a tire. with regards to balance.
Provided of course it's mounted as usual-- with the red mark (light spot) aligned with either the valve stem or the heavy spot on the tube.

From Desser's website ( https://www.desser.com/content/tire_mounting_info.asp ):
"Balance marks are placed on many tubes to indicate the heavy spot of the tube. These marks are often paint stripes about 1/2 inch (1 cm) wide by 2 inches (5 cm) long. When a tube is installed, this balance mark must be aligned with the "light spot" balance mark of the tire (red dot). If the tube has no balance mark, place tube valve adjacent to the tire balance mark (red dot). When mounting tubeless tires, the balance mark on the tire is aligned with the wheel valve, unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer. If a tire has no balance mark, place tire serial number at wheel valve."

Good on Desser if they sent out a free replacement as per the original poster's experience.
Unfortunately that sort of stepping up to the plate to back your products is more and more becoming the exception rather than the rule.

hotrod180 wrote:Although some people could fuck up a steel ball with a rubber hammer, <snips>

"Balance marks are placed on many tubes to indicate the heavy spot of the tube. These marks are often paint stripes about 1/2 inch (1 cm) wide by 2 inches (5 cm) long. When a tube is installed, this balance mark must be aligned with the "light spot" balance mark of the tire (red dot). If the tube has no balance mark, place tube valve adjacent to the tire balance mark (red dot).

I've never spent much time with ball bearings and rubber hammers but I DID NOT KNOW that stuff. I've seen those dots and stripes my whole wide life but never knew what they were for. I've never mounted an aircraft tire either so that's good, but I'll be doing so soon so thanks! Read the instructions.

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formandfunction wrote:It's entirely possible I could have been too ruff on the first one but don't recall any ruff landings on it.

Isn't the point of these tires to be able to abuse them a bit?

FandF:

I run the Desser 8.50 x 6 on my 180 and have had good luck with all. Not experienced what you have.

One thing you might consider. I have sent to Desser my old carcasses and had them recap them. I think the recaps are actually an improvement over the factory and they are slightly cheaper.

Good luck!!

88H wrote:FandF:

I run the Desser 8.50 x 6 on my 180 and have had good luck with all. Not experienced what you have.

One thing you might consider. I have sent to Desser my old carcasses and had them recap them. I think the recaps are actually an improvement over the factory and they are slightly cheaper.

Good luck!!

He’s asking about the smooth 8.50s..... I don’t think anyone is recapping those.

A long time ago and at an airport far far away I was working as a green A&P at a small shop. We would often get complaints of nosewheel shimmy on various Cessnas. Being green, I followed the book and rebuilt dampeners, replaced bushings etc, often to no avail. The owner of the shop had been in aviation since the 1920s and finally clued me in to his method for curing tire shimmy. Remove the wheel and clean and dry the bearings. Reinstall on the axle with the bearings loose. The tire would rotate to a position with the heavy spot down. Tape a rectangular piece of an old inner tube to the outside of the tire. Fiddle with sizes until the tire is balanced. Mark the position and disassemble the tire/wheel. Using contact cement, glue the piece of tube to the inside of the tire. Re-assemble. I don't remember this method ever not working.

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OutbackMaule wrote:A long time ago and at an airport far far away I was working as a green A&P at a small shop. We would often get complaints of nosewheel shimmy on various Cessnas. Being green, I followed the book and rebuilt dampeners, replaced bushings etc, often to no avail. The owner of the shop had been in aviation since the 1920s and finally clued me in to his method for curing tire shimmy. Remove the wheel and clean and dry the bearings. Reinstall on the axle with the bearings loose. The tire would rotate to a position with the heavy spot down. Tape a rectangular piece of an old inner tube to the outside of the tire. Fiddle with sizes until the tire is balanced. Mark the position and disassemble the tire/wheel. Using contact cement, glue the piece of tube to the inside of the tire. Re-assemble. I don't remember this method ever not working.

Stealing this to use on my GY26s.

Nice first post!