Just started running the 27's. Absolutely love em!

I saw a Champ yesterday with the new 850 smoothies, second set I've seen. Looked good. Rough measurement indicated they're the same OD as my 850x6 Desser recaps on GY carcasses. Thinking more and more about getting a set when (or if!) the recaps ever wear out.

Since there was some initial confusion, here is the Desser 8.50x6 tundra tire as compared to an Airstreak 26" tire:

I pulled the trigger on a set of the 850x6 smoothies for my 170b, Hope to have them on in a couple of days. Does anyone know if I'll have to remove my pants backing plate? I'm hoping they don't interfere and will be able to leave them on, so I can easily switch for showing purposes. (the wife really like's the pants and insist they are worn during XC)

jmurtap wrote:I pulled the trigger on a set of the 850x6 smoothies for my 170b, Hope to have them on in a couple of days. Does anyone know if I'll have to remove my pants backing plate? I'm hoping they don't interfere and will be able to leave them on, so I can easily switch for showing purposes. (the wife really like's the pants and insist they are worn during XC)

What are you using for an approval basis? Several options, but they will need an approval.

MTV

I'm using the AtLee dodge letter from FAA, with sign off on w&b. I should mention these are the tso'd tires

mtv wrote: What are you using for an approval basis? ........

Did you steal that line from our old pal, "King" George?

To answer my question, the backing plate will interfere and did have to come off.. 8 landings on the new 850's and worth every penny

jmurtap wrote:To answer my question, the backing plate will interfere and did have to come off.. 8 landings on the new 850's and worth every penny

Thanks for the follow up report. Glad they're working well.

That letter is pure gold, if everything fits. Thanks to Steve and August for inserting at least a little common sense into tire applications.

MTV

Looks good on the 8.50s!

Anyone seen the new 31" tire from Desser?


"New Aero Classic Tundra 31 x 11.00-10 4 Ply

THIS TIRE IS FOR 10 INCH WHEEL.

Our "Pillow Soft" 31 x 11.00-10 4 Ply stands 31 inches tall and weighs in "featherlight" at 25 lbs. Can be used Tubeless or with tubes.

The load rating is 2,225 lbs. per tire. FAA TSO'd model by 2nd quarter 2016."

Kinda wish I would have ordered the 10" wheels instead of the 6" wheels with my ABI wheel and brake kit.

Very interesting. I sent Desser one email every 6 month to encourage them to produce a 31'' and 35''...

Glad to see the 31'' in production. But if many more email are sent, maybe they will produce a 35'' ??? I'm sending one right now.

whee wrote:Kinda wish I would have ordered the 10" wheels instead of the 6" wheels with my ABI wheel and brake kit.

Hey, it's only money. Pick up a set of 10" wheels now. You'll need your 6" set for running 8.00s on your wheel skis

I'm curious how much difference there is when it comes to running over obstacles with the 10" wheels vs the 6" ABWs ...

Zzz wrote:Hey, it's only money. Pick up a set of 10" wheels now. You'll need your 6" set for running 8.00s on your wheel skis

I wish. I almost bought the 10" wheels that were listed on here but then I realized they were the narrower wheels. I really just need to not think about think like bigger tires, skis and other mods till after I get back in the air.

A1Skinner wrote:I'm curious how much difference there is when it comes to running over obstacles with the 10" wheels vs the 6" ABWs ...

I'm sure there is a big difference but for the light off-roading I plan on doing the 31" desser would probly work.

A1Skinner wrote:I'm curious how much difference there is when it comes to running over obstacles with the 10" wheels vs the 6" ABWs ...

I don't know, but when the wind stops blowing here, I'm going to go look for the rock I hit in the T3 video. It is easy to see in the slow motion view. I damn sure felt it on 31's at 7psi, but no damage done to the plane. At least not anything obvious. I don't think the rock itself is all that big, but it may have stuck up out of the ground a fair ways. Not sure I'd want to hit anything larger that was solidly anchored like that one may have been. I'll bring it home as a souvenir if I find it.

Maverick never found the one that took out his flying wire, but he sure heard it. a lot of damage is caused by what the tires kick up, not always what they roll over. Remember the concrete slab (I think that is what he determined?) that took out Kevin's elevator a few years back?

A quick measurement on 35's gives 11-inches from the edge of the 10-inch rim to the top of the tire. On 29's with 6-inch wheels, it is also 11-inches. So, on 31's a 10-inch wheel could expected to have about (10-6)/2=2 so 11-2=9" based on the 29's. Or estimating from 35's (35-31)/2=2 so 11-2=9". Looks like about 9-inches of rubber and air for 10-inch wheels vs 11" for 6-inch wheels.

It would just depend on how much air pressure was in the tire; compressing a tire by 9" may give you more to worry about than rim contact, though.

blackrock wrote:

A1Skinner wrote:I'm curious how much difference there is when it comes to running over obstacles with the 10" wheels vs the 6" ABWs ...

I don't know, but when the wind stops blowing here, I'm going to go look for the rock I hit in the T3 video. It is easy to see in the slow motion view. I damn sure felt it on 31's at 7psi, but no damage done to the plane. At least not anything obvious. I don't think the rock itself is all that big, but it may have stuck up out of the ground a fair ways. Not sure I'd want to hit anything larger that was solidly anchored like that one may have been. I'll bring it home as a souvenir if I find it.

Maverick never found the one that took out his flying wire, but he sure heard it. a lot of damage is caused by what the tires kick up, not always what they roll over. Remember the concrete slab (I think that is what he determined?) that took out Kevin's elevator a few years back?

A quick measurement on 35's gives 11-inches from the edge of the 10-inch rim to the top of the tire. On 29's with 6-inch wheels, it is also 11-inches. So, on 31's a 10-inch wheel could expected to have about (10-6)/2=2 so 11-2=9" based on the 29's. Or estimating from 35's (35-31)/2=2 so 11-2=9". Looks like about 9-inches of rubber and air for 10-inch wheels vs 11" for 6-inch wheels.

It would just depend on how much air pressure was in the tire; compressing a tire by 9" may give you more to worry about than rim contact, though.

Very true. I also wonder how reliable they are as a tubeless. I wonder lots as it seems like a nice cheap option to ABWs, but as the saying goes "you get what you pay for". Just wondering how true it is in this case...

That is a very interesting development!

Size is one consideration. But to me, it's not the most important one. The type of rubber compound used is important, ultimately what matters most is how soft the tires are - how they behave. Both side-wall and rolling surface.

For example, 26" ABWs and 26" Goodyears are not in the same league. Performance-wise and price-wise too. I'll admit that.

Moreover, the Goodyear 26" tires actually measure 23" when fitted. The weight of those 31" tires suggests they will probably be quite soft, how soft (at a given pressure) would be very interesting to know.

To that end, I would love to line up a GY, ABW, and Desser for a test. I would apply a blunt point load (simulated rock) with a known weight (something heavy) and measure the deflection on each make of tire. I bet the ABW would have the greatest deflection. But don't get me wrong, I don't use ABWs personally... just saying they are probably still the premium product in this line-up.

For me, cost is a huge factor, it influences how much flying I can afford to do. I know the additional running cost for the >30" tires is between 10%-15% (extra fuel burn) compared to my 26's... Which makes them prohibitively expensive when you do 200 hours flying per year. Apart from that airspeed loss (aka added fuel burn) I would be on 31's in a heartbeat.
But, I would sooner fly an extra 20hrs per year.

I wonder what the purchase cost is for these 31" tires?

I'll keep day-dreaming about 31" tires for now, you guys who are buying them - don't rub it in too hard.

The Desser 31" tires are $750 each.

The slower cruise speed is a consideration for me too. I almost bought a set of used 31" ABWs a couple months ago but was able to talk my self out of them. 31s are just more tire than I need...but at $750ea I could probably deal with the slower cruise in exchange for the cool factor[emoji41]

I wonder how wide of a 10" wheel Desser will recommend for their new 31" smoothie?
Airframes Alaska offers both 6.5" & 10" wide, both list at $1,025 each.
AA says Airhawks need the 10".
I think GarAero adapters give you the equivalent of the 10".
The Gar set-ups I've seen, the tires always look too splayed out at the rims- kinda like when low-riders run skinny tires on wide wheels.