The time may be approaching to put put Big tires on the Bearhawk. Should I go all out with 35's?



My thoughts are that I would just swap out to 8:50's that are on it now for longer trips.

Pro's, Cons, Thoughts, Smart Ass Comments?

I say go for it! No one ever wishes they bought smaller bushwheels, including me.

Good God; Mike - YES!!!

Someone should photoshop them into that picture for comparison

On a less "smart-ass" note, that is my plan as well. Stick with training wheels in about that size until I feel I am suitably proficient with the aircraft (this is many years down the track), and once I have ability I'd step up to the really big ones and start going places which I couldn't go otherwise. And I don't see a point in stopping somewhere in the middle with "kinda big" tires, which will only introduce limits and risks (in my opinion) the next phase of the learning process.

I don't think I've seen a Bearhawk with anything larger than a 26" at this stage, if you're going to step it up - might as well go right to the top and see what you can do with it.

What size axles are you running? 1 1/2 or 1 1/4?
I may know where you could try several sizes before you burn many thousands

Hi Mike
When we built the Roverhawk we went with the standard 8:50's. They were ok but it quickly became apperent that if you land with power you can land slower. The problem is to land real slow with the bearhawk with small wheels you will land tailwheel first. Darcy the current owner first went to 26" good years and there was a major improvement. This year he scored a real deal on some used 29" bushwheels and this has allowed him to land even slower in the 3 point. The only problem is the higher the nose gets the worse the vision at 3point. Jeez you put 35's on that thing you could call it a vtol.
Ken

Oh - almost forgot - as you may know, you need to remove some of the lower tailing edge fairing from the gear lets to let bigger tires fit, so if you haven't already, that's going to be a prerequisite to trying on new shoes.
The other thing is you'd want to do the promulgated optional axle strengthening mod, if you haven't already.

We put 31" AK Bushwheels on our Maule 6 years ago and kept our old tires mounted on rims...thinking we would put on our old shoes to go on long trips... The old ones are still on the shelf...never been back on. We do take a few long trips each year (east coast, Niagara Falls, even did an air race with the 31" tires...)
As to forward visibility: not required in taildraggers...


"Don't look back....." Boston

35's for sure. Trust me.....

I think 35's are becoming/will become the new standard. Anything smaller just won't do

Get 35's unless they are going to come out with 39's.

35's are the new 31's.

I have thought about this same thing with my Tundra. The description of the Bearhawk three point landing with smaller tires is a similar situation on my aircraft. The plane just sets itself up in a three point attitude but the one more thing I am always considering is the sidehill and crosswind effects on large bush wheels that has been talked about for heavier aircraft. Will that make for more difficult handling in crosswind or sidehills with the bigger, softer side walls? I recall the discussion of some of the problems with the 185 on big bush wheels and think there can be some trade off in that area. I think it depends then on what each of us face for conditions of off airport landings. It might not be that one size is best for all. Any way you can try them out first in those situations?

I've been on a few sidehills with the 35's and IMHO it was a nonevent. Surprisingly so.

I like to wheel land in heavy crosswinds, and once pinned to the ground in a level attitude does tire size matter? Very little I would think. Or in an extreme crosswind don't most of us look for ways to land into the wind by modifying our runway heading? If so the bigger tires shine by adding options and safety.

Another thought, I think the 35's will out wear 31's more than the cost difference. Stands to reason that they will.

35's are not "bigger 31's", they are very different. Ask Wup or Bill about the sidewall construction of each, pretty cool stuff.

I really have been amazed how fun the 35's are. For me the "fun" comes in the form of many new landing areas that were marginal or didn't quite meet spec that are now well within spec and to my surprise do not beat me or the plane up on landing. The older I get the less I like scaring myself, 35's make you Superman with scaring the shit out of you to do so.

Plus, anything else just looks too small

IMO
I like my 35s, a lot. Definitely over kill for where I land. My plane is similar to yours Mike.
35s ware longer but cost more fuel.
35s have the Oh my God WOW factor.
31s don't ware as long but don't cost as much.
Are you going to run them all the time? Pavement eats them up on long taxi's. Tire alinement is critical.
I really really like my 29X11x10 for every day use.

2000MSL
Speed in MPH
No wind

Full power=8.50s=155mph, 29X11X10=143, 35s=133 17GPH

Normal power setting gas$$$= 8.50=150, 29X11X10=135, 35s=125 13.5GPH

8500MSL or higher full throttle speed the same, full throttle fuel burn 12.5GPH my mogas brother

dirtstrip wrote:I have thought about this same thing with my Tundra. The description of the Bearhawk three point landing with smaller tires is a similar situation on my aircraft. The plane just sets itself up in a three point attitude but the one more thing I am always considering is the sidehill and crosswind effects on large bush wheels that has been talked about for heavier aircraft. Will that make for more difficult handling in crosswind or sidehills with the bigger, softer side walls? I recall the discussion of some of the problems with the 185 on big bush wheels and think there can be some trade off in that area. I think it depends then on what each of us face for conditions of off airport landings. It might not be that one size is best for all. Any way you can try them out first in those situations?

I agree with Utah on the roll question..

They don't offer as much side roll as 31's, and where they do it is more of a side squish. I have been running between 3.5 and 5 lbs in a cub on malpai rock, same plane in the same places on 31's needs about twice the pressure. Never the less i have never given 'side roll' much thought on an airplane...soft tires squish and move... squish and move is a good thing for what I like to do... Having said that, I personally would be inclined to try and find a friend who I could try swapping tires with for a morning to get it right the first time. $6K is a pretty big pill to swallow just to be cool, and I know very few people who really push the envelope 26's or 29' offer, let alone NEED 35's

Here's one nobody mentions.... Where's your W&B lie theses things are going to add serious weight, and change your flying characteristics, sometimes it's a change to the good, sometimes not so good, sometimes the trade off is worth it, sometimes not so much, some people are in tune with flying characteristics , and some wouldn't notice a deployed drogue chute....

Good luck and have fun with which ever way you go!

Shit. A 260hp Bearhawk on 35's. Now I am seriously jealous.

Rob wrote:What size axles are you running? 1 1/2 or 1 1/4?
I may know where you could try several sizes before you burn many thousands

Rob,

What a great offer thank you. If that works out, It would be great to try before buying. My axles are 1 1/2".

Mike

Great info Rob. Thanks for taking the time to write this up for us and yes, we even have the same model engine in our ships so your numbers should be really close to what I'll see. Second your motion on mogas for sure!

That is a way cool picture of you and your plane, too!

OregonMaule wrote:IMO
I like my 35s, a lot. Definitely over kill for where I land. My plane is similar to yours Mike.
35s ware longer but cost more fuel.
35s have the Oh my God WOW factor.
31s don't ware as long but don't cost as much.
Are you going to run them all the time? Pavement eats them up on long taxi's. Tire alinement is critical.
I really really like my 29X11x10 for every day use.

2000MSL
Speed in MPH
No wind

Full power=8.50s=155mph, 29X11X10=143, 35s=133 17GPH

Normal power setting gas$$$= 8.50=150, 29X11X10=135, 35s=125 13.5GPH

8500MSL or higher full throttle speed the same, full throttle fuel burn 12.5GPH my mogas brother

OregonMaule wrote:.....35s have the Oh my God WOW factor.......

Isn't this the biggest attraction?

I love all you guys and gals and the pretty much hands-down endorsement for the 35's so far. What are friends for if they can't help us spend money and share in the enjoyment of it. Most of you guys know I live in BFE (not an airport identifier) so there are a lot of places they can be used. I've been saving up for a while now and sold a bunch of stuff that was just sitting around so that all helps to reduce the $$$$ pain.

The most challenging obstacle for the last couple of years has been the finance committee. Rose is pretty much on board now at least with 31's thanks to seeing many of you with BW's. She also told me "at least you didn't do what Matt did" - just saying... With a little luck, she won't realize they are bigger than she thought they'd be?

There is another factor: Safety. While you can land your BH lots of places in an emergency and probably be fine, you may not do it without nosing over the plane. And while trying not to bend your plane should probably not drive your response to an emergency, the bottom line, IMHO, is that big tires improve the safety of the aircraft - period.

They do slow you down more so you have to know how the plane behaves in a power-off glide post change.

But I think there is a very valid safety reason for BW's.

At least it makes me feel better.