I went with the Desser 8.50s because they were cheap and I thought they would be plenty adequate. Well, they were plenty adequate for about one summer, but now I'm starting to wish I would have held out and gotten 26" bushwheels. They'd allow me to land places I currently pass up because I think the 8.50s are cutting it close. I still might end up going that route. So just something to consider since you like landing off airport...you might just end up wanting to upgrade again in a year if you don't get the tire that's made to go where you want to go the first time around.

SamIntel wrote:I went with the Desser 8.50s because they were cheap and I thought they would be plenty adequate. Well, they were plenty adequate for about one summer, but now I'm starting to wish I would have held out and gotten 26" bushwheels. They'd allow me to land places I currently pass up because I think the 8.50s are cutting it close. I still might end up going that route. So just something to consider since you like landing off airport...you might just end up wanting to upgrade again in a year if you don't get the tire that's made to go where you want to go the first time around.

But if you get 26s you'll be passing up places you could land with 29s... and then with 29s you'd pass up places you could and with 31s... and then 31s and 35... it's a damn slippery and expensive slope! Haha.

The trick I use is to stay a size behind your buddies. Then, when they get lured into buying bigger tires, you happily take the smaller ones off their hands. Ok, maybe not the best trick...

I've only gone up to 8x6.00 on the 120 (all that's on the TCDS...), but due to, as other's have mentioned, the spring nature of Cessna gear I get a lot of asymmetric wear on the outboard half. The last set, which were about 1/2 used when I got them lasted about 200 hours, with a rotation at 100 hours to put the worn side inboard. The current set (nearly new but still used when I got them) is wearing about the same; probably get closer to 250-300 hours on them. I have probably a 3:1 ratio of landings-to-hours and don't play off pavement nearly as much as I think I do. Wan't to try the Desser 8.50x6 Tundra, but need to find less propensity for asphalt before making that plunge.

For folks saying they've had good luck with a brand of tire: What does "good luck" mean? How many hours, how many landings, what type of use?

MTV

mtv wrote:For folks saying they've had good luck with a brand of tire: What does "good luck" mean? How many hours, how many landings, what type of use?

MTV

I replaced the main tires that were on on my airplane the first time about 12 years ago--bought the first set of Michelins. Then about 4 years ago, I replaced all 3 tires with Michelins--they were pretty evenly worn, still had grooves, but pretty shallow. Then last year I replaced the left main due to excessive wear to the shoulder, which was caused by the left main being out of alignment. After 5 years, the right main and nose tire still look very good, and of course the left main looks practically brand new.

I don't keep track of the number of landings, but I fly just under 65 hours per year. Except for a few cross countries (one to OSH, the others much shorter), most of my flights are local sight-seeing, occasional pattern work, and either flight reviews or IPCs.

Cary

I flew a ton of places on my old 800 6's on the M4.... they were Desser retreads and did a great job until I went to my 29 11 10's... now I have a set of 800's on wheels sitting in my hangar and have no intention of ever going back to them... and yes it is a slippery slope... once you go to the 29;s or the 31's you are sunk....

Attention: bias follows. I run about 600 tires over the road in my fleet. We buy almost nothing but Michelin. I'm very loyal to them despite their pricing and luke warm record with warranty. Also, tread life isn't everything. My F150 was supplied new with Pirelli tires. They won't wear out because the compound is so hard, but they ride rough, are noisy, and have lousy traction if I get caught in an early snow without my winter Michelins installed.

Sample 1). My first airplane was a 182G. 500 hours. It had Airhawks when I bought it. The landing gear shook badly because they were so out of round. I replaced them with Michelin Aviators and they ran true and didn't shake. Wore out a few. Can't remember how many.

Sample 2). I flew a T210 for 800 hours. It's a heavy airplane. I averaged one landing per hour. I didn't really track tread life in cycles or hours. It was all about trust, and performance. It had Airhawks when I bought it. The landing gear shook badly because they were so out of round. I replaced them with Michelin Aviators and they ran true and didn't shake. I never have balanced a tire. It's always seemed to be an out of round issue more than balance. The diameter of these tires is so small, that an imbalance would have to be large to create a large imbalance in centripetal force. I skidded one, and wore out a couple sets in 800 hours. Certainly more wear on the left side, and I attribute that to my propensity to do a 180 to the left instead of to the right when wind didn't dictate. I could have done a better job rotating them and got better life.

Sample 3). Slow learner. Bought a 185. I demanded new tires as part of the pre-purchase. Old ones were weather checked and unsafe. Failed to request Michelin. They're Airhawks because they're cheaper. 6:00-6. They're not shaking too bad, and I've put very few hours on them. I'll likely wear them out and replace with Michelin. Maybe even 6:00-6 again, because I do my backcountry flying on floats. I love flying it on wheels, but it's about improving my handling skills on pavement so I don't embarrass myself at a fly-in some day. For the price differential, I just can't risk being dissatisfied and having to put up with crappy tires until I've had my money's worth from them. I trust Michelin.

Pinecone wrote:Attention: bias follows. .

Not bias at....(unless you count bias-ply...couldn't help myself!)

That's what i call a long term customer testimonial....nice work and thanks for posting. Good data point.

Bill

More opinion than quantitative data. (Saves someone else trying to make that point diplomatically.)

What it really comes down to is your gut feel. I've never been too much in tune with that, but feel strongly about this one, and although not based on hard numbers, there's a lot of experience behind my opinion that I've learned to rely on.

YMMV. Figuratively, and literally.

My Michelin bias was formed by vehicle use, too. I made the mistake many long years ago (like in 1968) of thinking that all radial tires were similar, back when radials by anyone were rare. I got a "deal" on a set of Firestone 100s, which wore out just about as fast as the bias ply tires of the era. My motorhome came with BF Goodrich bias ply tires, and at 20,000 miles they were shot. A friend had just installed Michelins on his motorhome, the Anchorage Michelin dealer was offering a good price, so I bought a set. That set lasted for more than 50,000 miles.

Since then, which was in June 1970, the only time I've ever bought a different brand of road tire was when I re-tired my Porsche just before I got rid of it, because Michelins were too expensive to justify for a car I was selling. I did buy a set of Cooper snow tires for my Saturn wagon because I was going through a dry spell financially at the time, and I needed tires with more traction than whatever had come on the Saturn.

My 96 Ford pickup has had Michelins on it ever since its original Firestones wore out. My new car now has about 9500 miles on whatever brand tires came on it, and very soon it'll be reshod with Michelins because the OEM tires are thumping. I put Michelins on my last car at 8000 miles, because what was on it had started drumming. (FWIW, drumming and thumping are different. ) I got 83,000 miles out of that set of Michelins, and when I traded it off some 65,000 miles later on the new car, the replacement Michelins were still looking nearly new.

So it was natural that I would replace my airplane's tires with Michelins. Bias? Yup, but satisfied.

Cary

Thanks for posting that Cary. I needed a bit of validation. I'm a bit shy on facts.

I've never needed warranty on a Michelin aircraft tire, but had a few issues with truck tires. I think Michelin knows a bit more about tires than some of their competitors, but they also have chosen the high cost /high quality /Value for dollar portion of the market. Hence, they are overly proud of their product and can't imagine they'd produce a defective tire. This makes them a bit tough to deal with when it comes to any claims. I won't generalize here, but I understand that their head office is in France!

aktahoe1 wrote:….Put a set of the Air Trac 850/10's on there! You still have tread for pavement, your not going to lose any airspeed and you can feel good about having a tire that is good for basic off field work. No brainer ...

Old thread revival....
I'm curious as to the actual size of these.
I guess the 26" GY's are actually not quite 26" OD,
anyone know the OD of the 850-10 Airtracs?
Im trying to decide which of these two to put on my 180.

Yes...Yes... Big Michelin fan also...!! The spin cost per mile of a Michelin is cost effective....IF...you balanced and rotate your tires every 7500mi+/-. Most of the tire centers (Discount Tire fan) offer that program, just have to be diligent about rotation/balance. Do it with your oil change. I like the Michelin Leak stop tubes too. I re-air my airplane tires, 2 or 3 times a year, then only adding a few pounds of air. Change tubes every other tire change. I like either GY Flight Customs III or Michelins, about the same. I do rotate them for side to side on the airplane, get an extra 100 landing on the tire wear. Dave B

hotrod180 wrote:

aktahoe1 wrote:….Put a set of the Air Trac 850/10's on there! You still have tread for pavement, your not going to lose any airspeed and you can feel good about having a tire that is good for basic off field work. No brainer ...

Old thread revival....
I'm curious as to the actual size of these.
I guess the 26" GY's are actually not quite 26" OD,
anyone know the OD of the 850-10 Airtracs?
Im trying to decide which of these two to put on my 180.

I measured my 26” Goodyears when I had them and they were more like 23”. I’m not positive on the size of the 8.50x10 but when mounted on the AKBW 10 inch rims they do look taller than the 26” Goodyears.

GoodYear lists their 8.50-10 tire as having a 25.65” diameter.

I ran McReary (now Desser) 8.50 X 10 tires on wheel adapters and the diameter was almost exactly 26 inches.

MTV

I just stood my brand new (unmounted) 26" GYs up against a wall & used a square to get a good measurement-- they came out at about 23-5/8" OD. Damn near new (unmounted) 850x6 Airtracs are 20-7/8".

Has anyone had experience with the Condor brand ? Apparently they are "made by" Michelin ? Spruce shows the 8.00x6 at about $40.00 less than the Michelin. Not a lot of difference, but x 3 leaves a guy enough cash to take the wife to dinner, or enough to "top off the tanks"

I really believe that in tires, you pretty much get what you pay for.

A non aviation example: I bought a new vehicle in 2013. Came with Michelin all season tires. Those pieces of excrement lasted jus over 25,000 miles. My last set of Goodyear’s on my previous ride had 70,000 and looked good when I sold it.

At the suggestion of a friend, I bought Michelin Defenders, with a 70,000 mile tread wear warranty. They now have more miles than the tires they replaced, and barely show wear.

The difference? $$$$. Same manufacturer, different price point.

That’s the difference I found between Desser tires and Goodyears. The Goodyears have consistently lasted three times as long as Desser/McReary.

I have zero experience with Michelin aircraft tires, but they’re a “premium” tire, and I’d imagine they wear like that.

Tires take a beating, especially in the back country. I can’t see going cheap.

FWIW.

mtv wrote:I really believe that in tires, you pretty much get what you pay for.

A non aviation example: I bought a new vehicle in 2013. Came with Michelin all season tires. Those pieces of excrement lasted jus over 25,000 miles. My last set of Goodyear’s on my previous ride had 70,000 and looked good when I sold it.

At the suggestion of a friend, I bought Michelin Defenders, with a 70,000 mile tread wear warranty. They now have more miles than the tires they replaced, and barely show wear.

The difference? $$$$. Same manufacturer, different price point.

That’s the difference I found between Desser tires and Goodyears. The Goodyears have consistently lasted three times as long as Desser/McReary.

I have zero experience with Michelin aircraft tires, but they’re a “premium” tire, and I’d imagine they wear like that.

Tires take a beating, especially in the back country. I can’t see going cheap.

FWIW.

I had Michelin tires on our 140. Hard to say if they were good value or not, as we wore out a set a year...two new tailwheel pilots doing LOTS of landings. I did like that they rolled backwards really well. Made it easy to get the airplane back in the hangar.