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Bedliner on ABW Airstreaks

Prop shop told me cycling the prop on the ground was hard on them. He said move it just enough to verify it is working.

Yep, verify function, and if in cold weather, it circulates some warm engine oil through the prop hub.

I've never found anyone who could tell me a legitimate reason to cycle props more than once during pre flight.

MTV
 
Yep, verify function, and if in cold weather, it circulates some warm engine oil through the prop hub.

I've never found anyone who could tell me a legitimate reason to cycle props more than once during pre flight.

MTV

I agree but, do not think it would adversely effect the propeller. But, I listen to all sides. The engine gets a fast rise in MP and rapid deceleration too. Maybe not great in freezing cold temps.

My only concern is the immediate thrust which I have to be careful with. With large tires brakes can slip.

If cycling is bad just think what flying does to it :lol:
 
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Had an old counterweight HS that had the counterweights set up too tight and if you didn't make sure they were loose on the ground and verify by cycling before takeoff you might wind up with a fixed pitch prop. Taking off one morning in the dark, I remembered, about half way thru the light downwind takeoff roll with a full load, that I had forgotten to cycle the prop.

Never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever will I ever again abort a perfectly good takeoff roll downwind.
 
If the airplane has been sitting, I like to make sure the blades turn freely with a low amount of oil pressure. Several light RPM drops doesn't hurt on the first flight in cold weather. Sticky blades/governors can happen.
 
Prop shop told me cycling the prop on the ground was hard on them. He said move it just enough to verify it is working.
I have heard the same thing as Steve, yet I was not told why or how it damages the prop.

Yep, verify function, and if in cold weather, it circulates some warm engine oil through the prop hub.

I've never found anyone who could tell me a legitimate reason to cycle props more than once during pre flight.

MTV

Had an old counterweight HS that had the counterweights set up too tight and if you didn't make sure they were loose on the ground and verify by cycling before takeoff you might wind up with a fixed pitch prop. Taking off one morning in the dark, I remembered, about half way thru the light downwind takeoff roll with a full load, that I had forgotten to cycle the prop.

Never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever will I ever again abort a perfectly good takeoff roll downwind.
Two good reasons to cycle the prop during run up. I was taught to always cycle the prop to replace the cold oil with warm. Another reason, which I found because I did not cycle a 2B20, is that the oil can drain out of the cylinder leaving air. The prop will cycle during take off until the air is gone. You would not want this in a short field. Perhaps there is a reason not to cycle the new style props. I would like to know the reason? I will always cycle a HS prop of any size.
 
I am ready to apply my third coat of Herculiner. I am getting approximately 50 hrs. a can. That number can be greatly skewed of course if I am going xc with few stops, as opposed to my local fooling around which entails landing every few minutes. That is with NO asphalt landings, very minor taxiing, and a few asphalt takeoffs, maybe 6. All the rest is off airport. A heavier and faster landing airplane landing on asphalt all the time will probably have much less time between wearing off the coating. For me, and my slow light bird, and not landing pavement, it seems to be worth the trouble and expense. About 35 bucks is all.

The good thing is NO further nicks and cuts in my tires as near as I can tell. Since I have been using the bedliner I have been using as little as 2.5 to a max of 4 lbs pressure in my 29" Airstreaks, with a 750 lb plane, this low pressure helps avoid cuts also.
 
Thanks for that. If it slows down the wear it's worth a recoat each year. By now if it didn't work or wasn't worth it I'm sure you would have a different opinion, so thanks for being willing to post your experience.
 
35 bushwheels ,3-4psi (depending on what I am doing), 400 or so hours and every time I come home it is on asphalt. Land slow, light on the breaks, try to limit taxi time and do a lot of intersection departures. Cuts I put in the tires on day 1 with shale are my gauge to the amount of wear from the asphalt landings every time I fly. Soft sand, mud and grass are the only things that i see don't wear the tires some. Shale and volcanic rocks appear to be the worst and as long as you are careful turning and taxiing that is manageable and the cost of going to some places. TIRES WEAR and that is the way it is. Bush Wheels do a great job for me and I want to be rolling on their rubber not some bead-liner or plastic covering. The last thing I want my Insurance Co. to find is an obvious unapproved tire modification. Unless you are experimental tire modifications are probably not the best idea. I have a lot of life left in my tires and when they need to be replaces that just means I have been to a lot of really awesome places and am one of the luckiest guys walking.
 
Is Herculiner still the preferred coating to put on these tires?
After a few years now an update on the thread would be awesome. For experimental guys trying to save their ABWs what has worked for you guys and what hasn't? How exactly are you guys cleaning the tires before hand, and is roughing the tire with sandpaper or something first necessary for it to adhere properly?
I'd be interested to know exactly what's working best and what is not.
 
Still working great, on average about 70 to 100 hrs between recoats. Less then 40 bucks for that, and a couple hours work total, counting prep (soap and water wash). Still using Herk. No roughing up with sandpaper needed. The first time I used Zylene to clean, not sure it was needed, the stuff sticks great. Don't worry about hitting the sidewalls, after a few coats you'll know where you need it most, where the wear patch is.

It's like covering an expensive pair of dress shoes with cheap boots. Zero drawback that I can see, certainly nothing dangerous. These should be the last pair of Airstreaks I buy, short of something real ugly happening, it seems to eliminate wear. The sidewalls still get a workout, and I suppose the tire can still wear, but it's going to take quite a while. Mines hangared BTW.
 
Still working great, on average about 70 to 100 hrs between recoats. Less then 40 bucks for that, and a couple hours work total, counting prep (soap and water wash). Still using Herk. No roughing up with sandpaper needed. The first time I used Zylene to clean, not sure it was needed, the stuff sticks great. Don't worry about hitting the sidewalls, after a few coats you'll know where you need it most, where the wear patch is.

It's like covering an expensive pair of dress shoes with cheap boots. Zero drawback that I can see, certainly nothing dangerous. These should be the last pair of Airstreaks I buy, short of something real ugly happening, it seems to eliminate wear. The sidewalls still get a workout, and I suppose the tire can still wear, but it's going to take quite a while. Mines hangared BTW.

Ditto, but I only get about 40 hours, Dad wont stop pivoting the airplane on the taxi way! :evil:
 
I notice when on the wheel skis, which require using 6:00 tires, my whole taxing around thing gets more thoughtless, carefree as it were. When on the Airstreaks I baby them all I can, giving lots of thought to how and where I'm going to park etc. Even to the point of ignoring a line boy who's signaling me to park a certain way, a way that would require a brake stomp and 180 pivot,but I always explain once I shut down, don't want to hurt their feelings! Never been an issue once explained. A small price to pay for their added utility and making them last longer. I even keep a piece of plywood in front of my hangar at home, so when I hand push the plane 90 degrees which I need to do every time, that inside tire isn't scrubbing on the concrete.
 
I remember that Phil Zinck had BWs that the bed liner was peeling off a few years ago. Timmy did his tires with bed liner 8 or 10 years ago and it has held up great. Remember if it doesn't stick that great then what are you going to do next. I followed Tim's recipe. I sanded them till everything on the surface has a cross hatch pattern on it. I then cleaned then with Xylene till the while rags stayed clean. Then I scuffer then up again and cleaned them again. I rolled on 4 coats 8 hrs apart, you need to stir the can every time you pour some out. So far working great

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Herculiner-...ash=item56797010c1:g:9OQAAOSwnLdWqRWb&vxp=mtr



Glenn
 
I remember that Phil Zinck had BWs that the bed liner was peeling off a few years ago. Timmy did his tires with bed liner 8 or 10 years ago and it has held up great. Remember if it doesn't stick that great then what are you going to do next. I followed Tim's recipe. I sanded them till everything on the surface has a cross hatch pattern on it. I then cleaned then with Xylene till the while rags stayed clean. Then I scuffer then up again and cleaned them again. I rolled on 4 coats 8 hrs apart, you need to stir the can every time you pour some out. So far working great

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Herculiner-...ash=item56797010c1:g:9OQAAOSwnLdWqRWb&vxp=mtr



Glenn

And do it on the rim with the air pressure you plan to run in the tire!
 
And do it on the rim with the air pressure you plan to run in the tire!

Just curious why that would make any difference. If the tires aren't mounted yet and one wanted to put the coating on before mounting the tires would this cause any potential problems?
 
When I did my first coating, I did just that. Off the rim, no air. When I mounted and inflated them, they expanded and caused early cracks in the coating causing separation points. Now I do it on the wheel with air in, no cracks. Just a free tip.
 
I've had no problem at all with it not sticking to the tire, it just eventually wears off. A small can does my 29's 2 or 3 coats, first light, heavier coats last. Then the cans empty and I throw it and the brush away. Simple and quick.
 
I'd be interested to know how much rubber is on a new set of bushwheels. Like how much in thickness wears off before you see thread. like a half inch?
Very curious.
 
I've been doing this on a new set of 31's since new, with Timmy's advice. Couple of years now and the rubber has never seen any wear. Not sure how much rubber there is but I got a set with 'extra' rubber just before they sold to Airframes.
 
Do it like Glenn said with 7 or 8 lbs of air in the tire and you'll be fine
 
With the herculiner being rough/textured, do you still clean it super good before applying touch ups? I'm just thinking soap and water with a brush or rag might be awkward with all the texture?
Herculiner sells her for only $5/qt which is really reasonable.
 
I use dish soap and a brush, nothing special. Clean rinse, wait to fully dry, and brush it on. I don't do touch ups, just as needed re-coats. I did do one coat with zero air pressure (valve stem out) and it held on/adhered just as good as the other coats, but it certainly makes sense to apply the coats with your operating air pressure! I think that was my second coat, and I was still on the wheel skis. I mention that as there, at least in my experience, seems to be a lot of ways to do it, and they all seem to work.
 
How do you guys feel about a qt Per Tire? Essentially doubling the recipe hopefully for double the life expectancy? Or would this be too much and potentially have too much mass if it did happen to separate?
 
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