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Alaskan Bush Wheels 29" or 31"

O

orb

Registered User
I'm looking to purchase a set of ABWs for my PA18-150 and am tossing up between the 29" or 31".
I am looking to use the aircraft on unprepared surfaces, river beds etc & for that reason would prefer the 31"s, but am concerned about the additional weight (minor I realise) and additional aerodynamic drag of the 31"s over the 29"s given that I only have the original 150hp engine over the 160hp or 180hp upgrade.
Also any feedback as to the level of increased ability of obstacle absorption of the 31"s over 29"s appreciated.
I realise that I am unlikely to receive a consensus of opinion, but would appreciates any opinions or experiences between the two.
 
I didn't notice any speed loss ect going from 29's to 31's. One way to look at it is if you buy the 29's you may wish you had bought the 31's, if you buy the 31's you will never wish you had bought the 29's!
Marc
 
I’ve got a 150 as well. While I’ve never flown 29s to compare against, I absolutely love my 31” tires. She may fly a little slower, but speed isn’t the point of flying a Cub anyhow.
 
When I think of 29's I think of 180-185's. They have a stiffer sidewall for sideloads with spring gear. Also a lower profile. 31's are more suited to PA-18, Husky, Scout, etc. More flex for larger rocks, etc. 31's only weigh 1# more than 29's(32#). Definitely get the extra 1/6th inch tread (extra 4#) if you are on asphalt at all. Well worth the $.
Lou
 
My daughter and I were fortunate one evening while attending Johnson Creek a few years ago to have dinner at the grill in YellowPine with Pops Dory and Bushwheel Bill Duncan. Bill told us that he developed the 31 specifically for the PA-18 while the 29 is stiffer in the sidewall and meant for heavier aircraft.


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Personal opinion - if you need "big" tires then 31. They don't reduce speed much as compared to my 26. But if you don't actually need them for rough or soft surfaces, 8.50's are very good and a heck of a lot less costly.
 
Thank you everyone for your feedback, very much appreciated.

Thank you FdxLou & Toro for your insight, that gives me a much clearer understanding of the physical attribute (other than diameter) & intended application differences between 29" & 31" ABWs.

From all the posts, I can now see that the 31"s appear to be the most suitable between the two, not only for the higher powered versions out there, but for the majority of PA18s should you be looking for some serious off roading .

Happy flying & stay safe :lol:

ORB
 
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Can anyone with the extra tread speak to how much longer they last while operating on/off paved surfaces? I get there are a lot of variables - taxi distance, etc. I just see a lot of "well worth it"'s and curious what folks who went thicker are realistically seeing.
 
Penguin said:
Can anyone with the extra tread speak to how much longer they last while operating on/off paved surfaces? I get there are a lot of variables - taxi distance, etc. I just see a lot of "well worth it"'s and curious what folks who went thicker are realistically seeing.
Click to expand...

I would love to be able to answer this question but I have not had my extra rubber 31’s on long enough to wear them out.
 
Desser aero classic . I have a set on my cub like the heck out of them. They are less money the only drawback is the bigger the tire the bigger the wheel has to be


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Gordon Misch said:
Personal opinion - if you need "big" tires then 31. They don't reduce speed much as compared to my 26. But if you don't actually need them for rough or soft surfaces, 8.50's are very good and a heck of a lot less costly.
Click to expand...
And they last 3 times longer. Actually the Goodyear blimp tires are a good option along that line as well. They're pretty capable and wear like iron.
 
If you're not going to be pounding in and out of really rough terrain on a consistent basis I'd look at doing those 31" Dessers. They're good tires and will last a lot longer than the here today gone tomorrow Bushwheels.

I've got heavy tread 29s on my 180 and taxi on pavement so I keep them aired up to 14 psi. I'll drop 'em down to 10 or 12 for off airport stuff, but I know cub guys that will drop down to about 3-4 psi for landings in real rough stuff and then pump them up for take off.
 
I have Desser 8.50 tires on my -12 for the winter & 31” Bushwheels for the rest of the time. It’s too hard to push the plane around on the icy apron in the winter with the 31” & winter landings are mostly on pavement, hence the 8.50 tires.


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That's kinda funny Windy, cuz it's just the opposite here. Muddy, sloppy, icky in my hayfield the other day. Got stopped quick though. I thought I'd got lost and landed in Perry's rice field! Decided she deserved a bath.

Edit: here is another try of the pics. Seems clear how Perry would come to mind - - -8)

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I have only had 29s on my cub. I don’t have gravel bars to land on in this area, just rough cow pastures.
I think the 29s have a little more rubber on their tread and so will last a bit longer on pavement, not sure but you might check.
The price difference and difference in drag are not enough to consider.
These 29” are a huge improvement over the hard as rock 26” Goodyear tires that I originally had.


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Tread depth is the same on 29's and 31's....3/16". You can buy them with an extra1/16" for a total of 1/4".
Lou
 
Gordon, those pictures don't show up for me on the computer. A preview of a dirty tail section shows up on my phone in preview, but not when I open the thread.

Vic
 
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