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Thorns in tires?

Utah-Jay

MEMBER
Heber City, UT
I fly a Rans S-20 but you guys are away more active than the Rans forum so I come here for info. I am about to do my check ride, did Dual Cross Country today and Solo Cross Country is tomorrow.

That out of the way, I have a question. This morning we had a flat tire, and it was from landing in the “grass” here in Utah which apparently has thorns. I had no idea and had never looked at the tires more than to check for proper inflation in my pre-flight everyday. And yes I fly 2 hours every day 5 days a week knocking out this training.

So, do you guy get thorns? Today we had a punctured tube, and on close inspection I removed about 30 thorns from each tire after the fact. That will now go into my post flight inspections.

Is this a constant issue? The plane has typical 22” tires with tread, really just basic which will be changed out to 26’s next spring.

Thanks in advance,

Jay
 
Welcome to flying in Utah.
It’s easier to fix a flat on Bushwheels because there is no inner tube. If you fly on tires with tubes, make sure to bring a buddy along to help get the plane jacked up to fix the flat.


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Thorns are a big issue here in South Africa where they are everywhere and take no prisoners. I have done bush pilot training in Alaska but quickly learned that landing off airfield in the parts of the country where I fly is a quick invitation to three flat tyres. I have found that the only thing that works is not goop but Kevlar linings - and so far I have found those only for my mountain bike tyres. The solution for the aircraft is using only prepared runways cleared of thorns.


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I have always used Stan's Tire sealant in Bushwheels. We have mesquite here in Texas and have pulled a mesquite branch with thorns off a tire and the hole plugged. Got a thorn in a brand new tire and added the Stan's after the fact. Custome said he never had a issue with a leak untill he woe the tires out and took them out of service. Only experience I have with tubed tires was a Sunday morning rescue where someone rolled a tire off a wheel full of green slime. We looked like we had slaughtered a Martian. I don't think Slime is a good brand for aircraft tires.
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I recall 30 mile 100cc motorcycle trail racing in Co back in the 60's it was cactus. We used Pet Milk :smile:which was pretty disgusting when you finally changed the tire. Got to be something better now?
 
I recall 30 mile 100cc motorcycle trail racing in Co back in the 60's it was cactus. We used Pet Milk :smile:which was pretty disgusting when you finally changed the tire. Got to be something better now?
Old Enduro trick, that worked but sure stunk if you shredded a tube.
 
Monday morning, I was landing on my ranch strip in South Texas and I sure did decelerate rapidly (with a little swerve to the right). My right main tire was totally flat. I have aero-classic tundra tires on a Super Legend Cub. Fortunately, I had a spare tube. I gooped the tire, flew to Kingsville and had Mike's Aircraft replace the tube (which was still holding air thanks to the goop). I flew back to the ranch and saw a big thorn in my left main. Damn. I was tired, so I pulled it into the hangar and to deal with in the morning. Both mains were flat the next morning. I gooped and inflated both, and one seems to be holding and the other went flat over night. I had to return to Fort Worth (in a different airplane-Cub stays at the ranch during the winter).

Aero-Classic tundra tires are 4 ply rated. I called Aero-Performance (owned by Aircraft Spruce) and ordered 3 new tubes ($119 each) and two Michelin 8.50 by 6 6 ply tires. I decided not to pull the trigger on the Michelins because the goop is working for now and the Michelins don't look very cool.

I fly on pavement alot, so Bushwheels don't make any sense for me. Good Year Blimp tires are 6 ply rated. Are there any 8 ply 8.50 by 6's? Is there a best choice for thorn resistance? I searched the old forums and found that I asked the same question in 2007. I am still searching for the solution.
 
It’d take a heck of a thorn to penetrate the tread surface on a Goodyear 26. Not saying it couldn’t happen. I’d be moving to less thorny country, myself….

MTV
 
I am still searching for the solution.

I've been battling goat head thorns for about 30 years in Arizona and other SW states. Most of that experience has been with glider tires and tail dolly tires but more recently with the mountain bike. The only thing that really worked on tail dolly tires was a thick protection liner between the tire and tube.

Sealants can work well on tubeless tires but they are not nearly as effective on tubed tires. I think the problem is that the thorns move in the inner tube puncture as the tires flex.

I've pulled a lot of thorns out of my heavy tread 26 inch bush wheels. No punctures yet but only 13 months use.
 
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If you want to see a teed off pilot, it'd be me after I land someplace with my MontAgue ebike , fully charged, get it out and then ride 1/4 mile only to discover I'm in goathead country! Stan's, spare tubes, patch kit, I use them all, never a problem with my Airstreams yet, including cactus
 
Ok, I will ask:

What is a Goathead? What do those thorns look like.

I got an education on the Cholla cactus one year I got to go Javalina hunting. Sounds like there are even worse thorns out there!

Today we tried for the cabin on sleds, first trip up this winter. Ice over the first river was ok, but we got into knee deep snow and the trail was gone due to blowdown. Funny how every little bush you grab walking in that is a rose thorn bush:evil:

After a half hour of cutting and exploring, we decided we would come back for the last section. I am pulling splinters out now!

Reading about all the flat tires I can empathize. Everywhere has it's own challenges.
 
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Goatheads are the scourge of bike tires and bare feet in the continental west. They will penetrate car tires as well, generally with no consequence, unless you need new tires.


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