GabeWorn out 31's are the ultimate Airstreak. There's more than one pilot around that has a set of "competition tires" that are missing a few lbs of tread.
Don't be giving away all the secrets!!
DENNY
GabeWorn out 31's are the ultimate Airstreak. There's more than one pilot around that has a set of "competition tires" that are missing a few lbs of tread.
Tom -- what peak is that just behind the right shoulder of your landing area?
Gabe,
Be sure to update us on how you compare your old Goodyear's to your new Airstreaks for sidewall stiffness
after you get used to them..........lol.
I'd like to order two sets of stickers:
one "26" Goodyear" & one "850 Airtrac".
Thank you.
Ha ha thanks, it was your advice that I went with with the 29'sWow, Iain those look great! 29's on a yellow cub look just right. That's going to be quite a machine with a stroker 85.
The 26 Goodyears are actually fairly low pressure when used on light planes like a J3. Mine were run at between 4 and 6psi in most instances which was a startling revelation when I finally got a low pressure gauge and checked them. After taking them off however it was found the tire had slipped a little on the rim although not enough to damage the valve stem. Keep in mind this is with double pucks but only the stock diaphragm brake master cylinders so not a tremendous amount of braking power.
They were surprisingly soft at that pressure and did fairly well considering the nature of the goodyear tires. Not nearly as nice or safe as a set of actual Bushwheel/Airstreaks however. The real telling thing about the Goodyears is how bent the gear bolts are. You can get away with them and do okay but the airframe is what takes the beating.
I've never figured out why the 3 different pairs of Airstreaks I've run have MINIMUM AIR PRESSURE 6 LBS. molded into the sidewalls. I use that number as my highest pressure, and usually am at 3 or 4, a few times as low as 2.5
Gabe is right I think the light is making the colour look a little more washed out than it is. I always took it just to be cub yellow! This picture may show it a little better:
]
hard to say as each company has several different yellow, it looks really good though! I like the high gloss.
When I flew an M-7 235 on 31’s I kept them at 8psi for village strips, and doing off airport stuff I would put my foot in front of the tire facing it, then lean my knee into the center of the tread of the tire until it pushed it in “just so” and easily enough for the “right feel”. This seemed to be around 3 psi.
I land as much as possible in the grass area at my airport but not always possible. Going cross country if the area is unknown I land on the asphalt. Picked up to many damaged airplanes because the owner was trying to save some rubber. My 31s are almost 6 years old and still no cords showing although they are weather checked. I do sweeping turns, taxi is very short and I fueled from cans but recently got a fuel trailer so I am not constantly taxiing to the fuel pump. I look at Bushwheels as the cost of doing business. I can't do what I do with my Super Cub without them and it is worth it.On the subject of bushwheels, how often are people landing on asphalt? I know the official advice is as rarely as possible but what is considered reasonable? One landing in 20 one in a 100?
Truck bed liner I presume? Did you do the liner when the tires were new or run a bit of tread off them first?
I land as much as possible in the grass area at my airport but not always possible. Going cross country if the area is unknown I land on the asphalt. Picked up to many damaged airplanes because the owner was trying to save some rubber. My 31s are almost 6 years old and still no cords showing although they are weather checked. I do sweeping turns, taxi is very short and I fueled from cans but recently got a fuel trailer so I am not constantly taxiing to the fuel pump. I look at Bushwheels as the cost of doing business. I can't do what I do with my Super Cub without them and it is worth it.
Thanks to Courierguy using Herculiner on his Rans, I tried it. I have 29 inch Bushwheels on my Cessna 180 and was worried it might throw a chunk into the prop but it worked great. I waited till some cords just started to show but would consider doing it when new.I didn't jack the plane up either. Did what I could and let it cure a day and rolled ahead and finished. I learned don't use the can up to not waste any and get an out of balance situation.Truck bed liner I presume? Did you do the liner when the tires were new or run a bit of tread off them first?
Truck bed liner I presume? Did you do the liner when the tires were new or run a bit of tread off them first?
I land as much as possible in the grass area at my airport but not always possible. Going cross country if the area is unknown I land on the asphalt. Picked up to many damaged airplanes because the owner was trying to save some rubber. My 31s are almost 6 years old and still no cords showing although they are weather checked. I do sweeping turns, taxi is very short and I fueled from cans but recently got a fuel trailer so I am not constantly taxiing to the fuel pump. I look at Bushwheels as the cost of doing business. I can't do what I do with my Super Cub without them and it is worth it.
Thanks to Courierguy using Herculiner on his Rans, I tried it. I have 29 inch Bushwheels on my Cessna 180 and was worried it might throw a chunk into the prop but it worked great. I waited till some cords just started to show but would consider doing it when new. I didn't jack the plane up either. Did what I could and let it cure a day and rolled ahead and finished. I learned don't use the can up to not waste any and get an out of balance situation.
Not sure what the 29’s and 31’s weigh, but the 8.50’s I used to have on mine were 6ply and weighed 16lbs each (Air Trac’s). I just put these aero classic smoothies on there at 22” tall and weight in at 10lbs each. The 4 ply makes them so smooth. I’m looking to sell the Air Tracs btw. View attachment 55009