I just finished my PA-12 and put on some 31" Bushwheels... NICE! The problem is..., I live at an airport that requires long taxiing and I just know the tires are going away before I ever get 'em dirty! I'm thinking of putting them in a corner for awhile and putting on some 26 Goodyears. Any other legal alternatives that will wear well and not be cost prohibitive?
cringeing while taxiing
- Thread starter av8rtom
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cruiser
Registered User
South Glens Falls, NY
Here's the quote "apply preservative or protective material to components where no disassembly of any primary structure or operating system is involved, and where such coating is not prohibited or contrary to good practices." Direct from the FAA Handbook on owner preventative maintenance. I tried to link it but I cannot make it work. Herculiner works fine. Jim
CamTom12
Registered User
Huntsville, AL
I've always heard that making tight turns on asphalt is what really wears them down. Avoiding that might help extend their life a bit. I can't imagine taxiing straight ahead on any surface would cause any appreciable wear, but I don't own a set and could be wrong.
EDIT: I've also heard really good results from guys that use bedliner on their bushwheels.
EDIT: I've also heard really good results from guys that use bedliner on their bushwheels.
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SchulerJL
BENEFACTOR
Peoria, Illinois
I think this whole wearing out 31" bush wheels is overplayed. I have over 300 hours on mine - extensive taxiing on pavement and at least 1200 landings and take offs - about 4 landings and takeoff per hour of flight as I estimate. About 20 % of those are on pavement. I see minimal wear. When I first put them on, I ran over a small nail - embedded sideways - shear luck - but it left a mark on the tire about a 1/16 of an inch deep - I still see the mark from that nail. I just avoid locking the brake and pivoting. It dawned on me a couple years ago when I was at Oshkosh watching the STOL demo and how they plant the tires on the pavement, that maybe my concerns of wear are overblown. It would be great to hear from others how many hours/landings they have gotten out of their bush wheels before they needed replacement.
Taledrger
SPONSOR
SW Michigan
This /\ /\ /\ /\ /\...
More than 300 hours on a set of 31"s.. probably at least 1/3 on asphalt and 50 hours of private pilot training, I'm not seeing any appreciable wear..
Slow taxi and no abrupt turns.. tried to keep my son on grass as much as possible during his training but they have been hammered and slide on pavement a considerable amount ...
More than 300 hours on a set of 31"s.. probably at least 1/3 on asphalt and 50 hours of private pilot training, I'm not seeing any appreciable wear..
Slow taxi and no abrupt turns.. tried to keep my son on grass as much as possible during his training but they have been hammered and slide on pavement a considerable amount ...
behindpropellers
Registered User
NE Ohio
What is a long taxi distance for you? I normally run mine around 6 psi unless i am going to unknown landing areas. I have 600 hours on mine with most taxi/take off on tar landing mostly on dirt. Very little sign of wear. As the others have said don't pivot on tar with locked brake. (I try not to do it at all you never know when a sharp rock is under the tire). There is a good article in STOL Aircraft magazine on care and feeding of bushwheels, most of the info is plagiarized from the bushwheel site but it is good info. I did rotate my tires on the rims this year to help spread out camber wear. When buying new you can get thicker rubber, they will weight more but may help for the tar only guys. Depending on the tire needed for the type of flying you do Air Hawks/Goodyears wear like steel and will last for ever. Just run them you might get run over crossing the street to get the mail and never truly lived because you did not fly the bushwheels.8)
DENNY
DENNY
Thanks everybody! great stuff. I think I'll just use 'em and probably try some Herculiner along the way. Denny made the best point...., I might just get hit by a bus and then somebody else will get to use 'em! I got 'em with the extra rubber anyway since my home field has a lot of concrete ramp. The only asphalt is on the runway.
sj
Staff member
Northwest Arkansas
That's great if you know the airport, we have people who have done complete rebuilds from not seeing the culvert or ditch at the side of an airport runway. A set of new tires is WAY cheaper...
sj
SchulerJL
BENEFACTOR
Peoria, Illinois
That is an interesting thought, how much difference is there landing on pavement with 31's or 35's? Does it grab any more as the tires spin up?
aktango58
FRIEND
18AA
Put pressure in them. The wear comes from friction- turns and such, but if you have the pressure down, it does take off rubber.
I had over 600 hours on mine and they were still good when I sold the plane, based on Juneau's airport. my taxi was always 300+ yards, sometimes as much as 1,000. I would come from a mud beach and the tires had no mud in the center when I got to the hanger. When possible I came home with lots of pressure in the tires, and left with lot also.
More gentle turns helps.
But bottom line, Don't look, and if just going places that are not rough and super soft, keep 8+ lbs in them and you will have them forever.
I had over 600 hours on mine and they were still good when I sold the plane, based on Juneau's airport. my taxi was always 300+ yards, sometimes as much as 1,000. I would come from a mud beach and the tires had no mud in the center when I got to the hanger. When possible I came home with lots of pressure in the tires, and left with lot also.
More gentle turns helps.
But bottom line, Don't look, and if just going places that are not rough and super soft, keep 8+ lbs in them and you will have them forever.
hotrod180
FRIEND
Port Townsend, WA
I heard they're coming out with 39's.
Desser may have just ensured that Bushwheels remain the best choice overall. Cause it's a bit of a deal to
switch to a 10" rim, and, their 31" isn't the same.
They're not really competing...cause if they were, they'd made it to fit a 6" rim.
Roddy
Hmmm. I just upgraded to 31" ABW and was going to sell my gar aero adapters, but perhaps I'll hold onto them in case these new 31" tires are worth having someday. Sure would have been nice to save 3k, but I'll let others do the testing to see if they're worth having.
Dave Roberts
Registered User
Eastern Montana
With the 10" rims there is about 25" more rim to bead distance than on the 6" rims. Probably makes a little less chance of the tire slipping on the rim.
