Tire Pressure
Moderators: GAHorn, Karl Towle, Bruce Fenstermacher
Tire Pressure
Greetings, I just recently bought a 170B with 8.00 x 6 tires. I can't find any recommendation for tire pressure. It's not on the tire and the best I can find on the web is 23lbs. Does anybody have any experience with these tires? Any and all help will be greatly appreciated, Thanks.
Re: Tire Pressure
23 lbs/sq.in. should be fine. (Michelin and Desser both recommend it.) In a pinch on very soft surfaces, you may want to bleed the pressure down just a bit (perhaps to 20) to provide a bit more floatation. Too low though and you may twist the stems off if you brake hard.
Pete Brown
Anchorage, Alaska
N4563C 1953 170B
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2366/2527 ... 4e43_b.jpg
Anchorage, Alaska
N4563C 1953 170B
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2366/2527 ... 4e43_b.jpg
- Bruce Fenstermacher
- Posts: 10320
- Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:24 am
Re: Tire Pressure
I use to run 25lbs or less. What I mean is when I filled them I put in twenty 25lbs and over time they'd leak down until I thought I should service them back up again. I do the same now with the 7:00 x 6s I'm running now.
25lbs in the mains, 35lbs in the tail wheel.
25lbs in the mains, 35lbs in the tail wheel.
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Re: Tire Pressure
A couple years ago I switched out my wheel pants and 6:00 by 6's for 8:00 by 6's to do some off road'n. My first landing on a slightly wash boarded out runway quickly made me aware that the tire pressure I was running on the 6:00's would not do for the 8:00's on rough runways.
An experienced trailblazer gave me some advise he had been given long ago, and that was use 10% of your airplane weight for tire pressure.
1700 lbs. airplane wt. = 17 psi. tire pressure.
Or some pilots will say, 10% of gross weight for tire pressure.
I first reduced my tires to 10% of gross weight with much improved results. After I got used to and more comfortable with the bigger tires, I would reduce to 10% of the current airplane weight and realized a couple years of much more comfy shock absorption.
I made a mark on the tire and wheel and kept a watch out for tire spin on the wheel. Never saw any.
Have fun.
Tom
An experienced trailblazer gave me some advise he had been given long ago, and that was use 10% of your airplane weight for tire pressure.
1700 lbs. airplane wt. = 17 psi. tire pressure.
Or some pilots will say, 10% of gross weight for tire pressure.
I first reduced my tires to 10% of gross weight with much improved results. After I got used to and more comfortable with the bigger tires, I would reduce to 10% of the current airplane weight and realized a couple years of much more comfy shock absorption.
I made a mark on the tire and wheel and kept a watch out for tire spin on the wheel. Never saw any.
Have fun.
Tom