Tires

simatos · Post by **simatos** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 5:06 pm

My plane has not flown for over 15 years after ground loop in 1990. The tires look ok but given the cost of restoring this critter would you guys recomend new ones?? Also I see alot of discussion regarding 8:00 tires. How would these bigger tires handle on regular asphalt runway. Do they fit on the standard 170 hub??

Post by **Bruce Fenstermacher** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 5:25 pm

Only you can determine if the tires you have are airworthy.. 15 years is a long time in the sun but maybe not in a hanger.

8:00 tires work fine on asphalt and I'd say you won't notice the difference between them and 6:00. They also fit on the standard hub and they are legal per the TCDS. Whay do you want bigger tires?

I have 8:00 x 6 tires because I like the way the look. I land on asphalt 98% of the time so I don't need them. I'd settle for 7:00x 6s if the price was right. I think 6:00x6 tires just look to small unless your running wheel pants.

simatos · Post by **simatos** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 5:52 pm

You sure are fast on that key board. I expect when ever I get this cotton-pickin machine finished i will be landing mostly on prepared/asphalt strips so while I agree the big tires look neat I expect the 6:00 would be fine. I really don't know the history of the tires and having popped a tire on the main gear of a 150 I just as soon avoid picking grass outta my teeth again. You do find both the 6:00 and 8:00 handle the same on ashpalt strips, it that right?? cheers G

N2865C · Post by **N2865C** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 6:04 pm

Those macho guys with the 8.00's will want to kick sand in your face and beat you up, but they will never be able to catch you with 6.00's due to all the extra drag. The weight difference is minimal because their wallets are that much lighter from buying the big tires.

I have the 6.00 AreoClassics and I get compliments on them all the time.

jc

AR Dave · Post by **AR Dave** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 6:10 pm

Well I personally hate asphalt and I've heard it really wears the rubber off tires. Grass is forgiving, soft, and might allow you to pick grass out of your teeth, unlike asphalt which might allow you to pick your teeth out of the asphalt. That's my highly intelligent thought!

I've got news about my airport. Because of some law, they are going to peel up 6000 ft of taxiway and move it 200 ft further away from the runway, or something like that. Anyway I think I've got the Airport Council talked into, putting topsoil back on the old spot and sodding it for an unofficial grass runway.

simatos · Post by **simatos** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 6:16 pm

You guys gotta take this show on the road, it is a shame the rest of the world won't likely be exposed to you humour. I appreciate all the informative comments. Shouldn't we all be a church today instead of doing this ????G

N1478D · Post by **N1478D** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 9:09 pm

7's are a nice compromise between being a bully and running around with small ones.

Fri Mar 25, 2005 10:18 pm

I have flown 170s with all three sizes of tires. I can't tell you there is a difference that I could attribute to tire size. I just like big ones

doug8082a · Post by **doug8082a** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 12:53 am

ok, somebody help this flatlander understand something, aside from the cosmetic value, why would I bother changing out my 600-6's for bigger tires unless I'm going to be routinely operating out of backcountry type strips? I understand the need for larger tires when flying into bush country strips in places like Idaho, Alaska, etc., but if I'm not doing that kind of flying, I don't expect I'd gain anything from the larger tire size, correct?

mrpibb · Post by **mrpibb** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 1:07 am

One thing you may not realise is that when I went to 7.00X6 from 600X6 I get the wuba wubas at a cruise of 115 mph or more. I am having good luck on the michelins aviators I got thru desser, I have close to 450 landings half on grass and the other on pavement and the tires still look minty fresh.

Post by **Bruce Fenstermacher** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 2:03 am

Well Doug other than the 6:00x6 look ridiculously small.

About the only thing you may gain besides people ogling your big tires is a slightly better angle of attack at a 3 point attitude which could lead to a slightly shorter ground roll on take off.

N2865C · Post by **N2865C** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 3:17 am

N9149A wrote:Well Doug other than the 6:00x6 look ridiculously small.

About the only thing you may gain besides people ogling your big tires is a slightly better angle of attack at a 3 point attitude which could lead to a slightly shorter ground roll on take off.

And a much bigger bounce on landing.

Post by **GAHorn** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 3:35 am

N9149A wrote:Well Doug other than the 6:00x6 look ridiculously small.

About the only thing you may gain besides people ogling your big tires is a slightly better angle of attack at a 3 point attitude which could lead to a slightly shorter ground roll on take off.

.....which is offset by the increased induced drag from the excessive angle of attack at all speeds below flying speed.

(If Cessna designed the airplane with 600 X 6 tires as standard...then that will be optimum and anything else will likely be a compromise of some sort. The chief advantage of larger tires is lessened rolling resistance especially on rough, unimproved strips, and a larger footprint...helpful on soggy unimproved strips. If one operates primarily off of pavement or smooth turf larger tires have no advantage, but offer certain disadvantages such as increased weight, increased drag (slight), increased cost, and reduced braking effectiveness.)
I don't think the original tires look small. I think they look original.

But each to his own. Some people like pickup trucks jacked up into the stratosphere on high-flotation earthmover tires.

Harold Holiman · Post by **Harold Holiman** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 4:36 am

You get used to the large 8:00 tires. When I first got my plane with the 8:00 tires I planned to switch to 6:00's when the 8:00's needed replacing and add wheel pants. After a while I got used to the looks of the 8:00's and decided to stay with them. Now the 6:00's look too small to me on a plane. I know George, the 6:00's were standard. I have tried to get the vintage tread in 8:00's, since I will probably need new tires next annual, but can't find anybody that makes them.

Harold

blueldr · Post by **blueldr** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 5:10 am

I have found that when installing 8:00 tires on some Cleveland wheels the brake caliper will rub on the sidewall of the tire necessitating a spacer or shim between the wheel and the rotor.
Parker Hannifin (Cleveland) plays CYA and will give no information on fixing this problem, but they will tell you that Maule uses 8:00 tires. So you call Maule and they sell you a set of their spacers.
Their spacers are a set of large diameter, fat washers, with one side cut off, to be placed on each wheel thru bolt between the wheel and the rotor.
There is a shop on Merrill Field in Anchorage, AK, that sells a six hole ring spacer just for this purpose. It also fits a three bolt wheel.