Dumb Tire Change Questions

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FLEngineer

Filing Flight Plan
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FLEngineer
My right main is worn down to the bottom of the treads. It's getting changed and I'm planning to change the left main as well. Questions about this:

1. When changing a worn aircraft tire, is it necessary to always use a new tube as well? Or if the tube isn't blown, does it get reused?
2. Even though I'll be changing both mains this time, if one is wearing more than the other, do people always change both at the same time (like a car)?

Aircraft: LSA Tecnam P208
 
1. No, but I tend to do it anyway. Tubes are relative inexpensive.
2. The reason for changing them together in cars is claimed to be issues with difference in diameter on AWD vehicles due to the circumference difference. This problem doesn't exist for your airplane main gear.
 
1. Not necessary, but very good practice to do so. A little talcum powder in the tire will help reduce friction with the tube.

2. Not required to change all tires/tubes at the same time.
 
1. Might as well while you have everything apart. You'd hate to put a new tire on just to have the tube go bad a few hours later potentially ruining your new tire.

2. Already answered x2.
 
If the tubes are in good shape? No reason to replace them. As for both tires changing? I do. And depending on use it’s a good idea to rotate them. Not just side to side but turn the tires 180° on each rim. Talk to your mechanic about your uneven wear. Take pics of the tires. You may need some attention to tracking and alignment.
 
Repack wheel bearings at the same time
 
Keep in mind that the beads can be a real pain to break depending on the size of the tire and how long it's been on there.
 
bradg33 said:
Keep in mind that the beads can be a real pain to break depending on the size of the tire and how long it's been on there.
Click to expand...

I use a large vise on the work bench to squeeze the old tire off the rim. May not work for larger tires ...
 
Beads: Dish washing soup helps.
Talc and baby Powder: Fine if it doesn't have any corn starch.
Tube: Why not replace it. It's the one thing that will leak due to old age.
Inflate, deflate, inflate again.
Red dot orientation, check.
 
Stewartb said:
Talk to your mechanic about your uneven wear. Take pics of the tires. You may need some attention to tracking and alignment.
Click to expand...
Uneven wear can also be driven by pilot actions. In general, a little right aileron is helpful on takeoff roll because engine and prop torque are trying to load up and wear your left main tire...
 
Check to make sure your discs are NOT JUNK. Get the cleveland bulletin and a set of calipers.
Measure your brake pads too- you might want to swap em if you're gonna do the work.
Hint: C Clamps are essentail to prevent the pistons from popping out--->resulting in your having to bleed the whole system.
 
When replacing the tubes, keep one old one to wrap up and store in the cargo area, for you or some other poor soul stuck on the transient ramp with a flat. I don't fly with a spare tire, but I do keep one old one in the hangar for any transients that might need it.
 
I’d hope his mechanic kept track of his brakes and bearings at annual, and removing caliper to change tires doesn’t require doing anything to hold the pistons as long as nobody pushes on the brake pedals. It isn’t a difficult task to change tires.

To the OP, do add a little air in the tubes before stuffing them into the tires. Just barely enough to take shape. That’ll make life easier to fit the filler valve and help prevent pinching the tube between wheel halves when you reassemble. A little tire talc won’t hurt if you have it but isn’t necessary.
 
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