Tailwheel tire (ABI 3200) only holds 25 psi?

[Narwhal]

Nevermind, just delete this thread please.

 

[Stewartb]

If it isn’t leaking at the valve core? Add some tube sealant. Sometimes tubes are porous. ABW tires are known to be porous, too. That's why Airframes sells Orange Seal. They'll have it on the shelf at Reeve's.

 

[Bell206]

but I just wanted to see if there is a possible quick fix

Fill it to 38 and spray some Dawn/water mix over the whole tire to try and isolate the leak. Then go from there. But any time you run an aircraft tire below its recommended pressure you change how the system is designed to work.

 

[texasclouds]

It’s so tiny, maybe losing some pressure in the gauge?

 

[Stewartb]

It's a tubed tire. Very common on airplanes in AK. I have the exact one on my Cessna. Mine doesn't leak but mine has a tube from Seaplanes North after I shredded the one from Airframes. The one from Seaplanes has a better filler angle.

 

[Stewartb]

System? A non-approved glider tire made for a narrow rim and stretched for a wide profile. A tube not made for this goofy combo. Bolted to an experimental damped swing arm suspension on an experimental high-performance Cub. No rules. Frankly I’m surprised that expensive airplane isn’t sporting a Baby Bushwheel, which is a far superior tire on a lightweight airplane. That Aero Classic will develop cracks around the bead pretty early in life. You’ll get another chance for a BBW.

 

[Narwhal]

System? A non-approved glider tire made for a narrow rim and stretched for a wide profile. A tube not made for this goofy combo. Bolted to an experimental damped swing arm suspension on an experimental high-performance Cub. No rules. Frankly I’m surprised that expensive airplane isn’t sporting a Baby Bushwheel, which is a far superior tire on a lightweight airplane. That Aero Classic will develop cracks around the bead pretty early in life. You’ll get another chance for a BBW.

Did not go BBW initially due to the amount taxiing and landing I do on pavement at merrill. I can land on the gravel there but then I have a 1/2 mile taxi to my hangar, or I can land on the pavement and have a 600 ft taxi. Additionally, there is a concern about prop clearance issues since I'm running 8.50x6's with an 83" prop on penetration skis. Maybe I will do it anyway since, as you say, there are no rules. The way I use the airplane, especially in summer on the 31's, I think I could make good use of the baby bushwheel.

The salesman at the manufacturer recommended the standard scott 3200 without the shock system and advocated for "just keep the tail up". I guess that's valid until you find yourself on short landing spots that have curves/turns on them, which I managed to run into a few times this year. I kind of need to get the tail down to turn during the mid to latter stages of the landing roll, and the tail tends to really take a beating with a deflected tailwheel bouncing over rocks.

 

[mondtster]

Did not go BBW initially due to the amount taxiing and landing I do on pavement at merrill. Additionally, there is a concern about prop clearance issues since I'm running 8.50x6's with an 83" prop on penetration skis. Maybe I will do it anyway since, as you say, there are no rules. The way I use the airplane, especially in summer on the 31's, I think I could make good use of the baby bushwheel.

I think it would be a good addition with 31” tires but it would likely sit pretty flat on a set of 8.50s. Do you have extended gear? That would help with prop clearance.

 

[Stewartb]

The BBW and glider tire are the same height. You’re losing some AOA to the wide fork but more to the Stinger. I had a swingarm tail suspension and didn’t ever consider using it. I also bought a T-3 and took it back. The Pawnee spring and BBW work fine, but my tail’s probably heavier than yours. My mains are 35s on 6” ext gear. I switched from 3” to 6” for AOA. It gained 2° in three point. If you switch to 31s you’ll see a big AOA gain.

 

[mondtster]

Thanks Stewart. My tailwheel is currently the 3200 size which is the 8" diameter tailwheel tire. Airframes also sells the 10" diameter "3400" tailwheel, which I *think* is what you're referring to as the glider tire. I don't have that. It's very possible that the 8" tire that I have is also a glider tire, I don't know, but I just wanted to make sure we're on the same page. I appreciate your help.

The tire in your original photos looks like a standard tailwheel tire, correct? (280/250-4) If so, I haven’t heard of those referred to as a glider tire. The 400-4 glider tire might be worth looking into. If I had bigger tires (I only have 26” mains) on my cub that’s the direction I’d probably head.

 

[Stewartb]

The Aero Classics “Rib” tire fits on an 8” wheel with the plastic spacer. It uses the same wide fork and wheel/spacer that the BBW uses. The 3400 is for tube spring Cessnas and comes in 8” and 10” wheels with stock skinny tires. The 3400 BBW uses the 3400 head, wide fork, and the same 8” wheel and spacer. I have a Cub BBW and put the ABW wide fork on an XP head on the Cessna. I’ve had a couple of BBWs and a couple of glider tires on the same wheel on the Cessna.

 

[Stewartb]

This is what you need to watch for with that Aero Classic tire. They don’t like being stretched. The checking happens faster on planes parked outside in winter.

 

[Stewartb]

Matco makes a nice tailwheel assembly. I have this one on my shelf as a spare. The pic shows my Matco next to the old BBW on the Cessna. I bruised that tire and went back to the glider tire for now. It’s starting to crack so maybe another year, then buy another tire

 

[Stewartb]

My bad. I didn’t think anyone would use that tire.