Tire Pirep I am in need of Mains for Rocket

[RocketAviator]

Looking for recommendations on Tires

Looking for best value

Thanks in advance

[RocketAviator]

Well just one main

Should I replcae both the other main looks good so I don't see a need to replace it.

Worn tire is Michelin

Good tire is Goodyear

Have not looked at what specific tire each is.

I know the front tire is specifically directed by a Rocket engineering for a heavier duty tire.

[Hank]

I have Goodyear Flight Custom II on my mains. IIIs have a hugely higher price, so that you can run 140 knots on the ground with them. I don't see the value for our planes.

My nose wheel is Condor, made by Michelin. It holds up well, but has a shorter life than the mains.

Whatever tire you get, spend the extra for Leak Stop tubes. I had to add air when it cooled off last year (Nov?) then once again this spring, just a couple of weeks ago. Should be good for the summer now.

[Hank]

Well just one main

Should I replcae both the other main looks good so I don't see a need to replace it.

Worn tire is Michelin

Good tire is Goodyear

Have not looked at what specific tire each is.

I know the front tire is specifically directed by a Rocket engineering for a heavier duty tire.

Can't address this directly for the plane, but I always replace pairs on the car if something happens to just one. I'd make the call based on remaining tread on the better tire; it may be a good choice to put it in the back of the hangar as a spare, just in case.

[Yooper Rocketman]

I just installed two new Condors on my mains this month during my annual.  Installed new leak stop tubes too.  Bought them from Aircraft Spruce.  I would replace them both and keep the good used one in the event of a flat spot or other issue later on.  I like to keep the mains matched in tread.

[Marauder]

Lacee -- I was browsing through my logs tonight and saw the tire changes I made over the years. Unless I missed a tire change, I am on my 3rd set of tires in the 24 years I have owned my Mooney. And I have owned McCreary's Air Hawks (on the plane when I got it), had Flight Custom IIIs and a set of Michelin Airs. They all last about the same amount of time and landings. I do remember the last changeout. I had a set of Goodyear's Flight Custom IIIs and I changed them out because they were checkering pretty bad (plane is hangared), although the tread was still decent. I think the original Air Hawks and Michelin's were changed out because of tread wear. I am currently running another set of Air Hawks and they seem to be doing fine.

Considering the price differences (Air Hawks around $85, Michelin Airs around $185 and Flight Custom IIIs around $225 per tire) probably good you are asking for comparisons. Both Michelin and Goodyear offer a lower quality brand (Aviator & Flight Special II) that might be worthwhile hearing from others on.

I do think the Michelins were "stickier" than the McCreary and Goodyears but the difference is not really noticeable. When I flew in WNY, having a bit more "sticky" was noticeable on snow covered runways.

I have replaced my main tires both as pairs and individually and at a separate time from the nose wheel.

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[Danb]

CHRIS YOU ONLY FLEW ABOUT 172 HOURS IN THE LAST 24 YRS...

[rbridges]

I asked About replacing tires individually or in sets. I was told "on condition" so I just replaced one main. I went with flight custom 3. Probably overkill but I recently landed in a gusty crosswind and I noticed some scuffing of the sidewall near the tread. At the last second my plane shifted to the right and i side loaded the main. don't know if the stiffer sidewall helped but glad I had a good tire.

[chrisk]

My plane came with Good Year Flight Customs.  I replaced one main with an AirHawk.  It has held up well.   It was about $80 from Spruce and included shipping. I got butyl tubes from Desser.  They are about $45 each, and well worth it.  They leak down very little compared to the tubes I have not changed yet.

 

Also, I see a lot of discussion about the quality of tires and how they will save your bacon in a hard landing.  I would guess stop leak (butyl) tubes are far more important.   A properly inflated tire has to hold up much better in a hard landing than one that is 15 lbs low.  And based on personal observations, many folks fly with under inflated tires, which I get.  After all, who wants to check the tire pressure before every flight.   Most folks look at the tire.  If it looks low, they will check it. If it looks good, they don't check it.    Unfortunately, a tire is generally pretty low before it shows significantly.  You'll never notice a tire that is 5 lbs low.  Most likely you will not notice one that is 15 lbs low, especially if all the other tires are low too.   

[Marauder]

CHRIS YOU ONLY FLEW ABOUT 172 HOURS IN THE LAST 24 YRS...

Huh? I thought you are a CPA!? I haven't added up my log for the 2014 calendar year, but I'm probably over 2/3 of that just last year (not all of it in my plane).

Since I have given up carrier landings in my Mooney, the tires seem to last much longer

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[StinkBug]

This is a timely thread for me. Looks like one of my mains has a pretty good flat spot in it (oops). Spruce has a bunch of tires in the right size, ranging from $68-$200+ with really no description of the difference between them. My C is a fair bit lighter than a Rocket, and I'm never spinning the tires at over 70kts so what's the extra $130 going to?

[jetdriven]

More expensive tires like the fc-iii have a heavier sidewall which withstands more of a hard landing. I ruined a main tire on landing and replaced it with an aero trainer. A subsequent hard landing compressed the tire enough to hit the front corner of the gear door on the ground and bend it. That's a 1500$ door.

[FloridaMan]

I have FCIIIs on mine. Is there any significant difference in traction between the different tires as well? In other words, could an unexpected gust when planted on a wet runway be more likely to relocate your airplane with different tires? 

[garysuperpilot]

Just put Goodyear flight specials on my F model. 119 for mains and 99 for nosewheel. Old tires were Airhawks and though they still had tread left were showing cracks from old age. Retreads are supposed to be a good deal but I wanted new tires and they were about half the price of the Goodyear 3's but still a new Goodyear tire. Only had them for a week so hard to tell you how they'll last. I hope pretty well.

[KevinR]

Timely thread for me, too. I'm going to replace the tires on my Rocket because they are starting to show some wear. I am leaning towards the less expensive tires (kept properly inflated & replaced on condition) but would like to hear from other owners.

 

On the topic of proper inflation:

(1) it is impossible to tell if a tire is properly inflated without using a tire gauge 

(2) it will add about 45 seconds to your pre-flight to check your tire pressure 

(3) Home Depot sells air compressors for about the cost of 1-2 hours of avgas 

(4) if you wreck your Mooney because you failed to properly inflate your tires, your friends will (rightfully) make fun of you

 

We choose to participate in a higher-risk activity so we owe it to our families & our passengers to skew the odds in our favor. 

[aviatoreb]

More expensive tires like the fc-iii have a heavier sidewall which withstands more of a hard landing. I ruined a main tire on landing and replaced it with an aero trainer. A subsequent hard landing compressed the tire enough to hit the front corner of the gear door on the ground and bend it. That's a 1500$ door.

 

Wow - no kidding?  So thinking that through - could good tires even maybe save a prop strike in a hard landing?

[RocketAviator]

After feedback I went with what I'll call middle to lower end of the cost spectrum Air Hawks I'll report on their results, hopefully not soon though!

[Marauder]

After feedback I went with what I'll call middle to lower end of the cost spectrum Air Hawks I'll report on their results, hopefully not soon though!

I'll be curious how they fare under a heavier Mooney as well.

[RocketAviator]

Erik I bet you already know to be especially carefully with nose gear tire on Rocket a specifically called out heavier duty tire is required for our Rockets!

Besides us Mooney Pilots don't make hard landings now do we?

Especially those that have attended a Formation Clinic and learned how to flare without using flaps in a 90kt finial approach.....

[carusoam]

A flat tire shouldn't cause a prop strike...

Somewhere in the regs for plane design.

But....

If porpoising down the runway causes a flat tire, the third porpoise has been reported as the source of the prop strike.

Best regards,

-a-

[fantom]

Taxiing over that 2x4 or pot hole with a 'better' tire with stronger side walls and less compression, might save you from a very miserable day. 

[StinkBug]

After feedback I went with what I'll call middle to lower end of the cost spectrum Air Hawks I'll report on their results, hopefully not soon though!

 

That's the tire I was planning on ordering this evening as well.