Time to replacet tires

[M20F-1968]

Looking for some recommendations for tires.  Going to change all 3.  The choice is between Michelin Air v. Goodyear Flight Custom III.

I live in New England so I will see some ice and snow if that makes a difference.  6.00 X 6  6 ply for mains and 5.00 X 5, 6 ply for nose.

Also, look at air stop tubes.  Any experiences?

Any tire recommendations?   Please state reasons why you prefer one over another.

Thanks,

John Breda

[Hank]

Air Stop tubes are great. Mine barely leak any at all, I rarely need to add air except in the fall when temps drop.

I use GoodYear Flight Customs, but not III, there's no need for the cruise speed rating, they'll never touch anything that fast. Don't recall if I have the regular ones or II, I'll check this afternoon.

Edited March 5, 2016 by Hank

[nels]

I'm not going to recommend any particular manufacturer but sometimes I wonder if a lighter tire may be better than a heavier one. The heavier tire has two disadvantages: one it increases the planes weight and two they spin up slower due to the increase in mass so are more prone to flat spots on the tire where it skids during landing as it tries to come up to speed.

just food for thought.

Edited March 5, 2016 by nels

[Shadrach]

I use Airstop tubes with retreads from Wikerson. I am on my 2nd or 3rd set of retreads from this company.  I cannot say enough about the quality and value of these tires. No clearance issues and great wear characteristics at half the cost. I would buy them over any other tire I've used even if the cost was the same.

[NotarPilot]

I've read and heard very good things about Desser retreads. I'd definitely consider that next time I need tires.

[ArtVandelay]

Deja vu, could have sworn I seen this thread already?

[Andy95W]

Huge +1 for airstop tubes. 

I fly about 50 Mooney hours a year. At that rate, my tires will dry-rot before the tread goes. 

So do I want to replace a $200 Goodyear, a $120 Goodyear, or a $75 Air Hawk every ten years or so?

[Yetti]

My IA was suggesting Condors over the current Air Hawk

[garytex]

Condors wear out fast. Personal experience.

Avaition Consumer after extensive testing showed the deeper the rubber tread, the longer the wear. Flight customs and a dresser retread called Monster lasted longest, and had the lowest cost per "landing". 

[Andy95W]

3 hours ago, Yetti said:

My IA was suggesting Condors over the current Air Hawk

I've never used Condors so I can't so good or bad.  For $120 (Aircraft Spruce price) I think I'd buy the Goodyear Flight Special II, also $120.

[MyNameIsNobody]

My A&P wears flannel, so ya know...I win.

[N201MKTurbo]

15 hours ago, garytex said:

Condors wear out fast. Personal experience.

Avaition Consumer after extensive testing showed the deeper the rubber tread, the longer the wear. Flight customs and a dresser retread called Monster lasted longest, and had the lowest cost per "landing". 

I put monsters on last year. Don't do it! They are too big for the Mooney! They will hit the zerk fittings on landings and ruin them.

i bought a tire grinder from Jeggs and ground about 1/4 inch of tread off of them, now they are fine.

[1524J]

Air stop tubes....will try retreads on next tire purchase.

[Shadrach]

2 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I put monsters on last year. Don't do it! They are too big for the Mooney! They will hit the zerk fittings on landings and ruin them.

i bought a tire grinder from Jeggs and ground about 1/4 inch of tread off of them, now they are fine.

Try Wilkerson next time; there are no clearence issues with their retreads on a Mooney

[N201MKTurbo]

Just now, Shadrach said:

Try Wilkerson next time, there are no clearence issues with their retreads.

The standard Dresser retreads would probably be fine. The problem is the Monster retreads. They have extra tread and are bigger in diameter then a standard tire.

[Shadrach]

Just now, N201MKTurbo said:

The standard Dresser retreads would probably be fine. The problem is the Monster retreads. They have extra tread and are bigger in diameter then a standard tire.

I know. I think it's overkill. Almost any retread will out perform a regular tire in terms of wear, there is really no need for the extra material.

[jetdriven]

On 3/6/2016 at 6:48 PM, Yetti said:

My IA was suggesting Condors over the current Air Hawk

I had a hard landing in my 201 and it had a Condor tire on the RH side. That tire compressed enough to strike the gear door on the runway and effectively ruin it. a 1200$ gear door. I repaired it but it took me 6 hours and it still isnt right.

We replaced the tires with Desser retreads on Goodyear FC-III cores. . The tires have 3 years on them and look new still. They actualy have a harder tread compound than the stick FC-III. The desser tubes, are complete garbage. both failed where the stem is glued to the tube. And its happened to a friend the exact same failure.

[Shadrach]

7 hours ago, jetdriven said:

I had a hard landing in my 201 and it had a Condor tire on the RH side. That tire compressed enough to strike the gear door on the runway and effectively ruin it. a 1200$ gear door. I repaired it but it took me 6 hours and it still isnt right.

We replaced the tires with Desser retreads on Goodyear FC-III cores. . The tires have 3 years on them and look new still. They actualy have a harder tread compound than the stick FC-III. The desser tubes, are complete garbage. both failed where the stem is glued to the tube. And its happened to a friend the exact same failure.

I think the deal with retread tires is that the manufacturing process would be cost prohibitive with a new tire. New tires for light planes are made from a mold using the same rubber for the sidewall and tread. This is necessarily a compromise between hardness and flexibility. Retreads utilize a more robust rubber compound in the tread cap while retaining the flexible sidewall. This process is cost effective because of the number of carcasses available at little cost to "retread". I imagine it would be quite expensive to manufacture a multi compound tire new.

Both the military and the airlines use retreads. I imagine it's because the have data indicating what has performed the best.

Curious about the hard landing. Windshear? Gust? FOD or Animal on the runway?

 

 

[Marauder]

7 hours ago, jetdriven said: I had a hard landing in my 201 and it had a Condor tire on the RH side. That tire compressed enough to strike the gear door on the runway and effectively ruin it. a 1200$ gear door. I repaired it but it took me 6 hours and it still isnt right.

We replaced the tires with Desser retreads on Goodyear FC-III cores. . The tires have 3 years on them and look new still. They actualy have a harder tread compound than the stick FC-III. The desser tubes, are complete garbage. both failed where the stem is glued to the tube. And its happened to a friend the exact same failure.

Curious about the hard landing. Windshear? Gust? FOD or Animal on the runway?

 

 

Photo of his passenger after the flight. Need he say more?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Yetti]

I think the comment on the AirHawks was they have thinner sidewalls so they sit a little fatter.

[chrisk]

On 3/5/2016 at 5:06 PM, N1395W said:

Huge +1 for airstop tubes. 

I fly about 50 Mooney hours a year. At that rate, my tires will dry-rot before the tread goes. 

So do I want to replace a $200 Goodyear, a $120 Goodyear, or a $75 Air Hawk every ten years or so?

I have AirHawk tires on my plane.  I'm quite happy with them.  I replace my right main 2+ years ago with an AirHawk.  Last week I replaced the other main and nose with AirHawks.   --Based on one 2+ year sample, I am thrilled with the tires.  I also went with airstop tubes. Again, based on a single 2+ year sample, I am in love with the airstop tubes. Every month the old tubes needed air.  It is very rare for the airstop tube to need air.

[Browncbr1]

I have 6 ply airhawk tires ...   new last year and reused the tubes.. so far so good.   

[Robert C.]

+1 for retreads. Had them put on at my last annual and am very pleased with the way they hold up (and the 50% less costly price tag  ).

[M20F]

I buy the cheapest tires possible, they are airplane tires not car tires.  I have noted no difference between expensive tires and cheap tires on water, snow, etc.  I probably change mains every 2-3 years and put a new tube in as well (cheapest one possible).  My nose tire is dry rotting (it is 5yrs old) and will get replaced this spring.  Never had a leak, blow out, etc. in 27yrs.  In the transition from winter to fall I usually have to add some air, other than that easy as pie.

I have never used retreads but if you do get a bad one (and it does occur) they will separate and you will have a bad day.  For a GA jet or an airline the cost differential is immense between retreads and new tires, they can also handle a single wheel loss much better than we can.  I would just as soon put on a cheap solid tire and not worry about it, the price is about the same (or less).

My 2 cents.

[jetdriven]

can anyone point to an example of a retread aircraft tire separating and causing "a bad day" ? or is this more OWT like bladders leaking, and LOP burns valves?  I hear that too but no proof of such occurences.  And even if the tread did fly of,  does that render the carcass not capable of holding air?