Retreads

[MooneyMitch]

I am interested in your actual experience with them please.  If this topic is in the Forum, I apologize for missing it. 

[GeorgePerry]

I dont think messing with re-treads (I assume we are talking tires) is worth it.  A new set of mains can be had for about $100.  I'm not sure what re-treads would cost but if it's even close I'd just assume go with new.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/lgpages/mcairhawk.php

[MooneyMitch]

Thank you George.  I appreciate your input.  I am, however searching for folks that have had actual experience with retreads.  Aviation Consumer gave the Dresser "Monster Retread" a grueling test , followed by a stellar review.   Doing internet research on the issue of retreading, there seems to be a consistent dispelling of the negative myth associated with the process.  Compairing the Monster Retread [$64.00] with the Goodyear Flight Custom III [[$150.00][which Consumer also gave high praises], in my opinion, is food for thought.   Thank you again.

[KSMooniac]

FYI, Goodyear is offering a rebate on their new tires in celebration of some anniversary...and it expires today, so act fast if you want some new ones!  I would jump on it, but I think I'm still a good ways away from replacement <knocking on wood> and I don't want them sitting around the hangar growing a beard.

[GeorgePerry]

This discussion brings up a good point.  -How long should tires last?-   I recently replaced all my tires at annual.  Not because the tred was worn, but rather the age of the tire.  When I club raced Porsches and BMW's we used to store our race tires in large trash bags to slow the vulcanizaion process.  (the seeping of the chemicals that keep a tire plyable).  The process is much more pronounced in race tires since they are designed to be thrown away after just a few heat cycles .  The same applies for any tire really, just much slower for non-race applications.  Over time they loose thier elasticy. 

Personally, I wouldn't want to go more than about 4-5 years on a set.  I think that's a realistic time frame.  The question I'm curious about is how many landings should a set of goodyear or michelin 6.00-6 tires withstand...100, 200 more.  I just don't know....I'd be interested in to see if anyone out there has really "worn out" a set and how many landings did it take.

[KSMooniac]

George, generally speaking I think your view is the correct one for our owner-flown Mooneys when the primary mission is XC travel.  We don't rack up the landing cycles like a primary trainer, so our tires will age-out before the tread is worn down to the point of going bald (unless a bad landing flat-spots a tire). 

On the MAPA email list several people pointed out the potential dimensional problems with retreads being slightly oversized to the point they simply don't fit into the wheel wells of a Mooney, so that is a risk I absolutely will not take.  I think retreads make sense on a fixed-gear trainer, but not a Mooney.

[MooneyMitch]

Hi JimR.

I did find out today from Dave Morris [Texas A model owner] about his issue with a gear up, with what he feels was due to the Monster Retreads he had installed.   Apparently Don Maxwell was testing the aircraft after installing the Monsters and bent a tube upon retraction.  Dave feels the subsequent gear up was due to the bent tube.  This may be the same person you speak of.  Dave did purchased the Monsters based on the same Aviation Consumer article I've read. 

In addition, today Jolie heard from Stacey Ellis from Mooney.  Stacy did say that there have been cases of retreads hanging up in Mooney wheel wells.  That's good enough for me.  As they say, there are those that have and those that will [gear ups], so I certainly don't need to increase the odds by having a retread cause the problem.   I don't doubt that the Monsters will perform longer than a new tire, but the fittment issue is the obvious concern.

You do mention the spinning wheel as it tucks into the wheel well.  I believe we are to tap on the brakes prior to retracting, so the wheel is not spinning when it folds into the well [at least that's what I've always done].  Anyway, that's neither here nor there.  

Thank you all for your input.

[MooneyMitch]

Thank you Jim.  I just ordered the Flight Custom III's as well.  No fooling around when it comes to our shoes on the ground when we touch down.  I've never gone on the edge with my motorcycle tires or my aircraft tires.  Actually, not in the car either.  It's our only contact point between our vehicles and terra firma.

Best to you.

[MooneyPilot231]

I have 130 on the Air Hawks that were installed last May. I just flipped them during the annual and I will get about the same number of landings on them before replacing becomes necessary. I think 250 landings if you rotate them to account for the lean inwards is a reasonable goal.

[MooneyMitch]

Ok, my brand new Goodyear Flight Custom III's and tubes are mounted and I am just a bit baffled here!!  Here's my situation............... with the aircraft still up on jacks, I spin the nose wheel and I notice the tire is not perfectly round.  I put a reference edge [metal wheel stop] up next to the surface of the tire and I spin it again.  I measure a good 1/8" deflection at the out of round area.  Same thing with the new mains as well.  The red tire/yellow tube dots are all lined up and pressure is correct.  Anyone had this experience please?

[nishantc04]

I have the Goodyear Flight Custom III's also and have found that the tire tends to be less than perfectly round. When the tire sits on the airplane, I get a slightly out of round shape on the nose and mains. I read about it and discovered that the kevlar reinforcement tends to adapt based on the way it sits. I'm not sure how the tires were shipped or how they were sitting before you installed them, but that might explain it. When I taxi the airplane a short distance, the tire rounds out perfectly. I do feel some bumps when I first start taxiing, but it always goes away within 1-2 minutes tops.

It happens when the air pressure is set correctly, but it does get worse when the air pressure is low.

Nishant

[nishantc04]

I forgot to mention - the ambient temperature definitely affects how much the kevlar adapts when it's been sitting and how quickly it rounds out on taxi.  The colder it is, the longer it takes.  During the summer when it's 100+ Farenheit, pulling the airplane out of the hangar is usually enough to round out the tire.

[MooneyMitch]

Thank you Nishant.  I was just not expecting this on a top of the line tire.  I have another set coming to compare.  When you buy a product that is supposedly the best, and it is out of round, it is somewhat frustrating.  If this is normal, then so be it.  I've used McCreary's for years and never noticed such a thing, but I could have just missed it all together. 

[MooneyMitch]

Got the new set today and they are installed and PERFECT!!!  I have no idea why I got the rejects the first time around........hmmm!  All is well.