Sidewinder use

[larrynimmo]

I bought a sidewinder in new condition from a fellow ...or now an ex- mooneyspace member (TBM). It works great and is extremely powerful...just curious if anyone is finding any shortening of life on the nose tire?

[M20F-1968]

10 minutes ago, larrynimmo said:

I bought a sidewinder in new condition from a fellow ...or now an ex- mooneyspace member (TBM). It works great and is extremely powerful...just curious if anyone is finding any shortening of life on the nose tire?

None at all.

John Breda

[StevenL757]

Ditto. 

[Mcstealth]

Once you use a sidewinder on an opposing plane,  the results are usually explosive!

[M016576]

8 hours ago, Mcstealth said:

Once you use a sidewinder on an opposing plane,  the results are usually explosive!

Really expensive, though... the newest version runs about 400K....

[MikeOH]

56 minutes ago, M016576 said:

Really expensive, though... the newest version runs about 400K....

Yeah, but you don't have to go around when some guy cuts you off

[MikeOH]

9 hours ago, Mcstealth said:

Once you use a sidewinder on an opposing plane,  the results are usually explosive!

And, I suspect that it is hard on the nose wheel tire

[HXG]

I have not seen any increased tire wear in over 3 years of using the sidewinder. The only issues I’ve had have been in snow, where the roller gets packed with a useless snow-ice layer and on ice where traction is near nil.  But, that’s not too surprising.  I keep some cheap mats in my hangar to lay on the snow and ice for this reason.  

[carusoam]

How many hours does a nose wheel tire last?

I don’t remember changing one....

And I have killed too many mains over the years...

 

So... to wear a tire more using a power towing device...

• you would have to drive it several miles each day...?  Or...
• mis-use the tow so it’s drive mechanism was spinning while the tire wasn’t moving....? Or....
• Get the tire to spin quickly while the plane is stationary..? Or...
• drive the tire left/right/left/right without rolling the tire....

Take a look at the hangar floor... do you see a lot of black rubber marks on the floor where the nose tire is?

I listed all the things I could think of that would wear a nose tire...

What else Wears the tire other than use. 
 

Landings are pretty tough on them...they have to go from 0 to 60kias upon touching the runway surface... there may be something it contacts in the wheel well that may aid it to slow down...

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

[moosebreath]

Nope, love mine.

[Mooney217RN]

Funny you posted this about potential wear of the nose tire.  I wondered the same, but I fly so much it's hard to tell if the Sidewinder is causing accelerated wear on the nosewheel.

[carusoam]

If good contact is made... the Sidewinder will drive the tire...

If the tire has good contact with the ground the tire will drive the plane around...

Incredibly low wear will occur... but it will be un-noticeable....

Where Tires wear... Is when things slip, or skid....

My hand pushed tow bar can leave black marks from the nose tire on the floor when I try to move the plane a little sideways in the hangar...

So... you might see some black rubber left behind...   the soft rubber compound seems to do that on its own... 

Then again... if you have a Chevy 350 powered sidewinder... you may be smoking the nose tire....   
 

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-