Jump to content

Tires, how old is too old?

Grandmas Flying Couch
 Share

Recommended Posts

Grandmas Flying Couch Collaborator

Grandmas Flying Couch

Posted
Posted

The date codes on my tires are 2005 and 2009,2009.  Side walls are fine see pics.  The tread area has light checking exactly like the attached pic (I don't have pic of tread area), I don't know if that's normal, I don't have more pictures at the moment.  I would be replacing the tires and tubes with Air Hawks.  Plane has been sitting for two years, they only need air twice a year.  Would you fly these tires?

I am in the middle of installing an overhauled engine that lived a short life and have been hemorrhaging money to the tune of $30K on this plane over the least year.  So If I can fly these another year that would help.  20230205_111903.jpg.91c9bc4b27b9b99bc502fce7f406a1d3.jpg20230205_111733.jpg.3fb341242a4134a44be747f8059a4b9c.jpg20230205_111903.jpg.91c9bc4b27b9b99bc502fce7f406a1d3.jpg20230205_111903.jpg.91c9bc4b27b9b99bc502fce7f406a1d3.jpg

Weather check.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
carusoam Grand Master

carusoam

Posted
Posted

There are some guidance to follow…

But, cracked surface rubber isn’t a disaster…

The air doesn’t leak out any faster…. The tube keeps the air in place.

The tire structure is composite like… the strength is the fibers hidden in and beneath that rubber…

when you see the tire cords showing… they are unprotected… so that is a good sign for replacement…

 

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic…

Best regards,

-a-

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
N201MKTurbo Grand Master

N201MKTurbo

Posted
Posted

UV is what kills them. If it was stored in a hangar, you should be fine.

The real tell is splits and checks in the sidewalls and between the treads.

I would think the failure mode of old tires is the same for car tires and airplane tires. They will shed chunks of tread, or the sidewalls fail and the whole tire shreds. Our tires roll for such short distances, it's unlikely any failure wouldn't show up at preflight before it completely failed. I've never seen or heard of an airplane tire catastrophically failing. I'm sure it happens, but I've never seen it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Grandmas Flying Couch Collaborator

Grandmas Flying Couch

Posted
  • Author
Posted
14 minutes ago, carusoam said:

There are some guidance to follow…

But, cracked surface rubber isn’t a disaster…

The air doesn’t leak out any faster…. The tube keeps the air in place.

The tire structure is composite like… the strength is the fibers hidden in and beneath that rubber…

when you see the tire cords showing… they are unprotected… so that is a good sign for replacement…

 

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic…

Best regards,

-a-

Definitely nothing like cords showing, they are just old.  Thanks.  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
carusoam Grand Master

carusoam

Posted
Posted

We don’t get much tread depth with out tires…

They don’t usually last very long under heavy braking…

Or a skid mark or two…

when your plane lives outdoors UV attacking the rubber is pretty significant…  I used to use armor all for UV protection…  didn’t provide a shine…

So if you get a decade out of a tire… you have done very well…

:)

Best regards,

-a-

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Grandmas Flying Couch Collaborator

Grandmas Flying Couch

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 minute ago, N201MKTurbo said:

UV is what kills them. If it was stored in a hangar, you should be fine.

The real tell is splits and checks in the sidewalls and between the treads.

I would think the failure mode of old tires is the same for car tires and airplane tires. They will shed chunks of tread, or the sidewalls fail and the whole tire shreds. Our tires roll for such short distances, it's unlikely any failure wouldn't show up at preflight before it completely failed. I've never seen or heard of an airplane tire catastrophically failing. I'm sure it happens, but I've never seen it.

It's been in a hangar for the last 5 years.  Just those little checks like in the that pic right in the middle of the tread portion.  I will keep them in service at least another year.  In Phoenix car tires should be replaced by the 6 or 7 year mark or they tend to fall apart and you get a blow out on the highway.  I'm worried about that on the plane.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
N201MKTurbo Grand Master

N201MKTurbo

Posted
Posted
Just now, Grandmas Flying Couch said:

It's been in a hangar for the last 5 years.  Just those little checks like in the that pic right in the middle of the tread portion.  I will keep them in service at least another year.  In Phoenix car tires should be replaced by the 6 or 7 year mark or they tend to fall apart and you get a blow out on the highway.  I'm worried about that on the plane.  

Yes, but it isn't the heat that gets them, it is the sunshine. I live on the other side of town.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
EricJ Grand Master

EricJ

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, Grandmas Flying Couch said:

It's been in a hangar for the last 5 years.  Just those little checks like in the that pic right in the middle of the tread portion.  I will keep them in service at least another year.  In Phoenix car tires should be replaced by the 6 or 7 year mark or they tend to fall apart and you get a blow out on the highway.  I'm worried about that on the plane.  

+1 that I'd fly on those.   If it's been hangared and there's not much checking inside the tread grooves or on the sidewalls they should be good.  I don't know anybody that checks the date codes during preflight, just for obvious checking, cord showing, chunks missing, etc.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
carusoam Grand Master

carusoam

Posted
Posted

Big difference for the plane tire…

The car tires… the air pressure doesn’t get maintained by a tube.

Some improvement lately… with cars using a tire pressure monitoring system… all the new cars are getting these lately…

Ford and Firestone…led the knowledge on how low pressure in a single rear tire can be a disaster…

 

Planes don’t have heavy cornering forces…. They’re not top heavy… and they don’t get overloaded…. Like a sport Ute heading to grandma’s house for the holidays… :)

-a-

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Grandmas Flying Couch Collaborator

Grandmas Flying Couch

Posted
  • Author
Posted
2 minutes ago, EricJ said:

+1 that I'd fly on those.   If it's been hangared and there's not much checking inside the tread grooves or on the sidewalls they should be good.  I don't know anybody that checks the date codes during preflight, just for obvious checking, cord showing, chunks missing, etc.

That's a good point, I'm going to fly them.  I'm rusty since I haven't flown in two years, I'll let these take the abuse of a few bad landings.  

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
47U Mentor

47U

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, Grandmas Flying Couch said:

Plane has been sitting for two years, they only need air twice a year.

If the tubes in these tires have maintained air pressure (tires not sitting flat on the sidewalls) and they otherwise pass visual inspection, then I’d vote for continued service.  

However, I’d be reluctant to fly on tubes that old.  My nose tire went flat after a 20 minute flight, second flight of the day, landing back at home station.  No advance warning.  The vibration (as we decelerated) was alarming.  The airplane is hangared so the tire preflighted fine, but the tube developed a pin hole, all by itself, after (only) 9 years in service.  By the time I figured out what the problem was I was at a taxiway, so I exited and shut down.  I changed both the tire (which was due for replacement at next annual) and the tube.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
N201MKTurbo Grand Master

N201MKTurbo

Posted
Posted

https://shop.desser.com/retreading/

It looks like they image the tire before and after pressurization and look for shearing. Which to me says that a reinforcement cord has failed.

If you have ever seen a car tire with a pucker in the sidewall, that is caused by a broken cord. It looks like that is what they are looking for. Just doing it a little more automated to keep human judgement out of the process.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
N201MKTurbo Grand Master

N201MKTurbo

Posted
Posted

https://d18hjk6wpn1fl5.cloudfront.net/public/406/documents/Current-casingformnew_pdf-406-49689-1.pdf

This is the visual inspection for sending a tire in for retreading. They say if you send in a tire that obviously fails the visual inspection, they will charge you for disposing of the tire.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.