Andrew, I am quite puzzled by your friend's experience, since mine is very different. Since together with Smokey I kicked this thread off, I thought I would put a link to some follow up pictures where I investigated the build up of grass / mud / sheep sh*t in the spats.

Flying from my strip it really turns out not to be a problem. I probably take a look in every 3 months or so but while they are 'mucky' I am always surprised how little build up on the inside. The outside is sometimes more challenging.

My soil is clay. In fact about 500 years ago there was a brick works here.

I guess it raises a question. Which way up does grass gow in NZ? Roots up or down? :-) Could that be the problem?

I have to say I would not fly with the spats off. My Supercub used to get filthy. I have even washed mud off the top of the wings after flying at this time of year. The spats deflect it nearly all back down.

Have fun!

Ditto. We have some low spots on our runway that get very muddy, and I've had so much mud on my airplane that it looked like I went off-roading with it. Any time I've checked the wheelpants there's been virtually no mud inside, and I have about a 1/2" gap all around the tires.

Grass.
 

Yes, I'm surprised this has happened too. He was the first time as well! Considering that something like 40% (I think, so don't quote me) of the dairy products in the world come from little old New Zealand we know how to grow grass here. And we've even learned to stuff up the environment by getting even more of it to grow! Generally they don't let the cows out onto the runways 'cos of the cow do-do, so the grass tends to get away on the airfields a bit.

I've seen the pictures and video of your strip Steve and it looks like a billiard table. Sheep keep grass shortly cropped as well.

It sounds like no one on VAF has put the big wheel pants on any of the two seat RVs as the 380x15x5 tyres work so well under the standard pants. Good to hear that anyway.

Cheers,
Andrew.

Grass
 

Andrew

North island sheep s**t south island rabbit s**t and welington bs especially near the beehive must be making the grass stick.

Joking aside we operate of grass all the time and in all field conditions in Norfolk UK and we do not have any problems like these, and last time I looked wiakato cow cocky grass is no different to what I fly off. The only problem we have is mud and ice ocassionally. Is the spat a close fit or is grass getting up the side of the wheel. Are other NZ RV owners having this problem as well I suspect not.

I would put on the standard wheels with bigger tyres only, as I think that would suffice on most topdressing strips.

I do know Darton Field has perfect grass runways, well it did when all those beavers flew from there.

Caveat: These are only my opinions!!

Happy flying in Aoatearoa.
Rob

Bigger tires on the RV4
 

I installed those larger Dresser tires on my -4 also, and really love them and think they even look better as well make the plane a bit more versatil... but now I get a pretty good shimmy going on fast taxis and rollouts - not sure what to do about that and why it just decided to start doing that!?
...Redhawk

Mine did too...
 

Redhawk,

I had the same problem. After 50+ hours my gear started developing a pretty bad wheel shimmy/shake. So bad the wheel pants started getting cracks I had to repair. Took the wheels off to balance the tires and found the tires had developed some pretty bad out of round spots. Long story short, bigger tires on the same 5 inch wheel is quite a bit more rotating mass than the stock gear was made to handle. If the tire gets out of round or lumpy, this rotating mass will be an issue, was on mine. I think if you land mostly on grass, this won't be a problem but I land mostly on pavement and the rubber simply scrubbed off unevenly. In general I am easy on the brakes so don't think skidding off the rubber was an issue.

I have since switched back to stock sized tires, picked up 3 knots and can and do use the same wheelpants with no problems. I miss the big tires when landing on the farm but the wheel shimmy sucked and couldn't balance it out. Might look into 6 inch wheels in the future...

Thanks for your input!
I may do the same and go back to the stock tires. I decreased my tire pressure a few pounds and this seemed to help a bit, but I still get a shimmy unless I taxi very slow...
I'll sure miss them though. I think they are a overall improvement when they don't shimmy!

Shimmy Problems Resolved with Big Tires
 

Well, my original tires were flatspotted something terrible (pilot's fault no doubt), so I decided to go ahead and go with new 380's and the shimmy is gone! My point is that no matter the size any flat spotted tire will generate a shimmy. I doubt that the extra inch or so in diameter makes much difference.

I fly a 6A and I still have the bitty lamb tire up front. With the new main tires I have better visibility over the nose while taxiing. The only difference I have noticed on takeoff is that the nose has a bit of a tendency to pop into the air, likely due to the lower initial AOA. My brain has already adjusted to this effect. On landing I can keep the nosewheel up longer, which has to be good.

Hans

What are these 'pressure recovery pants?"

Hi Lynol...
 

....the 'pressure rcovery' wheelpants are the latest, lower drag wheelpants and differ from the earlier flat-sided wheelpants, in that they have a 'teardrop' shape with the rear third being concave. They're several MPH faster with their rounded, more eye-pleasing look,

Best,