Bought a lot on a grass strip. Tend to use a lot of grass strips anyway. I've long considered upsizing the tires, wheels, brakes, and pants on my -8.
Yes, I know about the 380-150-5 tires. 15.25" diameter vs 17.5" for 6.00's, same width. I'll have to change the wheel pants either way, and 6.00 tires generally cost less.
Comments welcome. Here's my concern...
Grove is recommending the 65-211 kit, which comes with 31-5M dual piston calipers. They're rated 3947 in-lbs braking torque. I'm afraid they may be a bit too powerful.
https://www.groveaircraft.com/600series.html
As most here would agree, the standard Clevelands are a bit undersize, which is not all bad. On rollout, you can stand on them pretty hard without lifting the tail. I like that. Unfortunately, I can't find a brake torque rating for the Clevelands, which would make comparison easy.
Grove recommends a 50-201 kit as their 5" choice on a tailwheel -8, at 2364 in-lbs.
https://www.groveaircraft.com/rvwheel.html
https://www.groveaircraft.com/5series.html
If I use it as a proxy for the Clevelands, and assume required brake torque (thus brake feel) is proportional to tire rolling radius, the comparable 6" wheel and brake assembly would need a brake torque of around 2900 in-lbs. A reasonable choice might be a 65-202 kit at 3335 in lbs, a caliper with a single 1.625" piston.
So, less powerful single piston caliper (3335 in-bs), a slight increase from the current Clevelands? Or the more powerful (3947 in-lbs) dual piston? We're really talking about feel here, the toe pressure required for a given decel rate. Kinetic energy, a function of disc mass, is the same for both setups.
Anyone out there running a 6" Grove wheel set? If so, which calipers do you have and how do you like 'em?
Yes, I know about the 380-150-5 tires. 15.25" diameter vs 17.5" for 6.00's, same width. I'll have to change the wheel pants either way, and 6.00 tires generally cost less.
Comments welcome. Here's my concern...
Grove is recommending the 65-211 kit, which comes with 31-5M dual piston calipers. They're rated 3947 in-lbs braking torque. I'm afraid they may be a bit too powerful.
https://www.groveaircraft.com/600series.html
As most here would agree, the standard Clevelands are a bit undersize, which is not all bad. On rollout, you can stand on them pretty hard without lifting the tail. I like that. Unfortunately, I can't find a brake torque rating for the Clevelands, which would make comparison easy.
Grove recommends a 50-201 kit as their 5" choice on a tailwheel -8, at 2364 in-lbs.
https://www.groveaircraft.com/rvwheel.html
https://www.groveaircraft.com/5series.html
If I use it as a proxy for the Clevelands, and assume required brake torque (thus brake feel) is proportional to tire rolling radius, the comparable 6" wheel and brake assembly would need a brake torque of around 2900 in-lbs. A reasonable choice might be a 65-202 kit at 3335 in lbs, a caliper with a single 1.625" piston.
So, less powerful single piston caliper (3335 in-bs), a slight increase from the current Clevelands? Or the more powerful (3947 in-lbs) dual piston? We're really talking about feel here, the toe pressure required for a given decel rate. Kinetic energy, a function of disc mass, is the same for both setups.
Anyone out there running a 6" Grove wheel set? If so, which calipers do you have and how do you like 'em?
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