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  #1  
Old 09-01-2016, 11:11 AM
olderthandirt olderthandirt is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Lopez Island, Wa.
Posts: 178
Default Landing gear

My landing gear looks like a knock knee'd cowboy, the camber is so bad the tires are wearing very quickly on outer edge..my question for all of you out there in advice land...Van's sells shims to correct the camber, they are in 1 degree increments..so has anyone used them and how many were needed...they are $25.00 each so would not like to order more then I need...and yes the toe in is correct.....thanks for help
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  #2  
Old 09-01-2016, 11:42 AM
redbaron redbaron is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Lucerne,Ca
Posts: 272
Default shims

I followed Vans proceedure and mine was right on so did not need them. With 2 people and full fuel this should help having the wheels wear more in the center.
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  #3  
Old 09-01-2016, 12:26 PM
DHeal DHeal is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Windsor, California
Posts: 924
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Wear on the outside edges of the main tires is normal for the RV-12 and other airplanes with similarly designed main gear configurations. Check that your wheels are aligned in accordance with Van's plans. As RedBaron noted, at higher operating weights your wear may prove to be more even. I suspect that most of us have resigned ourselves to flipping over the tires halfway through their use to even out wear and yield longer tread life.
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Last edited by DHeal : 09-01-2016 at 12:29 PM.
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  #4  
Old 09-01-2016, 01:07 PM
12vaitor 12vaitor is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Panama City, FL
Posts: 132
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The shims are for adjusting the toe-in/toe-out, as your's is already correct you should not need any. There is no camber adjustment and Van's has recommended not messing with it to everyone who wants to "fix" it.

John Salak
RV-12 N896HS
120116
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  #5  
Old 09-01-2016, 05:23 PM
olderthandirt olderthandirt is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Lopez Island, Wa.
Posts: 178
Default Thanks

Thanks for suggestions, however keeping the tank full and hauling a passenger around just to keep landing gear in alignment does not seem to be the solution I was looking for....I have owned many planes and this one by far is eating the tires faster on outer edge...and you can plainly see it with canted angle...even passers bye comment on it...and at RV 12 fly ins you see them all over the place...
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  #6  
Old 09-01-2016, 08:50 PM
Chrysopelea Chrysopelea is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: santa rosa CA
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFCTIIPuACM
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  #7  
Old 09-02-2016, 06:01 AM
BigJohn BigJohn is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Gloversville, NY
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When you say "eating tires", what do you mean exactly? How many hours and more importantly how many landings on them? Have they been rotated and when?
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  #8  
Old 09-02-2016, 07:17 AM
flynwest flynwest is offline
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 377
Default Tire wear

Outside tire wear is normal. When the plane is in the air the camber is tipped inward. At touch down the outside hits first at the highest speed of the landing. Most wear occurs then, as you rollout the weight adjust camber to a more tire on the runway attitude. I flip my tires at annual to wear both sides. Monster retreads wear a lot better than the stock tires.
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  #9  
Old 09-02-2016, 08:22 AM
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f1rocket f1rocket is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Martinsville, IN
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If you touch down at too high an airspeed, you will wear out the tires quickly. As others have noted, IF the toe is correct, you don't need the shims and changing the camber will not improve the tire wear. I suspect that either the toe is off or the tires are underinflated and the speed too high.

I had to use shims on my gear to get the toe "close". I bought two shims but only used one. I still have a slight toe out on one wheel, but it is less than what one shim can correct, so close enough. At 240 hours, my tires still look good. the wear is even with plenty of tread showing yet.
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  #10  
Old 09-02-2016, 08:53 AM
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rvbuilder2002 rvbuilder2002 is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Hubbard Oregon
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Quote:
Originally Posted by f1rocket View Post
If you touch down at too high an airspeed, you will wear out the tires quickly.
A fairly common issue (and not just with RV-12 pilots), particularly when someone is new to the airplane.
The RV-12 is easily capable of touching down at sub 45 kt speeds if flown properly.
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