Tire split

wnplt · #1 07-03-2018, 09:46 AM

Obviously I?m grounded till new tires but has anyone seen this and what might have caused it? The plane is new to me so not sure if it?s age of tires or what. Tires have 170 hours with good tread life left. I don?t remember seeing these cracks last time I had the fairings off about 20 hours ago. Aircraft was completed in 2012.

Thanks...

https://flic.kr/p/262iTZY

https://flic.kr/p/262jra3

Vern · #2 07-03-2018, 10:06 AM

Must replace as you have noted. Are you familiar with the how to replace an rv tire? If not, there are tools and techniques you will need to learn. Suggest you find a fellow RV owner to demo, or hire the local A&P to observe and learn from him.

wnplt · #3 07-03-2018, 10:25 AM

Thanks Vern... I worked for an AP for many years and have done a ton of tire changes. Not so much on the RV as of yet but is a standard Cleveland wheel and 500x5 tire. I?ve had very good luck with Condor tires so planning those.. I did purchase the Avery tools jack and bought two new axle nuts from Vans for the Avery nut modification. To get the old axle nut off I intend to keep the brake caliper attached while I remove the old axle nut then using the Avery tool jack the axle, remove the brake pad and slide the wheel off. Going back on install the wheel and newly modified axle nut. I?ll run everything past the A&P for good measure.

lr172 · #4 07-03-2018, 11:06 AM

likely a manufacturing defect. I would guess the cording is either missing in that area or otherwise compromised. I have seen tires with significant dry rot that still held together well. The internal cording/plys provide most of the strength of the tire. Think reinforced concrete.

Larry

Quote:

Originally Posted by wnplt

Obviously I’m grounded till new tires but has anyone seen this and what might have caused it? The plane is new to me so not sure if it’s age of tires or what. Tires have 170 hours with good tread life left. I don’t remember seeing these cracks last time I had the fairings off about 20 hours ago. Aircraft was completed in 2012.

Thanks...

https://flic.kr/p/262iTZY

https://flic.kr/p/262jra3

Vern · #5 07-03-2018, 12:24 PM

I?ve had good service with Desser monster retreads. They happen to h ave a July sale going on now and are usually on sale at Oshkosh

RV3bpilot · #6 07-04-2018, 11:23 AM

I had one tire weather check like crack right down the center of the tire in between the tire tread groove. The tire had 300 hours on it and was almost wore out, oh and it was 15 years old.
I did some tire research and purchased a new set of Goodyear Flight Custom III. And as an experiment I did not balance them and went out for some touch and goes. Weird as it may seem my left gear leg shake was not there at all.. So I resolved two problems with one set of new tires...

gmohr · #7 07-04-2018, 05:40 PM

I had tires on a plane I bought a few years ago. It had been sitting in the
hangar for 2 years before I bought it. When we aired up the tires they cracked
like that. 2 new mains and the plane was good to go.

UH1CW2 · #8 07-04-2018, 05:46 PM

That looks like an old tire (Dry Rot). Possibly been sitting on the shelf for years before you purchased and installed it. I think I would send that back as a defect tire if you still have the receipt. The rubber dries out and they lose elasticity.

chrispratt · #9 07-04-2018, 07:06 PM

FAA stats show that most GA hobby planes on average fly 40 or 50 hours a year. So aging of the tire and structural deterioration are real factors to consider. Perhaps that was the issue with yours -- if they were the original 2012 tires then 6 years (2018 minus 2012) plus whatever shelf time they had while building would possibly be enough to break down their structure.

Personally, I replace tires every five years regardless of apparent condition, not because of wear but as a preventive measure. The cost of new tires is cheap compared to the cost of a flat and potential damage from having a tire fail while in motion. Just my 2c.

I use the Condors and have had excellent experience with them. I'm on my third set now -- every five years like I said earlier.

Chris

gyoung · #10 07-04-2018, 07:25 PM

The diamond pattern looks like the Aero Classics from Desser. I had a 600x6 Aero Classic do that on the nose wheel of my Navion. It had radial cracks thru the points of the diamonds in many places on both sides. I view it as a mfg defect and have saved the tire to show to Desser at Oshkosh. I've had great success with their retreads but won't buy the Aero Classics again.