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  #1  
Old 09-21-2010, 06:21 AM
meadeduck meadeduck is offline
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Marietta, Ga.
Posts: 220
Default Wheel pants and tire pressure

For those of us that have wheel pants, does anyone have any ideas about how to check the tire pressure without taking them apart? I've thought about making a neat circle (?) for access to the tire valve stem. I'm just not sure how to do the 'neat' part.
Meade (and George)
N612RV
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  #2  
Old 09-21-2010, 06:40 AM
JBPILOT JBPILOT is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Jesup, Iowa
Posts: 1,657
Default These work

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...ccessdoors.php

Cut a good hole and rivet these inside.

John Bender
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  #3  
Old 09-21-2010, 10:44 AM
rodeomanny rodeomanny is offline
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 45
Default Wheel pants and tire pressure

Snap in stainless covers from Lowe's are much cheaper and work much easier. Outline a hole using a metal washer and cut it out with a dremel tool. Line up the air valve to the hole you've cut, then mark the tire bottom with nail polish or paint for future use. Use an extended air chuck to reach the valve. One was advertised here by Jerry Farek (sp?) in Houston. It has a built in pressure gauge and works very nicely. Remove and replace the air valve cap through the aforementioned hole cover using a nut driver. Do this and you won't have to remove your wheel pants.
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  #4  
Old 02-03-2011, 05:22 PM
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Tony_T Tony_T is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Lacey, WA
Posts: 1,365
Wink Resurrect the tire pressure thread...

Quote:
Originally Posted by meadeduck View Post
For those of us that have wheel pants, does anyone have any ideas about how to check the tire pressure without taking them apart? I've thought about making a neat circle (?) for access to the tire valve stem. I'm just not sure how to do the 'neat' part.
Meade (and George)
N612RV
I have the wheel pants and have developed a neat way to get to the tire valve. I found that the lightening hole in the outboard fairing bracket lines up exactly with the valve stem.
This hole:

I "match drilled", using a unibit, a 3/4" hole in the fairing. Cleaveland tool has a 5" tire valve extension here, that you can reach in and screw onto the valve stem and check tire pressure. I used a nickel plated cap to fill the hole (also from Cleaveland). The yellow valve stem cap can be removed with a 10mm nut driver or socket and carefully pulled out thru the hole and put back the same way. I am really happy with the way it turned out, should be part of the kit .
Also, you need to put a paint mark on the tire visible at the 6 o-clock when the valve stem is lined up with the hole.
Sorry, I did not have my camera with me when I did the work, but will get pics of the completed job next time at the hangar and post them.

If you do this, be sure that your valve stem lines up with this hole before cutting the fairing .
Tony
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Last edited by Tony_T : 02-03-2011 at 07:09 PM. Reason: Re: paint mark
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  #5  
Old 02-03-2011, 07:27 PM
BigJohn BigJohn is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Gloversville, NY
Posts: 1,587
Default

Meade and George,

Check my photo here for how I installed the Camlock doors. I wasn't as smart as Tony, so did not line them up with the lightening holes. Mine are up higher.

I bought a combo airhose/gauge that I can stick right into the valve stem. Not at home now, can't remember where I got it. I can let you know in a couple of weeks when I get home.

John
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  #6  
Old 02-03-2011, 07:59 PM
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cbo111 cbo111 is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Bradenton, fl
Posts: 89
Default Airstops

Or just use Michelin Airstop tubes. I probably lose about 2 psi every 6 months. They are expensive, but worth every penny!
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  #7  
Old 02-06-2011, 02:40 PM
dick seiders dick seiders is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 905
Default

For those who haven't yet done it save yourself the trouble and expense and don't use the pants. They don't add any speed of any consequence, can be a problem on grass, and in ice and snow. The 12 looks just fine without them. I had all the above problems on my 6A and while the speed could be a factor on that airplane there was no speed limit other than VNE. Furthermore they looked good on a 6A, while I believe they are very clunky looking on a 12. My 2 cents.
Dick Seiders
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  #8  
Old 02-06-2011, 03:01 PM
ao.frog ao.frog is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Manstad, Norway
Posts: 866
Default I...

... decided to do it the KISS way: I used a stepdrill and cut a small hole in the wheelpant, just big enough to let the tire valve extension go through it.

The hole is smaller than the one needed for the camlock door and it isn't easy to spot on the wheelpant (unless you look for it ofcourse)

Costs nothing and adds no weight.

You can see the hole as a black spot in the pics below.

I have a -7 but I guess the pants are about the same?

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First RV-7 completed, (bought partly finished from a US-builder) 305 hrs per July 2014, SOLD
Second -7 had first flight Feb 25th 2014. 220 hrs pr July 2019. Life is good!
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  #9  
Old 02-06-2011, 03:55 PM
David Paule David Paule is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 4,435
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cbo111 View Post
Or just use Michelin Airstop tubes. I probably lose about 2 psi every 6 months. They are expensive, but worth every penny!
Hmm, didn't know about these.

Thanks!

Dave
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  #10  
Old 02-06-2011, 06:59 PM
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Jetguy Jetguy is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Texas, Fort Worth
Posts: 1,237
Thumbs up Blonds or Breunets?

Let me take time out from the Super Bust Game to comment on the RV12 wheels pans. Some guys like blonds and some like brunettes! I love my Bodacious Pans! I am a first time builder so have no experience with other models. If I had some experience with the after market pans I may have gone with one of them. But I didn't want to reinvent the wheel so went with the proven ones. After all that's why I went with a 12. I thought that the Vans Pans went together just as advertised in the plans. I think it gives the plane a nice finished look. If I was flying off a lot of unimproved strips I might leave them off. Although I did notice last summer at OSH that a lot of mud was flug off Vans demo 12 mains cause they did not have their pans on. We had a lot of rain at OSH 2010. So they do shield your wings from flying rocks and other debris when they are installed. I think and this is just my opinion, that you get a 10knt speed increase with all the pans on and the nose strut fairing in place. Each owner will have to decide for himself. Just eased over 100 hours on the plane. No pans, Ill see you in the rearview.
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