Maintaining Tire Pressure with Wheel Pants - Page 2

Piper J3 · #11 01-21-2023, 07:21 PM

Correct... I have Michelin AirStop tubes that have very low leakage rate. Very rare if I have to inflate tires during summer season. Michelin AS tubes are incredibly expensive...

seagull · #12 01-21-2023, 08:06 PM

I have the Michelin tubes also. Every 60 days I check pressure and typically add 2psi. I do a visual tire check every time I walk up to the plane. The only reason I can see the remote sensors useful is on a landing checklist. Any leak is going to create a visually flat tire so the wheel pant is coming off regardless. I use the 1” hole and a screw on extension, very quick to add and check. I use witness paint to mark the bottom of the tire when the valve stem is aligned with the 1” hole.

maxmirot · #13 01-22-2023, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxmirot

I have these on my main tires and they work perfectly.

Did you put one on the nose gear tire ?
I did'nt.
I can't unscrew it and add air without removing the front pant

Max

Has anyone put a sensor on nose gear?
Can you take it off and add air with removing the wheel pant?

Thanks

Piper J3 · #14 01-22-2023, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxmirot

Has anyone put a sensor on nose gear?
Can you take it off and add air with removing the wheel pant?

Nose wheel uses same long 90 degree valve stem as used on main wheels. There is not enough clearance to the fork for a TPM. I tried....

RFSchaller · #15 01-22-2023, 11:11 PM

I ditched my wheel pants after a couple of years. It was too much hassle to add air. If the tire goes flat the weight goes on to the wheel pants and you have to jack up the plane to fill the tire. They look great, but not really practical.

Webb · #16 01-23-2023, 06:34 AM

I’m surprised that something like the oil filler door hasn’t been done more often like Cessna’s had. Seems easy enough to do.

Webb · #17 01-23-2023, 06:47 AM

Right about here.

Piper J3 · #18 01-23-2023, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Webb

I’m surprised that something like the oil filler door hasn’t been done more often like Cessna’s had. Seems easy enough to do.

Cessna can't even make pilot / passenger ingress doors so they stay shut....

Mel · #19 01-23-2023, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piper J3

Cessna can't even make pilot / passenger ingress doors so they stay shut....

Reminds me of an ad I once saw; "When one door closes, another one opens. Other than that, it's pretty good Cessna."

Handclutch · #20 01-23-2023, 04:53 PM

I did a trip last year to some remote parts of Australia where facilities are very limited. I removed the main gear pants to make it easier to deal with a flat but left the nose gear in place.

Having seen many reports of pants being worth 3-5 knots, I was expecting a slower trip but there was really no change. Perhaps the nose gear accounts for most of the drag?

Jack