What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Six inch wheels upgrade?

charosenz

charosenz

Well Known Member
I am interested to hear from anyone who has switch to the 6 inch wheels for the mains from the 5 inch wheels. (-6, -7, -9, etc).

Which make/model? What size tires? Would you do it over again?

On a side note, just to clarify, I am not looking so much to get in to the "why" aspect of the topic but rather to hear from experienced folks who made the switch.

Thank you.
 
Sky Designs

Ken Krueger at Sky Designs Engineering has a conversion kit especially for RV's for 6:00 X 6 Matco wheels and brakes including wheel fairings. Ken was Van's chief engineer for many years before he went out on his own. Google his website if you wish more info.

Dick DeCramer
RV6 N500DD flying 15 yrs
RV8 Sold
 
I went to longer (custom) axles from Langair about 9 years ago. I use 400-6 wheels/tires under the fairings (they fit the same as the 500-5s) and use 800-6 wheels/tires for landing at rougher fields. The 400-6 option would not require the longer axles but the 800-6 option uses the same rims with a 1" spacer between them, so needs longer axles. You might be able to run 600-6 wheels/tires with the standard length axles, I don't know. All my setup is from Matco. I did have to modify the brake location and the wheel pants.

Greg
 
It fits...

You might be able to run 600-6 wheels/tires with the standard length axles, I don't know.
Click to expand...

Matco's 6 inch wheels will fit the standard length 1.25 inch diameter axles. The photo shows the Matco 6 inch wheel/brake with a 6.00-6 tire and the Sky Designs wheel fairing bracket installed on an RV-6/7 gear leg/axle.
 

Attachments

  • RV-7 wheel & brake install.jpg
    RV-7 wheel & brake install.jpg
    595.6 KB · Views: 369
Any idea on the weight difference between the stock RV6 wheel/ pants 5” set-up and the sky design?
Thanks looks good
 
DickDe said:
Sky Designs

Ken Krueger at Sky Designs Engineering has a conversion kit especially for RV's for 6:00 X 6 Matco wheels and brakes including wheel fairings. Ken was Van's chief engineer for many years before he went out on his own. Google his website if you wish more info.
Click to expand...

Anyone have pictures of the larger Sky Designs carbon fiber wheel pants on an RV-7?
 
I fit the 380x150's in stock wheel pants. I only have a 3/8" gap at the top, but after 40 hours I havent seen any rubbing.
 
FlyHigh said:
Does the 380x150 tire fit in the wheel pants ?
Click to expand...
Yes Van's wheel pants will fit. You will need to open up the bottom of the pants to accomodate the larger tire as the tire is wider and taller. The only problem you may encounter would be tire clearance on the top of the tire depending on how much clearance you originally had for the 500X5's. I find ground handling is improved and soft field op's a definite improvement
Got 500 hours out of my first set, plenty of even tread left, only replaced them due to age. I did not notice any measurable speed loss with the larger tires.
20180906_225322.jpg
 
Does anyone have difference 5" to 6" in cruise and top speeds ???????????? I would guess a few kts...
If running off of rough and soft fields often or even exclusively 6" is the way to go.

Jpm757 said:
Yes Van's wheel pants will fit. You will need to open up the bottom of the pants to accomodate the larger tire as the tire is wider and taller. The only problem you may encounter would be tire clearance on the top of the tire depending on how much clearance you originally had for the 500X5's. I find ground handling is improved and soft field op's a definite improvement
Got 500 hours out of my first set, plenty of even tread left, only replaced them due to age. I did not notice any measurable speed loss with the larger tires.
Click to expand...
So no measurable difference? I believe that, it will be slower, but it is hard to measure a few kts. The 6" rim/tires with fairings on N84VH looks nice. I think I'd notice on a flight line, but if casually looking might not notice.
 
Last edited:
I went to the 380X150 MIchelin tires five years ago and maybe lost one knot of top end speed. Hard to tell, but minimal difference IMHO. Since I operate off of a grass runway most of the time, the larger tires are much nicer, both for soft field operations and also for damping out any rough spots on the runway. The only modification I had to do was to open up the bottom of the wheel pants slightly. Still have plenty of clearance between the top of the tire and the wheel pants. I also have no issues with brake caliper clearance on my Matco brakes but that larger tire will bet closer to the calipers. My wheels are mounted on the airfoil shaped Grove gear for reference. This is certainly a much lower cost alternative to buying a whole new set of 6" wheels and brakes.
 
If you go the 6" wheel route, I have a brand new Grove 66-152 wheel/brake kit that was backordered for 2 years. It was drop shipped from Grove 2 weeks ago, never removed from box. These are double puck brakes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top