Tire pressure

[2Ways2Fly]

What are you using for tire pressures on the RV-3?

[oaklandaviator]

We run 23 to 25 psi to control any shimmy tendencies. Lower pressures seem to shimmy less at the expense of tire life. Much under 20 and I start worrying about where we'll have the rubber spin on the rim, but we haven't had it happen even at very low pressures of around 15. Harder to push in the hangar below 20 and I'm sure the takeoff roll is longer...

[RWoodard]

The original builder of my RV-3 listed 29psi as the desired tire pressure for my 3. I?ve always just used his recommendation. My plane is on the heavy side so maybe that?s why I?m at a bit higher psi.

[2Ways2Fly]

Thanks guys

[yarddart]

Hr1 20psi per jh

[Ironflight]

Anything over 26 in ours gives us noticeable gear leg shimmy - and that is WITH wooden dampers installed. Airplane handles fine at that pressure, and we’ve run through two sets of tires in 750 hours, so I call wear acceptable.

[titanhank]

Rv6 with wood stiffners. I run 50lbs makes it really easy to roll around. I have run all the way down to 20 lbs with no shimmy.

[JDeanda]

Another RV-6 with wood stiffeners... we run 45 -50 PSI and we have the leak-proof inner tubes. We need to add air about every year or so. Main gear shimmy at the end of the landing roll is ever-present, but pressure does not seem to matter. Tire pressure is shockingly non-critical for most light planes. Actually, I like it on the high side because it's easier to push the airplane uphill into our hangar....

[Sam Buchanan]

Originally Posted by JDeanda

Another RV-6 with wood stiffeners... we run 45 -50 PSI and we have the leak-proof inner tubes. We need to add air about every year or so. Main gear shimmy at the end of the landing roll is ever-present, but pressure does not seem to matter. Tire pressure is shockingly non-critical for most light planes. Actually, I like it on the high side because it's easier to push the airplane uphill into our hangar....

After flying my RV-6 for twenty years with a variety of tires I've found that tire pressure is shockingly critical to avoiding gear shimmy. For my plane that means less than 35 psi.

[Ironflight]

Ya’ll realize that the OP was specifically asking about RV-3 tire pressures...right?