Best tire pireps?

[RickWoodall]

At close to 300 hours its getting time to replace tubes and tires. I know there are the standard vans issue, also michelin, condor, desser retreads etc etc. Just thought I would see if any of the high timers have some good recommends on mix of great quality, decent price?

[woodmanrog]

I installed Desser Monster Retreads earlier this year and am about to do the conditional inspection. Right now it seems as though they are lasting longer than any other tire that we have installed in the past. I will report further when I count up the number of landings that they have been subject to. I know it is a lot because my wife has been doing a lot of T&G's since they were installed. Remember, it's the number of landings that count, not how long they've been on the plane.

[EFG]

We have been running them for about three years on our 4 Cessna's in the club I am Maintenance Officer for. Overall very pleased. There are issues with them on retractable gear airframes but on fixed gear, they are the bomb. Most of our flight hours are touch and goes with lots of guys trying to stay current.

These things last the longest by far and cost the least. I have had 2 I needed to return for problems, so check them carefully inside and out before mounting. Desser always has been VERY helpful with the returns, they send a tire out that day if I send them a picture of the problem. Once I didn't even need to send the bad tire back, I just chucked it. VERY good customer service.

On a o-320 172 we have, the tube on one wheel wore out before the tire!

Buy good Michelin airstop tubes and Desser Monster Retreads. I am not a fan of the Desser supplied house brand tubes. I forget who makes them.

Ask Desser to supply a baggie of tire talc to, if you ask it's free.

[EFG]

Oops forgot to add, probably have gone through 20 of them in the last 4 years. Never a delam or burn through.

Can't say the same about all the others we have tried.

[RV8Squaz]

I got almost 600 hrs out of the original AirHawks that came with the kit. While I had the airplane based out of a grass strip for about 3 yrs, most of my landings including touch and goes were on pavement. I was adamant about tire pressure, rotating, and flipping the tires. I now have about a hundred hours on GY Flight Special II tires. They seem like very good tires. I haven't noticed any appreciable wear, but it's too early to tell. What I have noticed is that the rubber compound seems very different and the tires seem very grabby which would normally be a great thing for braking and wet runways. However for a taildragger, I welcomed a bit of the skidding the AirHawks provided. If I land just slightly crabbed, I can tell the difference between the tires with the AirHawks providing a smoother correction. I don't land on wet runways very often and I don't need heavy braking, so I may return to the Airhawks after these wear out in about 600 hours!

Jerry Esquenazi
RV-8 N84JE 710 hours 5 1/2 yrs flying

[n82rb]

be careful with the monster re-treads. If you have the old style wheel pants you could have some rubbing problems. I have the old style and the retread is just a little wider due to the retread cap and I have a rubbing problem on one side.

Bob Burns
RV-4 N82RB

[N427EF]

I understand that retreads are quite a bit heavier.
I've noticed over the years that rotating a tire is much easier when done within a year or so. I find it very difficult to get the tire off the rim if it has not been totated in less than a year or so.
Maybe it's my technique.
I have stayed away from tires that will last for years for that reason only.
Hate to use a screwdriver to pry the tire loose.

[RV6_flyer]

Been using Wilkerson Retreads for the past 4-years. $50 each delivered last time I purchased them.

Have not found anything that is less cost per landing.

They fit in my Van's two piece Pressure Recover wheel pants without modification. IF you installed your wheel pants lower than recommended by Van or did not make the opening for the tire to stick out large enough, there could be some rubbing. The opening can be enlarged with a die grinder and sanding disc with little effort if needed.

[Ironflight]

Originally Posted by N427EF

Hate to use a screwdriver to pry the tire loose.

Absolutely!! Using a screwdriver is a great way to significantly scratch the wheel and create a stress riser. Real "tire irons" are much broader and smoother - you can get them pretty cheap, and are well worth having in your box if you're going to do your own tire work. Mine are from my youthful motorcycle days.