[olyolson]

Flew some formation yesterday and my wingman noticed that my right wheel pant has a slight shimmy most of the time while taxiing. I don't feel a thing in the cockpit. I usually taxi about 10 kts with a wingman and I do notice a light shimmy occasionally if I taxi faster than about 15 kts.

Ideas on where to start?

 

[Carl Froehlich]

1. Check the tires are still round. I fixed this problem for a new RV owner who had a few hard landings while learning the plane. Both mains were more square than round. New tires and good to go.
2. Balance the tires.
3. Verify air pressure up to 40psig or so.

 

[istrumit]

I tried air pressure.

Never got around to balancing.

But, when I changed my brakes I found that both of the mains tires were badly out of round.

Replaced....problem solved.

 

[olyolson]

Shimmy

Thanks guys. I did rotate swap the tires on each rim at the annual as they were wearing out on the outside. Still decent tread I think but now mostly outboard. Certainly not flat sided on the bottom yet. I'll fly for a bit more but I have two brand new Wilkerson retreads I can put on. I do run them at 40 PSI. Brakes are good but maybe I'll try balancing, don't think I did that.

I had this problem when I first got the plane & I could definitely feel it in the cockpit. I put new Wilkerson retreads on it then and the shimmy disappeared. Been using the current tires probably around 4 years so they are probably due a change.