PandaCub
Well Known Member
I posted earlier about a flat main on my -14A where lack of tire talc caused the debossed area of the tire to chaff a remarkably similar pattern on the inner tube (photos 1 and 2).
Well, while doing routine maintenance yesterday I noticed the valve stem cap was missing from my Beringer nosewheel, so I put on a cap from an old tire, reinstalled the wheel fairing, and thought nothing more of it.
This morning as I started to roll the -14A out of the hangar I heard two scrape sounds (in as many wheel revolutions) and thought this can't be good. I began to push the airplane back into the hangar for inspection, only to hear the dreaded psshhhhh from the nosewheel. It was flat within 10 seconds and later examination showed a sheared-off valve stem (photos 3 & 4). No flying today!
Are clearances so tight between the valve tip and nosegear brackets that you can't install a valve stem cap? I really don't like operating with exposed valve stems. Maybe a low-profile plastic one will work - and I'll definitely try the spin test while it's on the jack - but those yellow metal caps are evidently a no-go with my setup. Wonder if one of my wheel fairing screws is too long? I'm scratching my head here (as I await shipment of new valve stems).
Well, while doing routine maintenance yesterday I noticed the valve stem cap was missing from my Beringer nosewheel, so I put on a cap from an old tire, reinstalled the wheel fairing, and thought nothing more of it.
This morning as I started to roll the -14A out of the hangar I heard two scrape sounds (in as many wheel revolutions) and thought this can't be good. I began to push the airplane back into the hangar for inspection, only to hear the dreaded psshhhhh from the nosewheel. It was flat within 10 seconds and later examination showed a sheared-off valve stem (photos 3 & 4). No flying today!
Are clearances so tight between the valve tip and nosegear brackets that you can't install a valve stem cap? I really don't like operating with exposed valve stems. Maybe a low-profile plastic one will work - and I'll definitely try the spin test while it's on the jack - but those yellow metal caps are evidently a no-go with my setup. Wonder if one of my wheel fairing screws is too long? I'm scratching my head here (as I await shipment of new valve stems).