Van's Air Force
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Inner tube recommendations
- Thread starter Webb
- Start date
Michelin AirStops are all I’ve used for twenty years. Yes, they are expensive, but they hold pressure for six months - something no other brand I’ve tried or seen can do.
Paul
Paul
David Paule
Well Known Member
Ditto on the Air-Stops. Worth it, for sure!
Dave
Dave
Webb
I went to order Michelin Airstops from ACS a couple of days ago and they were out of stock.
Im going to run 380-150-5 Michelin tires and the 5.00x5 tubes like others on here.
Two tires and two tubes was a little over 900 clams......
If you decide on the Michelin Airstops let me know where you purchase them from please.
Thanks
Arnie
I went to order Michelin Airstops from ACS a couple of days ago and they were out of stock.
Im going to run 380-150-5 Michelin tires and the 5.00x5 tubes like others on here.
Two tires and two tubes was a little over 900 clams......
If you decide on the Michelin Airstops let me know where you purchase them from please.
Thanks
Arnie
dmattmul
Well Known Member
Michelin Aviators Tubeless
My Michelin Aviators tubeless are $ 260.00 each and last 400 plus hours (I know hours is not the key but I don’t count numbers of landings and type of runway construction). Surely tubes are not that expensive. Would be interested if someone has done a real world cost of use analysis, tube to tubeless. By the way I only need to air my tubeless tires every 6 months.
My Michelin Aviators tubeless are $ 260.00 each and last 400 plus hours (I know hours is not the key but I don’t count numbers of landings and type of runway construction). Surely tubes are not that expensive. Would be interested if someone has done a real world cost of use analysis, tube to tubeless. By the way I only need to air my tubeless tires every 6 months.
Desser is usually my go to place. The 5.00 x 5 Airstops are out of stock. Current price listed is ~ 180. Aero Classic butyl tubes are ~ 110 which are supposed to be low air loss tubes.
My preference on tires are Flight Custom III. Retreads are ~ 90 and new are ~280.
I know everything has gone up but wowzers on tubes.
Thanks for the pirep on the AC butyl’s.
My preference on tires are Flight Custom III. Retreads are ~ 90 and new are ~280.
I know everything has gone up but wowzers on tubes.
Thanks for the pirep on the AC butyl’s.
Last edited:
JonJay
Well Known Member
The Michelin Airstops are crazy expensive. However, matched with Desser Monster retreads, I can get well over 600 hours. I just checked the tubes when I rotated the tires, and they look brand new. I will replace the tubes regardless when I replace the tires.
Simple math, as a hourly maintenance item, tubes and tires operating cost is roughly $1/hr. for me. That’s a small percentage of operating costs even with the expensive tubes.
I will mention that just because you don’t need to put air in the tires, or for those that don’t use Airstops and/or use a valve extension, pull the wheel pant routinely, at lease every few months. Inspect the tires, brakes, brake lines, etc….
In my opinion that needs to be done regardless of the tires needing air. Takes a few minutes a wheel.
I just discovered through a routine inspection one of my brake pads had an odd groove in it. The rotor had a small thin chard about a 1/16” long and a couple thousands wide. Not sure what would have caused it, stuck rock?, don’t know. I filed it off and buffed the area. Can’t even tell it was there but glad I caught it early.
Simple math, as a hourly maintenance item, tubes and tires operating cost is roughly $1/hr. for me. That’s a small percentage of operating costs even with the expensive tubes.
I will mention that just because you don’t need to put air in the tires, or for those that don’t use Airstops and/or use a valve extension, pull the wheel pant routinely, at lease every few months. Inspect the tires, brakes, brake lines, etc….
In my opinion that needs to be done regardless of the tires needing air. Takes a few minutes a wheel.
I just discovered through a routine inspection one of my brake pads had an odd groove in it. The rotor had a small thin chard about a 1/16” long and a couple thousands wide. Not sure what would have caused it, stuck rock?, don’t know. I filed it off and buffed the area. Can’t even tell it was there but glad I caught it early.
jliltd
Well Known Member
Michelin Air Stop butyl inner tubes....
I avoid LeakGuard brand butyl inner tubes as they like to come apart at the mold seams. If you do go with LeakGuard then use twice as much talc and never ever let your pressures get low in the tire. True to their name they do not leak. They just tear open all at once at a mold line due to fretting
So for me, like many others, I go with Michelin Air Stop tubes. They are more expensive but cheaper than landing with a flat main with wheel pants.
With any brand do not use modern baby powder. The reason being that baby powder (or any kind of powder used on humans) is now made from corn starch instead of real talc. The big Johnson and Johnson law suit made sure of that. Corn starch is hygroscopic and when it absorbs moisture it will turn into paste than when it dries later is like having small gravel pieces between your inner tube and tire casing. That's a bad day in flat rock. You can buy a lifetime supply of real talc from ACS or Grainger for a modest price.
I avoid LeakGuard brand butyl inner tubes as they like to come apart at the mold seams. If you do go with LeakGuard then use twice as much talc and never ever let your pressures get low in the tire. True to their name they do not leak. They just tear open all at once at a mold line due to fretting
So for me, like many others, I go with Michelin Air Stop tubes. They are more expensive but cheaper than landing with a flat main with wheel pants.
With any brand do not use modern baby powder. The reason being that baby powder (or any kind of powder used on humans) is now made from corn starch instead of real talc. The big Johnson and Johnson law suit made sure of that. Corn starch is hygroscopic and when it absorbs moisture it will turn into paste than when it dries later is like having small gravel pieces between your inner tube and tire casing. That's a bad day in flat rock. You can buy a lifetime supply of real talc from ACS or Grainger for a modest price.
Pro Tip - Buy an extra tube. Seal it in a vacuum seal bag with plenty of talc and put it in your travel kit.
It won’t be exposed to air so it will last in your travel kit and talc for the flat you fix when traveling so you won’t be AOG waiting on a tube to arrive.
When you put new tires and tubes on, use the travel tube and put a new tube in the travel kit.
It won’t be exposed to air so it will last in your travel kit and talc for the flat you fix when traveling so you won’t be AOG waiting on a tube to arrive.
When you put new tires and tubes on, use the travel tube and put a new tube in the travel kit.
JonJay
Well Known Member
Excellent. I had a spare tube on the shelf. It rotted out at the folds in less than two years. Never thought to vacuum seal one up. Great suggestion.
Vacuum sealers are great for ammo storage also!
loopfuzz
Well Known Member
As of time of this post looks like Michelin airstop is about $73 more then the aero classic leakgaurd (size 5.00-5) priced on air spruce.
I've been running Aero Classic leakgaurd for several years and seems like I'm putting air in ever 6 months or so. But sounds like people with Michelin airstop tires are doing the same (at least some of you). So not sure there is any reason to switch now?
I've been running Aero Classic leakgaurd for several years and seems like I'm putting air in ever 6 months or so. But sounds like people with Michelin airstop tires are doing the same (at least some of you). So not sure there is any reason to switch now?
BH1166
Well Known Member
5 years, 500 hours plus leakguard on mains. I recently bought new just because. Great service, and air seldom needed.
moosepileit
Well Known Member
Do NOT buy the cheaper butyl tubes, there is another current thread where one has a mystery flat and I put my story there.
If you do, inflate enough to ensure there are no pores showing- you will not see them deflated and I had one leak start inside a pore. Mfg flaws that are hard to find are no fun.
If you do, inflate enough to ensure there are no pores showing- you will not see them deflated and I had one leak start inside a pore. Mfg flaws that are hard to find are no fun.
Scott Hersha
Well Known Member
It seems like - to me, that people comparing tube, tire, and brake wear based on how many hours they are achieving on these parts, is a meaningless measure of performance. Those items don’t wear out in flight. A useful measurement would be number of landings - and takeoffs, but I assume that every landing is preceded by a takeoff. If your average stage length is 1.5 hours or more, then that doesn’t compare to someone with an average stage length of 30 minutes (like me). I keep track of all landings in my daily flight log - for the specific purpose of determining life cycle of those wear parts (brakes, tires, tubes). Reading a post on here that says you get 600 hours on a set of tubes is basically meaningless.
