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Wheel pants and tire pressure

M

meadeduck

Well Known Member
For those of us that have wheel pants, does anyone have any ideas about how to check the tire pressure without taking them apart? I've thought about making a neat circle (?) for access to the tire valve stem. I'm just not sure how to do the 'neat' part.
Meade (and George)
N612RV
 
Snap in stainless covers from Lowe's are much cheaper and work much easier. Outline a hole using a metal washer and cut it out with a dremel tool. Line up the air valve to the hole you've cut, then mark the tire bottom with nail polish or paint for future use. Use an extended air chuck to reach the valve. One was advertised here by Jerry Farek (sp?) in Houston. It has a built in pressure gauge and works very nicely. Remove and replace the air valve cap through the aforementioned hole cover using a nut driver. Do this and you won't have to remove your wheel pants.
 
Resurrect the tire pressure thread...

meadeduck said:
For those of us that have wheel pants, does anyone have any ideas about how to check the tire pressure without taking them apart? I've thought about making a neat circle (?) for access to the tire valve stem. I'm just not sure how to do the 'neat' part.
Meade (and George)
N612RV
Click to expand...

I have the wheel pants and have developed a neat way to get to the tire valve. I found that the lightening hole in the outboard fairing bracket lines up exactly with the valve stem.
This hole:
1176780054_hq3P3-M.jpg

I "match drilled", using a unibit, a 3/4" hole in the fairing. Cleaveland tool has a 5" tire valve extension here, that you can reach in and screw onto the valve stem and check tire pressure. I used a nickel plated cap to fill the hole (also from Cleaveland). The yellow valve stem cap can be removed with a 10mm nut driver or socket and carefully pulled out thru the hole and put back the same way. I am really happy with the way it turned out, should be part of the kit :D.
Also, you need to put a paint mark on the tire visible at the 6 o-clock when the valve stem is lined up with the hole.
Sorry, I did not have my camera with me when I did the work, but will get pics of the completed job next time at the hangar and post them.

If you do this, be sure that your valve stem lines up with this hole before cutting the fairing ;).
Tony
 
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Meade and George,

Check my photo here for how I installed the Camlock doors. I wasn't as smart as Tony, so did not line them up with the lightening holes. Mine are up higher.

I bought a combo airhose/gauge that I can stick right into the valve stem. Not at home now, can't remember where I got it. I can let you know in a couple of weeks when I get home.

John
 
Airstops

Or just use Michelin Airstop tubes. I probably lose about 2 psi every 6 months. They are expensive, but worth every penny!
 
For those who haven't yet done it save yourself the trouble and expense and don't use the pants. They don't add any speed of any consequence, can be a problem on grass, and in ice and snow. The 12 looks just fine without them. I had all the above problems on my 6A and while the speed could be a factor on that airplane there was no speed limit other than VNE. Furthermore they looked good on a 6A, while I believe they are very clunky looking on a 12. My 2 cents.
Dick Seiders
 
I...

... decided to do it the KISS way: I used a stepdrill and cut a small hole in the wheelpant, just big enough to let the tire valve extension go through it.

The hole is smaller than the one needed for the camlock door and it isn't easy to spot on the wheelpant (unless you look for it ofcourse)

Costs nothing and adds no weight. :)

You can see the hole as a black spot in the pics below.

I have a -7 but I guess the pants are about the same?

 
Blonds or Breunets?

Let me take time out from the Super Bust Game to comment on the RV12 wheels pans. Some guys like blonds and some like brunettes! I love my Bodacious Pans! I am a first time builder so have no experience with other models. If I had some experience with the after market pans I may have gone with one of them. But I didn't want to reinvent the wheel so went with the proven ones. After all that's why I went with a 12. I thought that the Vans Pans went together just as advertised in the plans. I think it gives the plane a nice finished look. If I was flying off a lot of unimproved strips I might leave them off. Although I did notice last summer at OSH that a lot of mud was flug off Vans demo 12 mains cause they did not have their pans on. We had a lot of rain at OSH 2010. So they do shield your wings from flying rocks and other debris when they are installed. I think and this is just my opinion, that you get a 10knt speed increase with all the pans on and the nose strut fairing in place. Each owner will have to decide for himself. Just eased over 100 hours on the plane. No pans, Ill see you in the rearview.:eek:
 
Flying without pants? Okay, whatever. A tad chilly isn't it? ;)



I think Marty started something........:D
 
John, if I could get a 10 kt. increase I might consider them. I picked up only about 6 kts. on my 6A. Don't mean to be mean, but how accurate is your estimate?
Dick Seiders
 
Whats you rmax speed now without the pans?

Dick can you get 120kias right now at say 2000msl with OAT around 50f? If you can then dont worry about adding the pans. If not then whats your max speed now straight and level?
 
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Pants!

dick seiders said:
John, if I could get a 10 kt. increase I might consider them. I picked up only about 6 kts. on my 6A. Don't mean to be mean, but how accurate is your estimate?
Dick Seiders
Click to expand...

Dick! Forget the speed...they make the airplane look good. Just remember what pants do for your own appearance!
 
Tire Pressure Wheel Fairing Mod...

Pictures:
The Cleaveland 5" valve extension can be used thru the existing hole in the bracket.
[url=http://tonytessitore.smugmug.com/RV-12-Project-N577RV/Wheel-Pants-Option/12019236_6JLai#1182895931_yVDYQ-A-LB][/URL]
Transferring the hole location to the aft fairing:
[url=http://tonytessitore.smugmug.com/RV-12-Project-N577RV/Wheel-Pants-Option/12019236_6JLai#1182895999_FxNbU-A-LB][/URL]
[url=http://tonytessitore.smugmug.com/RV-12-Project-N577RV/Wheel-Pants-Option/12019236_6JLai#1182896061_wVDbD-A-LB][/URL]

Unibit cuts a clean hole:


A Cleaveland nickel plated cap fills the hole:
[url=http://tonytessitore.smugmug.com/RV-12-Project-N577RV/Wheel-Pants-Option/12019236_6JLai#1182896228_6Pg2o-A-LB][/URL]
The cap probably isn't essential, but gives a nice finished look.

Tony
 
John, still haven't been able to run test at your suggested numbers. I did ride to Sandersville, GA the other day at 5500, temp 40 degrees, in mod. turbulance and TAS averaged 114kts. Last yr. in low hrs I managed 120kts, but at 8000 density alt. and about 60 degrees. If I can't get 120 at 2000 and 5500rpm I may consider the pants.
Dick Seiders
ps. Need clarification. Is your max spd based on wide open (5800rpm), or wide open cruise at 5500rpm?
 
speed

When we had all the ice and snow here in DFW John(jetguy) and I thought it would be cool to check it out from the air. We dug out our hanger and towed the plane to the cleared taxi way near the runway. It was the day before the Super bowl and the plane performed great. I'm guessing on the temp but I think it was about 40 and clear skies. We had 126 kts at 1000agl with 5400 rpm and some throttle to go. The plane is down now because we pulled the prop to paint the back plate. When we put it back together we are going to change the pitch 1-3 degrees to get a little more power out of it so we will be testing pitch vs speed and well let you know.
 
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Thanks for the feedback Colin, but you're losing me on the 2400 rpm??? Did you mean 4800? This is a Rotax 912 right?
Dick Seiders
 
I'm back on the wheelpants. Thinking maybe I need to get them as in the various flights I have taken over past few weeks I am typically hitting about 114 max.cruise. That's in all conditions, (turb./wind, temps., altitudes ranging from 1500 to 6500, and 1 or 2 aboard). So maybe I need them. I have been looking at pics and maybe they even look good. Ok, does anyone know what is so different about them in order to justify the price which is $175 more than the other 3 wheeled RV's?? Appreciate any comments. Thanks
Dick Seiders 120093
 
Hey Dick - -

Some comments. You will gain about 5 MPH top end. I like another thing about them. When the runway is slightly wet, it keeps dirt off the botttom of the plane. If you land on wet grass, it really keeps the dirt off the bottom. Price - no idea. Don't see much bad about them. You will want to make a way to add air. Not hard to do however.

220.2 hours

John Bender
 
T-6A paint scheme with pants...

dick seiders said:
I'm back on the wheelpants. Thinking maybe I need to get them as in the various flights I have taken over past few weeks I am typically hitting about 114 max.cruise. That's in all conditions, (turb./wind, temps., altitudes ranging from 1500 to 6500, and 1 or 2 aboard). So maybe I need them. I have been looking at pics and maybe they even look good. Ok, does anyone know what is so different about them in order to justify the price which is $175 more than the other 3 wheeled RV's?? Appreciate any comments. Thanks
Dick Seiders 120093
Click to expand...

Hey Dick,
Here is a pic of an RV with pants in your paint scheme. Looks good.
See post #36 by CZECHSIX on this page.

I don't know about the price either, but maybe they are bigger or something.

Tony
 
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