Desser Smooth Tundra Tire

[Hockeystud87]

Jr do you run tubes in yours?

I currently have Cleveland brakes and wheels but their 500-5. So I need to go bigger. I haven't seen much other than brand name that says why grove is better than Matco. I know the brakes on the Matco can be weaker.

[jrevens]

Jr do you run tubes in yours? ...

Yes. I've made small marks with a silver marker on the tires and black on the wheels to show if any relative movement has occurred.

[Flybyjim]

MangyFox,

Any photos you would share on the axels both in and out for the setup for your skies and what skies are you using?

[Av8r3400]

Here is a shot of my plane on skis. The axles are the same inside and out. They are the standard 1.25" Grove aluminum axles. I just used longer bolts to reach all the way through.

The skis are Airdale skis (now defunct).

IMG_3118.jpg

[btjenkins85]

I had the aeroclassic 22” on matco wheels and ran them tubeless. When ordering from Desser tire make sure you specify you want tubeless.

I routinely operated them at 8-9 psi and no slippage on the wheels. At least half of my landings were on pavement, they seem to wear very well.

[Flybyjim]

NIce looking skis, are the aluminum or fiberglass. I am looking for a set for the Rans S-7 I fly while I am building the Kitfox, I like that the wheels do not need to be removed.

[WWhunter]

Jim,
Have you looked the Datum skis? The Datum are retractable, using an electric acctuatot. I have a set for my S-7 but haven't had time to get them mounted.
Summit also has nice skis.

[jiott]

By the way, running the Dessers with tubes, it doesn't matter if the tire moves a little on the rim as long as the tube moves with it. I just regularly eyeball the valve stem, as long as it is sticking straight out of the hole it is OK. If it start to lean to one side, then you have a problem with slippage that needs to be addressed.

[kmach]

I have 150 hrs on the smooth 6-8.50 tundras with tubes, run them around 10 psi. Have had them as low as 5 psi but would not recommend that on pavement.

[jrevens]

By the way, running the Dessers with tubes, it doesn't matter if the tire moves a little on the rim as long as the tube moves with it...

I think you mean as long as the tube doesn't move with the tire, Jim. Since the valve stem goes through the wheel, you don't want any movement between the tube and the wheel rim. I think I was thinking about that incorrectly with another post on a different thread, when I proposed that it might be good to limit the use of talc when mounting tires & tubes, to help minimize any movement between tire & tube. If you're going to use a tube, the most important thing is to do what you can to eliminate any slipping of the tire against the wheel rim. Making sure those tire bead/wheel rim surfaces are clean, dry & free of talc would seem to be advisable to me. If the tire did move on the rim it would be best if the tube didn't follow it... but it probably would of course. I'm sorry for my long-winded comments about a simple concept.