8:50 X 6 on Cleveland wheels and brakes.

[Maverick]

I have Cleveland wheels and brakes. These are what skystar supplied with the 5. I am thinking of going to the 8:5 X 6 tires but it looks like the tire will rub against the brake caliper. Anyone have experience with this combination?
Fred

[airlina]

Hi Fred, i have the same combination as yours on my Series 5 Skystar Outback and over the years have had standard treaded 8.5 tires (would not recommend them due to ground handling issues due to their weight and spin inertia on hard surface runways.) Then 8.00 treaded tires that worked well , and finally now the Desser 8.50 baby tundra smoothies which are now my tire of choice, because i am based on a turf runway and they are light at 10 lbs. Non of these tires caused any rubbing issues on the brake assembly. Bruce N199CL

[kmach]

I also have been using the Desser Smooth Tundra 8.50 x 6 with the stock, originally supplied, Cleveland 6" wheels and brakes. The tires are designed for a 6" wheel, they contour out from the wheel after clearing the brakes, no concerns.

[Maverick]

I am told that these 8.5X6 bald tires will help with landings on a tail dragger. Is this accurate?

I am based at Glendale which is a hard surface runway. Assuming these help with landings, how well would they hold up on a hard surface? I see a lot of planes at Glendale with bald tires so I know folks are using them.

[PapuaPilot]

I am told that these 8.5X6 bald tires will help with landings on a tail dragger. Is this accurate?

I don't know if it is because they are bald or that they are light weight. The heavier 8.50x6 tires require more inertia to spin up and can lead to yawing and pitching at touchdown. The same thing would happen if you have your toes on the brakes or the wheel bearings too tight.

My Desser 8:50x6 smoothies weigh exactly the same as the 6.00x6 tires I removed.

[n85ae]

Here's my tire experience:

I am running 8.00x6 Michelin Condors on mine, and really like them a lot. I fly mostly off pavement, and
local turf airports. I run them at 15 psi. They are very good tire that works really well for mostly pavement
and turf. If you're mostly flying off pavement, 8.00's work well. The Condor's are the favorite tire I have
had on my plane so far. Handle well, ride smooth, and very predictable.

I have used two sets of AirTrac 6.00x6's, and I think they are a super poor tire that wear out very fast, and don't
ride well on turf either (probably somebody will dispute this). They're kind of darty on pavement as well.

I had AirTrac 8.50x6 on for a while, and every landing was (to quote Bruce) - An adventure going on Mr Toad's
Wild Ride ... Never again with the heavy tires for me. They did look cool, but that's the only thing they did
good. Also a PITA to balance.

Everybody says the new Desser Tundra tires are great, when I was tire shopping none were available so I put
the Condor's on. Now that they are, I will use them until they wear out. I like them.

Jeff

[napierm]

Is there a wheel pant handy for the 8.00x6 tire on a tail dragger? Not only for drag they help to keep the plane clean. In the southeast there are turf runways but very few "off airport" locations.

Thanks,

Mark Napier

[n85ae]

I think the 8.00's would look odd in wheel pants, they are quite a bit bigger than the 6.00's

Here is my airplane with the 8.00 Condor's.

Jeff

27670

[n85ae]

Here's the size difference between the 8.00, and the 6.00 I don't think they would work well in wheel
pants because they're quite a bit bigger.

Jeff

27672

[airlina]

Maybe some relaxed fit pants , like the jeans I wear, Bruce N199CL

[napierm]

Landing on Brad's property he sometimes had cows. We called wheel pants "manure arresters".