Replacement tires? Mod IV

[beeryboats]

I've been airing up the tires on my mod IV project since I brought her home last month. They've only been flat for ten years, I can't understand why they keep going flat. ;) I was a little shocked to learn that the side of the tire says "trailer" and that the hub cap has a hole for a grease fitting aka boat trailer! I'm now a little more educated after reading old forums threads, but I'm wondering about replacements. The tire size is 16.5x 6.5-8. I found some nice looking, and affordable, tires from Desser that are made by Nan that are 21/1200-8 2 ply smoothies. They advertise them for the Kitfox. Will they fit is my question. And I assume they will need tubes as well.

[Av8r3400]

Those are the tires that seem to be the most popular with the 8" wheel runners. They go by Nanco, Nanking and other names. Prices seem to vary wildly by the source and their supply. I've seen anywhere from $25 to $75 apiece.

When I had 8" wheels on my plane I had Carlisle ATV tires that were 21x10-8 in size. Front tires off an ATV. I believe they came from Fleet Farm...

[SS7Flyer]

The Nanco's are great tires and will roll over just about anything.

http://www2.tires-easy.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?details=Ordern&typ=R-169485&cart_id=27783235.135.18549&Cookie=&ranzahl=4&Breite=21x12.00&Herst=&Quer=&Felge=8&Load=&S_Z=&Speed=&weiter=0&last_sort=&kategorie=6&Ang_pro_Seite=15&sort_by=&gesanzeige=&rf=&Transport=P&tyre_for=Quad_ATV_UTV&F_F=&dsco=135&sowigan=&RunFlat=&m_s=&profil=&Achse=&LoadRange=&s_p=&x_tyre_for=&rsmFahrzeugart=

$32 a piece on this site right now.

[beeryboats]

Thanks SS7. I pulled the trigger and ordered tonight. Merry Christmas to me! How difficult is it to get them off and on those tiny rims???

[Dave F]

I do them my self - I think I got some you tube videos on it.........

If you not done before take to a ATV shop - they are tough to do without the right tools....... I know I have a video on setting the bead with ether -works well LOL and good comedy .......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_ndpuhDqMg

[SS7Flyer]

They come banded together flat with a metal band which distorts them pretty good. Even the shop I took mine to said they had to lay them out in the sun for a day before they could do anything with them. Probably worth the money to let someone else mess with them. Probably a good time to replace your races and bearings too if you don't know when they were last done.

[beeryboats]

I'm in pretty good graces with the local BMW motorcycle / Polaris dealer after I bought the biggest Ranger they make last year, so I'll drop them by the shop when they get here. But first I need to make a jack point for the spring gear. I told my dad about the lack of a jack point with the spring gear and he told me I needed a "Cessna Jack". He built a 140 from two wrecks when I was five years old. He told me he made one from wood. I think this was back in the days when you chiseled your tires from rocks. ;) I do love the video of shirtless guy and the ether.

[SkySteve]

The shirtless guy IS our one and only Ontario Kitfox Dave!

[metalman]

Just ordered some for my plane and a mate with a model IV, great price ,the freight to Oz is a killer though
Matty

[beeryboats]

Buy me a round trip ticket and I'll use mine as suitcases and leave them with you. I'm sick of winter already. :D

[beeryboats]

Hooray! My tires showed up today. They are not exactly the shape I thought they would be though. I expected a rounded balloon doughnut cross section and these look like drag slicks that went flat. Is that normal?

[GWright6970]

Yes... that is the normal look. As stated above, take off the wrapping/straps/cord and let them expand. I'd bring them in the house to warm up as much as possible.

To get that bead to set on the rim properly, it has to expand more than a normal tire does... easy in the summer, tough right now!

[Dave F]

Hooray! My tires showed up today. They are not exactly the shape I thought they would be though. I expected a rounded balloon doughnut cross section and these look like drag slicks that went flat. Is that normal?


did you look at this vidoe I posted yesterday?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE-9FadDDko

YOu can see there tire as you describe --look after inflated.

[Dave F]

Yes... that is the normal look. As stated above, take off the wrapping/straps/cord and let them expand. I'd bring them in the house to warm up as much as possible.

To get that bead to set on the rim properly, it has to expand more than a normal tire does... easy in the summer, tough right now!


I have had these tires come in in stacks and they all collapsed together.
when cold it is a buggar to get them to stretch out ........... even more a b@$tch to seat them....... hence ether

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE-9FadDDko

[metalman]

Hooray! My tires showed up today. They are not exactly the shape I thought they would be though. I expected a rounded balloon doughnut cross section and these look like drag slicks that went flat. Is that normal?

Any chance of a pic or two once you've got them on, I already own four of them ( intransit) but would still like to see them on a wheel?
Dave F are these tyres on your Kitfox in the YouTube stuff you've got up?
Matty

[t j]

King Fox tires

[Dave F]

Any chance of a pic or two once you've got them on...

Yes. Kingfox. Tiress

The other 21" x12". Are just about the same

http://www.cfisher.com/kingfox.html

[metalman]

Thanks, looks good, the description" slick gone flat" got me thinking I'd bought the wrong tyres,
All good lookin forward to getting them now :-)

[Dave F]

I fully expect to see some good videos are some kick ass flying lots of mud rocks and alot of water thank you

[metalman]

I'll give it a red hot try, either that or some footage of a nice plane getting banged up,
;-)
Matty

[metalman]

Finally got my new tyres , had to seat them with a little explosion, but they look great, can't wait to try them out on some rough stuff

Here's a utube of seating one of them

http://youtu.be/Mhn5lpy_fws

Matty

[Spook712]

Does anyone know what the maximum size is that fits under the standart Mod 4 Speedster wheelfairings? Currently i'm using 16.5x6.5-8 Tow Masters

Greets

[P Morel]

I've been airing up the tires on my mod IV project since I brought her home last month. They've only been flat for ten years, I can't understand why they keep going flat.

This reminded me of a time when I just couldn't keep proper tire pressure in one tire. I changed out the stem a couple of times but that didn't solve the problem. I even changed out a perfectly good tire only to find that the problem was in the rim. The rim is welded together and the QA person failed to catch a very small pin hole in the weld. I found this after submerging the inflated tire in water and watched bubbles come from the weld seam. This was an easy fix. I just added a tube and problem solved!