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Thread: What are the odds?

  1. #1
    59pacer's Avatar
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    Default What are the odds?

    Taxying in after a short flight in our Piel Emeraude, the left tire went flat, so I removed the tire, replaced the tube, fitted the tire, cleaned up the tools, then noticed the right tire was almost flat! Having used my only spare tube, I was able to bring a cylinder of compressed air to the aircraft and get enough air into the tire to be able to quickly taxi to the hangar, put the aircraft away, and jack up the wheel ready for repair.
    The first flat was a leaky patch repair. The second was a pinhole leak in the tube.
    I'm using Aerotrainer 500x5 tires and butyl tubes from Desser, and have had a number of similar pin-hole type failures over the last few years in that aircraft. In fact, I've had more similar tire failures in this aircraft with those tires than I've had in all the other flying I've done in all types (some of those 18 wheelers!) combined!
    The inside of the tire has ridges evident at about 45 degrees to the circumference of the tire, and these leave noticeable impressions in the tubes. It is in this area that pin hole leaks occur.
    I've spoken to a number of tire experts to try to locate the problem, and the only thing left is that I'm using too low a tire pressure. I use 25 psi, but I'm thinking that I might up them a few psi.
    Any thoughts, anyone?

  2. #2
    Jim's Avatar
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    Default Re: What are the odds?

    Hi,

    I've also had those lines imprinted on tubes in the past. My fix was to use an old tube as a liner inside the tire. I cut off the valve stem and around the inside of the old tube. I put that inside the tire before inserting the new tube.

  3. #3

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    Default Re: What are the odds?

    Are you using tire talc (talcum powder) inside the tire before inserting the tube?
    I've seen this problem with people using grain talc (used in planters so that the grain slides easier) that contains graphite.

  4. #4
    59pacer's Avatar
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    Default Re: What are the odds?

    Quote Originally Posted by DaleLindstrom View Post
    Are you using tire talc (talcum powder) inside the tire before inserting the tube?
    I've seen this problem with people using grain talc (used in planters so that the grain slides easier) that contains graphite.
    Yes, I use a 'baby's bum' talc. The tires do smell of lavender for a while.

  5. #5
    Pacerfgoe's Avatar
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    Default Re: What are the odds?

    I thought that talc was the answer as well, but not so.

    I took some 800x 4 tires off my plane several years ago and noticed the tubes were in really good shape and were very thick rubber (easily twice as thick as a car tire tube)....just wondering how thick the tubes are your working with?

    I also zoomed in on Mulgoa, Australia just to find out where your at. It looks like a nice area with a lot of acreages and green belts....looks nice. I couldn't find the airstrip you fly out of though.

    Cheers

  6. #6
    59pacer's Avatar
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    Default Re: What are the odds?

    Quote Originally Posted by Pacerfgoe View Post
    I thought that talc was the answer as well, but not so.

    I took some 800x 4 tires off my plane several years ago and noticed the tubes were in really good shape and were very thick rubber (easily twice as thick as a car tire tube)....just wondering how thick the tubes are your working with?

    I also zoomed in on Mulgoa, Australia just to find out where your at. It looks like a nice area with a lot of acreages and green belts....looks nice. I couldn't find the airstrip you fly out of though.

    Cheers
    I use Desser's butyl tubes. To me they seem a bit thin, but I'm assured that they are 'standard'.

    After about 20 years of abnormally low rainfall and drought, last Dec/Jan we had abnormal bushfires all around us, then we started to get abnormally high rainfall, so now everything is abnormally green! We're on 5 acres, so not enough for a strip but good for self-isolating in these troubled times. Our home airfield is Wedderburn, about 1 hour drive away. The coords are S341048 E 1504832 or www.nswsac.com.au and select visitor information, flying in, if that's a help. Our hangar is in the most southern row, almost as far from the runway as possible (second last) because noisy aircraft are to be avoided!
    Last edited by 59pacer; 05-21-2020 at 12:21 AM.

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