Tailwheel tires

[Dan Thomas]

Does anyone know if any of the major tire companies are still making
the 2.80/2.50-4 tailwheel tire? We've been getting tires from several
vendors, all coming under different part numbers and names, but
they're all by STA, US made, and they just don't last very long. They
seem more plastic than rubber and the centre tread is very shallow and
is gone in 30 hours or less. Shimmy isn't a factor in the wear. We
used to get much better tires but now I can't find anything other than
these. Anybody buying GOOD tires?

Dan

[James L. Freeman]

(Dan Thomas) wrote in message >...
> Does anyone know if any of the major tire companies are still making
> the 2.80/2.50-4 tailwheel tire? We've been getting tires from several
> vendors, all coming under different part numbers and names, but
> they're all by STA, US made, and they just don't last very long. They
> seem more plastic than rubber and the centre tread is very shallow and
> is gone in 30 hours or less. Shimmy isn't a factor in the wear. We
> used to get much better tires but now I can't find anything other than
> these. Anybody buying GOOD tires?
>
> Dan

A friend of mine claims to get longer tail wheel tire life out of
tires by Kenda (Kendra?). But he has not been able to find a retail
seller, so he had to to go direct to the distributer and talk them
into selling him a case.

[G.R. Patterson III]

Dan Thomas wrote:
>
> Does anyone know if any of the major tire companies are still making
> the 2.80/2.50-4 tailwheel tire?

McCreary makes one. I've been using them on my Maule. I got over 300 hours out
of the first one and probably could have run it for a while longer. The one on
the plane now has nearly 200 hours and still has excellent tread.

I usually buy from Desser.

George Patterson
A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something that can
be learned no other way.

[B a r r y B u r k e J r .]

On 24 Nov 2003 05:26:17 -0800, (James L. Freeman)
wrote:

>A friend of mine claims to get longer tail wheel tire life out of
>tires by Kenda

Kenda is one of the largest bicycle tire manufacturers in the world.
I'm not suprised they also make aircraft tires. Their bike tires are
well made.

Barry

[REMOVE TO REPLY.pdb]

Dan:

Im use this tire on my 170 and it gets a lot of landings. I
have only gone through 2 or 3 in about 700 hours and one
was premature due to my stupidity and reluctance to fill the
tire when it was cold. The biggest cause for premature wear
is under inflation.

I run mine at 34 lbs/sq in and check it regularly. If you
let them get even a bit low, you will destroy the tire and
the tube in no at all time. BTDT.

Pete



Dan Thomas wrote:
> Does anyone know if any of the major tire companies are still making
> the 2.80/2.50-4 tailwheel tire? We've been getting tires from several
> vendors, all coming under different part numbers and names, but
> they're all by STA, US made, and they just don't last very long. They
> seem more plastic than rubber and the centre tread is very shallow and
> is gone in 30 hours or less. Shimmy isn't a factor in the wear. We
> used to get much better tires but now I can't find anything other than
> these. Anybody buying GOOD tires?
>
> Dan

--

Peter D. Brown
http://home.gci.net/~pdb/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akmtnsoaring/

[Cub Driver]

>McCreary makes one. I've been using them on my Maule. I got over 300 hours out
>of the first one and probably could have run it for a while longer. The one on
>the plane now has nearly 200 hours and still has excellent tread.

Do you think the airport will give me a discount, given that I never
make stall-down landings unless I have to salvage a bounce?

I've been renting Cubs for five years, and there have been lots of
moans and complaints about replacement stuff. But oddly enough I don't
ever recall anyone jawing about the need to replace tailwheel tires on
a regular basis. These planes surely go over 300 hours in the course
of a summer.

Shimmying -- now, that was a problem for a long time. Once a broken
spring. Locking up. But maybe I only notice the things that affect me.
I'll ask around.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put CUB in subject line)

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com

[Dan Thomas]

"REMOVE TO REPLY.pdb" <"REMOVE TO > wrote in message >...
> Dan:
>
> Im use this tire on my 170 and it gets a lot of landings. I
> have only gone through 2 or 3 in about 700 hours and one
> was premature due to my stupidity and reluctance to fill the
> tire when it was cold. The biggest cause for premature wear
> is under inflation.
>
> I run mine at 34 lbs/sq in and check it regularly. If you
> let them get even a bit low, you will destroy the tire and
> the tube in no at all time. BTDT.
>
> Pete

The pressure is well up, right at spec at 35 psi, in the
tailwheel. It's a Citabria used for flight training, and since it gets
a lot of landings we expect more-than-normal wear. However, we used to
get much longer service before this current crop of tires showed up
under everyone else's part numbers, even under Scott's. It's even more
disappointing to see this in a US-made tire; I could understand it in
some imported POJ.
I'll keep looking, and take Patterson's advice and see if McCreary
still has one.

Dan

(POJ = Piece of Junk. Similar to another, more vulgar term.)

[G.R. Patterson III]

Dan Thomas wrote:
>
> I'll keep looking, and take Patterson's advice and see if McCreary
> still has one.

Might not be a good idea. I checked around a bit, and, according to the Chief
Aircraft web site, McCreary has changed names to "Specialty Tires of America".
This sounds suspiciously like the "STA" you're buying now. They do stock that
size, however. Aircraft Spruce still lists them as "McCreary" and stocks the
2.80/250 x 4. Goodyear, Condor, and Michelin have no listing for that size.
Desser Tire stocks the size but doesn't say who makes it.

Sorry to mislead you.

George Patterson
A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something that can be learned
no other way.

[Dan Thomas]

"G.R. Patterson III" > wrote in message >...
>
> Might not be a good idea. I checked around a bit, and, according to the Chief
> Aircraft web site, McCreary has changed names to "Specialty Tires of America".
> This sounds suspiciously like the "STA" you're buying now.

That's them, all right. See what I mean? Everyone selling the same
tire under their own part numbers.
Going to have find out if the Kenda is actually Kenda or just STA
again. And whether it's certified or just for homebuilts. I bet I
could get just as good service out of a handcart tire as I do from
these things we have now.

Dan

[B a r r y B u r k e J r .]

On 25 Nov 2003 19:27:41 -0800, (Dan
Thomas) wrote:


> Going to have find out if the Kenda is actually Kenda or just STA
>again.

I'll betcha Kenda is Kenda or STA is Kenda. Kenda is a massive
Chinese tire manufacturer.

<http://www.kendausa.com/>
<http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Kenda+tire&btnG=Google+Search>


Barry

[G.R. Patterson III]

Dan Thomas wrote:
>
> I bet I
> could get just as good service out of a handcart tire as I do from
> these things we have now.

Well, I wouldn't want to name names, but I know a guy who blew out a tailwheel
tube and ran one from a lawn tractor for a few weeks until he could get an
aviation tube. Worked just fine.

George Patterson
A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something that can be learned
no other way.