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smooth tires

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rose9065f

Joined: 30 Jan 2008
Posts: 10
Location: Pahrump, NV

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2012 5:54 pm Post subject: smooth tires

KF2, original tires 15 years old, smooth 20x7-8, not looking so good, so I am going to replace them.  I looked up the old posts, atv tires, golf cart etc.  Dumb question, why do I want smooth tires?  What is the advantage, why not some type of tread?



Jim

KF2/582

Pahrump



 [quote][b]

_________________
KF2 582

rose9065f

Joined: 30 Jan 2008
Posts: 10
Location: Pahrump, NV

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2012 5:54 pm Post subject: smooth tires

KF2, original tires 15 years old, smooth 20x7-8, not looking so good, so I am going to replace them.  I looked up the old posts, atv tires, golf cart etc.  Dumb question, why do I want smooth tires?  What is the advantage, why not some type of tread?



Jim

KF2/582

Pahrump



 [quote][b]

_________________
KF2 582

redrocketrider

Joined: 13 May 2011
Posts: 67
Location: Nervino airport

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2012 8:17 pm Post subject: smooth tires

Depends on where you  land......paved or dirt.  knobby tires for dirt, smooth/tread on  runway.  You do not want knobby tires on a runway....We just replaced ours  from knobby to regular tread much better landings  The  ship came with knobby tires!.......Bob  KitFox 4/1200 Beckwourth, CA  O02

  	  Quote: 	
		        From: rez (rrr.cavu(at)yahoo.com) 

   Sent: Friday, April 06, 2012 6:53 PM

   To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com (kitfox-list(at)matronics.com) 

   Subject: smooth tires



   



                                                                         KF2, original tires 15 years old,                smooth 20x7-8, not looking so good, so I am going to replace them.                 I looked up the old posts, atv tires, golf cart etc.                 Dumb question, why do I want smooth tires?  What is the                advantage, why not some type of tread?                



               Jim

               KF2/582

               Pahrump



 	  Quote: 	
		  



href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kitfox-List">http://www.matronhref="http://forums.matronics.com">http://forums.matronics.com

href="http://www.matronics.com/contribution">http://www.matronics.com/c

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_________________
Keep the dirty side down/Blue skies. Bob

KeysFox

Joined: 05 Jan 2009
Posts: 137

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 6:14 am Post subject: smooth tires

smooth less likely to pick up stones and throw them into fabric



low inflation on stiff tread tire can cause rolling resistance on touch

down, tendency to swerve or pull to one side a bit



sand spurs can go thru thin skinned tires-cause lots of little slow leaks,

less likely with thicker tread type tires



pick what works for your situation



BJ

Kitfox IV 912



 	  Quote: 	
		   Depends on where you land......paved or dirt.  knobby tires for dirt,

 smooth/tread on runway.  You do not want knobby tires on a runway....We

 just replaced ours from knobby to regular tread much better landings  The

 ship came with knobby tires!.......Bob  KitFox 4/1200 Beckwourth, CA O02

   From: rez

   Sent: Friday, April 06, 2012 6:53 PM

   To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

   Subject: smooth tires

               KF2, original tires 15 years old, smooth 20x7-8, not looking

 so good, so I am going to replace them.  I looked up the old

 posts, atv tires, golf cart etc.  Dumb question, why do I

 want smooth tires?  What is the advantage, why not some type

 of tread?

               Jim

               KF2/582

               Pahrump

_________________
B Jones
N154K
443-480-1023

rawheels

Joined: 09 Jul 2008
Posts: 89
Location: Westfield, IN

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 7:09 am Post subject: Re: smooth tires

Would there really be any reason to use knobby tires?  Other than a few treads for water to go through on wet pavement, it seems like like you'd want the smoothest tire for the most traction.  I mean, since the wheels aren't actually driven by the engine, there is no need to have "gripping" treads. Knobby tires would serve no purpose other than adding drag, right?

_________________
Kitfox IV-1200
Indianapolis, IN

dave

Joined: 22 Sep 2006
Posts: 1382

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 9:09 am Post subject: Re: smooth tires

just put on King fox and 8" wheels on a Raven - Kitfox clone........



Will put up a movie soon on my you tube channel 



smooth is the way to go

_________________
Realtime Kitfox movies to separate the internet chatter from the truth
http://www.youtube.com/user/kitfoxflyer
Hundreds of Kitfox Movies
Most viewed Kitfox on youtube
Most popular on youtube
Highest rated on youtube

brubakermal(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 5:40 pm Post subject: smooth tires

i got treaded  tires for my 2 becouse they wher cheep. they wear off and i flip them over now ther almost tottly bald  fter 5 years and no sign of thread showing. I land mostly on pavement.

 o wore the king fox out in one summer had thread showing not a good thing  on a 2 ply tire.   



 

Malcolm & Jeanne Brubaker 

Michigan Sport Pilot Repair 

 http://michigansportpilotrepair.com

 LSRM-A, PPC, WS

Great Sails - Sailmaker 

for Ultralight & Light Sport

(989)513-3022

  

  

  

  

      

  From: dave <dave(at)cfisher.com>

 To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com 

 Sent: Saturday, April 7, 2012 1:09 PM

 Subject: Re: smooth tires

  

 

 --> Kitfox-List message posted by: "dave" <dave(at)cfisher.com (dave(at)cfisher.com)>



just put on King fox and 8" wheels on a Raven - Kitfox clone........



Will put up a movie soon on my you tube channel 



smooth is the way to go



--------

Realtime Kitfox movies to separate  the internet  chatter from the truth

http://www.youtube.com/user/kitfoxflyer

Hundreds of Kitfox Movies 

Most viewed Kitfox on youtube

Most popular on youtube

Highest rated on youtube





Read this topic online here:



http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=370222#370222

Paul A. Franz, P.E.

Joined: 02 Dec 2008
Posts: 280
Location: Bellevue WA

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 1:11 pm Post subject: smooth tires

On Sat, April 7, 2012 7:13 am, bjones(at)dmv.com wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   



 smooth less likely to pick up stones and throw them into fabric


	


That's a good point.



 	  Quote: 	
		   sand spurs can go thru thin skinned tires-cause lots of little slow leaks,

 less likely with thicker tread type tires


	


If you have inner tubes then there is a very nice product called tuff-skins. They are

sold at bicycle shops. They absolutely prevent flats from sand burrs, cockle burrs and

bits of glass at the edge of roadways. They are very light and thin and have a

slightly sticky surface so you lay them in the inside of the tire in just the road

contact area and then the inflated inner tube holds them in place.



I think that ribbed tires are the best since they offer a slight resistance to

skidding and aid landing on wet runways. In my opinion knobbies are just extra weight

and air drag. They really pickup mud and splatter the bottom of the fuselage and even

the wings in muddy conditions. Even landing on fresh mowed grass with knobbies

splatters grass fragments that make green stains when the hit the aircraft.

-- 

Paul A. Franz, P.E.

PAF Consulting Engineers

Office 425.440.9505

Cell 425.241.1618

_________________
Paul A. Franz, P.E.
Registration/Aircraft - N14UW/Merlin GT
Engine/Prop - Rotax 914/NSI CAP
Bellevue WA
425.241.1618 Cell
425.440.9505 Office

rose9065f

Joined: 30 Jan 2008
Posts: 10
Location: Pahrump, NV

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 10:38 am Post subject: smooth tires

Wet runways not a factor here in Pahrump,  maybe four inches rain per year.  I do land on asphalt at the home field, but also on dry lakes and sand.



Regarding traction though, I am not sure it is a good thing.  The consensus seems to be that it is more difficult landing a KF on a hard surface than on grass or gravel.  If I touch down a little cockeyed and those tires grab hold of the runway, then the back end wants to come around hard for another ground loop.  If I do the same on gravel or grass, the mains may slip sideways a little, giving me a bit of time to get it straight.  

Comments?

Jim

KF2/582

 [quote][b]

_________________
KF2 582

lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 12:27 pm Post subject: smooth tires

Jim,

 My understanding is similar to your comments.   Traction is not necessarily a good thing with a tail wheel airplane on  landing.  But, since the Kitfox has had smooth tires from day one with lots  of stories of ground loops, I doubt that the smooth tires help much in that  regard on pavement.  Sort of like the low pressure slicks on a  dragster. Another thought on traction - not a good thing with heavy braking  either as it is not too difficult to nose over.  I have lifted the tail a  time or two with the brakes.  Then again, it is probably better to have the  brakes being the weak spot and slipping rather than the wheels slipping against  the pavement when braking.

 Lowell

  



  From: rez (rrr.cavu(at)yahoo.com) 

 Sent: Monday, April 09, 2012 11:37 AM

 To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com (kitfox-list(at)matronics.com) 

 Subject: Re: smooth tires

 



            Wet runways not a factor here in Pahrump,  maybe four        inches rain per year.  I do land on asphalt at the home field, but        also on dry lakes and sand.        



       Regarding traction though, I am not sure it is a good thing.         The consensus seems to be that it is more difficult landing a KF on        a hard surface than on grass or gravel.  If I touch down a little        cockeyed and those tires grab hold of the runway, then the back end wants        to come around hard for another ground loop.  If I do the same on        gravel or grass, the mains may slip sideways a little, giving me a bit of        time to get it straight.  

       



       Comments?

       



       Jim

       KF2/582

[quote]



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