Really low tech tire question

[Dave S]

I am getting some conflicting information about changing tires.

Although the tires I have on our kitfox are the cheap ones, and they are wearing really well, I am considering swapping from side to side to equalize camber wear over the life of the tires....based on the amount of wear, they should last quite a while longer.

Where I am getting the conflict is one party (an FBO) says that it is imperative that a person use new tubes if dismounting and re-mounting or changing tires because the tubes "streach" with use and could fail if re-used.

Honestly I have never heard this opinion before and am wondering what people on the list think about re-using inner tubes.

Thanks,

Dave S

KF7 trigear
912ULS Warp Drive

[t j]

I have heard this. It was from an A&P IA at a Wings seminar. I looked in my notes from it just now and what he said was, "No leak tubes do not withstand stretching. They will split if they go flat and are reused". He said it is the manufacturer's instruction to not reuse the tubes if a tire goes flat.

I have atv tires and tubes on my Kitfox. I dismounted the tires and turned them around for the same reason you want to reverse yours. No problems.

[Dick B in KY]

Dave, A look on the Goodyear website will give you all kinds of info on aircraft tires and tubes.

Dick B

[Av8r3400]

IMO: $ound$ like the FBO likes to $ell new tube$.

[Esser]

I don't know your set up, but can you just unbolt the axles and swap the whole unit?

[kitfox5v]

I believe he is wanting to put inside tread on the outside because of inside wear. You will have to dismount to turn them around. When I mounted up my tires for my 5 the tubes looked like regular tubes i use in other small tires I use on the farm. My 4 has new tires on it but I found the bungees only had 4 wraps and the gear was loose and was wearing the inside 2 ribs. I am putting new bungees on to correct the problem. I'd say remount and wait a day or so and keep a check on the pressure. If it drops you have a problem. If not go for it. It will depend on how old the tubes are would be the only question I would have. Hope this helps.Eddie

[jrevens]

Even with the "traditional" natural rubber tubes, it has always been recommended (by the tire companies, and literature on the subject) to change the tubes with the tires. The tubes, when stretched, tend to take a set, and there is a better chance of pinching a tube when re-mounting, not to mention the aging issue. That being said, I've usually re-used tubes at least once, and I've never had any problems (knock on wood). I get very good "mileage" on my Thorp T-18 with 5.00-5 tires - over 600 hrs. on the last set (over 1000 hrs. on the tubes) - and those are small tires compared to a Kitfox, with a landing speed about 25-30 mph faster... FWIW.