Filling up tires with wheel pants?

DavidWhite

DavidWhite

Final Approach
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I had been checking the tire PSI with a small gauge that I could fit between the tire and the wheel fairing, but today when I checked it it was 2 PSI low so I got out the pump to fill it up. I couldnt fit the hose over the valve stem because there wasnt enough clearance. Can I change the valve stems somehow? I already talked with my mechanic about cutting a hole in the side, he said there was a plate in the way. Are there any other options?
 
DavidWhite said:
I had been checking the tire PSI with a small gauge that I could fit between the tire and the wheel fairing, but today when I checked it it was 2 PSI low so I got out the pump to fill it up. I couldnt fit the hose over the valve stem because there wasnt enough clearance. Can I change the valve stems somehow? I already talked with my mechanic about cutting a hole in the side, he said there was a plate in the way. Are there any other options?
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Buy a retract and you get to dangle your gear naked. You might also look at a small trap door to put in the pant up higher and you just roll it to line the valve stem up. Or there is the easier way of going and getting a different air chuck that you can get in or modify to get into the space provided. Or you can unbolt the wheel pant and get it out of the way. Take your pick, there probably another dozen ways. The valve stems are one thing you cannot change because they are connected to your tubes.
 
get the proper inflater.
 
DavidWhite said:
I had been checking the tire PSI with a small gauge that I could fit between the tire and the wheel fairing, but today when I checked it it was 2 PSI low so I got out the pump to fill it up. I couldnt fit the hose over the valve stem because there wasnt enough clearance. Can I change the valve stems somehow? I already talked with my mechanic about cutting a hole in the side, he said there was a plate in the way. Are there any other options?
Click to expand...

I put a long-necked air chuck on my 12V compressor - the type with dual receptacles angled at about 45 degrees. It is still a hands & knees job, but at least it is possible.Any auto parts store should have this type of chuck
 
I took the wheel pants off years ago. The alleged 2-3 knot advantage isn't worth the aggravation of checking/adding air to the tires.
 
murphey said:
I took the wheel pants off years ago. The alleged 2-3 knot advantage isn't worth the aggravation of checking/adding air to the tires.
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Having wheel pants can cost you more than having a retract of the same plane.
 
Henning said:
Buy a retract and you get to dangle your gear naked. You might also look at a small trap door to put in the pant up higher and you just roll it to line the valve stem up. .
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That's my solution. Some of the best money I've spent has been a set of no-leak tubes. Just finished annual earlier this week, no air needed since last year.
 
With my 172 back home, I rotate the tire to the little access door on the wheel pant and can put a compressor nozzle through there to the tire. Pain in the ass though
 
Have you painted a small index mark on the tire? It's a lot easier when you know the valve stem is lined up.

OzPilot said:
With my 172 back home, I rotate the tire to the little access door on the wheel pant and can put a compressor nozzle through there to the tire. Pain in the ass though
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Fill the tire with nitrogen is another 'helper' solution. You'll have fewer pressure fluctuations.
 
...wait, is an STC or 337 required for that? (semi-sarcastically)
 
Only if you're trying to figure out how to make them retract.

Henning said:
The extra time required dealing with the wheel pants over the year can add up to more than the gear swing. Having problems with gear isn't really that common.
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I prefer to fill my tires with air rather than wheelpants.
 
wabower said:
That's my solution. Some of the best money I've spent has been a set of no-leak tubes. Just finished annual earlier this week, no air needed since last year.
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I've never heard of no-leak tubes, do you know where I can order them?
 
Add another vote for no leak tubes.

I really dislike the looks of non spatted Cessnas (or worse yet, those with main gear pants but no nose pant) so my pants stay on. :rolleyes:

I purchased no leak tubes a few years ago and *might* have to fill the tires once between annuals. But most of the time not at all.

And to he who mentioned "index" marks on the tires, yes, I paint white stripes on the tires lined up with the valve stems. I don't have doors, I cut half moons along the bottom edge of my pants. Makes a huge difference.
 
DavidWhite said:
I had been checking the tire PSI with a small gauge that I could fit between the tire and the wheel fairing, but today when I checked it it was 2 PSI low so I got out the pump to fill it up. I couldnt fit the hose over the valve stem because there wasnt enough clearance. Can I change the valve stems somehow? I already talked with my mechanic about cutting a hole in the side, he said there was a plate in the way. Are there any other options?
Click to expand...


Hi David,

You need one of these along with a air hose adapter at Home Depot. They have these in the air tool section. Then paint an index park on the tire with a Sharpie paint pen.

http://www.google.com/products/cata...a=X&ei=s0PpTenTAoGitgfy9LGcAQ&ved=0CFwQ8wIwAw
 
Filling up tires with wheel pants?
Click to expand...

I'm sorry however every time I see this topic pop up, all I can think of is why would you want to put pieces of wheel pants inside the tires.

At least my sense of humor is finally starting to return.

I'll go away now.
Back to your regularly scheduled wheel pants wheel air whatever thread...
 
Jaybird180 said:
Fill the tire with nitrogen is another 'helper' solution. You'll have fewer pressure fluctuations.
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Cite a source on this.

Since regular "air" is mostly nitrogen, 100% nitrogen is really only a couple of percent different.

It's a scam.

I've had folks try to tell me that nitrogen molecules were "bigger" and oxygen molecules were "smaller" so they pass through the rubber easier.

My answer to that has always been... "So, eventually the tire would work it's way up to almost 100% nitrogen anyway as the oxygen leaked out and you refilled with standard air?" The rubber would act like a sieve, if this were the case.

They usually blink and look at you funny... especially if they've bought into this widespread scam.
 
denverpilot said:
Cite a source on this.

Since regular "air" is mostly nitrogen, 100% nitrogen is really only a couple of percent different.

It's a scam.

I've had folks try to tell me that nitrogen molecules were "bigger" and oxygen molecules were "smaller" so they pass through the rubber easier.

My answer to that has always been... "So, eventually the tire would work it's way up to almost 100% nitrogen anyway as the oxygen leaked out and you refilled with standard air?" The rubber would act like a sieve, if this were the case.

They usually blink and look at you funny... especially if they've bought into this widespread scam.
Click to expand...

??? I always thought that Oxygen was bigger than Nitrogen, it sits to the right of it on the Periodic Table IIRC. Discounting pollution, air is 79% N2, 20.9% O2 with the remainder being others like Argon and such.

I always love the "nitrogen in the tires" guys. I convince them to use helium to reduce unsprung weight. If they bought into nitrogen, they'll buy anything.

The only thing filling your tires/tubes with N2 will do is prevent the inside surface from oxidizing, that's it. Since I've never seen a tire wear out from the inside out, I don't worry about it. If I was trying for 400mph on inflatable tires at Bonneville or something, I'd potentially fill them with Argon, but probably not.
 
The O2 molecule is about 97% the size of the N2 molecule. It is heavier however.
 
Henning said:
The only thing filling your tires/tubes with N2 will do is prevent the inside surface from oxidizing, that's it.
Click to expand...

Same understanding here. :rolleyes: I had assumed that it had some valid application in some high-temp environment somewhere, but never thought it would matter in anything that I was working with.
 
Put a half can (small size) of tire slim in each tube before you mount the tire.
 
denverpilot said:
Since regular "air" is mostly nitrogen, 100% nitrogen is really only a couple of percent different.
Click to expand...
Yep. Air is 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% others (argon, co2, etc)

... "So, eventually the tire would work it's way up to almost 100% nitrogen anyway as the oxygen leaked out and you refilled with standard air?" The rubber would act like a sieve, if this were the case.
Click to expand...

:rofl::rofl:
Once again, a basic knowledge of physics trumps conventional wisdom.
 
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Stevel said:
Same understanding here. :rolleyes: I had assumed that it had some valid application in some high-temp environment somewhere, but never thought it would matter in anything that I was working with.
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If the wheels are getting really hot, you put Argon in, but we're talking extreme and exotic applications.
 
Okay. I decided to replace the tubes w/ michelin airstop tubes, then drill a 1" diameter hole in the wheel pant, just in case. Thanks for all the help everyone!
 
No wheel pants! blasphemy!

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