Foam Wheels
#1
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Location: Benwood, WV
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Foam Wheels
Foam Wheels, Advantage and Disadvantag
Advantage, They are lite.
Disadvantage, Mine have flat spots how do you get the wheel round again?
Floto[sm=confused.gif]
Advantage, They are lite.
Disadvantage, Mine have flat spots how do you get the wheel round again?
Floto[sm=confused.gif]
#2
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Locust Grove,
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RE: Foam Wheels
Mine have flats. I have it on a 17lb plane. After flying one morning I noticed that while my wheels were heavier and wet, the flat spot was gone.
I don't think the flat will hurt you!
I don't think the flat will hurt you!
#5
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RE: Foam Wheels
I love em for their weight.
The flat spots go away with a few flights.
If I'm lettin the plane sit for a long time (over winter etc.)
I prop it up on somethin or hang it.
The only bad point about them is the fact that they soak up a little fuel.
Not enough to make them add any weight to speak of but no matter how much ya wipe them down. If ya squeeze them your hand will come away greasy (kinda)
For the most part though I wouldn't have anything else. I will say though that some brands are way to soft.
If ya fly off grass like most of us do, the ability to get the larger size without the weight gain is a standalone reason to go with foam. The bigger wheels work SOOOOO much better on grass!
I can't comment on paved runways though. I've never been flown off one.
The flat spots go away with a few flights.
If I'm lettin the plane sit for a long time (over winter etc.)
I prop it up on somethin or hang it.
The only bad point about them is the fact that they soak up a little fuel.
Not enough to make them add any weight to speak of but no matter how much ya wipe them down. If ya squeeze them your hand will come away greasy (kinda)
For the most part though I wouldn't have anything else. I will say though that some brands are way to soft.
If ya fly off grass like most of us do, the ability to get the larger size without the weight gain is a standalone reason to go with foam. The bigger wheels work SOOOOO much better on grass!
I can't comment on paved runways though. I've never been flown off one.
#6
My Feedback: (11)
RE: Foam Wheels
I can't stand them. They flat spot easy, on our runway the get chewed up really fast and some soak up fuel.
What I do to alieviate flat spots is when I store them in the shop, put together, I build a jig to sit under the plane so the wheels are not on the ground. Keeps them round. Specially on large birds. They flatspot everything.
What I do to alieviate flat spots is when I store them in the shop, put together, I build a jig to sit under the plane so the wheels are not on the ground. Keeps them round. Specially on large birds. They flatspot everything.
#9
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Join Date: Aug 2002
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RE: Foam Wheels
I was in my workshop last night when I noticed the foam wheels on the plane I am covering were flat in a couple of spots. I removed the wheels(Dave Brown 4" wheels) and soaked them in water for around a minute. As they soaked, I squeezed them to make sure they soaked up water. When I removed them from the sink, I carefully dried them with a heat gun. Once the surface was dry, I was pleased to find that my flat spots were gone. It worked so well, that I wondered if anyone on RCU had any other solutions, or if they had ever tried this. I don't know that it will work with all foam wheels, but would like to hear feedback if anyone would like to try it. My wheels had been on the plane for a couple weeks. I don't know if the duration of the compression has anything to do with the ease of getting the flat spots out or not.