I'm building a Stagger Bee, and the kit came with tires that I'm having trouble figuring out how to inflate properly. The tires look like minature inner-tubes, with a small tube (made of the same material as the tire) coming from the hub (used to fill the tire). When I blow into the tire, it inflates, but there probably won't be enough pressure to hold the plane off the hub. After I get the tires inflated, how do I seal off the inlet tube?

The kit is going together pretty easy so far, although, I'm not that thrilled with the plywood die-cut pieces, they don't come out very easy. The instructions were pretty straightforward, it just seems they left this part out.

Those are called "Trexler Air Wheels" or "Balloon Wheels".

After you inflate them, twist the inlet tubes a couple of turns and tuck them under the wooden hubs. You can work them around under the hub until they are almost completely hidden between the hub and the tire. This will hold the pressure in the tire.

You should not use your breath to inflate the tires (though I always did, against Trexler's recommendations) as the moisture in your breath will cause the inlet tubes to stick together (internally). Then it takes a lot of work to get them unstuck so you can get the air out. If you find this to be a problem, try twisting and stretching the tubes and eventually they will open up, but they can be a pain.

While I like the looks of the Trexler Air Wheels, they never seemed to be very durable. They seemed to get a lot of "flats" caused by the tiniest sharp objects (almost microscopic) causing punctures.

David:

The Trexler wheels are best inflated with the special pump they supply, if only because the moisture in your breath will cause deterioration of the rubber, and making the inflation hose seal itself to the point you can't reinflate the tire.

Once you blow it up, either with the pump or your mouth, twist the inflation hose as you would twist the neck of a balloon. But don't tie it in a knot, tuck it into the slit between the wooden hub and the tire. Then to deflate or pump up a low tire pull it back out of the slit and untwist it.

There's where the problem arises. Moisture will make the tube stick shut, you'll have a hard time getting air to flow. Get some glycerin and some green soap from your local drug store, mix them about 50-50 and work some into the tube. Or use any good long lasting rubber lube. (Yes, K-Y jelly DOES work - Haw.)

And finally, for longest life of the Trexler tires, deflate them when the plane is stored, with no weight on the wheels.

these are some great looking tires on the bees. I had a lazy and speedy bee. Trexlers add to their comical look. The tail wheel was the only one that gave me trouble. The main wheels would generally stay inflated enough but, that tail wheel would go down in a hurry. It is the one that always got stuck together for me.

These are some fun little planes

Good Luck!

I built my first fuel powered free flight in 1936 and several more before WWII took away my modeling time. Trexlers have been around since before the great unpleasantness but disappeared during the war just as auto tires did. I hadn't heard of or found any until the Clancy Bees appeared. Never had a lot of trouble with them and I'm glad to see them on the market again. I believe Hobby Lobby has them. All the advice above is gospel. I learned the hard way.

Tower has been selling them for years - I think even before the Clancy kits came along (I know they been in the back of their catalog for years). They also sell the recommended pump.

Dear Doeseberg:

The PIPE Here yet AGAIN...and I've just GOTTA say, I LOVE those Trexler BUSHwheels!!!!

My Balsa USA Swizzle Stick 40 (in the hangar for now... ...lost it in the SUN last weekend and had only a SMALL bit of repair work to do from the crash) uses the "9-G" 3-1/2 inch size of these Trexler units (they've got a WEBSITE now at http://www.trexlerballoonwheel.com/ AT LAST!!!)

My upcoming "Agri-Batic" CROPDUSTER conversion project, based on a Sig Four Star 60, will be using their "11-G" 4-1/2 inch size wheel-tire assemblies, along with a TnT bowed 60 size aluminum landing gear setup...and a HOMEMADE fiberglass leaf spring J-3 Cub style tailwheel assembly!

For inflation of my Trexlers, I've got one of the old DuBro "Big Wheel" piston type air pumps set up with a piece of regular silicone fuel tubing to pump them up. along with a homemade "needle" assembly made from hobby shop brass tubing (smallest diameter on THAT one is 1/16th inch OD tube, fits into that Trexler filler stem section NICELY when moistened slightly)...for DEflation, I use a piece of .015 music wire that's been ground to a ROUND tip on the end, with my Dremel, to eliminate any chance of puncturing, and GENTLY work it down into the filler hose until the air is released.

In "preserving" the tires, I've found that some tire preserative sold at auto supply stores by Meguiars-their "GOLD CLASS ENDURANCE" tire preserative product-is GREAT on Trexler tires for protection from glow fuel damage! Check at http://www.meguiars.com/product_show...cfm?SrcLine=CW , and scroll down to the EIGHTH item there...most auto supply stores carry it...and when you open the nozzle to squirt some out onto a paper towel to coat those Trexler tires, do NOT be suprised by a GRAPE JUICE like odor coming from the Meguiar's product...it's even purple in color, and got ME calling it the "Great Grape" way of preserving your Trexler tires!

And have you EVER wondered if something like Trexler tires are available for FULL SIZED aircraft? Just check at http://www.akbushwheel.com/index.html ...and be prepared to have some HOWLS of laughter at how HUGE that company's BUSH WHEELS are for taildragger light planes of various makes! And they sure seem to work as NICELY as the Trexlers do for our RC models, judging from all the lightplanes with them on there at that site!

Now, a LOW WING RC CROPDUSTER with BUSHWHEELS on it...THAT is going to be something to see!

Hope these tips and links help!

Yours Sincerely,

The PIPE!