RE: need help with SM wheels
 

I filled my Skymasters L39 (RIP) tires with foam and it worked perfectly. The material I used was insulation tubes (like pool noodles) and it worked great.

Two main advantages going this route:
1) obviously, you dont lose air
2) tire diameter doesnt change with temperature. In the L39, the tire barely misses the edge of the wheel well. In a hot day, after the take off run, the tire would get a little bigger, go in, and get stuck (i know this from experience)

Never happened again after changing to foam

RE: need help with SM wheels
 

I can only speak of the SM wheels that are on the 2M viper, which originally had the inflatable tires. I ordered the solid tires from dreamworks. Separated the rim, bolted the new tires up, and everything worked great. They are the airpower solid tires. They fit great, and still using them today. They only thing you will have to do is apply threadlocker to the screws. However, the only make up to a 3" in the solid tire, unless I am missing something. Another thing to keep in mind is that on my skymaster hubs, both halves are the same thickness. I have seen some rims that are offset. If one of your hubs are thicker than the other, the airpower solid tires may not fit as the retaining part of the tire itself comes out from the middle.

http://dreamworksrc.com/catalog/airpower-c-64_78.html

Hope this helps

RE: need help with SM wheels
 

Thank you everyone, great information.

I would like to try and see if the internal Oring for the nipple seal or the Tire might be able to be fixed. Does anyone know where I can get a replacement tire within a few days - a replacement SM air inflated tire?

I did hear from SM. They suggested the same. I had hoped that they might offer to help me with parts since this is a new plane.

Dave

RE: need help with SM wheels
 

Since it's a new plane you should insist that Skymaster send you the parts. You won't get them in a few days.

Dreamworks carries replacement inflateable tires (they are Airpower wheels/tires).

I do not see the o-rings on Dreamworks website. They are available from Airpower as I mentioned in post #10. If you have an o-ring supplier or hardware store that carries metric o-rings you could take it there to try to find a match.

RE: need help with SM wheels
 

Thanks Joe, I wasnt sure if Dreamworks had the air tire. I will call them today.

Thank you,
Dave

RE: need help with SM wheels
 

Does anyone happen to know what exact tire I need to order for the air inflatable replacement from either airpower or dreamworks?

I just would like to make sure I dont order the worng one...I called dreamworks to order today but they were not sure of the exact replacement.


Thanks,
Dave

RE: need help with SM wheels
 

It's real simple. Measure your tire diameter, then order the same size replacement off of Dreamworks web page.

RE: need help with SM wheels
 

OD only?

RE: need help with SM wheels
 

Only leak I can see underwater is a small bubble from the nipple every few seconds. No other leaks.
I removed, cleaned and re lubed the Oring in the middle of the wheel over the fill hole...waiting to see if it holds overnight
Dave

RE: need help with SM wheels
 

Dave,

If the leak continues, you may have to remove the nipple, clean the threads, seal with a touch of Aeropoxy, and reinstall. The brakes on my SM F-4 had a slow leak that I eventually tracked back to the nipple. There was no sealant on the threads. Holds air forever now.

RE: need help with SM wheels
 

Thanks Mike.

I looked pretty closely at the nipple but I didnt see much of a spot to grab it to spin it; it almost looked like it could have been pressed in....Thanks though for the advice. Since the air was coming through the nipple opening I am assuming it is leaking through it and not around it...we'll see.

Thanks again, especially before we get shutdown again to read only...

Dave

RE: need help with SM wheels
 

Dave,

You're right, the nipple is small and not much to grab onto. They are threaded though. I used a smooth jewelers needle nose pliers to grip the valve and slowly turn it back out. If yours is leaking through the center though, that sounds like the valve itself is bad. Wishing you success quickly!

RE: need help with SM wheels
 

Good point about the valve. I presumed that it is just directing the air into the next chamber and is not a check-valve. I think the Oring is what seals only....on the inner hub hole/oring assembly.

DD

RE: need help with SM wheels
 

Leaking again through the air nipple, which means the Oring in the middle of the inner hub isnt sealing. I will try to replace it once and then I am going to anotehr solution if it doesnt work.

RE: need help with SM wheels
 

Does anyone know where I can buy the O rings for the center hub seal? Airpower has them but 1) it will take a long time to get them 2) the security certificate for the airpower site is not valid...

Anyway, I will shop locally ASAP but wondered if there is another Airpower distributor in the US?

With READ ONLY lurking, I am not sure if anyone can respond but thanks for any help.
Dave