Flat Main Tire in the Backcountry?

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marl59
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Flat Main Tire in the Backcountry?

Post by marl59 »

Just wondering if any of you have ever experienced a flat main tire while out flying the back country. If so how did you handle the repair. The take off? The landing. I'm running 29" Airstreaks on my Highlander and have some Idaho flying planned late this summer. Ive been thinking of packing enough stuff in my tool kit to handle it. And would love to hear from any one that has some experience or advice on the subject.
donRNO
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Re: Flat Main Tire in the Backcountry?

Post by donRNO »

Here is what the tire manufacturer says: http://www.airframesalaska.com/v/vspfil ... %20ICA.pdf

It looks like ordinary tubeless repair kits should work as long as no cords are cut. A small 12-volt air compressor would probably be required. Tell us what you come up with.

Don
jaffles
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Re: Flat Main Tire in the Backcountry?

Post by jaffles »

Hi Marl59, my first post, I have no plane, I am not a pilot, but I have a dream. I also have some truthful stories about those tire plugs to perhaps get you out of a bind.

I had a good mate crossing remote central Australia in his 4x4. He ripped a hole in his last tire, right on the curve of the side wall and tread surface. He put 12 plugs in until it stopped leaking. He then made the 5 hour drive in 4 to make it to the pub in town before it closed. Drove his car that hard he turned his yellow Old Man Emu shock absorbers black. True story, I have seen the tire and the shocks.

I have another friend with a 12 sec drag car. Just a family man on limited budget who shouts himself a new set of rear tires every season. He picked up a screw from somewhere and got a flat on the second round of the season. He put a plug in and went racing, completed the season, and actually one his class that year. True story. I am probably out of line with aviation, but I reckon those plugs are cheap, light, easy, and will get you home any day of the year.
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R Rinker
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Re: Flat Main Tire in the Backcountry?

Post by R Rinker »

A puncture to a thin tundra tire can often be a tear too large to patch or plug...
Rodger Rinker - Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada
jaffles
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Re: Flat Main Tire in the Backcountry?

Post by jaffles »

Pleas forgive my lack of association, but are they like a an old canvas/material type construction. Like thin canvas coated in rubber and just a little thinker of the rolling surface. Good quality mountain bike tires are like this these days. Incredibly strong and flexible but seem be made of little and are very light. We use an acrylic liquid in them that expands and dries in holes to fill spike punctures over rocks, sticks and the like. Stan's No Tubes is the name. Often you see a darker make on the tire after a good ride, you know it's been working but still have great pressure. No good for tears I admit. Just learning here guys.
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marl59
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Re: Flat Main Tire in the Backcountry?

Post by marl59 »

Hey guys,thanks for the good feedback and stories. I'm going to go into the backcountry with a tubeless patch kit and a hand tire pump in my toolkit. Hopefully I wont have to use them for myself or any other pilots. I'll post if I have any experiences worth relaying. Thanks again and happy flying!
User GDS
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Re: Flat Main Tire in the Backcountry?

Post by User GDS »

We use an acrylic liquid in them that expands and dries in holes to fill spike punctures over rocks, sticks and the like. Stan's No Tubes is the name.
Yep

I always use Stan's in my bushwheels. (and wheelbarrows) I also coat them with Herculiner to make them resist thorns better and last longer.
GDS
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cropduster1968
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Re: Flat Main Tire in the Backcountry?

Post by cropduster1968 »

Any thing off road here in south Texas I use Green Slime.I put 1 pint in each of my Mule tires & it works well for all thorns leaks. I also carry a plug kit for a real bad leak.
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marl59
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Re: Flat Main Tire in the Backcountry?

Post by marl59 »

Once again, thanks guys for the great info. I have been wondering about coating the tires with a bed liner to try to get a little more life out of them. So thanks for the tip about Herculiner. Does it flex well with the tires? How far down the tire do you coat it beyond the normal contact patch?
User GDS
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Re: Flat Main Tire in the Backcountry?

Post by User GDS »

Use Herculiner; i tried a different brand and it came off on the first trip to the desert. I've never had Herculiner peel.

I wash the tires well, put the plane on jack stands so the tires will spin and paint a band about 12" wide with a disposable brush. 1 qt will do about 1.25 coatings on 29ers. In warm weather it takes a day to dry. It splatters a little so i cover the gear legs with a dropcloth and put cardboard on the floor.

Works great, i haven't found any downsides.
GDS
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marl59
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Re: Flat Main Tire in the Backcountry?

Post by marl59 »

Thanks GDS. Just the good info I needed. I'll do it very soon. Thanks again!
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