Flat tires

[Gasser]

Just wanted to revisit flat tires. I'm glad to see its not a popular topic but that said, I've had two in the last month. The first was in a fairly newly installed Goodyear tire and tube. Flew on it for a solid month and 15 to 20 hrs before it went flat on a perfectly smooth landing. Wasn't there for the repair and the mechanic that bailed me out didn't give me any useful info.

Second flat was on the other side about a month later. That tire came with my aircraft and has been on there for a couple years. I was there for this repair. The tire looked fine, no puncture, cut or anything sharp inside. The tube had a very small hole in it at an area that would be very unlikely to get pinched. I'm pretty sure it went down on take off roll as just before rotation I noticed I needed an unusual amount of right rudder. When I landed it was smooth as glass and roll out felt pretty normal but again needed lots more right rudder as I slowed and eventually breaking to stay straight. ...ugh I said...another flat.


Well first I have to say after two landings on a flat tire, the Diamond handles that superbly.

Now, have I just had bad luck or is there something I need to be thinking of I'm missing? The first I chalked up to maybe a pinched tube. The second just worn out?

Thoughts?

[Rick]

Jeff, I know others here have previously reported problems with Goodyear tubes, maybe some of them being defective. Search the DAN for "Goodyear" and you will find several threads...

[Gasser]

Yes, saw that, I ordered a different brand. Hopefully that will fix the problem. Weard thing is, my most recent flat was on a tire that was on for some time.

[Tommy]

I strongly suggest you check your tire pressure on a regular basis (monthly or when temps drop dramatically) and
keep them inflated 10% above max pressure.

[Colin]

+1 on checking the pressure. I think that was what I was doing wrong the first couple years.

The wheel pants make it a little harder than I would have hoped.

[Gasser]

Well, its very possible that was the issue. I changed the tube out tonight and got all the pressures correct. My right side was 4 psi low so its also corrected.

What's the rationelle for over inflating the tire above the POH recommended pressures?

By the way, my flat was tube only and there was no tire damage at all. This was not a wheel pant rubbing, cut or punctured tire issue.

[RC7]

I can confirm that you aren't the only one having issues with the goodyear tubes. We've had 3 flats in recent months here. One on a DA-20, one on a DA-40, and one on a 42 (goes to show it isn't an aircraft specific issue). Every time it has just been a hole in the tube. We've also adopted the policy of keeping the tires inflated +5 PSI from what is recommended.

[Gasser]

Ok, so 41 psi for the mains.

I put a Michelin tube on this new tire. Hopefully it will last longer.


Thanks for all the info.

[Colin]

http://flyingsummers.com/2006/02/02/fame/

I had a flat tire on my delivery flight. After that I had three more: once landing in Kansas City, then the nose wheel on a flight back from dropping a friend at Van Nuys (so two short hops), and the last at St. Louis when I taxied out of the FBO's ramp.

The last one was a drag since I *must* have hit something on the taxiway. I preflighted carefully (always very intense on the preflight with the whole family in the plane). We were parked overnight. If the tire was flat we wouldn't have taxied out of the spot. But a hundred yards down the taxiway it went to 0 psi.

The Keystone cops would have looked efficient compared to the crew that came to "help." They had FIVE guys working by the hour to get it on a cart to tow back to a hangar and wanted to static test the wheel to make sure there were no defects before they put a new tube on it. I fired them. They still submitted a bill for $1,900.

[Tommy]

Well, its very possible that was the issue. I changed the tube out tonight and got all the pressures correct. My right side was 4 psi low so its also corrected.

What's the rationelle for over inflating the tire above the POH recommended pressures?

By the way, my flat was tube only and there was no tire damage at all. This was not a wheel pant rubbing, cut or punctured tire issue.

The tires (at least mine) wears more evenly at the higher pressure. Also, I've never had a flat in over 1,000 hours
using this practice. That being said, I'll probably go to my hangar today and find all three tires flat.