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Air in the tire without removing fairing

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2020 8:15 pm
by astaib
Hello,

Everything is in the title!

Do you succeed to add air in the tire without removing the fairings?

My fairings has only a little round hole but it is impossible to access the air valve to add air.

As I’m repairing my fairing, I’m asking myself about making a modification on the hole to make ovoid and a bit larger.

Any idea? Or experience?

Thanks.

Arnaud.

Re: Air in the tire without removing fairing

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2020 9:02 pm
by Rich
I've also pondered making those holes a bit bigger. I would want to take some care to make it look like they always the larger size/shape. Meanwhile I have been able to add air as they are. I put the plane on jacks to make it a bit easier. Plus I can check the bearings are smooth, brakes don't drag, etc.

Re: Air in the tire without removing fairing

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2020 9:17 pm
by Sandy
I found it faster and easier to just remove the fairings, but now I’ve just been leaving them in my hangar.

Also, I just got a Ryobi inflator, and it works very well.

Sandy

Re: Air in the tire without removing fairing

Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2020 1:08 am
by Boatguy
It is an awful design. Certainly not designed for maintenance! Here is my procedure.

- I created an extension by screwing together two metal valve stem extensions purchased at a local auto parts store and applying Locktite to the threads. The Locktite ensures the extension won't come apart. These extensions have a ball in the end that prevents air from escaping when they are attached.

- I move the plane fore/aft as needed to position the valve stem where I can screw the extension onto the stem. I marked the tires with some white paint so that it's easy to find the easiest position for each tire each month

- I attach a Milwaukee tire inflator (could be Ryobi or whatever brand you prefer) to the extension and it inflates to the specified pressure.

The nose wheel was the worst so I had my shop enlarge that hole, but use the same procedure.

Re: Air in the tire without removing fairing

Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2020 1:35 am
by chili4way
Here's what I use and do on my DA40NG (so your fairing may be different). The example is the particularly challenging nose landing gear. It's the original hole size. I move the valve to the upper right corner of the hole and take off the valve cover. Then I snake the inflator valve under the wheel fairing (see photo) and up to the valve. This positioning gives me just enough clearance for the lever on the inflator to operate using the hole as clearance.


inflate-NLG.jpg
ryobi-inflator.jpg

Re: Air in the tire without removing fairing

Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2020 3:33 am
by Steve
This is what I use on mine (2001 with the small access holes):

https://www.miltonindustries.com/gauges ... -gage.html

Key is getting the tire valve exactly aligned with the access hole.

Re: Air in the tire without removing fairing

Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:33 am
by perossichi
I find that, with a 1.5 inch valve extender, I can attach my compressor hose screw in fitting to either fill the tire or take the pressure. Of course, you have to roll the wheel very precisely to center the valve in the middle of the wheel fairing hole. This makes the process much more tedious than it should be.

Given the tendency of the nose wheel “cork” to the right and how hard it is to check the nose tire pressure, one might easily argue that you should leave the nose fairing off. whatever reduction in drag is achieved by the fairing is just not worth it.

But I use the Brett fin and I swear a lot when taking the tire pressure of the nose tire.

Re: Air in the tire without removing fairing

Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2020 8:07 am
by astaib
I see that I’m not the only one with this « issue »!!!
Why didn’t you enlarge the hole ?
Only for aesthetic reasons?

Re: Air in the tire without removing fairing

Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2020 9:45 am
by Keith M
Here's my tyre inflation kit. The bent wire on the right hand side of the kneeling pad was formed from a coat hanger and is used to grab the valve tube and pull it to the front of the access hole, so that the extender tube can be screwed on.

Re: Air in the tire without removing fairing

Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2020 10:38 am
by astaib
Hello,

Some pics of the enlargement that I tried and it’s perfect!
I still have to test it for the nose wheel.
E7E15272-C645-4456-9E93-99FB1F6E2990.jpeg
BD85892C-03C5-4781-A924-01A586AE7EA9.jpeg