Thorp Air Command - T18.net

I've got 453 hours & 493 T.O.s & landings on my current Goodyear Flight Custom II's, and I think I'll replace them after OSH this year. The previous set on my T-18 (also Flight Custom II's) gave me 525 hours & 623 T.O.s & landings. I used the same tubes for both those sets. I'm not sure what tires I'll get this time, but I'm pretty sure I'll get some new "Leakguard" tubes. The air retention properties are much better with the butyl rubber "Leakguards" than traditional natural rubber tubes. Butyl rubber can be blended with other materials, like EPDM, improving it's properties, unlike natural rubber. The "Leakguard" tubes also seem to be quite a bit cheaper than the natural rubber tubes when I priced them at Desser. I'm not sure why you would want to get anything else.

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John Evens
Arvada, Colorado
T-18 N71JE (sold)
Kitfox 7 SS N27JE

Hi Rich, yes the warning about the tube stretching and then getting a wrinkle when stuffing it back in the new tire is what I was talking about. Just wondering how many others were following the warning. Not planning on patching the tubes just would like to reuse when the time comes. Maybe since I have two sets if I rotate them that will give them some time to shrink back to size...

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Matt Smith
Des Moines, IA
55RC

I really don't see a problem with reusing the tubes if installed correctly . I would not reuse the tubes with more than one set of new tires...IMHO . We are talking where "The Rubber Meets The Road !" The cost of new tires and tubes over several years is not that much compared to the excitement a tire leaving the rim during one of your better landings ! We saw one of those events last year at T-82 .

RB POW !

Years ago you could buy a "hot patch", one that you vulcanized by heating the patch. I have used them in a pinch. These were the only patch I would use as the bicycle glue patches are worthless. Our "govmet" decided that they were harmful and cannot be purchased in the States. They are being made and sold in South America though.

I used the air hawks and had some pretty good luck with them, our ole buddy Dave Flatter had real good luck with the retreads. I have the good years now and they are doing very very well. As John pointed out rubber compounds change for the better from time to time, and some of these Compounds are not adhesive friendly at all. EPDM for instance is NOT an adhesive friendly material, EPDM is not friendly with contact adhesives and there are some other compounds that are the same way. Cynoacrylates are used on compounds like this and then you have to be picky about which one you use. Patches are probably iffy at best if nothing else because of this reason and the also input from Bill. EPDM is very tough stuff, tarp straps for Semi Trucks are made from Epdm, and they take a beating,literally, and stay around for years and years of use and abuse and are UV resistant.........Good stuff or a tire tube...Dan