Hi Dave,
Comments below.
WRB
--
On Mar 15, 2009, at 23:25, David Winters wrote:
All,
Ummmm. I am the one who started this round of snubber-cable
discussions.
The Coupe was designed when most strips were grass surfaced.
100% correct. I have pictures of original nose tires without tread.
How many of you
know that the nose wheel tire specified for the Ercoupe was originally
manufactured
as a tail wheel tire for big birds?
So, dragging the nose-wheel a bit sideways on landing was no big deal.
But,
dragging a nose wheel sideways across today’s asphalt can cause some
serious
tire wear. The snubber-cable may help to minimize this.
Dave W
Without doubt one would lead to the other, but one would have to
literally take the nose
wheel off the plane to actually do what you so vividly describe. Any
"scrubbing" of the
nose tire (presuming the pilot is not forcing same via the yoke) at
touchdown is as short
and quick as the "built-in" course correction to runway heading and the
"chirp" from the
mains as they accelerate from zero to whatever rpms they turn at
landing speed. It's
virtually instantaneous and the slower one touches down, the less wear
occurs.
Are you personally aware of ANY nose wheel tires replaced due to wear?
I hear about
replacement for imbalance, weather checking, foreign object damage,
etc.; but NEVER for
wear. Maybe Lynn, Paul, Bill and our other professionals can weigh in
with more
experience replacing nose wheel tires.
For further context I personally put over 600 landings on the pair of
retread main gear tires
my first coupe came with (already well used), including more crosswind
operation
(practice) than "most". NO visible wear.
