SonexBuilders.net

This may be an old topic, but I can not find exactly what I need to know, so please excuse me if I am reopening an old topic
I fly from a grass strip and find the 11.0 x 4.0 x5 size too small. I wish to ad 1 or 2 inches of height, and want to know what others have done, wheel wise, tire wise, and brake wise, for that matter, to accomplish something like this. I do have a 6 inch tail wheel already and I am satisfied with that. I dont really wish to add hydrolic, individual brakes yet, or change from the factory drum system either. I do understand the limitations of increasing wheel diameter as to how it relates to brake action, and am accepting those changes for now.

What have those who have gone before me done to increase tire size? Thanks for any input!

Joe

Hi Joe. For the same reasons, I changed to Mcreary Airhawk 500:5. They fit the standard rims. I use Great Plains brakes and had to space the disc an extra 1/8" to stop the caliper rubbing on the tire.

The wheelpants will need some work, a bigger wheel cutout and stretching or widening to fit over the larger tires. The wheel pants tend to fill with grass so for the one year I operated off grass I left the wheelpants off.

Steve
Sonex 892

Thanks for the info. Now, refresh my feeble memory...the std Sonex tire is 11.0x4.0 x5, 8 ply rating. the 11 is the diameter of the tire (I assume while inflated?), the 4 is the width, and of course the 5 is the wheel size. How does 500 x5 relate? is there some sort of conversion table I should be looking for that would give me the info on tire height relative to originals? I have used the Mcrearys in the past on the 172. Did the AirHawks weight much more?
I have heard about the pants not fitting.I have removed them for the same reasons. I am thinking about small motor cycle style semifenders to keep the trash from hitting the underside of the wing. I am going to add a couple of tabs on the gear leg fairings at the bottom to hold them in place with the screws from the pants. and, I wish at this time to stay with the feeble brakes because of financial considerations (CFO is involved here!!)
Thanks much!!

Hi Joe
Yes they do weigh more, sorry I cant remember how much. I think the height difference is 290mm vs 330mm. The original wheelpants will fit over them. I just cut a larger cutout for the tire and glassed in a spacer in the pant at the axle end I think about 1/2" which spread the pant just enough to clear the tire. If you decide to use the wheelpants maybe consider a bulkhead inside the pant to reduce the volume of the grass catcher

Hi Joe,

I believe you're using my original (yellow) wheel pants?? If so, I first ran with the 5x5 tires before switching to the smaller tires. No problem fitting the larger tires into those pants except that the opening size may have to be increased again. If I remember correctly, I had shrunk the opening to better fit the small tires.

Good luck with that,

Art,,,,,,,,,,,,,Sonex taildragger #95

Hi Art! Yes I am , at least I was. I have them off after several flights, and now I can accelerate much better on the grass without them because of their dragging in the relatively tall grass here. And, since I have a larger tailwheel, I want to offset that with taller tires to regain the takeoff stance angle of attack. thanks for the info! And thanks to the others who had replied! :)

Finally found load ratings for our tires.

11 x 4.00 x 5
Load ratings: 4 ply 325 lbs. 6 ply 625 lbs. 8 ply 850 lbs.