Wheel pants ground clearance
Posted:
Sat Feb 24, 2024 1:13 pmby pfhoeycfi
I pulled the 5x5s and put the stock tires on my B model and I'm fitting new wheel pants. I fit the pants per the Sonex instructions, axle 2.5" from bottom of pants, etc. In a 3 point attitude (tail dragger) I only have about 3/4" between the lowest point of the aft pant and the ground. That's really close. Curious what clearance others have found...
Peter
Re: Wheel pants ground clearance
Posted:
Sat Feb 24, 2024 2:18 pmby Bryan Cotton
I have about 2.5" in the back, just before the radius of the pointy part in the back. More like 1.75" just aft of the wheel. I can't see the scrapes unless I take the wheelpant off.
Re: Wheel pants ground clearance
Posted:
Sat Feb 24, 2024 3:00 pmby daleandee
Bryan Cotton wrote:I have about 2.5" in the back, just before the radius of the pointy part in the back. More like 1.75" just aft of the wheel. I can't see the scrapes unless I take the wheelpant off.
Flying from grass fields sometimes causes me to have to remove & repair the wheel pants as they will start cracking at the rear of the opening. Doesn't happen if I stay on the paved strips but where's the fun in that?
Dale
3.0 Corvair/Tailwheel
Re: Wheel pants ground clearance
Posted:
Mon Feb 26, 2024 10:47 amby Tnhelm
I had one wheel pant mounted somewhat tail lower than the other on my tailwheel OneX. I began to realize that if a tire went flat, the wheel pant would suffer ground damage. I had to make a new mounting plate to get more mounting plate surface to match the holes on my finished wheel pant and allowing more tilt to improve ground clearance at the tail of the wheel pant.
Ironically, the next day after the wheel pant had been reinstalled, I arrived at the hanger to find the tire flat, the wheel pant just a fraction above the floor. I inflated tire, flew to OSH for the Sonex open house, and the tire was flat again in about 2 hours. Thanks to Sonex, I was able to change the tube in time for the mass taxi to the AirVenture grounds.
So I think it is appropriate to mount the wheel pants tilt angle to allow for a flat tire without settling on and damaging the wheel pant. The Sonex recommended axle to bottom of wheel pant measurement is good and make sure the bottom surface of the wheel pant is parallel to the ground in the touch down attitude. (In my case tailwheel on the ground)