REFLECTOR: Re: Aviation Consumer Tire Tests

[Dale Alexander]

Actually, as far as autos are concerned, toe-in or toe-out causes wear on he
outer or inner surfaces of the tires respectively. Most, if not all autos
have a certain amount of toe-in to compensate for load from the road as it
tries to bend all the steering components backwards. The toe setting
compensates for this and allows the tires to settle at a neutral position.
Wear on both edges of the tires is a classic indication of underinflation.
This condition allow the tire to cup upward in the middle and force the
contact pattern to the edges. The opposite effect of wear in the center is
due to overinflation. You are correct that an improper camber setting will
also cause wear on the edges, but camber can be diagnosed as an even wear
pattern over the entire face of the tire (like a wedge) rather than just on
the edges as with improper toe settings. Just for giggles, improper caster,
which we don't have to worry about on the Velocities as we don't have a
caster on the main gears, will cause a pulling condition but does not leave
a wear pattern in tires.

Dale Alexander
173 Stealth Gullwing

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>
> Message: 7
> Date: Fri, 08 Oct 2004 23:54:08 -0400
> From: Joe <jewen at comporium.net>
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Aviation Consumer Tire Tests
> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
> Message-ID: <002601c4adb3$a0f02360$6432a8c0 at home01>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Ronnie,
> Are you sure toe in is the culprit on the left outer wear?  At least in
autos mal adjusted toe normally causes wear to both sides (both inner or
both outer.)  Too much camber on one side can cause a wear pattern on the
inner or outer of that side and not the other.
>
> On another subject, what point in the building process is good for the
second EAA inspection?
>
> Joe