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Adding Air to Tires Inside Wheelpants

flickroll

flickroll

Well Known Member
This is a problem on RV's! Back in my Christen Eagle days Christen used an inch and a half steel plate that covered a hole in the wheel pant that was used for adding air. An extension was connected to the tube valve and it was easy to add air...but I cannot find anyone who sells these covers. Anyone have a source? Right now it is a PITA adding air... Thanks
 
I have a 1" hole than lines up with the stem. Then a 1" piece of PVC about 1/4" long is fiber-glassed to the inside of the pant. A 1" plastic plug from Lowes or Home Depot is painted the same color of the wheel pant. Looks great, and the plug stays, but is removable with just finger pressure.

I use one of those flexable air extentions, and a 10mm socket wrench to remove the multi sided valve cap.

L.Adamson --- RV6A (flying)
 
I have little 7/8" metal snap in plugs I got from the aviation section at Home Depot. They work just fine - they stay when they should and are easy to remove. Add a valve extension from NAPA, and the hardest part is lining up the valve with the hole...
 
One option

flickroll said:
An extension was connected to the tube valve and it was easy to add air...but I cannot find anyone who sells these covers. Anyone have a source? Right now it is a PITA adding air... Thanks
Click to expand...

A lot of people use these. I bought them but have not installed 'em yet. Still trying to decide if I want to.

http://www.cleavelandtoolstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=VSC2

http://www.cleavelandtoolstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=VSE5

You can get similar covers at nearly any hardware store.
 
Kyle Boatright said:
I have little 7/8" metal snap in plugs I got from the aviation section at Home Depot. They work just fine - they stay when they should and are easy to remove. Add a valve extension from NAPA, and the hardest part is lining up the valve with the hole...
Click to expand...

I painted a line on the tire with Liquid Paper correcting fluid that lines up with the split in the wheel fairing when the tire stem is adjacent to the hole. There may be something better than Liquid Paper although it seems to last well. I redo the line at each annual.

Fin
9A
 
Real Aircraft Hardware

When used on aircraft, I've always thought plug caps rendered a kinda "cheesy" look. As an electrician in a former life, I can't help but see them best used to plug open holes in electrical boxes. As an alternative to common hardware store parts, I use these tiny spring loaded devices. Held in place with two #30 rivets, they work quite well. Too bad AirVenture is over. Located at the FlyMart, B&B stocks them for $7.50 per. You can still give em a call anyway.

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Rick6a said:
When used on aircraft, I've always thought plug caps rendered a kinda "cheesy" look. As an electrician in a former life, I can't help but see them best used to plug open holes in electrical boxes. As an alternative to common hardware store parts, I use these tiny spring loaded devices. Held in place with two #30 rivets, they work quite well. Too bad AirVenture is over. Located at the FlyMart, B&B stocks them for $7.50 per. You can still give em a call anyway.
Click to expand...

That's why I use the plastic caps. They are light ( in case one drops from 10,000'), and have a smooth surface. Easier to install & remove, than the electrical caps too....

L.Adamson
 
I used the

Home Depot plug for the nose wheel and this http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=41891 HF tire inflator to reach thru the hole. The gauge is even accurate! Same as my digital gauge. Just remove and grind off the locking tabs and it will fit thru a 3/4" hole. The mains in the 7A are easy enough to access by removing the front half of the wheel pants.

Keep that nose wheel pressure where it belongs (wherever that is!). :rolleyes:
 
Try these.

I got 100 of these plastic locking plugs from McMaster-Carr.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#plastic-finishing-plugs/=4dbtb7

I use them to cap the bolt holes in a carbon fiber tailwheel fairing that I make. I also use them to cap the holes in the wheel pants on my RV-8. They fit in a 1 1/4 inch hole, big enough to easily insert an air chuck extension. They fit great and look very nice.




I anyone wants some, send me a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Put in a single first class stamp and that is payment enough for two or three of these.

Send to: Ron Schreck
310 Aviation Lane
Gold Hill, NC 28071
 
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