Inflatible "Bush Tires"?

[AmpAce]

I am in need of a set of approximately 10" diameter "bush wheels", or "tundra tires", if you will. They need to be pneumatic so they will have the proper bounce and cushioning effect.

To be scale, they need to fit 2" diameter rims. The tires should be "doughnuts", (built like an inner tube, with totally enclosed airspace).

I have tried garden implement inner tubes, but they don't inflate evenly, so are always "lopsided".

I've also tried real aircraft "baby bush wheels", tail wheels, but they are too wide and heavy.

I've talked to Trexler, but they aren't interested in building any 10" tires.

Garden implement tires are too heavy, and fit 4" wheels, at the smallest.

I've thought of over inflating the Dubro 6" inflatibles, but they get too hard, and I don't think they would go up to 10" without bursting.

It looks as though, if I am ever to have the needed tires, I'll have to manufacture them myself.

The tires would probably have to be laid up in a split female mold, and would need kevlar fabric or similar reinforcing, to keep a uniform shape and diameter.

Has anyone here done anything like this, or seen it done? Better yet, do any of you know of a source for such tires?

I welcome all comments and suggestions!

Thanks for any information or comments.

AmpAce

[MCarlton]

Maybe have a word with these guys who make big balloon wheels for wheelchairs?

http://www.wheeleez.com/beach-wheelchair.php

They might have something which might be suitable?

[vintage1]

Its a problem.

At that diameter to rim anyway. There are balloon tyres for things like wheelchairs, small agricultural stuff and so on, but they tend to be more conservative on rim size.

Good luck..I tried..

[AmpAce]

Thanks,

Do you remember the days when we rubbed castor oil into rubber bands to power free flight models? The castor made the rubber more stretchy and soft. I'm wondering if it would work to rub castor oil into the Dubro inflatible tires, to get them to inflate farther, and be softer?

I may just try that, at risk of sacrificing a Dubro tire. If you hear a big "bang" up my way, you'll know what happened!

AmpAce

[vintage1]

Thanks,

Do you remember the days when we rubbed castor oil into rubber bands to power free flight models? The castor made the rubber more stretchy and soft. I'm wondering if it would work to rub castor oil into the Dubro inflatible tires, to get them to inflate farther, and be softer?

I may just try that, at risk of sacrificing a Dubro tire. If you hear a big "bang" up my way, you'll know what happened!

AmpAce

Surely the whole point of balloon tyres is they are very low pressure to be good shock absorbers.

And I always assumed - possibly wrongly - that the castor had only two effects..strands slid over each other (and knots slid undone) more easily, and that it prevented oxidation and perishing of the rubber.

[-james-]

how about mountaain board 10 inch tyres?

[eflightray]

Now I don't know if these are 'homemade' tires, but......... ;)

[AmpAce]

Now that swamp bike is really ugly! Probably well suited to it's purpose, though. I'd like to see it in action!

Vintage1, as I recall, rubbing Castor oil into rubber bands definitely made them stretch farther. If memory serves, I'd say about twice the stretch before they would snap. You are right about the big tires, they need to be low-pressure so they will absorb bumps.

James, I'm not sure what a mountaain board is, but I assume it is some kind of off-road skate board? I'll do some searching and see what they are like.

Thanks all!

AmpAce

[eflightray]

How about cutting some from foam ?

There are some rubber based foams that may give the cushioning effect you want, plus they wont puncture either.

I recently made some tires for a model from 'kneeling pads', as used by gardeners etc. The foam had a nice feel to it but the pad was too narrow, so I epoxied to two pieces together, hand carved them to fairly round then fitted them in a pillar drill and finished them with sand paper.

I used some model wheel hubs, (the original tires were way too heavy, hence the project), and glued the foam tires on. They have worked very successfully on my Dauntless and weigh very little.

By the way, you can also get some great 'domed hub caps' from the bottom of a drinks cans. Boy am I a cheapskate. :D

[Airboatflyingshp]

Take a look at the Mud Duck site ...mud duck aviation........see how they do it light .....clue wheelbarrow tubes.