Original Posted By: TomTravis(at)aol.com
Subject: Pietenpol-List: Wire wheelsI had a conversation with Bud Smith recently. He's in Big Sandy, Texas and has run an ad in the last three BPA Newsletters. He's found some sources of wirewheels and he's making some hubs, using an abrasive water jet. That has less adverse effect on 4130 than methods invvolving high temperatures. My understanding is that he plans to make hubs available commercially.....Carl Vought________________________________________________________________________________
Pietenpol-List: Wire wheels
Re: Pietenpol-List: Wire wheels
Original Posted By:
Bud Smith knows what he is doing and is quite a resource. He has ownednumerous machining companies through the years but is now retired. Hs is areal good guy. I spent lots of time with him last year at the SAA flyin atUrbana. I think Dennis E., Skipp Gadd, and Larry Williams may have met himas well.He was also a session guitarist in southern CA back during the surf yearsand has an extensive vintage guitar collection. We should try to get him tonext year's brodhead.Chris bobka----- Original Message -----
Bud Smith knows what he is doing and is quite a resource. He has ownednumerous machining companies through the years but is now retired. Hs is areal good guy. I spent lots of time with him last year at the SAA flyin atUrbana. I think Dennis E., Skipp Gadd, and Larry Williams may have met himas well.He was also a session guitarist in southern CA back during the surf yearsand has an extensive vintage guitar collection. We should try to get him tonext year's brodhead.Chris bobka----- Original Message -----
Re: Pietenpol-List: Wire wheels
Original Posted By: Carbarvo(at)aol.com
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Wire wheelsHe was real interesting to talk to. My understanding is that he builds guitars and violins. Have I got that right? Also, he makes single-shot rifles.He sounds like my kinda guy!...Carl Vought________________________________________________________________________________
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Wire wheelsHe was real interesting to talk to. My understanding is that he builds guitars and violins. Have I got that right? Also, he makes single-shot rifles.He sounds like my kinda guy!...Carl Vought________________________________________________________________________________
RE: Pietenpol-List: Wire wheels
Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
I don't have any actual data, but it makes sense. If you look at automotivewire wheels, or aviation wire wheels (like the Jenny in the EAA museum),they invariably have a much wider hub than motorcycle wheels do. Havingoccasionally made less than perfect crosswind landings, I would rather erron the side of safety. I made my hubs 6" wide, and adapted them to acceptCleveland disc brakes. To each his own.Jack Phillips -----Original Message-----
I don't have any actual data, but it makes sense. If you look at automotivewire wheels, or aviation wire wheels (like the Jenny in the EAA museum),they invariably have a much wider hub than motorcycle wheels do. Havingoccasionally made less than perfect crosswind landings, I would rather erron the side of safety. I made my hubs 6" wide, and adapted them to acceptCleveland disc brakes. To each his own.Jack Phillips -----Original Message-----
Re: Pietenpol-List: Wire wheels
Original Posted By: "Jack Phillips"
With a sidecar, a motorcycle's wheels are subject to the same axial (side)loads as automobile wheels.There are literally thousands of motorcycles that have run with sidecarssuccessfully. Some have even raced.I don't think that would be the case if no motorcycle wheels could takeaxial loads.Mike Hardaway----- Original Message -----
With a sidecar, a motorcycle's wheels are subject to the same axial (side)loads as automobile wheels.There are literally thousands of motorcycles that have run with sidecarssuccessfully. Some have even raced.I don't think that would be the case if no motorcycle wheels could takeaxial loads.Mike Hardaway----- Original Message -----
Re: Pietenpol-List: Wire wheels
Original Posted By: "Carl D. Vought"
Re: Pietenpol-List: Wire wheels
Original Posted By: "Richard Carden"
You asked for actual experience, so here goes: I had put motorcycle wheelson my Pietenpol in the late 80s. It took off, flew and landed well even incrosswinds that I know I shouldn't have been in. In the mid 90s, whiletrying to land during a rainstorm, I went off the end of a down-slopingrunway. To avoid hitting the upcoming trees, I intentionally ground loopedthe plane while still traveling at a pretty high speed, which I estimate tohave been about 25 mph. With the plane moving forward but facing 90 degreessideward, the wheels dug into the earth. The stop was quite abrupt, but thetrees were not touched. The holes formed by the wheels were over 12 inchesdeep. One wheel bent, one did not. There was no other damage on the sidethat had bent; however on the intact side, the metal fittings were rippedout, an AN bolt sheared and the wood longeron cracked.While making repairs, I couldn't find a matching replacement wheel so I madeup some hubs; I made them wider hoping for innate strength, but I still viewthose original wheels as having been plenty strong. Perhaps they were toostrong: if both wheels had collapsed there may not have been any otherdamage.Jim Malley----- Original Message -----
You asked for actual experience, so here goes: I had put motorcycle wheelson my Pietenpol in the late 80s. It took off, flew and landed well even incrosswinds that I know I shouldn't have been in. In the mid 90s, whiletrying to land during a rainstorm, I went off the end of a down-slopingrunway. To avoid hitting the upcoming trees, I intentionally ground loopedthe plane while still traveling at a pretty high speed, which I estimate tohave been about 25 mph. With the plane moving forward but facing 90 degreessideward, the wheels dug into the earth. The stop was quite abrupt, but thetrees were not touched. The holes formed by the wheels were over 12 inchesdeep. One wheel bent, one did not. There was no other damage on the sidethat had bent; however on the intact side, the metal fittings were rippedout, an AN bolt sheared and the wood longeron cracked.While making repairs, I couldn't find a matching replacement wheel so I madeup some hubs; I made them wider hoping for innate strength, but I still viewthose original wheels as having been plenty strong. Perhaps they were toostrong: if both wheels had collapsed there may not have been any otherdamage.Jim Malley----- Original Message -----
Pietenpol-List: Wire wheels
Original Posted By: Douwe Blumberg
2rn has Harley wheels. Solid 4130 insert designed to fit rear wheel bearings ina front wheel.I can attest definitively that the wheel is strong enough to not CAUSE a groundloop due to premature failure. I did ruin a wheel because of a ground loop.The ground loop occurred at touch down because of a rudder pedal, front seatlanding, issue, on pavement. As aggregious as a ground loop gets. Honestly,I'm glad the wheel failed before the gear legs, much easier to replace. And despitea very comprehensive failure, it stayed intact enough to keep the axleoff the ground. I think they are the 2.15 x what ever 40 spoke 1999 and earlier soft tail frontwheels. ToolsRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ___Subject: Pietenpol-List: Wire wheels
2rn has Harley wheels. Solid 4130 insert designed to fit rear wheel bearings ina front wheel.I can attest definitively that the wheel is strong enough to not CAUSE a groundloop due to premature failure. I did ruin a wheel because of a ground loop.The ground loop occurred at touch down because of a rudder pedal, front seatlanding, issue, on pavement. As aggregious as a ground loop gets. Honestly,I'm glad the wheel failed before the gear legs, much easier to replace. And despitea very comprehensive failure, it stayed intact enough to keep the axleoff the ground. I think they are the 2.15 x what ever 40 spoke 1999 and earlier soft tail frontwheels. ToolsRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ___Subject: Pietenpol-List: Wire wheels
Original Posted By: "Jack Philips"
Here's my $.02 again...I've wether about four sets of guys wire wheels, they were all pretty close, therewas no " magic bullet" lightweightThere are circumstances where significant sideloads can be introduced without aground loop necessarily following. Plus, a ground loop without a wheel failingwould likely be a much less dramatic/expensive incident6 or 7" hubs aren't that big a deal to makeI've learned there are some areas on the plane that are see regularly and you don'twanna leave anything to chance on them. The whole landing gear is one ofthese. It's used pretty much every flight, and often abused. I actually enjoyed building my hubs. In actual work, probably took part of a weekDouwe________________________________________________________________________________
Here's my $.02 again...I've wether about four sets of guys wire wheels, they were all pretty close, therewas no " magic bullet" lightweightThere are circumstances where significant sideloads can be introduced without aground loop necessarily following. Plus, a ground loop without a wheel failingwould likely be a much less dramatic/expensive incident6 or 7" hubs aren't that big a deal to makeI've learned there are some areas on the plane that are see regularly and you don'twanna leave anything to chance on them. The whole landing gear is one ofthese. It's used pretty much every flight, and often abused. I actually enjoyed building my hubs. In actual work, probably took part of a weekDouwe________________________________________________________________________________