Light Aircraft Association

Hi all,
I've been building a low wing SSDR for a couple years of my own design and I've just reached one sticking point, having designed and built my first main gear leg, essentially a copy of the box section design found on Menestrel aircraft, I need wheels and tyres suitable for the job. The problem is that the wheels available specifically for the task from places like LAS are jokingly expensive, in the region of £350 a wheel.
I want a light two part Dural wheel preferably which I can mount a disk on for breaking. A single piece with inner tube would also be fine, and I notice there are some cheaper drum brake wheels available from Wicks in the US, but something more local and locally tested if anyone can recommend.
The gear does have a 1" tubular stub though so something which can take that or be machined out to take it would be needed.

If I can't find a wheel cheaper than say £150 a piece that fits my needs I will have to start looking into designing and machining my own.

Any ideas chaps all help appreciated greatly.[/size]

You haven’t mentioned wheel size, but, google “Trolley wheels”. There are many to choose from (with split rims) for ease of tyre changes. There was a French website - something like “ URL technologie” with everything you need for a build. Let us know how you get on.

Think the French website may be: http://www.ulmtechnologie.com/

I was hoping to use one of their sets of wheels and brakes for my Boredom Fighter project, so I could use cable operated brakes and keep everything light and simple.
Unfortunately, try as I might, I could not extract the technical information from ULM, needed by the PFA at that time to complete my mod. application fully.
I was obliged by economics to use a pair of less than ideal used Cleveland 600 x 6 wheels and brakes with a complicated abortion of a hydraulic system with pull type master cylinders.

I'd be interested to know how you get on.

Ian

A dummy post to try and trak down why my attempts to post fail
Jim

Well that seemed to work, several previous attempts failed - Gremlins or finger trouble, the truth may never be found!

I have schemed a hub for a 400x4 tyre to replace the obsolete size on my Nipper. The old size has been quoted at ~ £450 each unit and no inner tubes available. 400x4 was an alternative on the original Nippers but mine has the older size. My new scheme is similar to the Nipper hubs and includes fittings for a standard bicycle disc, the axle size is 25mm / 1" depending on which bearing size is chosen.
The Nipper max weight is ~340kg so the design should be satisfactory for a 300kg SSDR, if the smallish wheel size is satisfactory. Your welcome to a copy of the drawings when they are checked through.

Jim

FWIW.
The wheels on the excellent Rans S4 microlight single seat & now also SSDR are/were split all hard 'plastic' Ditto the smaller tail wheel which was likewise pneumatic.

Perhaps there are some available and Rans USA might be persuaded to let you have leading dimensions, though perhaps not still spares supported, to help your investigation. Even the UK agent might have some gen., but they do date from last Century !
The wheels themselves would have been a proprietry item as was designer Randy Schlitter's custom, so a good chance they're still available. e.g. A/c Spruce ?

Otherwise there must be quite a few unloved S4 or S5 a/c available around the U.K.

mike hallam.

I've only just seen this post. If of any help I have brand new nylite wheels drums backplates bearings tyres and tubes as fitted to the old Snowbird microlight. Can't remember size off hand but £30 each complete
Thanks
Andy Hawes [email protected]