The International Cessna^® 170 Association

I need new tires for my 170B, and wondering what rubber you all use?

Currently, I have Good Year Aircraft Rib 6-ply 8.5x6 tires. They seem to be a good tires & size (not sure of the exact height). I'm quite astonished at their prices though, $485 CAD each! Ouch.

https://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalog/l ... -02568.php

Any suggestions for a similar tube type tire, maybe something cheaper? I'd like to stay the same size. They're good for pavement operations, but also work for gravel bar/beaches.

I love the BLUE paint job. It really shows the lines of the aircraft . I use Michelin tires for the mains ,and always replace the tubes when replacing the tires . Basically you pay for what you get. I have seen Condor tires wear out twice as quick or rupture easily. It’s always when you need the serviceability of your aircraft and where you are when things go wrong. Especially if you go off road . It’s a bad day when you wake up early in the morning when camping and miles from anywhere and find a flat tire .
And be by yourself .

Wilkerson will retread your Goodyears, very reasonable, but shipping is tough from here.

I used the airtrac 8:50s for a while, but they wear a lot faster than the Goodyears

I’ve had the best life out of Monster Retreads from Desser.

I'm on my second set of Airtrac 800x6 4-ply. The Goodyear 700x6 6-ply tires I had before wore like iron, but rode like it, too. The AIrtracs are softer, lighter, and less expensive.

Thanks for the tips everyone, I think I'll just stick with what I've got.

Figure I'll replace the tubes at the same time. Anyone know which tube model to order? 8.5-6 tire...

https://shop.desser.com/6.00x6-4-ply-de ... il/323347/

https://shop.desser.com/6.00x6-michelin ... il/323624/

(I did try the Aero Specialties inner tube with the 90-degree bent brass valve… and do NOT recommend that. With only a small amount of side-pressure the valve snapped at the bend. Worthless. I had thought it might make it easier to check tire press. without removing (partially) my wheel fairings…. but I returned to my previous method of buying only high quality tube with straight-rubber valve stem and removing only the outer-axle-stud which allows me to reach inside and deflect the rubber stem sufficiently to check/add air if necessary. The Michelin tubes hold air pressure reliably for a year.)

For tailwheel I use the standard Specialties tire (and a “Martin” tube (made in USA) purchased from Northern Tool.)

The links provided above are direct to the products I use, but the new Desser website is not easy to navigate in my opinion and completely ignores the C170 (along with other errors/omissions) despite the fact they carry the appropriate product lines in Goodyear, Michelin, Condor, Aero Specialies, etc etc.
They also handle other rotatable items and is where I bought my cowling plugs (remarketed by them but mfr’d by a contractor to CeeBailey.)

GAHorn wrote:https://shop.desser.com/6.00x6-4-ply-de ... il/323347/

https://shop.desser.com/6.00x6-michelin ... il/323624/

(I did try the Aero Specialties inner tube with the 90-degree bent brass valve… and do NOT recommend that. With only a small amount of side-pressure the valve snapped at the bend. Worthless. I had thought it might make it easier to check tire press. without removing (partially) my wheel fairings…. but I returned to my previous method of buying only high quality tube with straight-rubber valve stem and removing only the outer-axle-stud which allows me to reach inside and deflect the rubber stem sufficiently to check/add air if necessary. The Michelin tubes hold air pressure reliably for a year.)

For tailwheel I use the standard Specialties tire (and a “Martin” tube (made in USA) purchased from Northern Tool.)

The links provided above are direct to the products I use, but the new Desser website is not easy to navigate in my opinion and completely ignores the C170 (along with other errors/omissions) despite the fact they carry the appropriate product lines in Goodyear, Michelin, Condor, Aero Specialies, etc etc.
They also handle other rotatable items and is where I bought my cowling plugs (remarketed by them but mfr’d by a contractor to CeeBailey.)

Thanks for this info.

I have 8.5-6.0 tires. Do I need an 8.5-6.0 tube as well?

From what I can tell, I have a straight valve tube so I'll continue with that.

The best tire I have ever had was a set of Uniroyal tires. They were the toughest and long wearing tire I had ever seen . They had been on my Cessna many years before I acquired it and they were on about 4 years after I had it. They were nearly bald with a line on the rubber tread. They had bad ozone decay all over. But they were holding pressure and I was landing on sand or rough gravel strips . I had flying in the wilderness ,miles from any where for about a week . Then on return there was a bad vibration on landing and taxi ,where the left gear was shuddering . On inspection ,the L/H tire had a large bulge in it and I could see the tube through the cracking in the side wall. It had been hitting the brake calliper when the wheel was rotating. Then a set of new Michelin [8 by 6] tires with tubes were fitted. About a week later back out in the desert by myself
,overnighting and woke up to a flat tire. A pop rivet had gone through the tread.

I just reviewed this choice my self. My flying includes pavement and grass with an occaisonal dirt to grass transition so at $100 cheaper per tire I stuck with my 8.00 x 6 tires. I tried to go 4 ply but the backorder was too long so I now have 6 ply getting ready to install any day now....

JSwift wrote:I just reviewed this choice my self. My flying includes pavement and grass with an occaisonal dirt to grass transition so at $100 cheaper per tire I stuck with my 8.00 x 6 tires. I tried to go 4 ply but the backorder was too long so I now have 6 ply getting ready to install any day now....

Yup, sounds like Ill do the same. Sticking with my Good Year 8.5-6, 6 ply