Skybolt wheels & brakes

[mekstrand]

Everything I have read about the Skybolt stressed the need to keep the plane as light as possible. I'm working on an IO-360 powered Skybolt, and looking hard for ways to reduce weight. I was looking at the landing gear as a good place to start. Most Skybolts I have seen have 6.00 x 6 wheels and brakes. Additionally, most seem to have Scott 3200 tail wheel assemblies. While these are fine (Have the same combination on our family Cessna) they seem a bit "big" for a Skybolt. I just weighed a set of 6.00x6 wheels and tires (with brake disc) 20.2 pounds each. The Scott 3200 and spring pack is another 16 pounds. This combination adds up to 56.4 pounds (without calipers).

A set of 5.00x5 wheels and tires (with brake disc) weighed in at 9.5 pounds each. A small tailwheel (Haigh) weighs about 7 pounds with the spring and wheel. This combination will yield a weight savings of over 30 pounds. The 5.00x5 wheels and brakes are perfectly capable of supporting a Skybolt and provide adequate brake energy (works fine on the Eagle, Pitt's S-2, Extra 300). I do not plan on operating the Skybolt on beaches or gravel bars.

So I'm trying to determine why everyone is carrying an extra 30 pounds of wheels around? This seems like a really easy (and inexpensive) way to save a lot of weight. Any compelling reason I haven't considered in favor of the larger wheels and tires?

 

[smizo]

 

[Neil]

 

[Beej]

 

[darylat8750]

 

[nemecek]

 

[larryM]