Hey gang, I'm curious cuz I've been thinking about a set of bigger tires...
I searched but have not been able to find, do they make a PL style plastic 8x8 rim? Of course I mean 8" dia, and 8" wide.
I know you can get them in aluminum, but I'm quite certain they are uber expensive, and was curious if there was such a thing? And I know you can get
bigger tires to fit on the 4x8 standard PL plastic rims, but I'm just curious about if there are larger ones. RonH - 16-2-2014 at 03:52 PM
PL asymmetrical is what I have on the back... Call you r PL Dealer
Cadkat for the front... not sure where to get them.
They aren't cheap compared to the std rims! soliver - 16-2-2014 at 04:20 PM
I was just looking at cadkat's website and it looks like their hubs are ridiculously expensive. The key word that I was missing was "asymmetric"
Anybody else have info on plastic 8x8'sjeepersjoey - 16-2-2014 at 07:00 PM
Contact Van for aluminum ones (I know you don't want them...but maybe not too much more expensive).bigkid - 16-2-2014 at 08:35 PM
The sysmic 8x8 are cheaper than the cadkat 8x8.
the sysmic are symmetrical and the cadkat are asymmetrical. The sysmic come with ss bearing s that are $$$ to replace.
the cadkat are built with centers that you can order to fit any bearing you choose. You can order the cadkat symmetrical wheel if you want.
The pl bigfoot with the cadkat wheels and bf tires is set up with 8x8 on all 3 wheels.
both wheels have good and bad points, depends on your end use. Cant race with the sysmic unless you cover the spokes and the bead lip on the wheel
will hinder installing and removal of US made tires.
cadkat are a bit more money but are better for bearing use and replacement along with the symmetrical/asymmetrical part that sysmic cant do.
I have had bugs big and small and had the sysmic with every type of tire made, along with the cadkat and tires of all makes on the same bugs. Which
one is the best? The worst?
Aluminum will oxidize, not plastic.
Sysmic adds tons of bling........plastic is not bling.
cadkat is symmetrical/asymmetrical/sysmic is not.
Sysmic is tubless but will leak, 9 out of 9 wheels I have at the moment leak, my cadkats have yet to leak.
Sysmic are cheaper than cadkat.
there are a few other issues with both wheels. At the end of theday I have both types on all tires and the ones I like the best, the ones that I will
put on my personal bug, the ones that will serve me the best......Cadkat.soliver - 17-2-2014 at 01:13 PM
I see now that I made a mistake, I thought my current rims were 4x8, but I realized last night when I looked closer at them that they are actually
2.5x8.
Am I correct that the 16x6.5-8 as well as BFs will fit on the 2.5x8 rims. Or are the 4x8 rims better suited for these?riffclown - 17-2-2014 at 01:47 PM
The 16x6.5-8 wheels will fit on the standard PL ABS Rims. The 18x8.50-8 wheels will also fit (That's what i put on my buggy.). Can't speak for the
BF's but everything I've seen indicates yes.
Just my opinion AND I'm not an expert but, If you can get the beads on, then you should be good. Putting fat tires on narrow rims will change the
profile though so some trial and error is called for. Pretty sure it's the standard ABS rim..--> http://peterlynn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Kenda-Beach-... sand flea - 17-2-2014 at 07:10 PM
consider the footprint of the tire.
if it is too flat of an impression or footprint it lacks the side traction but will float on soft sand well.
With a more narrow rim a grooved tire will have more of a rounded profile or crown, and better sideways pull.
Good winds sol,
Chris C1
RonH - 17-2-2014 at 07:11 PM
I have seen the BF's on the std pl rim. Pulls the tire a lot.
Some people like it and other complain about shimmy. Guess it depends on the tireJohn Holgate - 17-2-2014 at 08:04 PM
I've got the Kenda Beachracers on Sysmic 4 X 8 rims and I can't say that I'm a fan. They're not very balanced at speed. They're ok under 50kph.
They do go over soft sand easier than the 16.5 (midi's) but soft sand will still slow you down. I went for the 4 inch sysmic rims after looking at
the profiles of the Kenda's on the 4 v 8 inch rims - they 8's had a flatter wider profile, but the nut was recessed in a long way which was going to
make it harder to get the rims on and off the bug (which I have to do to get the bug in the car). It was darn hard work getting the bigfoots on the
sysmics and I couldn't seat the bead myself. If I could do it all again, I wouldn't buy the Kenda's. From what I've seen, the Duro's (I think that's
what's on the Libre Majestic / Dragster?? - Clive has the Majestic and has reported no wobbles from his tyres at 70kph) seem much better.
Alternatively, I'd look at the 18.5 x 8 (midi XL) on a 4" rim (prob fit on the 2.5" too).
The main plus about the bigfoots for me is comfort - at 8psi you can get away with riding over stuff that would be pretty bumpy with the midis.
They're a bit slow in the grass though.
Edit: my 1000th post!!RonH - 17-2-2014 at 08:36 PM
The biggest problem with almost all the tires we use is quality control as they are not meant for speed... Some are good and others could be almost
square :o from the same tire size and brand.
bigkid - 18-2-2014 at 12:41 AM
This has turned out to be some good stuff.
Just for clarification,
"wheel" is the plastic, aluminum, steal, round thing that bolts onto the axle and the tire is mounted on. Also called a "rim".
"tire" is the black rubber thing mounted on the wheel/rim. Tires also come in plastic in all kinds of colors and are made of rubber in colors such as
red, blue, green, along with the regular black.
I agree the. BF's are not for speed. They are for slow speed over rough, soft terrain. Some have added ths small balance beads to smooth things out
while others have done the sticky lead weights which the tire companies use to balance street tires.
If speed is the end result than there are other much better choices.
The pl plastic wheel as well as the other 2.5x8s will hold any tire up to 25x18x8. Dont ask why that size
the wider the wheel, while keeping the tire size the same will increase the foot print at the same time will decrease the bite during side pull. Thats
why grooved tires came into play. There is a point were you loose what you gain. (This is what I found comparing the apexx and mg croozer and swiching
wheels/tires set up during the buggy test).
As stated above different tires provide good things and bad things. The amount of $$$ is not a determination of better or worse.
In the end, side by side, like like comparisons, wheels are different, tires are different, it depends on your $ and your bling factor. As long as
your buggy moves, your kite pulls you, and your grin goes from ear to ear, if it works-who cares.
Now if you are concerned about handling, performance, and being 1st instead of 2nd in a race, tires and wheels (and $) do make a difference. IMHO ripsessionkites - 18-2-2014 at 11:39 AM
Cadkat Rim for the front and AS Rims for the rear. All running Duro Tires with Cut grooves. My old tires are on RonH's buggy.
Some people like the AS Rims with Beach Racer tires but it has a flatter surface.
Statement above : Smile and just ride. soliver - 18-2-2014 at 04:52 PM
Does anyone know how much the Peter Lynn asymmetric 8x8 rims cost?
I can't find them on any website without tires attached.BeamerBob - 18-2-2014 at 04:56 PM
Does anyone know how much the Peter Lynn asymmetric 8x8 rims cost?
I can't find them on any website without tires attached.
They show as $252 for wheel and bearings, or $275 with the Beachracers included. They really want you to take the tires with the wheels.shehatesmyhobbies - 18-2-2014 at 05:19 PM
Last time I checked stock was fluctuating. They were going out as fast as they were coming in, that was just before Christmas.
Yes. Bob, it's actually a better deal just getting the tires as well. soliver - 18-2-2014 at 08:52 PM
EEGAD!, well scratch that idea...
It appears as though there's really no way to do bigger tires on a uber tight budget, but hey, I'm learning a lot.
One thing I'm thinking about trying and tell me if this is a dumb idea. We have 3 golf carts at the church where I work & I'm thinking of asking
the guy that services our carts if he has any used golf cart tires he'd either give me or sell me cheap. If I can I'll get 2 18x8.50-8's and a
16x6.50-8 I can mount those and see how it works.
Thoughts?bigkid - 18-2-2014 at 09:31 PM
Use your basic pl wheels and find some nanco 21x12x8 tires, also called bigfoot lites.:DBeamerBob - 18-2-2014 at 10:56 PM
Bigkid is right. The bigfoot lites do an outstanding job. They will get you over silly soft sand, and hold a line just great.
I rode with Angus on Jekyll Island running BFL tires and Angus had his wide 16" tires with both of us running on Ivanpah Buggies. We also usually
were using identical kites and generally ran dead even with each other. Jekyll is not a good test place for BFL tires since its such a hardpacked
sand, but they were nice pulling the buggy over the dunes and they soften the jolt if you run through a rivulet or some other bump on the beach.
Grooves if available will add some side slide resistance, but you won't miss them if you don't have them and aren't racing someone that does have
them. Following Angus, I could see his grooved tires kicking up sand like a little rooster tail, but I was running the same line as he was and close
enough to see his rooster tail.BEC - 19-2-2014 at 04:56 AM
Tires on the cheap....Check out a couple local airports....Tires for airplanes which are super heavy duty (plys) are only allowed to be used for so
many flight hours then they need to be changed regardless of condition....I have had some friends luck out and get some really nice tires for next to
nothing.....just another Ave to check out.....
FYI I got some BFL's couple years ago for WW and they are awesome...I do think having them on different rims is better, as all I do now is bolt and
unbolt pending conditions....try to have wheel set-ups the same...ex. bolts, spacers etc so you are jockeying around different hardware.bigkid - 19-2-2014 at 07:08 AM
As BEC said, correct-a-mundo. I have a couple calls a week asking for bigfoot tires from ultralight plane owners. Never thought to ask for there used
tires in trade for new ones. I know the ones they use are up around 200 bucks a piece, thats why they ask for the nanco 21x12x8 which cost around 40
to 60 bucks each.soliver - 19-2-2014 at 07:16 PM
I talked to our golf cart guy, and hopefully tomorrow I will have a pair of 18x8.50-8 Golfpro tires (used and worn),... They are treaded tires, but
hey, they're free.
I'm going to look around a little more and see if I can locate a 16x6.50-8 for the front so I don't have to get (or make) a new front fork.
If not, I may pick up a Nanco strait ribbed 16x6.50-8... Only $27riffclown - 19-2-2014 at 07:22 PM
Check your local Northern Tool.. They were selling off their Kenda stock of both sizes really cheap for the multirib versions in store.. Online was
nearly twice the price.soliver - 19-2-2014 at 09:50 PM
Aha,... Thanks riff!soliver - 20-2-2014 at 06:05 PM
No luck at Northern, if they were on sale it's cuz they wanted to get rid of them,... They didn't have any Kenda 16x6.50's or 18x8.50 's in a straight
Rib... Bummer... Looks like I'll get a Nancocheezycheese - 20-2-2014 at 08:14 PM
The "Tractor Supply" Chain carries several sizes in the Carlisle tires as well. May want to look there if you have one. The Nancos are inexpensive,
can be a chore to mount but last for a good while.soliver - 20-2-2014 at 09:50 PM
Thanks for the cheap tire ideas gang, but my budget is $0 to as little money as possible... So here's the plan and break down:
(2x) used 18x8.50-8 Golf Cart tires: price... FREE
-they have tread that is there, but well worn, not ideal but hey, who can beat FREE. Obviously for the back. I might be able to get 2 off of one of
the Golf carts at work (ideally), but if not, I've found a repair shop that will let me hunt through the pile of oldies for free.
(1x) new 16x6.50-8 Nanco N777 Straight Rib: price... $27.99
-this is the least expensive of this size strait rib tire available on Amazon, and with a Prime membership, I get free shipping. I could likely get
another free Golf cart tire for the front, but since I use a PL front fork, 6.50 is the widest I can go without having to get (or fabricate) a new
front fork (aka spend more money).
With all this, I have in essence Bigger'd all of my tires for a whopping cost of $27.99 (TOTAL)... I'd say that's a pretty good deal. I do have an
email in to an aircraft maintenance company at the nearest airfield to me to see if they have anything they can give me... We shall see.
Since the idea is to minimize the cost, I'm going to forego replacing the front fender for now, and do that in a month or so... Even with that, it's
only $14 for a new trailer fender and a little fabrication.
In the future when I do have some kite money to spend, I may to try to upgrade to 4x8 Rims, but for now I'm excited to see how it turns out. Will def
post pics when I'm all done.bigkid - 20-2-2014 at 11:15 PM
If you didnt have such a gorgeous wife, and such lovely little cheesy grin wrapped around my finger daughters, you could buy 2 new tires, maybe 3.
:evil:Haha just kidding, been there and done that.
Like I said, as long as your bug roles and the kite flys, who cares what size your grin is.
just keep it at 4, the 5th one requires one more to equal things out.soliver - 21-2-2014 at 05:31 PM
Bad news replaced by good news...
I went on Amazon to order my front tire and Amazon says "this item is currently unavailable ..." WHAT THE!!!... So in starting to look around and find
a good deal on a 16x6.50-8 straight ribbed tire, wifey says "why don't you check Ebay"
I looked on eBay and lo and behold there I find what I went to Northern Tool & Equip. for yesterday, a kenda straight rib 16x6.50-8 for $15... $17
shipping ($32 total), but hey, in the end I'm only paying $5 more for a WAY better tire... SWEEEEEET.
it should be here Thursday. :singing:riffclown - 21-2-2014 at 06:16 PM
Very cool. Congrats on a good find.ice kiter - 23-2-2014 at 09:07 AM
my new wheels
ice kiter - 23-2-2014 at 12:30 PM
and if it will not be rather stable (because the is rather convex on the 4 inches wide rimm), I mount on one 19/7.5-8 Kenda Scorpion to front (is
one on top of the cupboard in the garage:D )soliver - 24-2-2014 at 09:36 PM
I heard through the grapevine... Or maybe MyAikenCheeks just emailed me... that Cloud 9 has 8x6 plastic rims for the KiteTrike for under $20....
Sounds like a sweet deal for wider rims, but will they work? I've emailed the guys over at Cloud 9, but have yet to hear back with a definitive
answer... Not sure they understood my initial question... Not to mention that there is NOWHERE on either or their websites for ordering spare parts
for their KiteTrike and a general lack of information.
Can anyone else shed any light on this? How is the quality of the KiteTrike rim? What size OD bearings will fit the rim?
And I'm still waiting for all my tires to show up... The golf-cart guy has kinda let me down and been a little non communicative and the Kenda front
wheel won't arrive til at least Thursday MyAikenCheeks - 25-2-2014 at 06:23 AM
Spence... Cloud 9 does not do well with e-mails, got to call, 2 hours on the time thing. You need to ask for Steve, he's the only one that seems to
know what's going on with the parts. They don't return calls so stay on it with them.
This time of year they're busy with snow kiters and as soon as they thaw into the para gliding thru fall. Nice people. Many that work there just know
snow or para and not buggy so ask for a buggy man or Steve the owner.
Their Kite Trike 3 buggy for $500 is a good starter buggy. Lots of us did start with a KT and some still ride them as their full time ride. Nice light
weight bug but you have to Loc-Tight everything and pin the foot pegs.
Whoaaaaaaaaaaa, weren't we talking about wheels and tires????????????? They got wheels. Terrablader - 25-2-2014 at 11:07 AM
soliver - 26-2-2014 at 11:02 AM
I picked up a couple of free Golf Cart tires at a GC repair place close to my Dr Office (had an appt today)... The guy said to go ahead and pick 2 out
and take them, he usually sells them for $10 ea... I saw a Kenda in the pile, but didn't see a match for it, so I picked 2 matching Golfpro tires only
a little worn. They look REALLY good.
All I have to do is have them removed from the golf cart rims and they are ready to mount.soliver - 28-2-2014 at 05:04 PM
I spent my lunch break today with one of my coworkers wrestling the golf cart tires off their rims. He seemed impressed by the fact that the tires are
practically new... They may very well BE brand new. He said "they still have their titties!!" which is apparently the term he uses for the stringlike
nubs on new tires, LOL...I found that very amusing.
Then... My wife texted that the guy I bought the front tire from (ebay store "Cheaptractorparts") sent a message that he is canceling the order and
refunding my money...WHAT THE &3$$!!!!!! Apparently he has a physical storefront as well, and sold the Kenda straight rib 16x6.50-8 in the store
and didn't realize it and now can't find a replacement to send me... For anyone thinking about buying tires on eBay,... Don't buy stuff from
"Cheaptractorparts"... He totally dropped the ball and has uber bad communication skills.
Luckily the Nanco's are back in stock on Amazon... Free shipping and it should be here Monday or Tuesday. But still,... grrrrsoliver - 28-2-2014 at 10:16 PM
I got the 2 golf cart tires mounted on the PL rims without too much difficulty.
I was afraid the 2.5" wide rims would look really funny with these tires and as it turns out, they're not bad at all. Though it looks as though the
8.5" width of the tire is reduced now to more like 6.5" or 7"
Now it's just a waiting game for the front tire to show up.soliver - 5-3-2014 at 09:57 PM
The Nanco showed up today... Kinda weird packing method...
I don't know... I guess I was expecting a BOX maybe... I suppose that would just be too cosmopolitan.Kober - 5-3-2014 at 09:59 PM
wow ..... I receive few items packed same way when buying staff on ebay .... Box for this would be like 5$ rtz - 6-3-2014 at 01:24 AM
Times a hundred or a thousand orders though and it adds up. I think UPS has special rates for shipping tires. I've bought car tires online and they
don't ship in boxes either.
There is almost nothing a cardboard box could add to protect a rubber tire. Looking good so far Soliver. Can't wait to see them on the buggy.soliver - 6-3-2014 at 03:38 PM
Thanks BB... In spite of my late-pregnancy-induced honey-do list, I might have time to play in the shop tonight... I may actually get the front tire
mounted and all 3 on the bug!RonH - 6-3-2014 at 06:48 PM
By the look of that tire you are lucky... I had one that wasn't packed so nice and it took hours to get air in :o
The Nanco showed up today... Kinda weird packing method...
soliver - 9-3-2014 at 09:51 AM
The late-pregnancy-induced honey-do list is complete (essentially)..... So the tire mounting was finished and I got them all on the bug last night
and...
WOW... He looks mean!!!
Sweeeet!!!
When I can, I'll take it out and get some better pics and try a good ride.kiteballoon - 9-3-2014 at 10:15 AM
I'm curious for your opinions after you hit your favorite spots again with the new tires :-) You were running the std barrows before right?soliver - 9-3-2014 at 11:24 AM
Yea, standard barrows... It will be a little while I think... If I get a chance to go out before the baby comes (due the 31st), I will. That will
mostly depend on the weather, and my schedule. I'll let you all know how it rides then.
I ride nearly 99.5% on grass... The other 0.5% is beach.soliver - 9-3-2014 at 03:35 PM
Here are a couple of "more proper" shots:
3shot - 9-3-2014 at 07:19 PM
Very nice bro!!soliver - 13-3-2014 at 05:49 PM
Having trouble keeping the 18x8.5s aired up... Any recommendations?rtz - 13-3-2014 at 05:51 PM
Put soapy water on both beads and the valve stem to check for leaks. Or submerge the wheel under water and look for bubbles.hiaguy - 13-3-2014 at 05:52 PM
inner tubes?riffclown - 13-3-2014 at 05:58 PM
Clean all of the seal areas (Bead, Stem, Valve) with very soapy water. look for bubbles that are slowly growing. You can narrow it down to the stem,
the valve, the bead or the tire itself. If it's the valve, that can be easily replace with a valve tool. The Stem is a little more indepth and require
breaking the bead. If it's the bead with the leak, then breaking the bead and reseating the tire is in order. Narrowing it down to where the slow leak
is located is time consuming but hopefully cheaper than buying a tube for it. if the tire itself is leaking then replacement, patch or tube are your
options there.MyAikenCheeks - 13-3-2014 at 06:49 PM
Having trouble keeping the 18x8.5s aired up... Any recommendations?
I've used "Slime" in my leakin Sysmics and it works! With Nancos
on plastic rims I used tubes with "Slime".
Now when I had plastic rims going commando err... tubeless, I found that I had a slow leak because when I pressed in a new bearing I had cracked the
rim center and was losing air there.
Any bike shop or Wally World, Auto Zone etc. sells it. Cheap.
As for the extra weight of tubes in tires I never noticed any difference.soliver - 13-3-2014 at 06:49 PM
Looks to be the bead is leakingriffclown - 13-3-2014 at 07:01 PM
Then reseating the bead will hopefully fix your problem.. Inspect the rim and the tire bead while you have it off to make sure the bead of the rim is
not scratched. Inspect the tire to make sure the bead on it is not cracked,3shot - 13-3-2014 at 07:12 PM
Spencer. Agreed with riff. Break the tire down. Clean and lube the bead and rim with diluted dishwater. Semi over inflate it to seat the bead, then
back it down to the proper psi. You will see leaks from the semi soapy water. Check around and in the valve too. See if that does itsoliver - 13-3-2014 at 07:39 PM
Ok... So I took the tires off the rims with some difficulty. Then cleaned both the bead and the rim with soapy water. Then after I remounted the
tired, I sprayed lots of soapy water into the groove before I filled them with air... Hosed them down with the soapy water and am getting no
bubbles...
Think I got it this time :D
Btw... What's a good psi for tires this size. I liked my barrows around 15psi.riffclown - 14-3-2014 at 02:12 PM
Glad you were able to work it out.soliver - 22-3-2014 at 08:26 PM
I had my first ride on the new tires today and it was AWESOME!!!!!
Smoother ride, not too much grip when I needed some slide, and it felt good to be another inch off the ground. I really had a great ride today gang.
Started out in uber light wind slinging the 8.6 RII around, then as it picked up, I logged some miles on the 5.5m... I really have to say that the
5.5m RII is just really a sweet kite. In just about every case it did exactly what I wanted.
That will probably be about all the buggying I'll be able to get in before JIBE... I'll post some vids if I got any good footage. If I can, maybe I'll
get a session in April, we shall see.
Thanks for all the help and tips on tires and rims!ssayre - 28-3-2014 at 09:32 AM
Nice wheels. Do you think they would help me slide around turns easier on grass? My guess is I would probably need a wide axle as well as the
wheels. Oh, and a couple reactors soliver - 28-3-2014 at 04:20 PM
I found that the golf cart tires would slide on the bare spots where the grass wasn't growing, but don't remember how much it slid in the grassier
spots... Can't say for sure ... The crown of the tire is bald but the outer edges have plenty of tread... I can at least say that they were neither
more or less "slidey" than the barrows... They just felt good.
The advantages of these tires for me were A. They were free... and B. They are bigger than the barrows. They lifted me up about an inch and I'm hoping
they help out some on softer sand. I did pay for the front tire, but on $26.
The extra wide back axle helps, yes, and the RIIs are a super bonus!!! kiteballoon - 9-5-2014 at 03:50 PM
Still following with interest -- I want to hear how you handle the squishy stuff at JIBE! I shredded my barrows in the desert, so it's time to look at
going big or not.soliver - 9-5-2014 at 05:41 PM
I'm telling you Nick, the golf cart tires are pretty freekin sweet... Just enough grip and just enough slip for it to be fun, with the one ribbed
16x6.5-8 on the front I only paid a grand total of $26. The trick is finding a golf cart shop that will give away used tires for free... Usually if
you talk to the shop manager he'll give them to you without the sales guys knowing. Even if you do have to pay for them it'll only be like $10-20 a
piece, which is still a substantial savings.
My most recent outing had me in slightly higher grass (clover actually) and I could feel the tires gripping more than shorter grass, but I'm not sure
the barrows could have waded through it.
I'm really exited to see their performance on the beach on both SSI and JI.soliver - 19-5-2014 at 07:04 AM
Well, I never really got to give the tires a good try on the softer sand. We stayed in the same place on SSI this year, but I only got to buggy once
on the sand bar and I had my girls in the tandem, so I really couldn't get a good read on the their efficacy on the softer stuff. It did prove easier
to pull with the leash over the JI sand coming from the beach access points.
I did feel like they performed really well on Jekyll during JIBE. I was able to reach a new PB and so far can say I'm satisfied with the new set up.
