PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-616
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 616
MARCH 2004
When you’ve inflated a tire, eyeball it daily for the next few days. If it loses more
than 5 percent of its minimum operating pressure within 24 hours, repair it like it
says in Table 3-1 of the TM 55-2620-200-24.
Replace tires when wear and cuts are beyond dam-
age limits. To make sure cuts, cracks or holes haven’t
exceeded damage limits, use a depth gage, NSN
Some aircraft tires have inner tubes, such as the
Chinook. The tube can be a pain in the neck to get
into the tire. So pay attention that the tube doesn’t get
pinched by the wheel halves when tightening bolts.
Here’s a tip not in the TM that’ll make inserting the tube easier. Apply a little tal-
cum powder, NSN 6810-00-270-9989, to the tube and fill it with a small amount of
air to get the wrinkles out before you insert it into the tire.
Use depth
gauge to
check for
tire wear
and damage
PS 616
MAR 04
37
Aircraft Tires…
Working
Hard
Under Job Pressure
A
ircraft tires carry a lot of weight. They need the right amount of air pressure to get
the job done when the rubber meets the road.
Service your aircraft tires by the book, with no shortcuts just like it says in each
bird’s maintenance TM and/or TM 55-2620-200-24. Shortcuts can cost you your life.
When you remove tires to repair and adjust them, put ‘em in an approved tire cage,
NSN 4910-01-459-7080, to inflate them. Make sure you stand out of harm’s way out-
side the wheel failure zone while inflating tires. Plus, wear safety goggles to protect
your eyes and use a remote tire inflator assembly, NSN 6685-00-124-4336, with a
10-ft air hose.
Check your tire inflation pressure daily and eyeball your bird’s maintenance man-
ual for correct tire air pressure. Remember, pressure varies with temperature.
For tires that require 50 psi or less, use pressure gauge, NSN 4910-00-204-3170.
For pressures over 50 psi, use the tire inflator, NSN 6685-00-124-4336.
Black Hawk and Apache tires use nitrogen only. All other Army aircraft tires can
use compressed air.
Remember that overinflated tires wear
out faster in the
center
of the tread. Tires
without enough pressure tend to wear out
faster on the
outer
tread and shoulders.
Always inflate tires when they’re
cool. While you’re checking your
tires, use a medium, cross-tip screw-
driver to remove rocks, nails or other
foreign matter stuck in the tread.
Here’s a
useful
short list
of tire
pressures
from
specific
aircraft
maintenance
manuals.
AH-64A/D
AH-64A/D
CH-47D
CH-47D
MH-47E
MH-47E
OH-58D
UH-60A
UH-60A
Aircraft Position Cut Limit (inch)
105
±
5*
105
±
5*
88
88
98
127
38
130-140*
115-125*
—
—
3/32
3/32
3/32
3/32
3/32
4/32
3/32
MLG
TLG
FWD
AFT
FWD
AFT
GH
MLG
TLG
Pressure (psi)
*Use regulated nitrogen pressure source
Maintain
proper tire
pressure
Use screwdriver to remove
rocks and nails.
If punctured,
replace tire
Over
inflation wears
out center
Under
inflation eats
up outside tread
Check
ground
handling
wheels for
proper
pressure,
too
616. 36-37 (C)
1/26/04
12:47 PM
Page 1
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