Best 'Low Bounce' wheels?

[Robin Colbourne]

It is not unusual to see model wheels described as 'low bounce'.  Presumably this means they deform on impact but dodn't just act as a spring, launching the model back in the air.  This raises three questions for me:
 

1. Do 'low bounce' wheels leak some air out to provide damping, or is it just a property of the synthetic rubber or plastic from which they were made?
2. Which currently available wheels offer the best 'low bounce' properties, foam or hollow rubber?
3. Of the various makes described as low bounce, are any notably better than the rest?

 

Edited August 5, 2021 by Robin Colbourne

[Ron Gray]

Whilst I do like 'proper' inflatable air wheels on my larger / heavier models, these ones from SLEC are the ones I use on most of my other models. They provide a nice bit of damping on landing!

[Peter Jenkins]

Looks very similar to a Dubro wheel.

[Denis Watkins]

Foam wheels, apart from light weight aeroplanes, do you no favours on landing Robin, they are just too hard.

Dubro low bounce are heavy for 3' - 4' span, but work well at 5' span and above, and are low bounce, and more commonly fit in around 3"

Inflatable air wheels are best 4" 5" 6" dia wheels

 inflatable air wheels come in a few guises, but most I tried, do deform brilliantly on landing.

As you suggest Robin, there are big differences in wheels

And they do offer genuine low bounce 

Edited August 5, 2021 by Denis Watkins

[J D 8 - Moderator]

Fitted du-bro on my Katana which has a rather rigid carbon UC, work well.

[Jon H]

1 hour ago, Ron Gray said:

Whilst I do like 'proper' inflatable air wheels on my larger / heavier models, these ones from SLEC are the ones I use on most of my other models. They provide a nice bit of damping on landing!

 

I think those a manufactured by radio active and they are good. I have used them a bunch. 

 

In my experience low bounce wheels have tyres made from fairly stiff rubber that deforms fairly easily but is quite slow returning to its original shape. Sort of like a football that is low on pressure. 

 

In truth though, the rate at which a model may bounce is usually as much down to the smoothness of the touchdown as it is anything else. 

[SIMON CRAGG]

Dubro and Oleos on all my larger models.

 

[Ron Gray]

1 hour ago, Peter Jenkins said:

Looks very similar to a Dubro wheel.

Very similar but not the same, lighter and cheaper.

 

As Jon mentioned above, I too think they maybe Radio Active ones but SLEC sell them at a lot lower prices than most!

[ASH.]

Hangar 9 pro-lite wheels are low bounce and much lighter than Dubro.  I think these wheels have an inner foam core.

 

The Slec / Radio Active wheels are good too.

Edited August 5, 2021 by ASH.

[Robin Colbourne]

Thank you for all your replies.  It sounds as though a back to back dynamic load/deflection test of a few different makes and types would make an interesting article.  

Temperature may play a part too. A tyre sidewall at near 0°C is likely to be a lot stiffer than one at 25°C, although the air in the latter will be at slightly higher pressure if it unvented.

As JD8 says, the type of undercarriage leg affects whether you want the tyre to be springy or just shock absorbing.

I get the impression that it is a lot easier to do a decent landing on wing mounted vertical legs (a la Mick Reeves Gangster) than fuselage mounted legs (a la Precedent HiBoy).   The Gangster certainly made my landings look better than I thought they were.

[Peter Jenkins]

Robin, remember that a good stable approach is needed before a good landing.  Second, most bounces are caused by a late round out or trying to land too fast.  Third, it doesn't matter if the U/C is fuselage or wing mounted.

 

Provided you have the room, a shallow powered approach is the easiest way to land.  Holding off in a 3 point attitude until the speed decays to the stalling speed will guarantee a landing with no bounce regardless of what sort of tyre you are using.

 

On my 2 mtr aerobatic mount I have 57 mm diameter wheels of hardish composition.  If I get the landing attitude and speed right there is no bounce. If I'm fast it will bounce or rather land more than once.  If you work on the approach, correct approsch speed and correctly timed round out there will be no bounce.

 

Low bounce wheels are not going to make up for a poor approach, poorly executed flare or trying to land too fast.  All will lead to a bounce regardless of the low bounce wheels.