Original Wheels

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Posted

To save me walking down to the barn in the rain, anybody know if the original 8" alum wheels are split rim type or one piece? Thanks.

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Posted

The Douglass 8 inch are welded

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Posted

The Douglass 8 inch are welded

Finally quit raining so I went to the barn and removed one. Had the bright idea to go ahead and removed the old tire, check the wheel, and get ready to have the new tires mounted. Man that was a stupid idea. Two hours later, 6 band-aides, and some unprintable words I got one tire off. Probably been on for 20 years or so. Believe the tire shop will do the rest. I just don't have enough Band-aides to remove the other one from the rim and don't know enough bad words.

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Posted

A buddy who owns a tire shop put on the new meat in 15 minutes including removing the old tire, all by hand. And he didn't even use any Band-aides, what's the world coming too!

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Posted

Those look like the wheels for the Kitfox and I believe they are, but the builder added three more holes to fit the 6 holes in the Kitfox hub.  Also, Kitfox welded on three pieces of aluminum to the back of the wheel, machined it, drilled and tapped it to bolt the brake rotor on to those three lugs.  JImChuk

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Posted

A buddy who owns a tire shop put on the new meat in 15 minutes including removing the old tire, all by hand. And he didn't even use any Band-aides, what's the world coming too!

The Band-aides aren't the important part, it's the proper use of words to convince the tire it's in its best interest to come off easily :P

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Posted

A buddy who owns a tire shop put on the new meat in 15 minutes including removing the old tire, all by hand. And he didn't even use any Band-aides, what's the world coming too!

The Band-aides aren't the important part, it's the proper use of words to convince the tire it's in its best interest to come off easily :P

I found sacrificing a few inner tubes by pinching them with the wheel halves made it all work.:P

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Posted

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Posted

Yep John, these rims are for 6" tires. You're right,  I'm wrong.  I miss read it.  Just looking for 8" 3 hole Douglas wheels on line, and am not finding any.   JImChuk

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Posted

I measured mine a while ago and they are 8" diameter, 6" wide rims with 3+3 offset.  Douglas makes several that meet this spec, but the kitfox wheels are a 6 bolt wheel that started as a 3 bolt wheel where the builder added 3 of the holes.  The wheels I see available currently are all 4 bolt wheels which I think is just  fine, but then you would need a new hub.

I had toyed with the idea of making a new set including hubs since the wheels on one of my foxes are pretty well scratched up from someone putting the tires on. They hold air hough and it is just cosmetic.

As for changing the tires, I have had a Harbor Freight Mini tire changer and it works well for changing the tires on lawn mowers, ATV/s, Golf carts, and Kitfoxes.  

Here is a link to a 8x6 DWT rim, but note as I said these are 4 bolt and not a direct replacement for the original Kitfox wheels. You could maybe shift the bolt pattern and drill 6 more holes to get them to work but I haven't explored this.  http://www.rectires.com/douglas-atv-wheel-8x6-3b-3n-4-110-125/

Here is a link to the tire changer I have. I just clamp the bottom part in my bench vise. https://www.harborfreight.com/mini-tire-changer-61179.html

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Posted

Greetings , after reading all the responses in this post I did a diligent search and I believe I've located the wheels mentioned as being the original type / size of wheel.These are the 3 hole ones mentioned.

I found them on eBay. I bought 2 of the single ones listed. It stated that was all he had. I went back to his listings and I found the following.

One is a listing of 3 of the wheels. It looks like he has several sets of these. If you contact him maybe he might separate. 

The other listing is for the wheel in a black finish.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/401323693974

https://www.ebay.com/itm/401691760430

Hope this helps.

Just Plane Mike

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Posted

I measured mine a while ago and they are 8" diameter, 6" wide rims with 3+3 offset.  Douglas makes several that meet this spec, but the kitfox wheels are a 6 bolt wheel that started as a 3 bolt wheel where the builder added 3 of the holes.  The wheels I see available currently are all 4 bolt wheels which I think is just  fine, but then you would need a new hub.

I had toyed with the idea of making a new set including hubs since the wheels on one of my foxes are pretty well scratched up from someone putting the tires on. They hold air hough and it is just cosmetic.

As for changing the tires, I have had a Harbor Freight Mini tire changer and it works well for changing the tires on lawn mowers, ATV/s, Golf carts, and Kitfoxes.  

Here is a link to a 8x6 DWT rim, but note as I said these are 4 bolt and not a direct replacement for the original Kitfox wheels. You could maybe shift the bolt pattern and drill 6 more holes to get them to work but I haven't explored this.  http://www.rectires.com/douglas-atv-wheel-8x6-3b-3n-4-110-125/

Here is a link to the tire changer I have. I just clamp the bottom part in my bench vise. https://www.harborfreight.com/mini-tire-changer-61179.html

Just a thought, Has anybody change the tire ( removing the tire from the wheel) and restalling it, while still on the plane?

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Posted

I know I haven't.  Those tires can be a real bear to get off the rim bead at times, I can't imagine doing it while on the plane.  On a regular normal Kitfox, there are 3 allen head screws that hold the brake rotor to the wheel, a cotter pin and 3/4" nut holding the wheel on the axel.  Not much to take off to remove the wheel and tire from the plane.  JImChuk

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Posted

I have a set of original Kitfox rims that I took off my Fox when I changed to Black Max brakes. 8" rim by 6" wide I think. With the 3 hole spacing. I have no use for them since the conversion. The new wheels are a lot lighter than the originals. They were used with the old Engenics brake system.

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Posted

 They were used with the old Engenics brake system.

Allen, are you saying that your wheels don't have the lugs welded on for the rotors to  bolt to?   On the Kitfox 1s, they used Airheart brakes, and the rotor bolted to the hub with 6 or 8 Allen head screws.  I've got a set of those wheels and hubs as well, maybe I'll part with them someday.  Probably not real soon though.  If one ran with smaller tires, I don't think those Airheart brakes were that bad.  JImChuk

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Posted (edited)

 They were used with the old Engenics brake system.

Allen, are you saying that your wheels don't have the lugs welded on for the rotors to  bolt to?   On the Kitfox 1s, they used Airheart brakes, and the rotor bolted to the hub with 6 or 8 Allen head screws.  I've got a set of those wheels and hubs as well, maybe I'll part with them someday.  Probably not real soon though.  If one ran with smaller tires, I don't think those Airheart brakes were that bad.  JImChuk

 

I have a set of original Kitfox rims that I took off my Fox when I changed to Black Max brakes. 8" rim by 6" wide I think. With the 3 hole spacing. I have no use for them since the conversion. The new wheels are a lot lighter than the originals. They were used with the old Engenics brake system.

I purchased these because of the talk of them being scarce. I wanted to have a spare set to install asphalt friendly tires. What needs to be done for them to accept a rotor. I thank I have matco brakes. Allen did you have the other 3 holes drilled? Are you going to sell them. Just Plane Mike

Edited by Just Plane Mike

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Posted

The Airheart brakes weighed almost 10 lbs. without the wheels. I still have them also. The new Black Max one weighed 4 lbs. The old hub bolted to the wheel with 3 bolts and the rotor bolted to the hub with the 6 allen head screws. I'll get a picture of them today and the hole spacing. They worked marginally but had to be shimmed perfectly. The piston was a rubber seal and only had approx. 3/16" travel. The hole spacing was pretty wide.

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Posted

Those look like the wheels for the Kitfox and I believe they are, but the builder added three more holes to fit the 6 holes in the Kitfox hub.  Also, Kitfox welded on three pieces of aluminum to the back of the wheel, machined it, drilled and tapped it to bolt the brake rotor on to those three lugs.  JImChuk

Has anyone welded or know of anybody that can weld the three pieces of aluminum , machined and tapped them for the brake rotors. Not sure what the original brakes were but I believe I have matco's. Thanks

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Posted

Any good welding shop can weld them.

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Posted

Here is the old wheels and brakes. Don't want to ship them but anybody near can have them for free. Would cost more to ship than they are worth.

Brakes and wheels 002.JPG

Brakes and wheels 001.JPG

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