FAA Advisory Circular 43.13-1B
Acceptable Methods, Techniques, and Practices
Aircraft Inspection and Repair
AC 43.13-1B | 9. Aircraft Systems and Components | 1. Inspection and Maintenance of Landing Gear | 9-14. Tire Inspection and Repair
AC 43.13-1B CHG 1
9/27/01
a. Correct balance is important since a
heavy spot on an aircraft tire, tube, or wheel
assembly is likely to cause that heavy spot to
hit the ground first when landing. This results
in excessive wear at one spot and an early fail-
ure at that part of the tire. A severe case of
imbalance causes excessive vibration during
take-off and landing, especially at high speed.
(2) Cuts extending more than half of the
width of a rib and deeper than 50 percent of
the remaining groove depth.
(3) Weather checking, cracking, cuts,
and snags extending down to the carcass ply in
the sidewall and bead areas.
b. A protective cover should be placed
over a tire while servicing units that might drip
fluid on the tire.
(4) Bulges in any part of tire tread,
sidewall, or bead areas that indicate a separa-
tion or damaged tire.
9-14. TIRE INSPECTION AND REPAIR.
Tires should be inspected frequently for cuts,
worn spots, bulges on the side walls, foreign
bodies in the treads, and tread condition. De-
fective or worn tires may be repaired or re-
treaded. The term, retread, refers to several
means of restoring a used tire, whether by ap-
plying a new tread alone or tread and side wall
material in varying amounts. The following
guidelines should be used for tire inspection:
a. Tread Wear. Inspect the tires visually
for remaining tread. Tires should be removed
when tread has worn to the base of any groove
at any spot, or to a minimum depth as specified
by the tire or aircraft manufacturer. Tires worn
to fabric in the tread area should be removed
regardless of the amount of tread remaining.
b. Uneven Wear. If tread wear is exces-
sive on one side, the tire can be dismounted
and turned around, providing there is no ex-
posed fabric. Gear misalignment causing this
condition should be corrected.
WARNING: Do not probe cuts or
embedded foreign objects while tire is
inflated.
c. Tread Cuts. Inspect tread for cuts and
other foreign object damage, and mark with
crayon or chalk. Remove tires that have the
following:
(5) Cracking in a groove that exposes
fabric or if cracking undercuts tread ribs.
d. Flat Spots. Generally speaking, tires
need not be removed because of flat spots due
to skid or hydroplane burns unless fabric is ex-
posed. If objectionable unbalance results, re-
move the tire from service.
e. Beads. Inspect bead areas next to
wheel flanges for damage due to excessive
heat, especially if brake drag or severe braking
has been reported during taxi, takeoff or land-
ing.
f. Tire Clearance. Look for marks on
tires, the gear, and in the wheel wells that
might indicate rubbing due to inadequate
clearance.
g. Surface Condition. The surface con-
dition of a tire can be inspected with the tire on
the aircraft. The tread should be checked for
abnormal wear. If the tread is worn in the
center of the tire but not on the edges, this in-
dicates that the tire is over-inflated and the op-
erational air pressure should be reduced. On
the other hand, a tire worn on the edges, but
not in the center, indicates under-inflation.
These indications are shown in figure 9-7.
(1) Any cuts into the carcass ply.
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