Maintenance Practices

In-Service Experience: Tire inflation

& deflation
N 1/ March, 2012
SAFRAN and MESSIER-BUGATTI names are marks owned respectively by SAFRAN and Messier-Bugatti-Dowty companies.
The mark DOWTY is used under license.

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

IN-SERVICE EXPERIENCE WARNING

This

In Service Experience is Messier-Bugatti-Dowty proprietary.

Its

use is strictly limited to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty customers operating

and/or repairing the relevant products.

It

shall never be copied nor transmitted to any other organization without

Messier-Bugatti-Dowty authorization.

The

information given in the In-Service Experience is not contractual.

In

no case shall it supersede the applicable Messier-Bugatti-Dowty

Technical Publication (eg : Component Maintenance Manual, Service
Bulletin, Service Letter, Product Deviation Authorization etc) for
operation and/or maintenance purposes.

1 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

INTRODUCTION LETTER

are pleased to introduce our 1st issue of In-Service Experience

dedicated to tire inflation & deflation

We

In

order to share yours and our common expertise and experience, all
comments about this document are welcome
Refer to last page for details

We

aim to target several updates per year to introduce new subjects and
include the workshops comments

2 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

MESSIER-BUGATTI-DOWTY MAINTENANCE
OBJECTIVES
Adopt

our recommendations to your operations whenever possible

Anticipate

and comply with environmental and health constraints

Continuously

To

improve the in service performance of our equipment

reduce the maintenance cost for Airlines

3 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

AGENDA

Aim of the ISE

Valve & Plug description

Tire deflation
Procedure
Tools

Inflation valve

Description

Inflation

Disassembly

Trouble shooting

Assembly

Toolings

Consumables

Bibliography

Thermal fuse plug

Description

Disassembly

Assembly

Overinflation valve

Description

Disassembly

Assembly

4 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

AIM OF THIS IN-SERVICE EXPERIENCE

To

give information on wheels inflation systems especially on:

Inflation devices
Tire inflation/deflation
Consumables
Trouble shooting
Equipment and tooling

Service

Letter F6137-32-795 (only for Messier-Bugatti-Dowty product ) :

Clarify the bases and objectives of the CMM jobs

Remind the general Messier-Bugatti-Dowty maintenance policy intended to all
operators
Define the field of applicability for limitation to certain CMM jobs
Target : save time and reduce maintenance cost

5 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

VALVES AND PLUGS DESCRIPTION

Parts

to be checked in case of pressure loss

Overinflation valve
or plug

TPIS or
plug

O-ring seal

Fuse plug
Inflation valve
6 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012
This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

VALVES AND PLUGS DESCRIPTION

Depending

on the program, plugs & valve may be secured by lockwire or

Loctite
Secured by Loctite

Secured by Lockwire

7 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

INFLATION VALVE
DESCRIPTION
A

valve assembly in the inner half-wheel assembly permits to inflate the tire

Standard inflation valve (high/low flow)

Long bore
Short bore

Low flow

High flow

Core

Protective cap
Protective cap
8 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012
This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

INFLATION VALVE
DESCRIPTION
Example

of inflation valve with pressure gauges used at MBD

9 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

INFLATION VALVE
DESCRIPTION
Valve

core description

10 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

INFLATION VALVE
DISASSEMBLY
Loosen

and remove the valve core with the correct tool

Loosen

and remove the valve stem

Remove

the preformed packing from the valve stem with the correct tool
Warning : Removal of the valve core on an inflated tire/wheel
assembly could project the core with dangerous speed and force

11 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

INFLATION VALVE
ASSEMBLY WITH TORQUEMETER
Torque

wrench, dial type : accurate and compact for torquing the core
valve to the values given in CMM
Valve body

Core

Torquemeter

12 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

Adaptor

Torquemeter

THERMAL FUSE PLUG

DESCRIPTION
Thermal

fuse melt in case of overheat to prevent wheel damage, tire burst

Thermal fuse screw

Threadless fuse plug

Eutectic
Eutectic

alloy is a mixture of two or more components which melt in a

given temperature, as per CMM

13 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

THERMAL FUSE PLUG

DISASSEMBLY
Thermal

fuse screw

Push and remove the fuse plug assemblies

Remove the preformed packing from the fuse plug assemblies with
the correct tool
Thermal

fuse plug

Install a threaded rod in each fuse plug assembly

Pull and remove the fuse plug assemblies from the inner half-wheel
assembly
Loosen and remove the threaded rods from the fuse plug assemblies
Remove the preformed packing from the fuse plug assemblies

Warning : Discard all the fuse plug assemblies from a main

landing gear assembly which was overheated
14 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012
This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

THERMAL FUSE PLUG

ASSEMBLY
Example

on 737 program: fuse plug

Threaded hole to ease

removal
Get access to fuse from
outside of wheel barrel

15 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

Install lubricated preformed packing

on the fuse plugs.
Install the fuse plugs in the hole by
hand

THERMAL FUSE PLUG

ASSEMBLY: USE OF LOCTITE

Some plugs are secured with Loctite in order to avoid plug loss
Valve: A320 program
Thermal fuse plug: A321 & 767 programs

Recommendation
During plug/valve installation it is recommended to apply specified Loctite thread-lock
compound as per relevant CMM

Clean plug/valve and wheel port threads, with Loctite 7063 or 790 (or equivalent), to remove
contaminants

Apply Loctite 7649 primer N on plug/valve (optional) and a layer of Loctite 242 or 274 on the thread
and under the head
Install and torque the thermal relief plug as per relevant CMM

16 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

THERMAL FUSE PLUG

ASSEMBLY: USE OF LOCTITE
Apply

a paint or a torque seal mark on the valve/plug to allow a quick

visual check of loosen devices

Warning : Do not tighten again Loctite devices otherwise you

break the Loctite layer

17 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

OVERINFLATION VALVE
DESCRIPTION
An

overinflation valve releases the tire pressure

Antidust seal

Pressure
membrane

In

case of overpressure the membrane will be burst

18 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

OVERINFLATION VALVE
DISASSEMBLY
Loosen

and remove the overinflation valve from the main landing gear
wheel assembly.

Remove

the preformed packing from the overinflation valve with the

correct tool

Caution : Disassemble the main landing gear wheel assembly in a

room free from dust and moisture on a clean, flat and soft surface.
A smooth rubber surface is recommended.

Warning : Removal of the overinflation valve assembly should be

carried out on a fully deflated tire.

19 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

OVERINFLATION VALVE
ASSEMBLY
Apply

a thin layer of silicone grease to the preformed packing

Install

the preformed packing on the pressure relief valve with the correct tool

Apply

a thin layer of adhesive compound to the threads of the pressure relief

valve
Install

the pressure relief valve in the inner half-wheel assembly on the outer
half-wheel assembly side.

Torque

the pressure relief valve to the correct value as per CMM

Caution : Apply only specified lubricant product to the preformed

packing. An incorrect lubricant product can cause damage to the
preformed packing

20 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

TIRE DEFLATION
PROCEDURE
Loosen

Use

and remove the cap from the valve assembly

a deflation tool to deflate the tire

Fully

deflate the tire before its removal from the wheel

If

damage has occurred, a tire/wheel assembly should be deflated in a

protective cage

Warning : Removal of the valve core on an inflated tire/wheel

assembly could project the core with dangerous speed and force

21 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

TIRE DEFLATION
TOOLS
Deflate

the tire with a deflation tool

Example of deflation tools

1
2

Myers : www.myerstiresupply.com
ATI Tools : http://www.atitools.com

Catana Aero : http://www.catana.aero

Warning : These equipments were not tested by

Messier-Bugatti-Dowty
Brand names are only provided for information not for
any product endorsements
22 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012
This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

Details of the tooling

TIRE DEFLATION
TOOLS
Tire

deflation is noisy

See devices to reduce noise

The air is released outside, which reduce the noise during tire deflation

Zeca : www.zeca.it/en/index.php

Warning : These equipments were not tested by Messier-Bugatti-Dowty

Brand names are only provided for information not for any product endorsements
23 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012
This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

INFLATION
Inflate

the tire in an inflation cage.

WARNING: Overinflation can cause an explosion / tire burst

Use

a regulated pressure source to inflate the tire.

WARNING: An unregulated pressure source can cause injuries to the personnel and
damage to the wheel and tire
2 layers of regulation is recommended: primary and a back-up
Inflate

the tire with dry nitrogen for storage and on-aircraft use

Oxygen concentration must not exceed 5%. A chemical reaction between oxygen
and volatile gases from the tire is possible leading to a tire explosion

24 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

INFLATION
PRESSURE RETENTION PROCEDURE
Check

pressure retention as per Tire manufacturers procedure for

wheel release to service
Michelin inflation procedure

Bridgestone recommended inflation procedure

Air retention criteria
Period

Criteria of
pressure loss

Procedure

24 hours

5%

Normal

12 hours

2,5 %

Alternate

Courtesy of Michelin
25 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012
This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

INFLATION
IN-SERVICE TIRE PRESSURE CHECK
For

instruction on removing unserviceable tires, refer to relevant AMM

Maintaining

proper tire inflation is one of the key element to ensuring

satisfactory tire service life

Tire

manufacturers recommend that tire pressures be checked every 24

hours whenever possible because with a maximum daily pressure loss
of 5%, longer intervals will
increase the likelihood
of operating at underinflated.

Tire

pressure follow-up is
key to determine if the tire is
serviceable

26 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, January 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

TROUBLE SHOOTING
LOW PRESSURE
If

pressure drops more than 5% in the 24 hours

Possible root causes:
Environment
Decrease of the ambient temperature after inflation
Area (Airport altitude)

Wheel & Tire

Crack on a half wheel

Tread cuts / Foreign Object Damage (FOD)
Leakage on O-ring groove of the wheel
Leakage between bead & wheel rim
Leakage
on inflation valve
on thermal fuse plug
on sidewall vent holes (green mark)
on TPIS/plug
on inner liner of the tire

Improperly torqued or defective valve

Courtesy of Michelin

27 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

TROUBLE SHOOTING
LOW PRESSURE
Check

with water or soap solution

If no leaks are found, rerun 24 hour diffusion check

If pressure still drops more than 5%, disassemble tire/wheel
assembly
Check wheel O-ring seal for condition,
proper size/type and lubricant

Check wheel for cracks, porosity, fuse plug or pressure release

plug malfunction
Alternate

not recommended: Dip the wheel

Some operators submerge the wheel (without bearing) and

slowly rotate the wheel and check for air bubbles

Reapply

operating pressure and wait for tire stretch

Warning : Water in wheel bearings is bad

28 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

TROUBLE SHOOTING
THERMAL FUSE PLUG
Superficial

holes, core extrusion or cracks are due to normal manufacturing

process (possible fusible material retraction during the cooling).
Extrusion

Melted plug

Holes or Cracks
Variable

geometry are authorized within the area indicated A.

A

A leakage

test could be performed as trouble shooting in

case of leak not yet located with water soap solution.
Fuse plugs with cracks or core extrusion are acceptable if they
succeed to the leakage test
29 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

TROUBLE SHOOTING
LOOSEN PLUG
Depending

on the program, valve/plug have to be fitted with Loctite

Apply

a paint or a torque seal mark on the valve/plug to allow a quick

visual check of loosen devices

Warning : Do not tighten again Loctite devices otherwise you

break the Loctite layer
30 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012
This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

TROUBLE SHOOTING
THREAD CRUSH
Background

A/L have a few experience of thread crush caused by the corrosion between
different metal

Preventive

recommendation

Dry properly the wheels after cleaning

A good greasing of the packing should ensure the sealing
31 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012
This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

TROUBLE SHOOTING
USE OF LOCTITE 7063
Background

The use of Loctite 7063 can damage the paint surrounding the bore of the wheel

Preventive

recommendation

The area surrounding the bore needs to be masked or any Loctite 7063 residuals
needs to be wiped off immediately after application
Dry properly the wheels after cleaning
A good greasing of the packing should ensure the sealing

32 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

TOOLING
EXAMPLE
Valve

Core

core removal

Silencer

(optional)

Inflation

cage (Kunz/Bauer)

torque

Fuse

plug test if any or

trouble shooting (CMM)

33 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

CONSUMABLES
Isopropyl Alcohol
(for cleaning)

Loctite

Petroleum jelly

Loctite

Lockwire

Loctite
Petroleum
jelly

Isopropyl Alcohol
(for cleaning)

34 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012

This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

Silicone grease
or
Petroleum jelly

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Tire

manufacturer

Michelin: www.michelin.com/aviation
Bridgestone: www.bridgestone.com/products/speciality_tires/aircraft/index.html
Goodyear: www.goodyearaviation.com
Dunlop: www.dunlopaircrafttyres.com

Aircraft

manufacturer

Airbus:
SIL32-119 Suggested maintenance procedures for wheel and tire assembly

Boeing:
SL32-138 Suggested maintenance procedures for wheel and tire assembly
Extract from Boeing Aeromagazine Issue 29 Qtr 1_2008
Wheel/Tire pressurization: simple precautions can save lives (By Chris Dubuque)
(http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/articles/qtr_1_08/AERO_Q108.pdf)

MBD:

Techpub

ISE
CMM
35 / In-Service Experience / Tire inflation & deflation / N 1, March 2012
This document and the information herein are proprietary to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, They must not be copied or communicated to a third party without the prior written authorization of
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.