Jodel D11 wheels/tyres

[Hohocc]

Morning all.

I've recently bought a D11 in NZ which has the 420x150 Auster/Chipmunk tyres fitted. While they are in reasonable shape they look to be about $1000 each as very few aircraft use them.

A couple of Jodel owners in the UK refer to using a 4.80/4.00-8 Kenda 371 trailer tyre, which appears to fit a different wheel, but is about 10% of the price and has some track record on Jodels. It's also easy to get on ebay whereas no doubt the aeroplane tyre will be "out of stock" should I want to get them locally. 

The plans for my aeroplane are from Frank Rogers, and in them he refers to the wheels as "Austral wheel co pty ltd BH72", aluminium alloy construction,and provides an address in Melbourne. The wheel part number, business, and address all seem to have faded into history from my limited searching online. Well the address exists, but it's almost CBD Melbourne so there's not going to be a wheel factory there!

Measurements on the plans suggest the Kenda tyre may be a close fit to the BH72 wheel.

Artificial stupidity says a BH72 wheel is from a wheelbarrow. At least it did last night, now all wheelbarrow references seem to have gone...

Looking at pics of D11s in Australia, it appears some have the Auster/Chippy tyre, and others may well have trailer tyres.

Would anyone on here be party to what tyre and wheel options are used on Jodels in Australia? If there's an option to get a wheel which matches the plans I have, which would likely fit the Kenda tyres I'd be very interested to hear about it. 

At some point in the near future I'm likely to want to make a set of wheel spats that fit a bit better than the current examples, so prior to that I would like to establish if I'm stuck with the current tyres or not, as the tyres used will clearly affect the fit of any wheel spats I make. 

Thanks in advance for any info folks. 

 

[onetrack]

Hohocc - Try Mullins Wheels - or a trailer wheel supplier who can supply boat trailer wheels. Austral are long gone, put out of business by Asian manufacturers who can supply wheels, tyres and rims at half the cost that Austral could make them for.

 

There are 8" and 9" alloy boat trailer wheels available (all Asian sourced now), and I'd suggest you look at the 8" boat trailer cast alloy wheel which comes with integral hub. Using a 4.80 x 8, 4 ply tyre on this wheel will give you a potential replacement wheel/tyre assembly, although it does appear to have a slightly smaller OD than the 420x150 Chipmunk tyre. If you desire a larger tyre/wheel assembly, it is possible to acquire a 6.00 x 9 boat trailer wheel and tyre.

 

However, all the 6.00 x 9 tyres I have seen, come with a "highway pattern" square shoulder tyre that isn't desirable for aircraft use - you need a round-shouldered profile tyre. Have a look at the 4.80/4.00 x 8, 6 ply Wanda P604 tyre in the second link.

You need a minimum of 4 plies in a tyre for your use, beware of wheelbarrow tyres that are only 2 ply, and which have a very low speed rating, and low load rating.

 

https://activefabrications.com.au/products/4506

 

https://www.widetread.com.au/ride_on_mower_7-9.php

 

 

 

Edited April 24 by onetrack

[Blueadventures]

Have a look in the Aviation site of 'Wagga Bike and Tyres' they have excellent aircraft tyre comparison and prices information.  Fred there may have supplied tyres for Jodels over here. Cheers.

[Hohocc]

Thanks gents!

It's becoming apparent my knowledge of tyres is pretty sparse, the links/leads you have provided are quite an education as well as being progress in the right direction.

I've stumbled across a couple of wheels that seem to fit the bill as a result of the above, but should anyone have further info please feel free to add it!

That Wagga Bike Tyres site is a tyre encyclopedia in itself, and written in a language I can understand, thanks Blueadventures for suggesting it. 

[Blueadventures]

9 minutes ago, Hohocc said:

Thanks gents!

It's becoming apparent my knowledge of tyres is pretty sparse, the links/leads you have provided are quite an education as well as being progress in the right direction.

I've stumbled across a couple of wheels that seem to fit the bill as a result of the above, but should anyone have further info please feel free to add it!

That Wagga Bike Tyres site is a tyre encyclopedia in itself, and written in a language I can understand, thanks Blueadventures for suggesting it. 

Yep, I find it totally informative, and any time I have had a question Fred is amazing with his time and knowledge. Cheers.

[BrendAn]

On 25/04/2026 at 9:24 AM, onetrack said:

Hohocc - Try Mullins Wheels - or a trailer wheel supplier who can supply boat trailer wheels. Austral are long gone, put out of business by Asian manufacturers who can supply wheels, tyres and rims at half the cost that Austral could make them for.

 

There are 8" and 9" alloy boat trailer wheels available (all Asian sourced now), and I'd suggest you look at the 8" boat trailer cast alloy wheel which comes with integral hub. Using a 4.80 x 8, 4 ply tyre on this wheel will give you a potential replacement wheel/tyre assembly, although it does appear to have a slightly smaller OD than the 420x150 Chipmunk tyre. If you desire a larger tyre/wheel assembly, it is possible to acquire a 6.00 x 9 boat trailer wheel and tyre.

 

However, all the 6.00 x 9 tyres I have seen, come with a "highway pattern" square shoulder tyre that isn't desirable for aircraft use - you need a round-shouldered profile tyre. Have a look at the 4.80/4.00 x 8, 6 ply Wanda P604 tyre in the second link.

You need a minimum of 4 plies in a tyre for your use, beware of wheelbarrow tyres that are only 2 ply, and which have a very low speed rating, and low load rating.

 

https://activefabrications.com.au/products/4506

 

https://www.widetread.com.au/ride_on_mower_7-9.php

 

 

 

boat trailer wheels  use holden bearings . i don't think a jodel would have the stub axles for them.

[skippydiesel]

On 25/04/2026 at 9:24 AM, onetrack said:

Hohocc - Try Mullins Wheels - or a trailer wheel supplier who can supply boat trailer wheels. Austral are long gone, put out of business by Asian manufacturers who can supply wheels, tyres and rims at half the cost that Austral could make them for.

 

There are 8" and 9" alloy boat trailer wheels available (all Asian sourced now), and I'd suggest you look at the 8" boat trailer cast alloy wheel which comes with integral hub. Using a 4.80 x 8, 4 ply tyre on this wheel will give you a potential replacement wheel/tyre assembly, although it does appear to have a slightly smaller OD than the 420x150 Chipmunk tyre. If you desire a larger tyre/wheel assembly, it is possible to acquire a 6.00 x 9 boat trailer wheel and tyre.

 

However, all the 6.00 x 9 tyres I have seen, come with a "highway pattern" square shoulder tyre that isn't desirable for aircraft use - you need a round-shouldered profile tyre. Have a look at the 4.80/4.00 x 8, 6 ply Wanda P604 tyre in the second link.

You need a minimum of 4 plies in a tyre for your use, beware of wheelbarrow tyres that are only 2 ply, and which have a very low speed rating, and low load rating.

 

https://activefabrications.com.au/products/4506

 

https://www.widetread.com.au/ride_on_mower_7-9.php

 

 

 

Great information Onetrack.

 

"highway pattern" square shoulder tyre that isn't desirable for aircraft use - you need a round-shouldered profile tyre" 

 

I do not disagree with what you have stated (above) but would place  the tread type ahead of the "shouldered profile". 

 

Leaving aside ply & speed rating for a moment,  I would place the centre tyre as near ideal, followed by left, then right.  Simple principals - aircraft tyres should not pick up "stuff" to fling up onto wing/flaps, back onto empennage, will ideally slide when subject to side load rather than dig in. Smooth rather than grip type tread is desirable.

 

Aviation tyres are usually horrifically expensive (as with anything labeled "aviation"). If your aircraft is under Max 600 kg take-off weight, with a 40knot or less stall/landing speed, you are unlikly to benefit from such exotic landing equipment😈

 

[440032]

Kia ora. Goodyear tire chart

I think your wheels are 6.5 inch dia - Chipmunk yes

You are probably better off getting new common size wheels and tyres and brakes, depends on what your axles are, they were probably custom made off the plans with minor variations to suit the wheels found at that time. Anything modern probably won't fit your axles. Jodel axles - are welded to the leg?

Perhaps your existing wheel centres could be cut out and grafted in to a more common size steel wheel and keep your current brakes (if you have any)

Haere ra.