Airless tires ( see thru)

[Green ford]

Saw these tires and wondered if anyone else has heard any thing. They are being developed by Michelin in South Carolina.

 

[McCracken]

I've seen them a long time ago. I think they're also called "Twheels"

 

[Ron]

Someone has recently came out with a tire for military operation that is similar but based on a honeycomb design for use on HMMMWV

 

[336wheeler]

They've been on skidsteers and front end loaders for a while also.

 

[Reid]

1997 called. they want their thread back.

 

[Ron]

1997 called. they want their thread back.

The honeycomb I am talking about just won 2008 Military supplier innovation of the year award.
It is new, the above not so much.

Actually If I can scan the diesel progress article later I will post it up, it is actually VERY relevant to our usage.

80mph rated, puncture proof and 13+" of flexible tread per sidewall all in a 42" carcass....

 

[Ron]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13639_3-10098240-42.html

Oh yeah did I mention IED and Bullett proof?

 

[Futbalfantic]

doesnt the tire effect spring ratios a bit?

 

[RenegadeT]

doesnt the tire effect spring ratios a bit?

ya mean kind of like a conventional tire?

 

[BigBody79]

I would think that the twheel and now the honeycomb wheels were shown with out a side wall just so people could look at it and see what is going on. seems to me that a production tire like that would have to have a side wall to keep debris and foreign objects out of the tire.

How in the heck would you mount them things?

 

[Banned User]

this post reminds me of this post
---> http://www.nc4x4.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28251

 

[RatLabGuy]

^^^aaaawe, Chase wants creidt for a thread he started a year and half ago....

I do wonder about crap getting in between the spokes - imagine if you live down a long gravel road.
Also - how long until the plastic in teh spokes wears out? I'd assume after awhile they'd the the rebounding properties etc. I mean, I'd stil lassume it's a replacement item, liek current tires, just wonder about lifespan and cost.

 

[Futbalfantic]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcdmH_hVWBY
See 1:00
The tires add suspension so I would guess that they effect springrate ratios atleast some

 

[Elliott]

Leave it to those Audi douchebags to run such lame tires.

 

[Banned User]

^^^aaaawe, Chase wants creidt for a thread he started a year and half ago....
I do wonder about crap getting in between the spokes - imagine if you live down a long gravel road.
Also - how long until the plastic in teh spokes wears out? I'd assume after awhile they'd the the rebounding properties etc. I mean, I'd stil lassume it's a replacement item, liek current tires, just wonder about lifespan and cost.

haha, when i made that one i found out that it had already been mentioned before me anyway.

theres no such thing as original anymore.






and gravel probably wouldnt be as bad for your car as it would be for the cars that it hit as it was flung out of the tweels at 80 mph

 

[y2kcrawler]

I would like to see how those do offroad with no sidewall. i saw the ones for the hummer, not bad and look like they hold up. Lifespan is my question, not alot of rubber on those thangs!

 

[Rich]

There's only about 1/3" thickness of tread on your average car tire.. without steel belts in the carcass, how thick does it need to be?

 

[ZUKIMON]

Yeah, they would have to close in the tire someway. What if you were out in the snow/mud/what have you and it got packed in there? There would be no way to drive the vehicle up to speed as it would shake so much that you couldn't hold it in the road.


You have to replace the tire and wheel as a combo, from what I remember from a Michelin rep.