"see through" tyres !
Apparently this isn't really 'new' since they were designed back in 2005 but it's news to me so I thought I'd share...
"Michelin is working on an original kind of wheel which does not rest on a casing filled with air, but on stretchable netting made of composite materials. This innovation has been named “Tweel”, from “tire” and “wheel”. MICHELIN Tweel wheels offer major advantages: they do not puncture, they are impervious to poor inflation and they have excellent lateral rigidity."
"These are actual pictures taken in the South Carolina plant of Michelin."
"Think of the impact on existing technology:
A. No more air valves
B. No more air compressors
C. No more flat tyres
D. No more puncture repairs
E. No more jacks or spares required."
And the best thing (or worst thing depending on your outlook) is, they're also impervious to Police road spikes!
Andrew
| Look Here -> |
Thats been around for quite a while, developed over a decade ago i think (my memory is fading), was talk of it being introduced into the Military as bullet proof tyres, but i recon a big enough caliber would have probably blown the plastic matrix to pieces.
best4less (06-04-13)
Hummers (or Humvee if you like) have 'run-flat' tyres anyway don't they? But from memory they have something like a solid disk within the tyre so totally different I guess?
I suppose if you have a "big enough caliber" you can blow anything to pieces!
Andrew
There was a TV segment re these wheels recently, and the only real reason they are not yet mainstream is cost.
The consumer version was cased entirely in rubber, making it almost indistinguishable from a normal car tyre. The problem was the rubber needed replacing at the rate of a current tyre, and they had not yet found a way to make the rubber tyre interchangeable/replaceable.
This in turn meant the whole product was cost inhibitive, because to replace a worn rubber you had to replace the entire matrix construction as well.
My thoughts were that the rubber may be re-bonded to the matrix center making it reusable and needing less rubber to keep costs down....just my thoughts when i first saw it.
Maybe the matrix weakens with use too....
Back to the old horses and cart days. The only real difference is that they are flexible and not solid like the wooden spokes where.
I get the impression these manufacturers are trying to reinvent the wheel. I think re-glueing new tread on would just result in delamination and if they're so expensive then why would they bother. I run 18's on my AU11 and only pay $125 each fitted & balanced, thats a 40 series 'A' symetrical radial tyre. I don't know how they can do it so cheap but no arguaments here. I always say I'll never pay for expensive sunglasses, shoes or tyres 'cause they ALL wear out soon enough!
Your $125 tyres are great value till a emergency arises.
I had a tyre fitter here the other night complaining that his new brakes were now pulsing through the pedal on hard braking and was asking me what was wrong.
I had him drive to a quite stretch of road, had him drop me off on the roadside and asked him to drive past, brake and replicate the problem while i watched.
It was his ABS locking and unlocking his $125 tyres......brakes fine, tyres shit.
my tyre's ARE cheap. Are they shit....maybe. I wouldn't go to a track day with them but for everyday driving within the speed limits and driving conditions they're just fine, they actually offer a hell of a lot more grip than I expected form cheap tyres (MAXTREK INGAMS A1), they will slide and cause ABS to cut in if braking real heavy on a wet road surface but most tyres will. Plus any FR vehicle will tend to lock up the fronts and slide if pushing pedal to floor. I have more trouble with moisture on the discs on wet days than cheap tyres. Your complaining client should learn to take it easy, if he didn't speed he wouldn't need to brake heavily all the time and if he's tyres are THAT bad I'd get rid of 'em!. I certainly won't buy those tyres with the 2 different tread patterns on either side,I always get 'A symetric' ones and when my front tyres get even half worn I swap with them with the rears or buy more so i'v always got maximum tread on the front. In regard to these new wheels, theres a video on youtube (energy return wheels) with a link to Britek tire and rubber. DON'T sign up to their forum, a lot of people complaing to the mods' that they can't 'unsubscribe' and that the mods don't reply to members. I asked ERW uploader a few simple Q and A's regarding road object impact resistance, I then had to ask the uploader to point me in the direction of his slow motion impact vid's which he said I should watch, no reply yet!
Last edited by splirky; 04-05-13 at 02:00 PM.
I never buy cheap rubber.
18" @ $125ea - cheap rubber. My crappy magna 15"'s are $160ea. I used to ride a LOT of motorbikes and always bought good rubber.
To be honest, if you just do commuter stuff, then cheap is ok. But in the event of having to brake hard, then you find out! It's an odds/gambling game.
IMO, the extra $60 - $80 per tire and stopping that 1" before hitting something in an emergency is worth the hassle and claim crap, than hitting it.
Taxis buy hard rubber tires, for obvious reasons...
Rubber, the ONLY thing between you and road!
As for the OP, those airless tires have been out for many years. Search 'Airless' on the tube and see... They can corner at high speed pretty well.
But you have to look at the economics / support / existing infrastructure of rubber, to see why there is not a push for this new tech.
Push to hard and you might have masked men whisk you away in the night. Don't change your name to Tuttle or Buttle
Last edited by GT250; 04-05-13 at 04:42 PM.
Godzilla (06-05-13)
Cheap tyres are just that, don't ever expect top performance from them, but for the daily commute they are just fine. If you spend your time driving on the edge then get better tyres, in the long run they'll save you money, and, possibly, your life!
Isemmens & GT250, why are you bagging me? (you obviously are mentioning cheap tyres) I said my tyres were cheap & maybe shit, that's what I choose 'cause I'm on a low income ATM so they'll do untill I 'hit the race track'!. I never said I drive on the edge. This thread isn't about me anyhow. Keep to the topic at hand. Godzilla got off topic talking about 'my' tyres and ABS so I retorted.Originally Posted by lsemmens
Last edited by splirky; 04-05-13 at 07:15 PM.
Hey Spirky, no ones bagging you....its the way your taking the replies again, you brought up cheap tyres, not us, you were the one that went off topic, if you call it that, we just pointed out that your cheap tyres may not be as cheap as you think in a emergency.
Would you jump out of a plane using a cheap parachute?
Would you get into a plane using cheap parts and maintenance practices?
Would you drive a cheap car with a poor crash rating?
Would you drive on cheap brakes?
Would you eat cheap food going out of date?
Your health choices......
Last edited by Godzilla; 06-05-13 at 10:07 AM.
lsemmens (07-05-13)
Damn. Now I can't get "Brazil" out of my head.Don't change your name to Tuttle or Buttle
For most of my life, I lived a delusion
Hmm.. your mother having plastic surgery so she looked exactly like your girlfriend... Sigmund Freud would get a hard-on watching that!Damn. Now I can't get "Brazil" out of my head.
Sorry you took it that way, Splirky, it was not a dig at you. I live on a pension, and use the cheapest tyres that I can afford, often second hand. I live in the country so they also spend most of their time at 100Kph, however, I also drive to the conditions, a)of the road, and b)of the tyres.
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