Michelin is testing their new air-less tires

… and they could be on the market by 2024:

I’ve yet to see one of their ‘tweels’ that could work: they will quickly become unbalanced as mud, dirt, snow, etc. is trapped in all those vanes.

I dunno, doesn’t do much for me. I think I get a nail in a tire about once every couple years. Costs me maybe $20 to get fixed and a little inconvenience. It’s like people are running out of stuff to do and keep reinventing the wheel.

Now @Barkydog already solved this with his foam filled snow blower tires. Maybe an engineering job awaits him at a Michelin plant?

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I would imagine that they will apply some type of covering to the outside to prevent that. I was assuming they would be doing that anyway, simply from an aesthetics standpoint…not a lot of people necessary want the freaky, futuristic look of these tires on their cars.

Again? This is almost as bad as the air car. About every 5 years or so, the tweel is paraded out as being ready for prime time…

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Back to the future. History repeats itself.
We already had air-less wheels.

CSA
:evergreen_tree::sunglasses::evergreen_tree:

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The last time Michelin rolled these out was 2014. I’d love to see them work, but they are always five years away.

Actually it was slime! Still holding air.

Based on the guinea pigs, i’d say GM gets first dibs on airless tires.

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I remember bicycle tires that came out in the 1970s that were similar concept. Solid tires with honeycomb structure. I don’t think they ever caught on.

Solid rubber wheelbarrow tires are readily available, but they don’t seem to sell nearly as well as the equivalent sized pneumatic (air) tires from the looks of the shelves at the hardware stores. I wouldn’t buy a solid rubber wheelbarrow tire myself. The softer air-filled tire seems like it would be much easier to persuade over obstructions, rocks, curbs etc, with less risk of dumping the load. I concur with the post above , this seems like somebody over-reaching in order to say they “invented” something.

I’d buy some if they worked and cost the same as regular tires. Just to be able to drive through the parking lot at work fearlessly lol.

We’ve got solid rubber tires on the equipment at work. Semi truck + solid rubber tires, talk about a smooth ride :wink:! Those tires in the article remind me of the tires skid steers come equipped with when new, although the skid steer tires are solid rubber with holes through the sidewall (improves ride) instead of partially fiberglass.

Anyhow, first time I’ve seen this. Interesting concept.