New type of car tire -- airless

[Safeway]

Text

Like I said, I've seen this concept before ... but never actually on a car. I can see this going somewhere.

 

[DanTMWTMP]

hehe that last picture of the car while it's going is pretty cool. It's like seethrough tires or something

 

[jimbob200521]

That looks flippin sweet. It also looks like it'd be a smoother ride than regular tires would be.

 

[Aharami]

are they gonna release it like that w/o some kind of covering over the sidewall?

and looks like you cant use bling bling 20" wheels with these tires since the rim/wheel is part of the tire

 

[Kaido]

holy ugly

neat concept though :thumbsup:

 

[acemcmac]

If there's no performance loss, I'd buy that just to be immune to spike strips :evil:

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: jimbob200521
That looks flippin sweet. It also looks like it'd be a smoother ride than regular tires would be.

I've heard one of the primary reasons theyre not on the market yet is because the ride is much, much rougher.

They are hideously ugly, but if it means I never have to deal with a leaky/flat tire again, I'm all for it.

As far as covering on the sidewall, I dont know if thats possible. If the spokes are sealed in, there will be all sorts of internal air pressure on them. Perhaps only one side could be covered.

 

[foghorn67]

Wahoo! It will take the air cartel out of business.

 

[mb]

I know those pictures are pretty old too... I know I saw them a long time ago but I can't seem to find an article that dates them. It'd be nice if they actually put them on the market soon.

 

[Pepsi90919]

this was announced a couple years ago by michelin.

 

[Mo0o]

I'm pretty sure these pics are old

 

[wobbuffet]

wow! cooooool

:gift:

 

[IceBergSLiM]

my co workers 2006 e-350 has tires filled with nitrous gas that never have to be inflated. The gas doesnt respond to temperature changes like normal air inflated tires. The pressure alwasy remains constant unless there is a leak obviously. cool stuff.

 

[Nyati13]

Originally posted by: BD2003

Originally posted by: jimbob200521
That looks flippin sweet. It also looks like it'd be a smoother ride than regular tires would be.

I've heard one of the primary reasons theyre not on the market yet is because the ride is much, much rougher.

They are hideously ugly, but if it means I never have to deal with a leaky/flat tire again, I'm all for it.

As far as covering on the sidewall, I dont know if thats possible. If the spokes are sealed in, there will be all sorts of internal air pressure on them. Perhaps only one side could be covered.

If they can't get the spokes (sidewalls) covered, it won't go very far in the real world market. Drive through any depth of mud, sand, or snow and the balance of the tire will be completely shot to hell.

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: Nyati13

Originally posted by: BD2003

Originally posted by: jimbob200521
That looks flippin sweet. It also looks like it'd be a smoother ride than regular tires would be.

I've heard one of the primary reasons theyre not on the market yet is because the ride is much, much rougher.

They are hideously ugly, but if it means I never have to deal with a leaky/flat tire again, I'm all for it.

As far as covering on the sidewall, I dont know if thats possible. If the spokes are sealed in, there will be all sorts of internal air pressure on them. Perhaps only one side could be covered.

If they can't get the spokes (sidewalls) covered, it won't go very far in the real world market. Drive through any depth of mud, sand, or snow and the balance of the tire will be completely shot to hell.

Very true. Perhaps some sort of teflon coating to prevent sticking?

 

[mb]

I've read before that they will have sidewalls when/if they go into production.

 

[amish]

this is about 2-3 years old. it is called the tweel. one of the biggest problems is how loud the tire is due to the spokes.

edit #2: first press release was in the beginning of 2005. Text

 

[Gibson486]

I am guessing that these can't be used in the snow?

 

[LordMorpheus]

Originally posted by: Nyati13

Originally posted by: BD2003

Originally posted by: jimbob200521
That looks flippin sweet. It also looks like it'd be a smoother ride than regular tires would be.

I've heard one of the primary reasons theyre not on the market yet is because the ride is much, much rougher.

They are hideously ugly, but if it means I never have to deal with a leaky/flat tire again, I'm all for it.

As far as covering on the sidewall, I dont know if thats possible. If the spokes are sealed in, there will be all sorts of internal air pressure on them. Perhaps only one side could be covered.

If they can't get the spokes (sidewalls) covered, it won't go very far in the real world market. Drive through any depth of mud, sand, or snow and the balance of the tire will be completely shot to hell.

not really, the mud/snow/sand would increase the damping of the tire but only by a small amount.

It would, however, be ugly and gross as hell to have all sorts of gunk in there. My guess is the marketed version will have thin sidewalls.

 

[mb]

Originally posted by: LordMorpheus

Originally posted by: Nyati13

Originally posted by: BD2003

Originally posted by: jimbob200521
That looks flippin sweet. It also looks like it'd be a smoother ride than regular tires would be.

I've heard one of the primary reasons theyre not on the market yet is because the ride is much, much rougher.

They are hideously ugly, but if it means I never have to deal with a leaky/flat tire again, I'm all for it.

As far as covering on the sidewall, I dont know if thats possible. If the spokes are sealed in, there will be all sorts of internal air pressure on them. Perhaps only one side could be covered.

If they can't get the spokes (sidewalls) covered, it won't go very far in the real world market. Drive through any depth of mud, sand, or snow and the balance of the tire will be completely shot to hell.

not really, the mud/snow/sand would increase the damping of the tire but only by a small amount.

It would, however, be ugly and gross as hell to have all sorts of gunk in there. My guess is the marketed version will have thin sidewalls.

See 3 posts up from yours.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
my co workers 2006 e-350 has tires filled with nitrous gas that never have to be inflated. The gas doesnt respond to temperature changes like normal air inflated tires. The pressure alwasy remains constant unless there is a leak obviously. cool stuff.

you're supposed to fill tires with N2....

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: supafly
I've read before that they will have sidewalls when/if they go into production.

I'm sure they'll sell sidewall-less versions, that seems like something that would be a hit with the ricer crowd.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
my co workers 2006 e-350 has tires filled with nitrous gas that never have to be inflated. The gas doesnt respond to temperature changes like normal air inflated tires. The pressure alwasy remains constant unless there is a leak obviously. cool stuff.

you're supposed to fill tires with N2....

Nitrous oxide, nitrogen, same thing

At least he didn't say NAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWSSSSSSSSSSS

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
my co workers 2006 e-350 has tires filled with nitrous gas that never have to be inflated. The gas doesnt respond to temperature changes like normal air inflated tires. The pressure alwasy remains constant unless there is a leak obviously. cool stuff.

you're supposed to fill tires with N2....

Nitrous oxide, nitrogen, same thing

At least he didn't say NAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWSSSSSSSSSSS

what i meant was that any tire properly filled has N2 in it, so the co-worker's E350 isn't that special.

 

[T9D]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqRJ9GfIJtI