U.S. Military begins rolling on airless tires

[Feuer Frei!]

Yea yea, it's Fox news, normally Fox news is a no-go zone for me but:


Air compressor manufactures take note.
Polaris has begun production of a non-pneumatic tire for all terrain vehicles.
The company has begun deliveries of its MV850 ATV fitted with the flat-proof TerrainArmor tires to the U.S. Special Operations Forces, and plans to introduce a retail version soon.


http://global.fncstatic.com/static/managed/img/Leisure/2009/terrainarmor-mv850.jpg


SOURCE (http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/09/19/us-military-begins-rolling-on-airless-tires/?intcmp=features)

[the_tyrant]

How would these drive? I find myself preferring normal tires over run flat ones, I must assume that these are even less comfortable than run flat ones.

[ETR3(SS)]

The idea is a couple of years old and was pioneered by a company in Wisconsin. Saw them demonstrate it on a Humvee.

Edit: Here's the link to the company website http://www.resilienttech.com/products/non-pneumatic-tire

[Herr-Berbunch]

I don't think anyone who rides a quad expects comfort! :03:

[VipertheSniper]

I wonder how long the linkage between rim and the rubber will be able to take the alignment forces.

As it is airless, how will they handle different terrain? When you drive on sand you want lower pressure, on the other hand lower pressure means higher fuel consumption, so when you don't need the lower pressure, because your driving on roads, you'd fill up the air again.

On the other hand I guess the linkage might provide some additional traction in soft sand, so you wouldn't have to make it too soft.

[Jimbuna]

Looks like something out of a Meccano set :hmmm:

[TLAM Strike]

70 Years too late. The Germans were way ahead of us. :)
http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/9623/cz3c.jpg

[eddie]

NASA used wheels like that or similar on the Lunar Rovers, way back when during Project Apollo.

[Stealhead]

We had certain machinery in the USAF that had tires filled with some sort of gel in place of air (gas).

[Jimbuna]

70 Years too late. The Germans were way ahead of us. :)


Maybe but the air pump was pretty useless as a weapon :)

[Stealhead]

:hmmm: Why does that bike have an air pump when it has air less spring wheels?

Maybe it is a blow gun with poison darts.

[vienna]

Maybe but the air pump was pretty useless as a weapon :)


When air pumps are outlawed, only bicyclists will have air pumps...


<O>

[Wolferz]

So much for those auto inflate/deflate systems we had on our five ton dumps.

Those should work well on the Hummers.:up:

[Platapus]

How long would those open spokes last in a jungle/heavy brush environment? :nope:

[Stealhead]

I would imagine that some amount of engineering went into then design.Not say that it is perfect nothing ever is but I could see the design having fairly good durability.

The design would also eliminate the greatest weakness of a tire filled with air punctures/ruptures.

[desertstriker]

the hexagon is one of the strongest shapes out there so a good choice. wouldn't mind a set so i don't have to reflate my tires every other day when someone t the college decides to play a joke and deflate my tires:03:

[Oberon]

:hmmm: Why does that bike have an air pump when it has air less spring wheels?

Maybe it is a blow gun with poison darts.

KleinPanzerfaust? :03: For use against tankettes, or any Japanese tank.

EDIT: Commences Schroeder countdown....