HMMWV Honeycomb Wheels/Tires...

[Numbers]

An article I ran across and thought it may interest the Humvee fans. What interested me is that the article quotes "prices expected to be comparable if not less than current tires."

Honeycomb tire of the future - Worldcarfans

In combat numerous Humvee military vehicles equipped with standard issue "run flat" tires have been tragically immobilized by IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices). So, the military wants an alternative tire that can support the additional weight of add-on armor, survive an IED attack, and still speed away at up to 50 mph.
Resilient Technologies and Wisconsin-Madison's Polymer Engineering Center have developed a "non-pneumatic tire" (without air) that meet these requirements.
We've seen this type of wheel before with the Michelin Tweel. In fact, the Tweel was one of several airless tires studied, but developers concluded that mother nature's honeycomb design was more suitable as it provided the most realistic ride feel of pneumatic tires, according to the developers.
"The goal was to reduce the variation in the stiffness of the tire, to make it transmit loads uniformly and become more homogenous," said mechanical engineering professor Tim Osswald. "And the best design, as nature gives it to us, is really the honeycomb."
Furthermore, other benefits of the design geometry are reduced noise and heat levels while in motion.
The honeycomb tires starts deliveries in 2011 with prices expected to be comparable if not less than current tires.

 

[chris837rj]

I remember Michelin advertising the airless wheel several years ago. I thought they abandoned the idea. Obviously they cut back on research. The article says that they have some in use on machinery.

 

[BFR]

pic

 

[atilathehun]

yes they have been using them on skidsteers and payloders where there is a higher chance of something cutting tires such as in landfills and scrap yards were metal will destroy a tire very fast they are very heavy as i used to install them at a john deere shop i used to work at

 

[jjramrod]

availability

where can i get some of these and are they road legal?

 

[m16ty]

yes they have been using them on skidsteers and payloders where there is a higher chance of something cutting tires such as in landfills and scrap yards were metal will destroy a tire very fast they are very heavy as i used to install them at a john deere shop i used to work at

The airless skid steer tires are a little better than solid rubber tires but not much. They are basically soild rubber with some holes cut in for some give. These new tires are supposed to have the same ride and characteristics of air tires. I've seen some vids and it's amazing to watch the steel braces bend when they run over a curb or something and it pops right back.

Michelin is said to have them available on the civilian market in the next few month.

 

[oilcan]

If they can deliver a decent ride, I'd be on board. But I'd have to think of a good way to keep debris out of them... Can you imagine the balance issues when half of that thing is packed solid with mud or slushy ice?!

 

[B3.3T]

You would not want such a wheel for off-road use for several big reasons. 1. you can't adjust and vary the pressure to control your footprint. 2. There is no sidewall traction for rocks and ruts. 3. Imagine the weight of those clogged up with mud...

 

[HanksDeuce]

As found on the Tweel Wikipedia page:

"The Tweel does have several flaws, however, the worst being vibration. Above 50*mph (80*km/h), the Tweel vibrates considerably, which in itself is a problem that also gives rise to undesired noise and heat. A fast-moving Tweel is unpleasantly loud[3] and produces 5 percent more friction compared to a radial tire.[2] The Tweel can also withstand a police 'stinger' spike strip, which would force law enforcement to adapt in order to stop a suspect in a vehicle equipped with Tweels."

 

[jjramrod]

Wouldn't it be easy to keep them clean since they flex so much and the wholes are so big? I personally don't run lower pressure in my tires for off road and I've cone through ruts that someone left that got stuck with 44s and I only had 35s. The only thing id worry about would be the vibration and heat on road.

 

[Billy Bobbed]

That is a neat tire wheel combo.I was on youtube today and just seen this.


Humvee airless tire test - YouTube