Bizarre Tires, I like em!

**Rev.Hammer** · 04-25-2005, 11:30 AM

I like these prototype tires. The conceot is very good! Just remember thath there will sidewall on them when they come out to production.
I would love to ask theses engineers a bunch of questions!

http://www.fourtitude.com/news/publi...icle_983.shtml

Lets talk about it!

**Jim** · 04-25-2005, 11:54 AM

Yeah, someone else posted something about these last year some time... it is a very interesting concept... we'll see if they can actually do anything with it, it's going to be hard to convince the general public that these are as safe as traditional tires.

**Fred** · 04-25-2005, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by Jim

Yeah, someone else posted something about these last year some time... it is a very interesting concept... we'll see if they can actually do anything with it, it's going to be hard to convince the general public that these are as safe as traditional tires.

I'm flattered my post was remembered =)

They have to prove the product to the public and then they will buy them up!

**redinorange** · 04-25-2005, 12:38 PM

"Flexible spokes" and "deformable wheels" are concepts that are difficult to grasp...

**Black on Black** · 04-25-2005, 12:44 PM

To me, the concept of pressurizing gas inside of a reinforced rubber vessell that is under constant stress and strain is a much less safe thought than a static structure like this. I think we'll just need to get used to it. My only worry is that the flexible spokes will tend to "crimp" in the same way over and over again, leading to weakness or failure over time. Then again, don't our current tires fail over time, as well? As long as the tire's structure lasts at least as long as the tread, it fulfills its service life.

**redinorange** · 04-25-2005, 12:51 PM

It's not static, it's dynamic...

**Blanchman** · 04-25-2005, 01:00 PM

Those wheels are freaking wild... If they can stand up over time, I see no problem with em. And, we'd be able to unload that spare. Less weight and more storeage... I LIKE !!

**Calabahn** · 04-25-2005, 01:26 PM

The March 2005 issue of Popular Science has a picture and blurb in the pipe line section about Michelin's version of this, they call it a tweel. It gets its bounce from polyurethane spokes and a glass-reinforced wheel. The Tweel will be available for light-duty applications this spring, though it won't show up on cars for at least 10 years. Why the wait? it's noisy when loaded down.

**Black on Black** · 04-25-2005, 01:46 PM

Just because this tire deflects does not make it dynamic. You may think of a building or a bridge as being a static structure and think that they do not move, but they do. Static just means that there are no rotational components in the structure. Obviously the tire rotates around its center and is part of a dynamic system, but the sub-structure of the tire itself is not a dynamic one. The loads exerted on the tire ARE dynamic, however, in that they are ever changing. There would be the static load of the constant weight of the car, but the live loads exerted by acceleration, braking, bumps, and inclines/declines are dynamic. Sorry for the long explanation. Even more sorry if I'm mistaken and have forgotten the finer details of the physics and mechanics courses I took in college.

Originally Posted by redinorange

It's not static, it's dynamic...

**BlkHemiMag** · 04-25-2005, 02:40 PM

Mmmm, it's tweird...

**DawsonMagnum** · 04-25-2005, 03:16 PM

I'm just trying to figure out how the hell you'd make a chromed 5-spoke tweel. The prototype on the A4 didn't have the center "deformable" section so you can't say that the final product will look as good as even the prototype. Somehow methinks the "ugly" factor of these will keep pneumatic tires around for a while.

**Rev.Hammer** · 04-25-2005, 04:09 PM

Well, from what I understand they market level tirese are supposed to have sidewalls to help keep from alienating tire buyers!

**mdw04_2000** · 04-25-2005, 04:17 PM

No tire wet needed for those tires!!!!!!!!:???:

**7thS0N** · 04-25-2005, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by Rev.Hammer

Well, from what I understand they market level tirese are supposed to have sidewalls to help keep from alienating tire buyers!

Right, but if the tweel is sold as one part, then people will have to like how the 'rim-part' of it looks in order for it to sell, right? I mean, many people went and replaced their wheels for upgraded or better looking parts on the Magnum right away... Get these things and you can't just replace the tire anymore, right?

EDIT:
Get a busted tread, and you buy a new tweel, and waste the hub? (As opposed to buying just a tire and having it mounted.) Or will they offer core discounts when you buy a new tweel?

I guess it would be nice to order them from TireRack and not need to pay to get anything mounted...