dodgebrother Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 First thing comes to mind is balancing them and cold weather driving and will they actually make WWW..... Bridgestone Is Testing Airless Tires for Cars, Bikes The world may soon be able to say farewell to flats for good as Bridgestone is set to begin testing its concept for "air-free" tires. According to designboom, the company is working with Idemitsu Kosan to test out its radical tire concept on a small electric vehicle (EV). Idemitsu Kosan said it believes Bridgestone’s air-free tires could present meaningful environmental benefits while also helping to limit supply chain disruptions by preventing vehicle stoppages. As Bridgestone points out, air pressure in tires is crucial to most vehicle performance since it acts as a shock absorber between the vehicle and the surface it’s traveling on. If the air pressure is off or if the tire deflates entirely, it’s a problem, as anyone who’s ever gotten a flat can attest. Bridgestone’s concept takes inflation out of the equation by swapping in a structure consisting of resin spokes. The company said its concept tires not only reduce the need for maintenance and concern over punctures, but offer more design flexibility and recyclability than conventional rubber tires. Bridgestone has been tinkering with the idea of air-free tires since 2011, when it introduced a non-pneumatic tire concept. The first concept, similar to the air-free tires being tested this month, featured spokes made from reusable thermoplastic resin along the inner sides of the tire to support the weight of a vehicle. The concept was described 12 years ago as a “cradle to cradle” process designed to keep materials in use for longer. The second-generation of the air-free tire debuted in 2013 and featured a simplified design that reduced energy loss from tire rolling resistance. In 2017, Bridgestone debuted an air-free bike tire concept with the goal of bringing it to market by 2019. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryankazmer Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 The concept has been worked on for years, and not just by Bridgestone. The military was interested for obvious reasons. It's quite difficult to come up with a material with the right hysteresis. Heat build up from the flexing is another issue. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 The first ones I would buy would be for my trailer. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 I thought filling skid loader tires with foam for a run flat was silly, but I got tired of fixing flat tires. I have seen quite a few commercial mowers now sporting hollow rubber wheels, not to mention all of the Amish in my area that run steel wheels (also run flat, LOL). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 Is it that time again? The airless tire thing has been going on for decades. I'm pretty sure GM built an EV that had them half a century ago. 1 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryankazmer Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 The challenge has been having one that can run at higher speeds (and not flat spot when parked). Don't expect these to be cheap. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f.f.jones Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 (edited) 5 hours ago, bryankazmer said: Don't expect these to be cheap. Well, most places charge for air. If "inflation" inflation increases significantly, then airless tires might be a good buy. Edited March 3, 2023 by f.f.jones (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Bond Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 Is there any such thing as a "new idea" related to the automobile? From the 1910 Sears catalog, the Model M was offered with tires that were promoted as nearly as "Special Cushion Tires with corrugated tread absorbing vibration almost equal to pneumatics". The ad stated they would wear three times as long, with no trouble or repairs. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesR Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 As Bryan said, the idea has been around for years. I saw a news item on "tweels" (a type of airless/tire wheel combo) ten or fifteen years ago. As I recall, one of the big issues with the product was conspicuous road noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted March 4, 2023 Share Posted March 4, 2023 On 3/2/2023 at 9:36 PM, f.f.jones said: Well, most places charge for air. If "inflation" inflation increases significantly, then airless tires might be a good buy. You mean there are air stations that actually work? And don't just take your money?😳 That 2nd one is just ripe for a card skimmer. I tried "flat-free" tires on one of my hand trucks. Didn't work out so good when moving heavier stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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