| Author | Message | ||
     Geforce |
I'm sure some of you have heard/seen/read about the Tweel concept that Michelin has been working on for several years now. I can't find any updates about them? EG: Sale, Test Trials, Potential Market Dates, etc. Personally, I'd like to have a set of these on my Silverado SS and the wife's Mazada CX-9. I'll stick with slicks for the Grand national though.  http://www.gizmag.com/go/3603/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tweel I have a sick feeling this technology will be used strictly on things that aren't so massed produced. As in, we might not see them on vehicles for a very long time. Hopefully they are just working the issues out. One big one was the vibration at speeds over 50 MPH... then there's the noise issues. Surely in a few years those issues can be overcome. | ||
| Darth_villar |
I think it is very interesting. However, I'm not exactly sure what this brings to the table. Specifically what about these are better than regular wheels? Just to make the ride smoother by acting as another suspension component? All I see is another unpredictable handling characteristic personally... But I would still like to see how they work out. | ||
| Geforce |
I think the immediate benefit is primarily the removal of the pneumatic components of a tire. No air, no sidewall, virtually maintenance free. It would be safer than a traditional tire as a blow out really can't happen anymore. You would have to retread them at some point though. The downside is primarily the vibration and noise at speed. Since it's been several years with no updates on the subject, I have no idea if they hammered those issues out or not. | ||
| Slaughter |
I'm thinking that instead of the hyper-heavy "run flat" used on military vehicles, something like this makes sense. Michelin has always tried cool things - remember the bib mousse?  | ||
| Geforce |
Slaughter you are 100% correct about the TIS system on our vehicles. The TIS or Tire Inflation System is a great concept but EXTREMELY heavy and maintenance intensive. The up side is that it does work, most of the time, when you need it most. I think a military tweel that has been run through the gauntlet of testing would be a fantastic idea for us to use. Not sure how many of you have ever had to change a tire on a large vehicle... it can be very dangerous. We've had to sit through safety training on numerous occasions concerning fellow Soldiers who were maimed or killed from changing tires and replacing them with tire cages. I think a rugged tweel would really help reduce the danger involved from that respect. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
I run a set of cyclo pros on the mtn bike, they are great, I got tired of changing a flat every other ride, this solves it well. | ||
| 1324 |
I saw this several years ago, and while I found it interesting then, my opinion now is still the same...no thanks for my road going vehicles. Since they'd have to be retreaded, you run the risk of having them come apart on the road, just like trucks. We don't need more of this litter on our highways. Furthermore, once that rubber is gone, you're left with smooth-ish looking plastic. I don't dare think of a soccer mom piloted mini van on plastic wheels. It would also need to have sidewalls on any application that would see winter weather to keep the snow pack from throwing off wheel balance and limiting 'suspension' travel. So if we're adding sidewalls, what exactly are we gaining? Run flats? We already have those. Of course, one of my biggest concerns...I can't adjust air pressure to suit my needs or driving conditions.  | ||
| Crackhead |
Nick, currently the tire tread is glued/bonded to the the "tube" of the tire. (Remember the Exploder/ Firestone delamination) The tires would reduce the rick of delamination because there would be less people running low on tire pressure. Which is a big contributor to excessive tire heat that causes delamination. The new sidewalls could be made very thin and not designed to limit tire flex. The same thin side walls could also be used for low air pressure to allow for some tire adjustment. FYI, current tires also have "suspension" travel, AKA tire flex. So, all people on massive rims and thin tires just killed the "suspension" travel. I see technology like tweels initially being used on daily drivers ie: sedans and minivans. | ||
| 1324 |
Yeah, I get all of that. However, my bottom line...how are these better than our current crop of run flats that no one likes? Low air pressure? Don't worry...the fed has your back with required TPMS on all 08+ passenger vehicles. | ||
| Crackhead |
The TPMS is a great idea, BUT it requires the driver to know what the "yellow ! light and squiggly lines mean" It is in quotes because I had a friend ask me that AFTER he drove from Vermont to Maryland with the light on the entire time. His left rear tire was at 5 PSI when I had to show him how to check the tire air pressure. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Crackhead, did you tell him to read the effing manual!? | ||
| Whistler |
My Dad used to say, "when all else fails read the instructions." (Message edited by whistler on October 18, 2011) | ||
| Crackhead |
It was a rental, so it didn't come with the owners manual. Even if it did come with a manual, he most likely would have thrown it out anyways bc it takes up to much space. With the all the crap that the car entertainment centers can do, I don't understand why they don't speak / instruct the driver on what to do. EI: WARNING TIRE PRESSURE IS LOW. CHECK YOUR TIRES IMMEDIATELY | ||
| Froggy |
Some cars do. Every GM vehicle with a DIC and ABS will display "Check tire pressure" or something similar. | ||
| Kyrocket |
Good point. I've often wondered why new cars don't talk to us anymore. I had an '86 Chrysler Laser and my father (I'm ashamed to admit) had an '86 Chrysler New Yorker. I hated that car, but both of them had a very extensive vocabulary. It would check everything from a door being ajar to low coolant levels, from lights being out to oil pressure high or low. Very handy indeed. If they were doing it in 1986 why not now? | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
customer preference. on the talking to the driver. | ||
| 99buellx1 |
The TPMS in my car shows me the current pressure in each tire, if one is low it displays which tire it is and what pressure it is at. All done in a small info center that includes the odo. ..oh, and it's an '05 | ||
| Crusty |
Tweel was one of the main characters in Stanley Weinbaum's classic story, A Martian Odyssey Our '09 Chevy Cobalt doesn't talk to us, but the dash warns us if the pressure falls below 28 PSI; which happens during the winter months when the temps fall below freezing. We can scroll through and see the current tire pressure at any time. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Chevy Cobalt? Is it Blue? Is it Radioactive? Does it have 27 in the reg or VIN? Did you know Cobalt comes from the german word "Kobold" meaning Goblin? No scrolling while driving now.  | ||
| Toona |
 From a friend. Looking at the bolt circle, it wasn't being planned for small car use. | ||
| Geforce |
Toona! Spill the beans! Is that a Michelin tire or some other design concept? | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
The problem as I can see it with this concept as against a pneumatic tyre, is that in the event of catastrophic failure such as blowout your pneumatic generally stays on the rim long enough to get the vehicle safely to a stop. I say generally, but as we all know that's not always the case. With the Tweel however, a catastrophic failure will be horrendous with bits of broken spokes & rim/tread going all over the place, plus the whole vehicle is going to drop straight onto the brake disc. If it's just a simple delamination it'll be much the same scenario as a classic puncture. I can't even see a use for this setup on plant & off-road machinery as the spokes will just clog with muck. If production does go ahead, how long is the rim life? Can it be re-treaded? I'm far from convinced. |
