tires of the future?

[deezlins]

http://www.sportbilen.se/e_ind...id=89

"Michelin has also found that it can tune Tweel performances independently of each other, which is a significant change from conventional tires. This means that vertical stiffness (which primarily affects ride comfort) and lateral stiffness (which affects handling and cornering) can both be optimized, pushing the performance envelope in these applications and enabling new performances not possible for current inflated tires."

[SmithSR]

4 for $100 still rules the masses.

VERY good read. This will be interesting as it develops.

[Grant@tirerack]

I still want to know what happes with these when you park in 2" of slush and it freezes overnight... That could make getting out of your parking spot quite an interesting event with open sidewalls.

[240marcuSX]

wouldnt they be extremely heavy???

[whiterps13]

why would they be heavy? the lack of sidewalls would probably make up for the added "spokes". thats an extremely cool idea though..

[240marcuSX]

im not sure.... from the picture on the audi, they look to be really heavy, and i say this with no merit whatsoever.

[MarkEmark]

Those are the ugliest freakin' things I have ever seen. They will make any car look bad, and will make the wheels look even smaller...and they don't fill up the fender well at all because..well, they're hollow pretty much.

Maybe it's a good idea for econo boxes but I highly doubt anyone would buy those for any even remotely good looking car.

[Exar-Kun]

The thing I don't understand about it is the two sidewall properties they're talking about tie together...

a sidewall doesnt flex in one dimension alone...also, progressivty would be a ***** since its a flat sidewall with no taper.

I'm more concerned with the PAX system fugging everything up right now.

-Chet

PS- Mark I think that they're more concerned with improving safety and controll than looks.....

[Tsukai240]

too bad they are but ugly and NOISEY!

[Exar-Kun]

...beacuse I'm sure you've heard them first person?

also, you as for the weight issue:"The Tweel prototype, demonstrated on the Audi A4, is within five percent of the rolling resistance and mass levels of current pneumatic tires. That translates to within one percent of the fuel economy of the OE fitment"

GRant" still want to know what happes with these when you park in 2" of slush and it freezes overnight... That could make getting out of your parking spot quite an interesting event with open sidewalls.."

me too. much less water getting trapped under it making it a PITA to get out of a deep puddle...

-Chet

[Chingon]

I'm still seeing some nasty body roll. Not that tires are the only thing responsible for this, but still...

Now the bose electromagnetic shocks are interesting.

[crzycav86]

Actually what you want to look at is tire deformation, not body roll. On a lot of cars, you can see the sidewall flex. I don't see much flex on that audi. And body roll will increase as grip increases.

I think a better way to implement this design is to keep a sidewall, just have these spokes in there as the "guts" of the tire. You would also still be able to tune it with air pressure(but obviously using a lot less).

[Tsukai240]

...............beacuse I'm sure you've heard them first person?.......................

i have read about these things from another source! and they stated that they were noisey.

[Grant@tirerack]

Hey Chet,PAX? PAX? TRX? TRX? LOL! Just goes to show even the biggest companies have a very short memory span.... You have to wonder if someone in R/D spend millions on that project and now they are so far into it it's too late to back out without loosing face? That's just speculation on my part but I can't see PAZ setting the tire/wheel industry on fire. It just has to much going against it.

[Chingon]

Actually what you want to look at is tire deformation, not body roll. On a lot of cars, you can see the sidewall flex. I don't see much flex on that audi. And body roll will increase as grip increases.

I think a better way to implement this design is to keep a sidewall, just have these spokes in there as the "guts" of the tire. You would also still be able to tune it with air pressure(but obviously using a lot less).

i know..i know.. I just felt like talking **** about such ugly things. But like you said, if they put a side wall on it and the performance is good, then it could be interesting. I just don't know about the added weight that the inner surfaces will have. Although minimal, they better compromise w/performance.

[accel junky]

I've heard about those before, pretty interesting stuff.

[Ceptos]

only skimmed the article...but it looks like the audi has a huge contact patch with these tires. i guess a conventional tire would have the same effect tho. progressiveness could probably be tuned with the shape of the spokes, as they roll away from the edge of the tire, just a guess tho. unless these things are made to deform in some way to provide a larger contact area, i must not be seeing the improvement in preformance. just a whole lot more compliance, but at least for the average driver they would provide a comfortable ride with less comprimise to preformance and eliminate the risk of a puncture.

wheel sizes would have to be smaller than conventional tires to allow for the spokes...imagine the effect that one of these coming apart in mid drive would have, i think ill stick with a good 'ol fashion blow out =)

[elwesso]

Looks really intersting... IM not sure Id want them on my car, but they may turn into the new rap thing... have the thing inbetween the tread and the wheels spin too...

Actually that looks promising, then we wont have blowouts on crappy roads.....