Posted on 03/17/2022 8:21:01 AM PDT by Red Badger
VIDEOS AT LINK............
Companies like Michelin, Bridgestone, and even Hankook have been demonstrating and promising puncture-proof airless tires for almost two decades now, but their actual rollout has been limited at best. If you’re tired of waiting, maybe it’s time to just build your own like these brave Brits did using a bunch of PVC piping.
If you’re a driver, there’s good reason to be excited about airless tires. Cars are expensive and a lot can happen when you’re on the road, but tires are particularly at risk. You can drop thousands of dollars on a new set and five minutes later have your vehicle rendered unusable after driving over a nail. Airless tires—as the name implies—aren’t dependent on being filled with pressurized air to function. They instead use a hollow framework of structures made of rubber and other reinforcing materials to provide the same level of cushioning and shock absorption without the risk of ever going flat after a puncture.
But engineering an airless tire that works as well as one filled with air has proven to be quite the challenge. So far they’ve only been made available for smaller vehicles like low-speed ATVs. Michelin’s latest estimate on when its airless tires will be ready for full-sized vehicles is 2024, at the earliest. Tired of waiting for the tire makers of the world to deem them safe enough for consumers, the YouTube channel Driven Media set out to make their own airless wheels using materials readily available from a hardware store.
To create the signature hollow framework structure of an airless tire, 15 pieces of plastic PVC drain pipe were cut down to size and arranged around a 14-inch steel rim, while smaller pieces of pipe were used to fill in the gaps between the pipes and the outer rubber tread trimmed off a regular tire. The cost for each DIY airless tire was just shy of $400, so it’s not necessarily a cheaper approach, but in the long run the risk of punctures or other debilitating damages should be minimized—at least in theory.
Four airless tires were fitted to a lightweight Caterham car, and while they were a bit louder than the conventional alternative, and random nuts and bolts would come loose while out on the track, the DIY wheels did surprisingly well. They handled pot holes with ease and had no issue rolling across a bed of sharp nails. They even survived hitting speeds of over 100 MPH and successfully drifted for short intervals without completely disintegrating. They didn’t provide the smoothest ride, however, and while nails didn’t result in any permanent damage, another hour out on the roads very well might have. So as hard as it is to be patient, it’s probably a good idea to wait until companies like Michelin officially release their airless tire solutions if you’re gung-ho on making the switch.
I predict numerous catastrophic failures. :)
Not. Ready. For. Prime. Time.
But I admit, it was probably a lot of fun to do.
Sounds like one of Red Green’s projects.
And if you doubt that, try making your own.
This is a dumb project. Might as well fill the tires with expanding foam and try that.
I did and could only make 2 because then I was 2 tired to continue 😆 thanks i will be here all week
I wasn’t waiting for airless tires because I have no interest or need for airless tires. I suspect the vast majority of drivers aren’t in the market for airless tires either. Get a flat? Plug it and re-inflate.
You make joke, but THERE IS ONE!...................
I admit, I admire the approach.
And if tires ever become unavailable...I would try it.
That said, the didn’t say how they joined the outer tire belt, or maybe I missed it.
Bolts and nuts................
No go... Heat...
Sounds like one of Red Green’s projects.
But there is no duct tape.
For a first try it’s not bad...................
Who spends thousands of dollars on a set of tires?
We all will, pretty soon......................
It’s not the concept as an issue, it is the materials in this case. For low speed off road maybe. But they already have foam for those. The operating temp of a car tire during the summer out here in the desert can reach close to 275 degrees at 65 MPH. Almost the critical 350 degrees with loaded truck tires (melting point of the compound). Plastic drain pipe just isn’t going to hang.
Around the farm I would do it in a heart beat to “get by” and get the work finished though. :)
Yeah, and can you imagine the noise and exceedingly bad ride you’d get from these. What is this, Popular Mechanics for idiots?
“Who spends thousands of dollars on a set of tires?”
Have you priced tires lately? Lower income folks are presented with a choice. Trade in the car with bald tires for one with new tires and the same monthly payments, or take out a loan to buy a set. $350-$500 each is now not uncommon depending on size and brand. This price fixed market is greatly inflated over manufacturer’s cost right now. It is out of sight, almost criminal.
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