[coachgeo]

Well it is not Mog sized yet but it is actually now on the market for something besides slow moving Fork lifts etc.

Polaris' Airless Tires Go On Sale
MotorAuthorityBy Stephen Edelstein | MotorAuthority – 3 hours ago


Polaris has finally put airless tires on sale. The Polaris Sportsman WV850 H.O. ATV is the first vehicle to offer them and, considering that it's inspired by the MV850 military ATV, that seems appropriate. They pretty much make it the ultimate post-apocalyptic four-wheeler.

According to Polaris, the TerrainArmor tires, can take a direct hit from a .50-caliber round and still drive 350 miles; they can also last 1,000 miles after running over a railroad spike. How do they do it?

The tires' inner structure is a mesh design that supports the weight of the vehicle, while still being flexible enough to soak up bumps. There's still a rubber outer tread so, like conventional tires, different tread patterns can be developed for different applications.

In addition to not never needing a trip to the gas station's air pump, the TerrainArmor tires are reportedly less wasteful, because only the outer tread section needs to be replaced. They also offer a more comfortable ride and reduce noise, according to Polaris. The airless tire was actually developed by Resilient Technologies, a Wisconsin startup Polaris acquired last year, presumably for this tire tech.

The Polaris Sportsman WV850 H.O. goes on sale next month with a starting price of $14,999, but only in "very limited quantities." Other features include a steel exoskeleton chassis, and a 1,500-pound towing capacity.

Drivers looking to put airless tires on their cars might have to wait a little longer, though. Michelin introduced the concept of the airless tire with the "Tweel" in 2005, and both Bridgestone and Hankook have subsequently unveiled their own version of the concept. However, none of these automotive airless tires have been put on sale yet.

 

[Jimmysal]

The Polaris Sportsman WV850 H.O. goes on sale next month with a starting price of $14,999

Oh good, it's cheaper than XM-47s at least.

 

[yarr]

Is that the thing?

 

[TRUKTOR]

Similar , no doubt.
I always thought that in sand, mud or gravel, the possibility of picking
up unwanted , out of balance, ballast in the open voids might limit them. I can see dried
Chunks of Mud stuck randomly around the inside of all four wheels....then facing driving on
The highway or graded dirt roads and not being able to get up to speed due to radical
Balance problems....and hours with a ski pole or a stick, poking the mud balls out of the
Mouse holes....fun.
Plus, tires , wheels and tire repair techniques are in place around the world. These things,
For now, if you managed to get a set and went anywhere, you would probably be the only
Guy around with them.....
Also, on a side note, if I am in a place where I have to account for taking a .50 Cal. Round
Into my tire, I am probably in the wrong place.

 

[tkv000]

My buddy has something similar on his skidsteer, not the "tweel", but just a solid tire with holes for some cushion, he says the pack with mud, snow, ice, large rocks, and are near impossible to clean, and his skidsteer doesn't go high speeds that balance is an issue, but he says it negates any cushion they have. Never had a flat though...

 

[aaronsb]

Why can't they put some sort of decorative covering or something on the tires to keep the crud out then?

Like a tire cozy, or socks or something.

My buddy has something similar on his skidsteer, not the "tweel", but just a solid tire with holes for some cushion, he says the pack with mud, snow, ice, large rocks, and are near impossible to clean, and his skidsteer doesn't go high speeds that balance is an issue, but he says it negates any cushion they have. Never had a flat though...

 

[tkv000]

It would get ripped off in the deep ruts? I dunno, I didn't design the things, I just remember being over at his place when he was trying to clean them out, pressures washer, long breaker bar to smash up the rocks. He cleans oil well sites for a living, so he's in the crud all day, every day. He said it's better than having to change a tire on a lease site, but still a PITA.

His looks like these, different tread, but similar side wall. Rocks and mud get almost hydraulically pushed in when in bentonite and such. When it dries and you push it out, it almost looks like core samples they are so tightly packed. His new trick is to spay them with something that resembles mold release, not sure what it is, he gets it from the rig guys that use the bentonite, then the clay comes right out. But the rocks not so much.

 

[techMOGogy]

Yeah - some smart manufacturer could just put a nice 3/8 or thicker silicon "skin" over both sides of it and it would keep the snow, dirt, stones and mud out of it.
May rip eventually depending on what your doing but would be a much better design for anything that is going faster than a crawl

 

[erwin Z]

I prefer the McLarens.
They don't peel off very easy.

A short vid here.

Flat Proof | Tires for Skid Steer | McLaren

 

[erwin Z]

Well it is not Mog sized yet but it is actually now on the market for something besides slow moving Fork lifts etc.

Maybe there are Mog sized, or close to it.

 

[TRUKTOR]

Humvee tires are typically 37's, too small for an SBU
Unimog. Then, there is the weight rating. What are these
Things rated at ?
I think the tech is cool, but they have been around for
Years, and I don't see them on any active military
Vehicles .
Might be a case of too much DARPA money flowing.
Very cool concept, but I'm not so sure ...