By Bruce Davis, Tire Business
Greenville, South Carolina - Michelin North America Inc. has begun selling a version of its Tweel non-pneumatic tyre/wheel assembly for skid-steer loaders, eight years after introducing the product in the US.
The version that Michelin launched commercially-the 12N16.5 X-Tweel SSL hub design-is described as universal and can be fitted on most skid-steer loaders.
It is available in the US and Canada for users of skid-steers in the landscaping, construction, contracting, refuse/recycling and agricultural industries, Michelin said.
More sizes will be introduced this year, according to the firm.
Initially, the Tweel will be distributed by a limited number of dealerships, Michelin said, including: A&E Tire Inc., Bauer Built Tire, Colony Tire, East Bay Tire Co., Jack's Tire & Oil, Pete's Tire Barns Inc., Raben Tire Co. Inc., Service Tire Truck Centers, Snider Tire Inc. and Valley Tire Co. Inc. in the US; and Kal Tire, Kirk's Tire and Tirecraft in Canada.
The Tweel is a single unit replacing the pneumatic tyre, wheel and valve assembly.
It replaces the 23 components of a typical radial tyre and comprises a rigid hub connected to a shear band by means of flexible, deformable polyurethane spokes and a tread band-all functioning as a single unit.
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