LOUISVILLE—Michelin North America Inc. has expanded the range of its Tweel airless radial tire for skid steers and disclosed its first original equipment fitment for the tire/wheel unit, with Deere & Co. for the John Deere's ZTRAK zero-turn commercial lawn mowers.
Two years after launching the Tweel commercially, Michelin has added a pair of fitments for skid steers—a 12N16.5 X Tweel SSL All Terrain fitment for a wide range of surfaces and a 12N16.5 X Tweel SSL Hard Surface for pavement use.
The tires debuted at the recent Green Industry & Equipment Expo in Louisville.
The All Terrain, with a deep, open tread designed for more rugged off-road working conditions, will be a viable option for industries such as construction and landscaping. It features high-strength, poly-resin spokes to carry the load, reduce machine bounce and provide improved operator comfort. The spokes are engineered to be self-evacuating in muddy conditions.
The slick-tread Hard Surface tire, which provides more longevity on pavement and asphalt, presents an option for very high-use operations, Michelin said.
Both versions have a deep underlying tread layer that allows the core outside tread to be retreaded repeatedly, Michelin said, helping reduce the overall cost of ownership.
“Our newest versions provide the benefits associated with pneumatic tires, but they don't go flat. This is a breakthrough innovation for skid steers in the landscape, construction, contracting, refuse/recycling and agricultural industries,” said Ralph Dimenna, head of Michelin Tweel Technologies.
“This is just the beginning of exciting things to come.”
