The manufacturer of the award-winning Michelin X Tweel airless radial tyre, Michelin Tweel Technologies, has increased its supply of the 12N16.5 XTweel SSL Hard Surface for operators who work on harsh paved or hard surfaces.
The Tweel SSL Hard Surface, originally introduced two years ago, is designed for operators who are involved with construction, transfer stations, waste handling, pavement maintenance or material handling and benefit from a hard surface version of an airless radial skid steer tyre.
The Tweel Airless Radial Tyre offers the advantages of no maintenance, no compromise and no downtime. The X Tweel SSL does not need air and, therefore, eliminates the risk of a “flat tyre.” The X Tweel SSL also delivers the advantages of no air-pressure maintenance, easy mounting, damage resistance, increased operator comfort, reduced operator fatigue and improved productivity and longer wear life than pneumatic tyres.
“With our new Tweel-dedicated facility now fully operational, we can now answer the demand for our Tweel airless radial offerings,” said Olivier Brauen, head of Michelin Tweel Technologies.
The Hard Surface tyre, which provides more longevity on pavement and asphalt, presents an option for very-high-use operations.
The Michelin 12N16.5 X Tweel SSL Hard Surface has a smooth tread with a 100% contact surface, which provides the maximum tread life for pavement applications.
The Michelin X Tweel SSL is also available in the All-Terrain design with a deep, open tread for off-road applications. The spokes are specially designed to enhance the tyres’ endurance. In addition, the tyres have a deep underlying tread layer that allows the core outside tread to be retreaded numerous times, helping reduce the overall cost of ownership.
According to Carlton Ashmore, equipment manager for Ashmore Bros/Rogers Group, Inc., an asphalt, milling and paving company serving Upstate South Carolina, their operators prefer the Tweel SSL over pneumatic tyres to eliminate downtime. They have been using the hard-surface version for several years and have not experienced flat tyres and traction issues.