This interesting video shows the US Army trying out experimental steel airless tires on a Jeep in a bunch of different conditions. While we do not have the specific makeup of the “tires” we can tell you that it appears they used a combo of steel and solid rubber pieces. The center and outer pieces being steel and the “spokes” look like they were made of solid rubber. They seem to act that way as you will watch in the video as well, dampening shocks from either ruts or drops far better than their rubber NDT counterparts.
The Martin Tire company made these units and while we are not sure the Army bought any of them we can tell you that they patented the design in 1943. We have very few specifics and only can really really what we watched in the video and the biggest thing is that these Martin experimental tires sure seem to provide a better driving experience for the dude at the wheel of the Jeep! You can watch and judge for yourself but that’s what our eyes were telling us.
Additionally, you will see that all the testing is being done in the right hand steer Jeep. We are not Jeep experts but we have to guess that because of how many countries were using the Willys and Ford Jeeps that they were built regularly both right and left steer depending on what part of the world they were heading to.
Has anyone actually seen a Jeep outfitted with these tires in the field? We never have. Maybe just another cool idea that wasn’t quite ready for prime time?
Patton would have spent more time in ditches than whipping the Nazis in WWII.