Why aren’t solid tires used on military vehicles like humvees? What are the negatives?
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Army Vet here, spent lots of time in HMMWV and the ride ***sucks***.
Even if you are the driver (the seat has more cushion) it still sucks because it doesn’t recline.
The tires have metal inserts for “run flat” performance – if the tire gets punctured by a branch or weapons fire, you can still drive (more like limp back to base).
The result of a vehicle that’s built for cargo not comfort is the worst ride evar. My back always hurt from riding in them but it sure beat walking. So while HMMWV tires give like regular civie tires, they are more solid than their civie counterparts – so the ride is stiffer than a civie Hummer H1 without run-flats.
Solid tires have been tried but the ride on them is worse as they can’t handle bumps or uneven roads. A HMMWV is going where the road is too bumpy even for most 4 wheel drive vehicles.
The HMMWV also needs to be loaded on aircraft – solid tires it’s size would be very heavy.
Lastly, air filled tires allow the drive to deflate them for better traction in sand or mud – you lose that with solid tires.
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