Tired of Mainstream Tires? Recycled DIY Airless Tires Are One Russian Way Forward

If we go into any tire shop and ask for a set of 167/58R13s, people there would look at us and politely but firmly invite us to see a medic. Also, if we asked for a solid-state tire made from crumb rubber, we’d get a similar treatment. Still, just because no one has thought of it doesn’t mean it’s forbidden for eternity. Enter Garage 54.

Several weeks ago, inventive minds from the depths of Siberia covered a Lada 1200 with a thick layer of crumb rubber protection. The recipe is simple: mix the granulates with adhesive, spread it with a trowel, wait for it to cure, and reap the benefits. The body and paint are guarded against scratches, and the material is cheap, available, and easy to apply.

But there’s more than one use for the recycled tire particles. Yes, most of civilization uses it for playgrounds and stuff like that. In contrast, crumb rubber is very suitable for use thanks to its versatility, durability, ease of application, and several other reasons. How about returning to the roots and making car tires out of it?

Crumb rubber is obtained from old end-of-life tires that get recycled and repurposed: the metal and fabric compounds are separated from the rubber, and the latter is frozen and milled to size. (Freezing hardens rubber to the point where it is no longer elastic and crumbles more easily). From there on, it’s a whole different story – the grainy remains of tires find other uses.

At the dawn of the age of the motor wagon, wheels were shod with a band of solid rubber, which wasn’t a very lucrative idea – the ride was on the stiff side, replacing a tire required a specialized shop, and so on. The pneumatic tire, patented in 1888 by John Dunlop, saved us all a lot of trouble and quickly gave rise to an industry that put the world on new wheels. (For historical accuracy, note that the first air tire was patented in 1845, but that invention didn’t catch on).

That has been the norm for over a century, but what’s the use of a good rule if no one challenges it occasionally? Airless tires aren’t new, and there is still a market for them today – in specialized vehicles - forklifts, ultra-heavy-duty trailers, or severe-use heavy machinery, to name a few. 'Heavy' is the keyword here - one of the Garage 54 contraptions weighs three times as much as a regular wheel.

The never-settling gang from Garage 54 thought it would be an idea to cast bespoke tires out of crumb rubber. The wheel used as the foundation for their project is a standard four-lug 13-inch steelie from a Lada 1200. To achieve the necessary roundness (somehow, the Siberians stuck to this idea that wheels work better in circular shapes), the make-shifters cut steel drum barrels, lined them with cling film on the inside, and used them as molds for the bespoke wheels.

An air tire has an internal reinforcement structure (metal and fabric bands) onto which the rubber compound adheres. The Russians used rebar shackles for the same purpose, welding the metal fetters onto the wheels. That’s it. After pouring the rubber-glue mix, the tires sat to dry and harden for a while, and then they were fitted on a car.

Let’s recap: slick, solid tires on a rear-wheel-drive Lada test-driven on ice. What could go wrong? Nothing, actually – the recycled tire tires hold on pretty well and have enough grip for a snowdrift. Braking, on the other hand, is an adventure of a different kind because the smooth surfaces of the tire and the slippery snow don’t rub shoulders too well (pun intended).

Ice studs are one very efficient way vastly of improving grip – and that’s precisely what the Russians did: drilled in steel hex washer head self-tapping screws. Job done; road stance enhanced by 107%. Still, we’ll have to wait for the Siberian winter to bid farewell to Novosibirsk, so Garage 54 can test the reinvented wheel on the tarmac for proper conclusions.

At this point, the low-friction index of snow, together with the sub-zero temperatures, don’t make for an ideal test environment. It would be interesting to see – even just for curiosity’s sake, if nothing else – how the homemade tire will hold up to the roughness of a black-top road surface. Or even against gravel, since this puncture-proof invention would probably find the best uses for outdoors enthusiasts.