Other Technologies That Will Need To Adapt

[wheaters]

Ron Ayers is a long time established missile designer, so speed instability of the car was never going to be a problem (he also designed the Bloodhound missiles that protected UK shores during the Cold War). He also designed the jet propelled Thrust SSC, which had previously exceeded the sound barrier. The latest project he has had input with is a car designed to exceed 1,000 mph; the name "Bloodhound" is surely no coincidence!

It was the tyres (sorry about my UK English spelling, tires if you prefer). Apparently no-one made a tyre with a guaranteed speed rating above 300 mph Even the Space Shuttle's landing speed was considerably slower, about 240 mph, I think.

JCB obtained some 300 mph rated tyres and ran them up to 350 mph on a rig until they were sure they could safely withstand that speed for the record attempt. They couldn't be so sure about the extra 50 mph to exploit the car's full potential. So 350 mph it had to be; the Chairman told me he wasn't prepared to risk an accident because the reputation of his company depended on it. Andy Green got it almost exactly right, 350.092 mph, no faster.

 

[Mike W]

Ron Ayers is a long time established missile designer, so speed instability of the car was never going to be a problem (he also designed the Bloodhound missiles that protected UK shores during the Cold War). He also designed the jet propelled Thrust SSC, which had previously exceeded the sound barrier. The latest project he has had input with is a car designed to exceed 1,000 mph; the name "Bloodhound" is surely no coincidence!

It was the tyres (sorry about my UK English spelling, tires if you prefer). Apparently no-one made a tyre with a guaranteed speed rating above 300 mph Even the Space Shuttle's landing speed was considerably slower, about 240 mph, I think.

JCB obtained some 300 mph rated tyres and ran them up to 350 mph on a rig until they were sure they could safely withstand that speed for the record attempt. They couldn't be so sure about the extra 50 mph to exploit the car's full potential. So 350 mph it had to be; the Chairman told me he wasn't prepared to risk an accident because the reputation of his company depended on it. Andy Green got it almost exactly right, 350.092 mph, no faster.

That is amazing! I may have come in late on the conversation about tire/tyre construction for extreme applications, like say going 1k mph. Any clue on what approach they might use to solve the problem? Special compounds for a solid tire? A combination of exotic construction/"rubber"/inert gases for a pneumatic tire?

 

[wheaters]

That is amazing! I may have come in late on the conversation about tire/tyre construction for extreme applications, like say going 1k mph. Any clue on what approach they might use to solve the problem? Special compounds for a solid tire? A combination of exotic construction/"rubber"/inert gases for a pneumatic tire?

Mike, That was a question I immediately asked Ron Ayers. He reminded me that the JCB Diesel Max uses piston engines and a conventional transmission and it had to put the power down through the wheels via conventional rubber tyres.

The Thrust SSC was jet powered and its wheels are only needed to support and steer the car. They used metal "tyres"!

 

[Mike W]

Mike, That was a question I immediately asked Ron Ayers. He reminded me that the JCB Diesel Max uses piston engines and a conventional transmission and it had to put the power down through the wheels via conventional rubber tyres.

The Thrust SSC was jet powered and its wheels are only needed to support and steer the car. They used metal "tyres"!

I had thought of that but dismissed it, guess I should have gone with my first thought! So the next question is what width? Narrower wheels to allow it to slice like a blade through the salt or a bit wider to stay above the surface. And what role, if any, will friction play on a metal wheel? I'm assuming something light weight, strong and resistant to heat will be used. Titanium or some such?

 

[Jay3wheel]

Where is that hospital? If you can spend less there than in town I want to go there the next time I'm in the hospital. Z

Maybe it doesn't count the insurance money

 

[wheaters]

I don't know what wheel sizes are used to go supersonic, but iirc, the Diesel Max tyres were the same size as the ones on my Liege - 5.00 x 16s!

 

[Mike W]

So, do you have any plans to come to the Flats to set some records for your car class? At least you have the right size tyres, now just do a little adjusting here and there to your engine and maybe something to your suspension and voila! Naw, from the You Tube videos I've seen of your car it would make both you and the Leige more than a little uncomfortable!

 

[AriLea]

I had thought of that but dismissed it, guess I should have gone with my first thought! So the next question is what width? Narrower wheels to allow it to slice like a blade through the salt or a bit wider to stay above the surface. And what role, if any, will friction play on a metal wheel? I'm assuming something light weight, strong and resistant to heat will be used. Titanium or some such?

Yes, one solution to that is to just use no tires, just run on a metal 'tread'. Works on the salt flats at least.
Another other way is a non-pneumatic custom reinforced hard rubber (or urethane) tread.
I have no idea what they use up to the speed-of-sound! Seems like a foolish thing to me at that speed, I mean what's the point!

Edit: oops I see that was stated already, I gotta respond sooner or read more, one or both of those.! :-)

 

[Mike W]

Good question, who would want to be in a tube going 1k mph? Well, someone has to do it, I guess!

 

[wheaters]

So, do you have any plans to come to the Flats to set some records for your car class? At least you have the right size tyres, now just do a little adjusting here and there to your engine and maybe something to your suspension and voila! Naw, from the You Tube videos I've seen of your car it would make both you and the Leige more than a little uncomfortable!

Don't think my car is going to break any records with only 40 hp! It's just a bit of fun, both on the road and off it.