Michelin North America Inc. has introduced three new Tweel tires for turf applications.
- a 15-inch zero-turn radius (ZTR) caster design for larger commercial diesel mowers;
- a 22-inch turf size for ZTR mowers for the prosumer market; and
- a hub for electric ZTR mowers made by Mean Green.
To accompany large diesel ZTR mowers that use a 26-inch drive tire, the new 15-inch Michelin X Tweel Turf Caster will make its debut in 2020. The new 15x6N6 size configuration is designed to provide enhanced performance and more stability with its flat, smooth-rubber tread design and is able to fit a large range of mowers, including the John Deere Z997R Diesel. The tire has a load capacity of 370-pounds and a 16-mph speed rating.
ZTR mower operators will be able to buy the Michelin X Tweel Turf airless solution using 22-inch, rear tire/wheels with 4x4 or 5x4.5-inch bolt-pattern hubs for their prosumer mowers in the first quarter of 2020. The 4x4-inch bolt pattern has a 529-pound load capacity, while the 4x5.4-inch bolt pattern has a 727-pound load capacity. Available on original equipment or aftermarket, the 22-inch, black-hub version will fit these units:
- Bad Boy Elite (4x4)
- Grasshopper 700 series (5x4.5)
- Hustler Raptor SDX & FasTrac (4x4)
- Kubota SZ Stand-On & Z100 (4x4)
“We continue work with commercial mower manufacturers to supply the Tweel no-compromise solution for larger and heavier commercial mowers as well as smaller mowers for the prosumer market," says Justin L. Brock, Michelin marketing manager for the construction and Tweel segment in North America. "As a result, we are expanding Michelin’s award-winning airless solutions for the Turf community,”
Exclusively designed for customers who use the Mean Green Rival mower with 52-inch or 60-inch mower-deck options, Michelin has engineered a new electric-motor, green-wheel hub for 24x12N12 Turf tires. The hub will have a 5x6.5-inch bolt pattern and a 1.70-inch offset and will be available starting in the second quarter of 2020.
Michelin showcased all three Tweel products at the Green Industry Expo in Louisville, Kentucky.
For more information on the Tweel, visit www.MichelinTweel.com.
