"Reinventing the Wheel" Topic

Impressive new technology has emerged that can transform a wheel into an all-terrain track in just two seconds. The invention is being developed for the U.S. military, to make it easier for their vehicles to tackle different driving surfaces…

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I love it. Transformers are on the way!

But seriously, the more tricks a truck can do, the more likely it is to have a mechanical malfunction that can't be fixed in the field.

So how many models would you need to buy? One in tri and one in round mode? But wait – it looks like each axle can transform independently… my head hurts!

Hmm, re-invent the half-track…

Some of the early half track and double track ( separate tracked bogies front & rear)systems had regular wheels that could be cranked down to make running on paved roads smoother (and not wreck the road). Not terribly successful, now only usually encountered in collections of photos of weird & wonderful vehicles.

I'm still waiting for a better mousetrap.

Hmmm, wasn't that part of Christie's design way back in the 30's.

Yes, the Christie tanks could run without their tracks, just using the road wheels.

Too many moving parts. Too many gaps for stones.