There is a mission at Garage 54, the popular YouTube channel. The channel crew is on a big challenge, but it is also considered a dangerous challenge this time.
They have set a target to break the sound barrier by propelling a tire as fast as they can. Please note that the speed of sound is 767 mph (1235 km/h). It’s a ridiculous goal, but I can’t quit watching it.
The Crazy Setup
When we last saw the Garage 54 crew, they were constantly at work attempting to make vehicle wheels go as fast as they could. They encountered a few roadblocks.
This was due to a number of factors, including the fact that the outdated Ladas that were ripped apart for the sake of completing the work was not powerful enough. In order to reach the speed of sound, the crew has a big challenge ahead.
Vlad, who refuses to give up, describes how they came to own a Toyota 2MZ-FE. The 200 hp of the 2.5-liter engine should be more than enough to shatter the sound barrier. The engine also features an automated gearbox, so there is no need for a human to shift gears right in the middle of the experiment constantly.
As for the Toyota’s running gear, Vlad is crossing his fingers that it will hold up better than the Lada’s.
Safety Consideration
At this point, we might have to state that the tire fell apart at only 385 mph. So how might they be able to get the tire to reach the speed of sound?! A Z-rated tire with a maximum speed of 186 mph was Garage 54’s answer!
When it was ready for “proving grounds,” the crew tested it out on a shooting range. He tells the team that an actuator will be used to control the car’s throttle so they can stay at a distance for safety reasons.
You can tell something is very serious when Garage 54 takes safety into consideration!
Multiple Attempts
The crew had to give it numerous attempts before it even came close to reaching the speed of sound. After an axle shaft slipped out of the transmission, the engine got jammed banging off the rpm limiter, and a tire implosion occurred right out of the gate.
Even yet, the crew persisted in succeeding. They replaced the axle shaft and then attempted to fix the problem of tire implosions by drilling a hole in the wheel and using a tire tube to plug the hole.
This time, the tire exploded in a dramatic way, but Vlad was concerned about how fast it spun before exploding. Because there was no reading on the tachometer, his concern had transformed into fear.
The Tire Broke the Speed of Sound
Fortunately, a camera centered on the tachometer revealed that the wheel had reached an impressive 827 mph (1332 km/h) or 10,437 revolutions per minute.
For those of you keeping track, yes, they did indeed break the speed of sound.
In terms of what a tire explosion above 800 mph does, the plywood placed under the test setup was completely destroyed. The tire was crushed beyond repair. Doing the test from a distance was definitely a smart move.
Conclusion
According to The Drive, the 79.8-inch circumference of the tire allows us to compute that it actually achieved a maximum speed of 789 mph. But according to Garage 54 calculations, the car reached a peak speed of 828 mph or 1,332 km/h as displayed on the camera.
While the speed of sound varies depending on height and temperature, it often falls in the 700s mph around sea level. So indeed, the tire did break the sound barrier.
This difference in the result might be because of tire deformation, which increases top speed. Regardless of the real speed, we can absolutely say that they sent the tire supersonic.
Watch the video to feel the fun: