The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-14
WIDE TIRE TEST
Made at Missouri Agri-
cultural Station.
Draft of Wide Much Lighter
Than of Narrow Tires.
Effect of Wide Tires as Shown on
All Kinds of Country Roads.


experiment station here, extending over |
period Of year and half. These tests
have been made on macadam, gravel ano
dirt roads in all conditions. and also OF
the meadows and plowed fields of the OK
perimental farm.
Contrary to public expectation, In
nearly all cases the draft was materially
used than with tires of standard width.
The load hauled was in all cases the
same, and the draft was most carefully de-
termincd by means OF n self-recordlng dy-
nam omoter.
On macadam street, hard and smooth,
as an average of all tests, the difference
of draft was in favor of the six inch tire,
and the same draft required TO haul ton
load with narrow tires over this street
hauled more than ton and quarter
with the broad tires. On gravel roads
the results show that the draft required
TO haul 2000 pounds with narrow tires
hauled 26l0 pounds on the broad tires
ON dirt roads, dry and hard and free from
ruts the broad tires pulled more than one
third lighter, since 2766 pounds could be
hauled on the broad tires with the same
effort required to haul 2000 pounds on
the narrow tires. On "A dirt road cut into
ruts by the narrow tires In the ordinary
travel, with hard surface, the results are in
favor of the broad tire, after the second
run, even when the broad wheels are
run over the ruts made by the narrow
tires On mui roads, spongy on
rho surface and soft underneath, the broad
tires drew one-half lighter than the mar
row tires. Three thousand and sixty
pounds on the broad tires pulled as light as
2000 pounds on the narrow. On the same
road, when soft and sticky on top and firm
underneath, the narrow tires pulled
materially lighter, the difference amount
ing to an average of one-third or load
of 2666 pounds could be drawn with the
narrow tires as easily as 2000 pounds on
the broad tires When this same road had
been wet TO a great depth by continued
rains, and the mud had .becme sttH and
sticky so that IL would gather on the
wheels, the difference was again largely
i'm favor of the narrow tires. In this case
n foutf of 1890 pounds WAS drawn with the
same draft on narrow tires as 1000
pound load on the broad tires.
These two are the only conditions of
the dirt road in which the narrow tires
showed to advantage, viz -: U) When the
surface is too wet, soft or sloppy to com
press under the broad tires, and is under
laid with hard, dry substratGm. In the
nature of the case this condition Of road
surface,,is of'short duration. If the rains
cease, few hours Of sun In the spring,
summer or fall will dry the surface
materially, or to that 1t will compress and
pack under the broad tires, enabling n
given load to be drawn over its surface
with the wide wheels with much less
draft than on the narrow ones. If more
rain falls this substratum is softened, and
the narrow tires cut deeper, resulting in a
greatly increased draft compared with
the broad tires.
The secord condition of dirt roads ia
vorable TO narrow tires Is when the mud
is deep and stiff, and sticky enough To
gather on the broad wheels A careful
observation for the last two years has
shown "A stiff, poorly drained clay road to
bc i'm this condition, but few times
and then for but short while.
On meadows and pastures the results
have been strikingly In favor of the broad
wheels. Whom the meadows are soft,
from 5000 10 1000 pounds may be hauled
on the broad wheels with the same draft
as that required to haul load of 1000
pounds on the narrow wheels. On stub
blr land and plowed ground tho results
arc favorable to tho broad wheels.
The experiments practically demonstrate
that the popular impression that the
broad wheels in the average condition oi
road will increase the draft Is wrong
In round numbers the sum OF $50, 900,
600 is paid out each year for the main
tenance of our public roads, outside OF
the cities. This estimate does not in
ciude the cost of permanent improve
ments. All improvements must come
from expenditures above this amount.
| 1t is we'll known that the narrow-tired
| vehicles are among tho most destructive
| agents known to the public highways
| These public roads may bo maintained al
| a greatly reduced expense by substituting
G-ineh tires fer the | u inch tires now used
| lnasmuch as the cost OF tho wide-tired
| wheels is not greater than that OF those
| now in use, also considering that they are
| ms durable ms the narrow tire wheels, aut
| the fact Just demonstrated that the drat
! is not Increased by their use, but in til,
average caso materially decreased, re
! moves the last objection against tn
| gradual adoption of tho broad wheel OF
| the farms, tho country roads and city
streets For the farm and country road.
| 'hc tires should not be less than q inchC
wide. For the city streets inches shoul,
| &c the minimum width.
Tho beneficial eltcCt of tho wide tire ol
dirt roads IS strikiugly shown In SOM
| recent tests at Jno station here. A ella
road, badly cut into ruts by the marrow
tires, was selected for the test, as present
| ing conditions least favorable 60 the broa,
| tire. a number of tests OF the draft of tn
narrow tire were made I'm these opc
ruts and Immediately followed 10y tn
broad tires running In the Same ruts IT.
trst run of the broad tire over the mar
row tire ruts was accompanied by an in
creased draft; the second hy draf
materially less than the original nurro,
tire; tho third by still groltcr decline
and in the fourth trip the rut was practi
cally oblitoratcd and filled. Tho narro,
tires were then run over the samc road
with the results that the draft was light,
than before the broad tires had been used
Alternating the brond ard narrow tire
on this road for a numlor OF times 7,
suited in gradually decreased draft II
other words, the broad tires were improy
ing the road surface To such IN extcn
when run but half tho time rs to max
The draft consider ably less for all vehicle,
This clearly demonstrates TINT N evon ha
the wagons used on dirt roads had broa
tires tho results would bo beneficial 4
draft aud cnormotsly beneficial in better
inc the condition OF the roads.
In another trial. when a clay road wa
so badly cut into ruts rs 90 bc almost I'M
passable for light vehicles and plensur
carriages. after running tAa G-iRch tits
over this road twelve times the ruts we,
completely filled, and frs; class hicyc
pDtb made a carcfal record OF th