Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-07-14
Wide VS.. Narrow Tires.


Its of broad and narrow tires.
In order that these tests might cover
every possible phase and condition OF
roads and fields, they extended over al
most an entire year, and took in dirt
gravel and macadam roads, plowed
fields, meadows and pastures, etc.
The draft was measured by tiiddings
self-recOrding dynamOmeter. The mar
row tires were an inch and half wide
and the wide ones were six-inch cast
steel wheels, which can now be bought
about as cheap as the narrow wooden
wheels with the wrought iron tires. In
every trial the load was 1000
pounds. Following is a summary of
results:
l. On macRdam streets it was found
that load of 2,51S pounds could have
been hauled as easily on the wide tires
as 1000 pounds on the narrow tires.
2 On gravel road it was found that
taking an average of dry, wet and slop-
by, z, 4S2 pounds could be drawn on the
wide tires with the same force required
to draw 1000 pounds on the narrow
tires.
g. Tests on dirt roads involved many
different conditions, (a) When dry,
hard and free from ruts and dust, $500
pounds drew as easily on the broad tires
as 2, 600 on the narrow ones. (b) When
the surface was covered with very deep,
dry, loose dust the narrow tires drew
more easily than the wide ones. (c) On
clay road, muddy and sticky on the
surface, but firm underneath, the mar
row tires drew more easily than the
wide ones. (d) On clay road deep with
mud, drying on top, or dry on top and
spongy beneath, the wide tires carried
1900 pounds with the same aftrequir-
ed to pull 1000 pounds on the narrow
tires lei Clay road, surface dry, with
deep ruts cut by the narrow tires in the
ordinary use of the road. In every tri-
al the first run of the broad tire over
the narrow tire ruts has demonstrated
materially increased draft when COM
pared with that of the narrow tire run
in it's own rut. The second run of the
broad tires in the same track where the
rut is not deep eliminated this disad-
vantage, and showed a lighter draft for
the broad tire than the narrow tire
showed in the i7st run. Where the ruts
were eight inches deep with rigid walls
three runs of the broad tire in its own
track over the ruts were required to g.
Eliminate the disadvantage. Three runs
of the broad tire over this track have in
all cases been sufficient, however, to 50
improve the road surface that both the
broad and narrow tired wagons passed
ovet this road with less draft than the
marrow tires did in the original ruts.
In addition to the saving Of draft, the
road was made very much more COM
Portable and pleasant for the users Of
light vehicles and pleasure carriages by
the few runs of the 6-inch tire.
Summing all the tests on dirt roads,
it appear, that there are but three con-
ditions on which the broad tires draw
heavier than the narrow tires, namely:
N When the road s sloppy, muddy or
sticky on the surface and firm or hard
underneath; (2) when the surface is
covered with very deep loose dust and
hard underneath; (3) when the mud is
very deep and so sticky that it adheres
to tho wheels of both kinds of vehicles.
1t appears that the dust must be extra
ordinarily deep to show higher draft
for the broad than for tho narrow tires,
The three conditions just named, there
fore, are somewhat unusual and of COM
paratively short duration. Through a
majority of days in the year and at
times when the dirt roads are most us
ed and when their use is most impera-
tive, the broad tired wagons pull mate
rally lighter than the narrow tired
wagons. KA>
)4) A large number of tests on mead
ows, pastures, stubble land, corn ground
and plowed ground in every condition
from dry, hard ami firm to very wet and
soft, show, without single exception a
large difference in draft in favor of the
broad tires This difference ranges
from II to 100 per cent.
(5) It appears that six inches is the
best width of tire for combination
farm and road wagon, and that both
axles should be the same length, so that
the front and hind wheels run in the
same track.
(6) Narrow tires we're much more de-
structive to all kinds of roads. Indeed,
the wide tires improve most roads.
1t is estimated that the public roads
OF the United States aggregate l,50O,OOO
niles in length, Conservative esti-
mates place the total wagon transport
alton in the United States at approx
mately 500, 600. 600 tons. Tho average
distance of haul is placed at eight m les
and the average cost of transporting
one ton this distance Is assumed to be
So, making the total yearly cost for wsg-
on freighting 81, 000, 600, 00O It's claim
ed that this freight could be transport
ed the distance of eight miles over first
class roads at an average cost Of SOC
per ton. On this basis, saving OF So
600, 900 a year in the cost of wagon
transportation could be effected with
frst-class roads in all sections of the
country. The magnitude Of this saw
ing will be better appreciated when Is is
realized that ~ amounts TO about one
fourth Of the value on the farm Of all
the farm products Of the United States.
In round mum bers the sum OF $50, OO0,
600 is paid out year for the mainte-
nance Of our public roads outside Of the
cities. This estimate does not include
the cost OF permanent Improvements.