Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-29
GOOD TIRES ARE
RESULT OF CARE
THE RUBBER PORTION OF MA
CHIMES CAUSES TROUBLE
Size Of Wheels Must BE Taken Into
Consideration When Fitting
Machines, and Extra
Weight Avoided

Were 1t possible to develop the auto
mobile as q unit considerable COM
plant with reference to various parts,
which in the aggregate constitute the
machine, would be obviated. The fea-
ture of the auto which has received the
greatest amount of criticism Is the
pneumatic tire, which is said by many
automobilists to be the weakest point
in the entire equipment.
Some parts Of the machine have been
developed to such an extent that they
are a source of comparatively little
annoyance, while others are approach
ing ,that stage, but the tire does not
appear to have improved in the same
ratio.
1t is not puncture proof and cannot
defy the demolishing effect of road
roughness and crushed stone.
In the general anxiety to get a tire
without weakness. many persons lose
sight of the functions of the ideal"
tire. The ideal tire would consist
wholly of air and would pass over all
small inequalities without jolting the
car in the least.
AS the ideal tire is impossible, how
ever, we must copfine the air cushion
, in an envelope of the most resilient
material available which is rubber.
And in the fact that the rubber is re-
silent and soft-in it's weakness-lies
the perfection of the pneumatic tire.
The softer and thinner and more re-
silient-the weaker-the envelope can
be made, the nearer 1t will come to
performing the functions Of the ideal
tire. Thus it may be said that the
strength of the pneumatic tire lies in
its weakness.
Envelope to Be Strong
must be made strong enough to carry
the weight of the car and to withstand
the abrasive action of the road. There
fore some resiliency must be sacrificed
to make a practical tire.
1t is possible to combine q certain
amount of resilliency with n certain
amount of strength; but 1t Is irnpos-
sible to get all there is of both.
Whether the pneumatic tire is sue
expected of it. If a man, through in
ability to appreciate the situation. over
loads his tires, sends his car at high
speed over all kinds and conditions of
roads in all kinds of weather, neglect
ing tire repairs and yet expects good re-
suits, his expectations are not likely
to be realized and TO him pneumatic
tires will be failure. He has not
used intelligence in the matter.
l.,
tires moderately, drives with reasonable
care at all times, and, especially on
bad roads, gives his tires the neces-
sary attention, anticipates, perhaps, an
occasional puncture, but still expects
reasonably good service, he will consid-
er pneumatics success.
Care Should Be Taken
A chemist buys fragile glass vessel
because he values certain qualities it
possesses but he knows that 1t must
be gently handled or it will break. So
with pneumatic tires; they are valuable
for their good features, and their
weakness must be respected as being
inseparable from their strength.
1t is not reasonable for a man to
apply understood, badly fitting tires to
a car, drive it regardless of conse-
quences and then expect good service
from the tires But IL he uses good
tires of the proper size, well fitted and
gives them the requisite attention and
consideration, he will obtain such re-
suits as human ingenuity and use of the
most suitable materials known to man
can produce.
Let him not forget that pneumatics
can be, and frequently are, punctured;
but also let him not permit pune
ture in, say, the sixtieth mile of run
to wholly obliterate the effect of the
other fifty-nine miles of the most de-
lightful motion known to man. Tires
like everything else about an automo-
bile, must be used with intelligence in
order to obtain the best results; and the
man who uses the most intelligence is
likely to be the man who has the high
est opinion of pneumatic tires.