Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-20
LARGE WHEELS GAIN
AUTOlSTS' APPROVAL
CHANGE IS MATTER OF ECON
OMY, SAY DEALERS
The Fewer the Revolutions Per Mile,
Say Experts, the Less the
Wear and Tear on
Tires

If anyone doubts the increasing pop
ularity of large wheels and tires over
the smaller sizes he may have his
doubts quickly dispelled by comparing
the equipment carried by 1910 cars with
the tires and wheels on automobiles
now three or four years old.
Only three years ago thirty and thir-
ty-two-inch tires were the rule and a
34x4 was considered exceptionally
large. Now the thirty-six and thirty
eght-inch tires are the popular sizes
for similar cars and even forty-two-
inch tires have become standard equip
ment on half dozen makes of auto
mobiles, with more announced for the
future. So general has this preference
become that tires 34x4 and larger now
constitute over 60 per cent Of our
pneumatic tire output.
Why this change Of sentiment in IA
vor of larger wheels and consequently
larger tires? The reason is not hard
to find, for larger tires contribute 50
much to economy In mileage cost and
to comfort in riding that their greater
first cost Is doubly compensated.
Compare the service rendered from a
thirty-inch tire with that from a thir-
ty-eight-inch one on car of similar
capacity. The larger tire will invaria-
bly, stand harder usage and for vast
ly greater period Of time. On rutty
roads the former will drop into holes
and the larger tire will ride over with
ease. The hub of the thirty-inch wheel
being four inches lower than the thir
ty-eight-inch, the resistance of road
obstacles which would be a severe
shock to the momentum Of the first
car and a discomforting jar 20 its
passengers, is passed over almost un-
noticed by the larger wheel.
In a smaller degree the outward
curve OF the thirty-inch tire being
greater than that of the thirty-eight-
inch, a less abrupt bending of the
fabric invariably follows a shock to
the latter. The strain exerted on the
tread of the larger tire when the car
is in motion is divided over a larger
area of road contact and is less tense
at any one spot. at the same time af-
fording better traction. The strain is
also distributed around a greater cir
cumference, thus conserving the
strength of the tire. These factors,
while small in themselves, amount to
a large item when repeated thousands
of times in tires life.
Again and important, any given
point of the tread of the larger tire
touches the ground less frequently in
a given distance. This means less
wear at any point and also a more
perfect radiation of the heat gener-
ated by friction. Heat is one of the
most destructive elements to tires.
Perhaps most important of all is
the fact that the larger the tire the
greater the total amount of air it con-
tains to serve as a cushion back Of
the road shocks and the easier the
tire will ride in consequence.
Abstract as these facts may appear
they are the main influences which
combine to affect the wearing and rid
ing qualities of a tire. The increas-
ing use of larger wheels and tires is
merely one of the refinements that are
now going on day after day in auto
mobile and tire construction and MAX
ing for 1essened tire expense and
greater popularity of the motor car.