Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-11
INJURED TIRE COVER is
USEFUL FOR LIGHT WORK
Castings May Be Used on Front
Wheels of Auto

MANY tire covers. while they are
not, strictly speaking, absolutely be-
yond repair, are, nevertheless, dam
aged to such an extent that their rem
ovation would entail an expenditure
that would be out of all proportion
with the amount of service they would
render. For instance, it would not be
worth while having a cover retreaded
unless its canvas is in thoroughly
good condition. But you must not run
away with the idea that, because a
cover may not appear to be worth re-
pairing, it is only fit to be condemned
as absolutely useless and thrown
away. on the contrary, it is still good
for quite lot of work You can fit
it to one of the front wheels of your
car where the work is lighter, and it
will serve you we'll for quite a con-
siderable time; or you can carry it
as a spare, to use in a case of extreme
necessity" says a writer in the Bulle-
tin of the Automobile club of Phila-
delphia.
I'm this way you can effect an ap-
preciable economy because by far
the greater numbers of such covers,
used as indicated, are still good for
some hundreds of miles.
"'That's all very WE'LL the driver re-
marks. You advise me to continue
using my cover, which, as you say,
is not worth repairing, but which, all
the same, is still good for few hun
dred miles. But you don't think that
I'm going to risk a burst and so stand
a chance of losing a tube as well? Oh,
no! I'm not looking for trouble
This reasoning looks sound; but 1t
isn't. It is quite evident that if you
go on using a cover which is nearing
the end of it's life, it is very possible
that it will burst at some time or
other and that the result will be seri-
Gus damage to the tube, if not it's
complete destruction. But, accidents
excepted, of course, it is surely not a
very difficult matter to prevent or at
least avoid, such serious damage. For
one thing, it is not absolutely neces-
sary to use a brand new tube with
the old cover. Drivers should never
fit any but their oldest and least val
liable tubes with covers whose condi-
ton is doubtful. Then, if trouble ar
rives unexpectedly, the driver will at
least have the satisfaction of knowing
that he is not much out of pocket.
Another point: a cover will not, as
a general rule, burst without giving
beforehand some outward sign that
trouble is brewing; and if the driver
knows that the cover is in precarl-
Gus state, ne WOuIu-OT SIlOulu- -WotCii
it more closely than he would new
cover. OF course, if any such indica-
ton should appear-a swelling, for In
stance, which is an infallible sign of
an approaching burst-detach the cover
at once and don't use it again.
But when a tire bursts as the re-
suit of an accident-and many a per-
fcctly sound, new and absolutely fault
less cover has been victimized in this
way-no warning is given, nothing can
be foreseen, no preventive can be
taken.
"If you want to get every ounce OF
wear out of your tires, be sure to keep
the inner surface of the cover uni
formly even. Suppose, for instance,
that the tire is subjected to such a
very severe strain that the canvas
lining tears. The outside of the cover
may show nothing unusual, but the
inner surface will be roughened where
the trouble has occurred. 1t should
not be left in this condition. Apply a
patch or, if the case is not serious
a strip of gummed canvas, to the un-
even place. The object in doing this
is to protect the inner tube-to pre-
vent it from being chafed and worn
against the roughened lining. Some
people may think that this isn't inn
portant enough to make note of, but
it is"