The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-08-29
CARE OF SOLID TIRES
Overlooking, SIP din G,
Quick Stops, Fast Round
ing Of Corners, etc. ,Injure
Tires.

Care of tires is one of the most i'm
portant questions entering into econo-
mic motor truck operation, according
to F. F. Phillips, manager of the solid
tire department of the United States
Tire Company
1--WE hear a great deal about the
needs and requirements of pneumatic
tires says Mr.. Phillips, ''but a great
many truck owners seem to entertain
the idea that solid tires need no at
tention as long as they remain on the
wheels and run. The man who holds
these views will find his tire bills far
in excess Of what they should be.
Solid tires constitute one Of the most
important details of motor truck
equipment and besides, they cost mon
owner expects to realize satisfac-
tory return on his investment, he
should see to it that his tires are look
ed after in a business-like manner
perhaps the question of first inn
portance in the care Of solid tires is
overlooking. Observation Of trucks
in service discloses a general tendency
on the part OF drivers to overload
them. 1t should be borne in mind
that tires must sustain every ounce
of weight above them and to over
load them means their premature de-
terioration. A load should always be
limited to the capacity the truck was
designed to carry. This capacity has
been figured out by the truck manu-
facturer and the tire equipment is in
accordance with his specifications.
Therefore, there can be no possible
economy in overlooking the truck and
imposing an unreasonable burden up
on the tires.
Speeding is another common form
Of Two a rJS iS "
a truck owner laboring under the
weight of excessive tire bills, who
could easily ascertain the cause if he
would but station himself at some
point away from his place of business
and observe the actions Of his driver,
when he passed out Of sight of ''the
boss" He would find his truck bump
ing over cobble stones at a rate far
in excess of the speed at which 1t
should be driven. The wear and
tear on tires is much greater On a
truck thus handled than on one sent
along at a moderate pace. This is
particularly ntruesi the Movements are
rough and the load heavy one. When
an operator overloads truck and then
in addition drives 1t recklessly the
owner can scarcely expect satisfac-
tory tire service.
DRIVERS can also protect their. tires
by exercising care in the use of brakes.
violent application of the brakes, are
hard on tires. The action is more than
apt to tear the rubber, from its base.
And in this connection 1t may be noted
that the most difficult problem con-
fronting solid tire makers has been
the devising of means to hold the tire
together. 1t has been comparatively
easy, through various processes OF
compromising, to produce a mileage
yielding tire, but 1t has not been so
easy to maintain the unity of the tire
until this service could. be gotten out
of it. Solid tires show tendency to
peel off the base and violent operation
of the brake is a certain aid In this
process of disintegration.
Another practice frequently resort
ed to. for reasons of apparent exped-
iency, is to allow a truck to stand I'M
der full load over night, or perhaps
longer. This imposes an unnecessary
strain upon the tires and from the
standpoint of tire economy 1t is far
better to remove the load from the
truck until such time as delivery is
to be made.
''OiI is d natural enemy of rubber
and tires should never be allowed to
rest on a greasy garage floor.
rounding corners at a high rate OF
speed is a mighty expensive way of
demonstrating skillful driving. A
driver shortens the life of his tires ev-
ery time he does it. When heavy
truck is swung rapidly around cor
ner the strain on the tires is tremen-
dous. They must not only sustain the
weight Of the load under such condi-
lions, but must resist the sway1ng mo-
ton of the truck as well.
"Street car tracks should be avoided
whenever possible, and at crossing
points. where there are frogs, addition
al care should be exercised in lodging
them. as the frogs frequently are
worn until their sharp edges cut
tire as effectively as though a. knife
was used.
at is important that every business
man using motor trucks in his delivery
system should keep a careful, syste-l
matte record of the work done by
them and the expense of their opera
ton. In this way, and in this way
only, is he in position to know what
each detail of his truck equipment is
costing him. And if he finds that he
is not getting the mileage out of his
tires his business judgement tells him
he should get, he may discover. upon
investigation, that the men operating
his trucks are more or less at fault
Bridgeporters Who