The Washington herald., 1911-09-17
AN AIRLESS TIRE
IS BADLY NEEDED
Must Be Resilient as Well
as Pancture-proof. =
TIMELY TIPS TO AUTo1sTs
Careless Driving Damages Both Car
and Shoes-When q Tire Has
with Gasoline and the Hole
Filled Up with Cement.

One of the stock remarks heard In
every automobile salesroom is. "a fortune
awaits the man who can find reliable
substitute for the pneumatic tire-a tire
that will give the same resilency as air
and at the same time be puncture-
proof"
Ever since automobiles came into use,
experiments have been conducted with
substitutes for pneumatic tires. ;Airless
tires OF different descriptions have been
invented by different ''geniuses." as well
as spring wheels of various kinds. But
the leading manufacturers still cling to
the pneumatic tire. Solid tires are used
on some vehicles-electrics. for instance
and II has been found that they perform
as good service as those inflated with
air. One reason for this lies in the fact
that an electric is rarely driven on the
paved city streets.
The tire question Is one which every
automobile owner has to face, but the
majority of owners do not give II suffi-
cient consideration. They fail 20 realize
that picking the road has as much to
do with the life of tire as has any
thing else. There are drivers who take
the middle OF the highway aud keep 1t.
no matter whether the side track be
much smoother and freer from the stone
often found on a highway that has not
been kept in good repair. Speed maniacs
are another class who frequently COM
plain that they do not get good service
from their tires. 1t is an old saying
that excessive speed burns UP the tires,
and II is true.
Store in Cool Place.
The tires on a car that has been driven
fifty miles an hour or more. for a few
miles, are so hot that they cannot be
touched This heat is created by the
friction between the rapidly moving
wheel and the road surface. An admoni-
ton Of all tire companies is to keep them
in a cool place In building tires. the
manufacturers do not apply any heat
until the entire fabric has been built up
and the tire is ready for vulcanizIng.
The heat not only rots the rubber. but
likewise separates the fabric from II.
Drivers are often careless about start
ing. Going away with a jerk and spin
ming the wheels. especially II the streets
be slippery, will ruin tires. Again. in
approaching a point where they intend
TO stop. they apply the brakes suddenly
and thereby burn the rubber OF the shoe.
A large percentage OF the tires on auto
mobiles are not kept properly inflated.
The driver who most frequently COM
plains OF blow-outs, when asked IL he
keeps the air in his tires at the pres
sure the manufacturer suggests, will
reply in the negative. Usually. he has
no knowledge of the amount of air his
tires should carry. When a tire Is i'm
perfectly inflated the walls bend back
and forth. eventually breaking them
down. Hitting a tire with a Jack handle
or hammer is no way to Judge whether
a tire carries the proper amount of air.
II, 10 nAI 80 9hN AM
the actual amount OF pressure carried.
This lack of sufficient air causes rim
cutting. as It allows a certain amount
of play between the rubber and the iron
rim of the wheel.
Overlooking Rn Abuse.
Overlooking tires is another abuse to
which they are subjected. Cars are de-
signed to carry a certain number Of
pounds. and tires are built to take care
of this weight. Owners. however, do not
stop TO consider these facts when they
overload their cars. 1t is the adjuster at
the tire agency who has 10 listen to a
tale OF woe as to how few miles the tire
has gone, and the insistence of an owner
on either a new tire or a very liberal
adjustment. The adjusters are all eX-
perienced in the tire industry, and from
constant handling OF tires in all sizes,
forms, and conditions, can, in nearly
every instance, diagnose the trouble right
away Many times. however, It Is not
policy to contradict the customer, for
competition is very close in the tire in
dustry. Instead, they must gradually
draw out OF him the real reason for the
trouble. In other words. adjusters. as
we'll as being experts on tires, must be
diplomats.
When cars are to be stored for long
time the machines should be lacked up
and part Of the air let out of the tires.
still better precaution is to remove the
tires entirely and hang them in some
cool, dark. and dry place. Drivers should
be careful in driving their cars. Care
less driving does more harm than Is
thought of. Always start the car gently,
with your mind on what you are doing
and not on something down the street.
Take corners at moderate speed. and
avoid, when possible, coming to stop
suddenly. Taking curves at high speed
strains the tires. In approaching curp-
care should be exercised that the sides
of the tires do not come in contact
with it, -.....
When a tire has been cut it should
be washed. out with gasoline and the
hole filled with Cement. At the first
opportunity the cut should be fixed 10
prevent abras sions and what are COM
monty known as sand blisters, which
are caused. by dirt working down between
the rubber and the fabric. Every car
when II leaves the factory tracks per-
fectiy The wheels should be examined
frequently to see that they remain in
line and run parallel.
Examine Wheels Frequently.
1t is also wise to change the tires from
the 'front.' TO the back wheels now and
then. The back tires, being compelled to
carry the greater portion OF the load as
we'll as to furnish the traction for dHv-
ing the car, naturally wear out quicker
The minute they show. signs Of wear, 1t