El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-03-08
WHERE TO PUT
THE SPARE TIRES
Added Weight at One Point
Brings Engineering Dues
ton Largely Into Play

A man who has an automobile that
is not equipped by the maker with at
tachments to carry spare tires, rims or
wheels. does not realize that he is con-
structing an engineering problem
when he puts those spares on the car
in any place that seems convenient to
him. In other words, the average man
does not realize what il means to add
the weight Of a couple of tires and
rims to the load of car and that uE-
less the maker arranges for the carry
ing of this weight the wearing quality
Of the car is apt to be considerably
affected thereby.
1t is not a matter merely of deciding
whether IL is more convenient to put
the tires at the rear end of the car
rather than at the side. Unless these
matters have been considered and
planned for before the car has been
turned out and delivered some funda-
mental point Of engineering law is
ignored.
A great many automobiles now for
the first time are built so that the
spare tires are carried at the rear.
Originally this was done only roadsters
Of cars Of the raceabOut type, but lat
terly 1t began to be done more and
more with machines used for touring.
Carrying spares on the roof of a closed
car naturally went out of fashion when
demountable rims came in. Two such
tires with rims make rather too much
Two Systems Used.
There remain two systems Of arrang-
ing tires In good many cars now
adays where the tires are carried on
the running board at the side, ordi-
narily Just outside the emergency
brake lever. there is a single depres-
sion or double depression in the board
which serves two purposes. For one
thing it helps to keep the tires steadier
because as they fit into this sunken
place there is not so much chance for
them to move from side to side. This is
more so if the depression is made with
two divisions so that a single tread
viii fit into each.
This, however is not the only reason.
with the fashion for straight lines in
body building, which is the present idea
IN car construction here, to have the
curved part of the tire showing above
the level Of the high sides would in
terrupt the general design. BY de-
pressing the lower curve of the tire the
TOP part IS brought below the level OF
the side, and thus the straight line ct
rect IS retained uninterrupted. This
depression therefore is for the sake
Doth OF appearance and stability and
even If the straight line effect does 90
out no doubt this idea viii be retained,
nasmuch as it makes much more
WOrkmanlike way Of carrying the
spares If they must be put on the side
When the tires are carried on the
e4ue tAeH 90 not colletl Lluu, aust anu
water quite as much as they are likely
to when kept at the back. Every one
is familiar with the way that mud Wa
ter and so on are sucked up so that
they spray over the back of any ma
chine as it is running along Even if
the tires are kept covered with wrap
pings these get so beIOuled that II IS
an objection.
Increase the Springs.
The engineering problem involved in
the proper place for tires is that if
they are carried on the side a heavier
spring should be used on that side sew
eral companies have extra leaves. for
instance. on the right hand forward
springs. because the tires are carried
on that side. InasmUch as q spare rim