The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
LARGE DIAMETER TIRES
THE MOST ECONOMICAL
Manufacturers Are Encouraging Their
Use by Making Concession
in Price.

The advantages of large diameter
wheels are self evident Strange as it
may seem, the only question ever raised
is the one as to tire cost. The advan-
taSes of large diameter tires are SO fully
appreciated by the tire manufacturers
that they are encouraging the use of
large diameter tires by making conces-
sion in the price
So states V. A. Longaker. an Indian
apolis automobile manufacturer.
BY referring to n price list of any of
the large tire manufacturers. ii Will be
found that the price of a Aka IL inch
casing is less than the price of a 36x5.
This hardly seems reasonable to the
casual observer. The ilX4 l2 inch casing
must contain a greater amount of rubber
and canvas and certainly II takes a
greater length Of time to build the body
of the tire. owing to the larger diameter.
The fact that the difference in the list
price is in favor of 4l-inch tires can only
he explained in that the tire manu-
facturer is endeavoring to encourage the
use of large diameter tires, no doubt
reasoning with his own mind that the
large wheel is the only solution of the
tire problcn;.
The per:ectinG of the pneumatic tire
has not progressed with the rapid de-
velopment OF the automobile. In fact the
construction of the car. Anything which
the car manufacturer can 40 to help
overcome the one weak point which has
had the greatest retardInC effect and the
one thing which has been the source of
the greatest expense in the maintenance
of a car certainly deserves the attention
OF the progressive designer.
The theoretical reason why the FORTY
one inch tire has much longer life than
e ii
angle formed by that portion of the cir
conference of the tire where it makes
contact with the road is smaller. AS a
result. aG obstruction in the road of 4
given height being passed over by the
larger wheel does not cause the wheel
TO rise so abruptly.
In other words. the greater thus angle
the more quickly the wheel is called upon
TO rise. The blow Of the contact OF this
obstruction is consequently greater
Owing to the increased radius of the arc
1T that portion of the tire which is in
contact with the ground, a great many
small deprcssions in the road can he
hridged. II the wheel was to drop into
these depressions, the fall would result
in practically the same kind Of a blow
being applied to the tire as il it were
passing over an obstruction which stands
above the surface Of the road.
Vibration in itself can in a way be
compared to great many blows of
greater or less magnitudes being applied
with greater or less rapIdity. The blow
of a hammer. for instance. no matter how
small II may he. II kept up sufficiently
long VIII destroy the best picC" of armor
plate. Vibration Is the greatest enemy
the motor car of to-day has to contend
with. The large wheels not only Iencthen
tn" life of the tires, but proIong the life
nf tn" rest of the car well. The
problem OF vibration has created the de-
mand for the aloyed steels which enter
into the construction of the automobile
OF to-day to such an extent.
ANOTHER reason why the large
diameter tire Will give a greater mileage