Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-12
PROPER TIRE CARE
SAVES BIG EXPENSE
''Stitch in Time" Motto Is a
Good One to Follow.
CONDITION OF ROADS
PLAYS IMPORTANT PART
Cuts, Stone Bruises and Mud Blisters
Are Dangerous to Life
of Fabric.


in one rspect. 1t requires care to make
life long, and care that it may perform its
functions up to the standard of its crea-
ton. That is often entirely overlooked
by the owner Of the car, and this negli-
gence is certain to hasten the tire break
down. Any tire is subject to more or less
abuse, owing to the fact that it must en-
counter all kinds of roads and receive
little or no consideration from the driver.
Cuts, stone bruises, mud blisters, etc,
result, and If these are neglected they
eventually spell out the destruction of
the tire. as dissipation does the man,
Tire neglect runs bills up unbelievably.
There are many more things for the
drivers to consider than the mere driving
of the car. Road conditions play an inn
portant part in the life of tires. fnfia-
ton, distribution of the weight of the
machine and alignment Of the wheels are
also influential No two tires in set
may give the same service, although their
quality. workmanship and construction
may be identical. One may give out far
before it's time.
Much Depends on Conditions.
The service and mileage of a tire de-
pend as much on the conditions under
which it is used as upon the quality of the
tire itself Possibly three-fourths of the
tires returned to the manufacturers for
repairs have been ridden insufficiently in
fiated. Insufficient imitation is responsible
to a greater extent than perhaps anything
else for hloWouts and quick dislnte-
grafton.
When a tire is imperfectly inflated the
walls are continually bending back and
forth as the car moves, with the same
result as when a wire or piece of metal
is bent back and forth in the hands.
Heat is engendered in the threads, and
because of this heat, and the continued
bending, the walls soon weaken and give
away. In short time they are not
strong enough to support the air pres
sure multiplied by the weight of the ear
and bIow-outs result Not only that, but
when a tire becomes loose a lump or
fold of rubber and fabric is formed just
in front of the part in contact with the
ground This is what tiremakefs call
Thinking" This tends to separate the
plies of the fabric, or in aggravated cases
to chew up the walls of the tire. as Well
as that portion of the tube that happens
to get caught.
Don't initiate your tires bY guess. A
big thick walled tire will show little de-
preston under a heavy load, even though
the air pressure is too low for Safety.
One cannot tell from appearance whether
or not the tires are perfectly inflated
good gauge should be used and tires test
ed every day.
Little Cut Like Bad Habit.
A little cut in a tire. like little habit
if allowed to grow. soon gets beyond
control, and eventually destroys the tire.
A close watch should be kept on these
little cuts They should be cleansed from
sand and dirt with gasoline and then
filled with cement and quick-repair gum.
This gum will set in few hours and be-
come an integral part of the tire and
prevent future trouble. A very large cut
after thus being treated should be vul-
canized at the earliest possible moment
To ignore these casing cuts altogether is
to invite sand blisters and mud boils,
which are caused by sand and dust enter
ing the cut and working in between the
tread and the fabric of the casing.
These are diseases to which tires of any
type or make are subject if they are not
checked soon when the symptoms appear
small cuts in the tread. Sand blisters
and mud boils are more complicated and
disastrous the longer they are allowed to
GO They mean simply the stripping
apart of the rubber from the fabric used
to reinforce it. Sand and dust enter and
gradually work their way between the
rubber and fabric. and the result Is a
sand blister or mud boil.
Consult Repair Man.
Tires that have already developed all
these diseases--mud boils or sand bis
tiers, should be sent to the repair man
at once When these blisters are clenas-
ed out and yulcanized down your tire
is practically as good as new.
If an axle is even slightly out of true,
the tire will be subjected to grinding
action, which will wear out the thread
in an incredibly short length of time.
If you go over a heavy bump or have an
accident of any kind have your wheels
examined at once.
When imbedded in rubber and not sub
jected to strains or weakened by bend
ing the fabric used to reinforce the tire
will retain its strength indefinitely AS
soon, however, the rubber is removed
and moisture from the road is permitted
to penetrate the fabric begins to disin-
tegrate, and in a short time it's
strength and resistance are gone for
ever.
Brake Adjustment Needed.
If one tire stops the load. as is often
the case when brakes are not properly