New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-14
OIL A BIG item
in TIRE EXPENSE
Upkeep Bills Grow Large
When Two Are Brought
in Contact.

Inc cNeF-preSenl feature III HOVOi
car upkeep is tire expense. Some-a
very small proportion of motorists
are so happily situated that the matter
OF upkeep causes no worriment. But
the average motorist when he drives
his car rarely sees piece of newly
metalled road, a board with nails or q
broken bottle on the roadside without
thinking that the proper, or Improper,
combination of tire with sharp edge
might mean TO him large item OF ex-
pense.
For his peace of mind. therefore, the
motorist should study his tires in their
relation to the methods Of use that
will help to make them last over the
average mileage, and to the menaces
that may start them on the road to the
scrap factory.
The tire menace is not wholly COW
cred by the cutting instrument, whether
il be broken bottle or other edged OBJ
stacle that may rip hole through the
shoe ana inner tube too large to be re-
Haired with any degree of permanency.
These, in fact, are the least Of the tire
evils. At any rate, accidents are al
most unavoidable, and the motor car
owner has little reason to reproach
himself for carelessness in such cases.
This is the eeason of the year when
the motorist is inclined TO give his car
slipshod attention. He is liable TO slop
oil over the floor of the garage. leav-
ing it TO do its deadly work Of tire
disintegration. and on the road there
is a tendency, because of the cold, to
make greater speed than is usual with
out regard TO the unusual stresses both
on the machine and tires.
Oil. in its proper place, is the life
of the motor and the other parts of
the machinery. Given proper
amount Of fabrication, the average car
will withstand almost any amount OF
service and will so practically any
where that any vehicle can be taken.
When lubricants are stopped around,
however. or when oil on the tires is
allowed 10 remain there, right then the
figures for maintenance begin to
mount upward. Oil, grease or gasoiene
will ruin o tire-not so quickly, OF
course, as the broken bottle, but as
surely as if a knife were used. For
these things will disintegrate rubber
in q comparatively short space OF time,
and carried TO the limit, disintegrated
rubber has about as much resisting
quality as cheese.
The other great feature in shorten
necessarily high speed, over frozen
roads. The motOrist who will carefully
avoid the broken bottle is likely to
bowl along at thirty miles an hour over
surfaces that are equally menscing TO
tires, without ever giving the matter
of wear d thought. Bits of ice and
frozen gravel. when turned into little
ridges that point upward, may spell
tire destruction with as much certainty
as if so many knives were laid edges
upward.
1t should be remembered also that
even with comparatively high soeea
slippage of the driving wheels IS al
most constant. 1t is present at thirty
miles an hour, and it increases as the
mileage is increased. II is estimated
that a 36-inch wheel will slip six com.
plete revolutions to the mile at speed
of a mile a minute, q total OF S,ooo
feet in an hour. Even the non motor
list can get fairly good idea OF the
destructiveness Of shppsge over
grsvelled surface when II is frozen, as
are all roads at the present time. On
a frozen road, too, there is strong
tendency to bounce, which means
greater wear.
There is some question as &c the cor
rect amount of tire imitation in winter,
some motorists contending that there
will | less wear if the pressure is kept
81 -htly less than in moderate weather.
The best authorities, however. appear
TO agree that pressure should be kept
up-that is, twenty pounds to the inch
Of tire diameter-the hardness OF the
tire helping to break the inequalities
Of IN. road, rather than accommodating
itself to the surface. H.,
Less liable TO happen, but Of dire
consequences TO the rubber tire, IS the
disalienment of the front wheels, which
is more common wheI the highway Is
frozen than at any other time, dt 10
unusual stresses on axles and spindles'
If the wheels are not aligned properly
the tires will wear uneveniy, ana VIII
fsil TO give the maximum mileage.
;sck and a long rule will enable an
owner to take accurate measurements
and satisfy himself on this subject
For the car that is laid up LOT tne
winter il is IL to use jacks to relieve
the wheels and tire of I weight sur
6cient imitation shoIld be used TO keep
the tires in their normal shape otol-
ace in a dry place essenti:; espe-
ci.llv if there is no heat, and 1t 10 OF
had idea. after making sure that tne
tires are perfectly dry. to wrap tnem "a
thick brown paper OF the KIM u'eu