Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-08-25
SAVING TREAD OF
MOTOR CAR TIRES
Firestone Expert Tells of Care
Necessary to Lengthen
Life of Tire

A very common form of "tire vast
age" is the unnecessary wear on the
tires tread caused by a careless use
of the car brakes. the inaccurate ad-
justment of the wheels, or the i'm
proper use of anti-skid devices. OF
these, probably the most common is
the careless use of the brakes.
Knowing how to stop, when neces-
sary, is considered more important
than knowledge of how to start the
engine, therefore, the use of foot and
emergency brakes is taught to the
new car owner, early. Locking the
wheels will not bring the car TO an
immediate stop: the momentum and
weight will cause the rear wheels to
slide along for a considerable dis
tance and grind off the tread of the
tires in the same manner that street
car wheels are ground fiat In spots
Avoid letting in the clutch quick
~ while the engine is running fast
such treatment is not good for eth
er car or tires. Spinning the driV-
ing wheels in mud. snow, or on slip.
perry fOauS may sIlAu OiA ehS bASS'S
rubber and sometimes snag the COW
er along the entire wheel circum-
ference.
Anti-Skid devices are helpful, un-
der certain conditions, but great
harm will result from continued use
when not actually needed. Some de-
vices are noisy and there is temp
tation to fasten them tightly to the
tires, causing the cross grips to cut
q n
fabric underneath. When cross grips
become worn, sharp and rough, they
should be replaced, otherwise cut
ting of the cover cannot be avoided
Another common cause OF excessive
wear on a tire tread Is faulty algn,
ment of the wheels. Your car should
be inspected occasionally by me-
chanic TO correct this fault.
Unnecessary Wear on the Siue Naik
Probably one of the most common
and inexcusable abuses OF tires !:
driving them in car tracks or deeI
ruts. The easiest riding road is some
times the hardest on the tires.
There may be times when bae
roads cannot be avoided, but sldt
wall injury to the tires under sucf
circumstances should not, in fair
ness, be considered as an indication
of fault in the quality or construc
uon.
1t is possible, under very severe
conditions, to wear through the side
wall rubber in very short time
but ordinaily the wear indicates neg
lect. Ii it is necessary to drive oc
casionally over bad roads, reVers'
the tires, i. G., place the worn sld'
toward the car, vulcaniZe rubber owe
the most worn parts, to protect TN
fabric from moisture and dislnte
10
the normal service from the ures VII
not be greatly affected.
Rough streets tempt one to driv
in car tracks. 1t is more comfortaol
for the passengers and may be econ
amy to protect the car, at times
from bumps and unusual Vibration
by running in car tracks, rather thai
Sver rough, cobblestone pavements
and the tires won't be injured no
ticeably by doing this occasionally
1t is the continued practice tina
shortens the mileage.
. Quite often the pavement alon
inside edges of rails is very roug
and may result in cuts to the rubbe
and bruises to the fabric. Rails
hills are to be avoided as much
possible as they usually have sharl
thin splinters on the edges, whic
are liable to cut or puncture til
tires.
Neglected Cuts
The service of tires will be abbre
waited, to a considerable extent,
cuts, punctures and snags are mes
lected. Too much care cannot be e2
ercised in this respect.
The elasticity of the rubber pei
mits a cut in the tread to expan
when under the weight of machir
and in contact with the road. ]
this way, such foreign matter 6
grit. sand and pebbles are forced IL
to the cut. With each revolution
the wheel, the accumulation of TO
eign matter acts as wedge and fu
ther forces itself between the cow
and fabric of the tire. 1t is not III
usual for these Jumps or mt
boils," if neglected. to cause a con
plete separation of the tread.
1t is pretty generally known tn
gasoline, grease, oil, and other fat
substances are solvents of rubbe
Oiled parkways and roads are n
particularly harmful, especially af
er the oil has soaked into the roa
way.
If garage floors are not kept clet
and the tires stand in pool of o
the treads soften and the tracti'
strain in service stretches the ru
Der in a wavy outline.
Probably the most damage is e
perienced from grease in different
housing, working out into the bra
drums and then onto the side wa
of the tires. This may result fro
loose bearings, too much grease,
from using grease not suitable
the differential.
Grease and oil can be very easi
removed by a rag saturated wi
gasoline.
Editors Note. The fifth article
this series. which will appear in ne
Saturdays Telegraph, will expla
the cause of rim cuts andpoint o
the dangers of tread attachmen
"reliners" and inside protector
tectors.''