The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-14
LABORATORY TESTS
TIRE RESISTANCE
Automobile Company Carries
Question of Rolling Resistance
Into College Laboratories.

Into the laboratories Of an eastern
university prominent automobile oom-
pany has taken the mooted question
OF rolling resistance of tires and
emerged with an answer that will be of
the greatest interest to hundreds Of
thousands of automobile owners every
where. a,
One Of the chief problems which con-
tinually confront automobile manufaC-
turers is the reduction OF the rolling re-
sstance of their cars and the resultant
ease Of riding and economy of mainte-
nance. Tire equipment is the important
factor in this consideration.
Rolling friction is the resistance to
motion which a body offers when rolling
on surface. This friction is measured
in terms of force expressed in pounds.
Low rolling resistance. It is pointed out,
means a minimum pull upon the engine
and a comparative reduction in the gas
olene consumption. Rolling resistance
is regarded as the supreme quality test
of automobile tires.
Accordingly the prominent automobile
manufacturer in question requested the
technical engineers in the research
division of the university to conduct
scientific experiment to determine the
comparative rolling resistance as offered
by different makes of tires.
Two leading makes of tires were
chosen by process of elimination for
the final test, the usual apparatus con-
sisting of rolling drum which fur-
nished the surface OF contact for the
hA
dynamometer measures the resistance TO
motion in terms Of pounds.
A set each of Firestone non-slid and
Firestone triple tread cord tires and
similar sets of tires made by another
prominent tire company were attached
to the rear wheels Of a touring car in
separate tests. The tires were subjected
to loads of $685. 935 and 1885 pounds
each and to pressure of 80, As, 65 and
90 pounds and run at speed OF twenty,
thirty and forty miles per hour.
In terms Of percentage, according TO
the results afforded by this experiment,
the cord tires of the competitor offered a
rolling resistance which was 16 per cent.
greater than that offered by the Fire
stone non-skids and % per cent. higher
than the Firestone triple tread cords.
"Of course, 1t is highly gratifying to
me TO learn that Firestone tires made
the best showing in this test" says E. p.
Jones, manager of the F1restone Tire
and Rubber Company, New York branch.
But II only confirms my personal eX-
perience of many years have often re-
marked upon the easy riding qualities OF
r'irestone tires and 1 am pleased. how
ever. to know my personal observation
has been verified by exact scientific ex-
pertinent
"a surprisingly large percentage OF
owners never give the question Of rolling
resistance a moments thought. but one
does, not need to be widely versed in
science to know that the higher the roll
ing resistance the stronger the pull upon
the engine that the stronger the pull
on the engine the more gasolene is con-
sumed and the greater the gasolene con-
sumption-but why continue? Your
pocketbook answers the rest of the ques-
ton.
Incidentally 1 have learned that the
result of this test was an important
factor in the decision of the automobile
company to adopt Firestone tires as part
of its original equipment this year. This
experiment was conducted at their re-
quest.
This test merely confirmed many
others which we have conducted at vari-
Gus times in the research department of
our factory at Akron, Ohio, but we are
pleased, of course. to know that the ex-
pertinent was made and reported at the
university by unbiased investigators of
the highest standing"