The Washington herald., 1919-10-19

the present time is the wood wheel,
made Of second growth American hick-
ory. There Is no real cause Of COM
plaint against the service rendered by
this type of wheel. although many
academic flaws are picked In II by
experts who favor other types. Until
recently II was assumed that failure
OF the suppy Of second growth hickory
would eventually compel our wheel
makers to switch to another type.
Recent government forestry figures.
however. seem to show that we have
supply of this wheel material SUM-
| cient to last for some time. This be-
ing 30 1t is scarcely likely that any
other type of wheel will oust the
wooden wheel from its position of pre-
eminence in the American motor car
industry.
While the wooden wheel is gen.
orally efficient in service. OCCASION
ally this type has been known to
go to pieces under excessive strains.
WiEe wheel advocates claim that
this can never happen with their
favorite type. The commonest fall
urc of wooden wheels is the de-
velopment- of annoying squeaks.
This trouble may be remedied by
driving wooden wedges into the
spiders where the spokes have be-
come loosened. Car owners fire.
quently neglect to give due atten-
tion to the hub bolts of their
wooden wheels. These bolts pass
through the wheel and hold the
hub plate in position. In the case
of the rear wheels the hub bolts
also hold the brake drums. II these
bolts are permitted to become loose,
tho wheel will be thrown out of
alignment. This will make driving
difficult and inevitably tire wear
will be enormously increased.
Next in popularity to wooden wheels
comes the wire type. Strangely
enough the wire wheel was the orig
inal automobile wheel. but it was
simply lifted bodily from the bicycle
and was quite Inadequate to stand
the strains of it's new service. Later
considerable changes In design were
effected and the wire wheel was
made entirely practicable for the mo-
tor vehicle. In Europe. where no
second-growth hickery was available
and no other wood efficient for wheel
construction at hand, wire wheels be-
came standard and still are. Here
in this country. with our supply Of
IllChOTy, We carly
wire wheels of the early days and
switched to wood.
As matter Of fact. the modern
wire wheel has certain undoubted
points of superiority over its wood
rival. The wire wheel Is somewhat
stronger in resisting shocks than
even the best wood wheel The lat
ter, too, 1t Is claimed, with continual
service becomes somewhat distorted.
d condition that increases tire wear.
The wire wheel supported at the rim
by a greater number of spokes, is
not liable to this distortion trouble.
A further point OF advantage claim
ed for the wire wheel is that the metal
more easily dissipates the heat en-
gendered by running. Wood is un-
-loubtedly a poor heat conductor and
steel Is an excellent one. The wire
| wheel never gives annoyance by de-
veloping squeaks. But the wire wheel
demands a considerable amount of
care to keep it in good condition. The
enamel must be watched. and when
ever il cracks of. as it does occa-
| sionally. the spot must be painted
over, or else moisture will cause rust
| Ing. This is particularly dangerous
around the nipples where the spokes
ioin the rim. Wire wheels must be
kept clean IL they are to continue to