Evening star., 1924-04-27
PROBLEM CREATED
BY BALLOON TIRES
Goodyear Says Developing
Accessory for Present Cars
Was Real Achievement.

Quite the seyerest problem put up
10 tire designers in recent years was
that of designing a balloon tire that
would fit present cars" says p. w
Litchfield. factory manager of the
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.
The successful solution of the vari-
nus phases of this problem and the
development of a tire that would give
the advantages of low pressure driv-
ing and still be adapted to the intri-
cate mechanism of the automobile was
a real achievement. he says.
End of High-Pressure Tires.
Il am convinced" says Mr.. Litch-
field, that the low pressure or balloon
tire, because of its eaSy-riding quail
ties and its greater protection to the
mechanism of the car and consequent
lcngthening of the life of the car,
VIII, within a very few years, doml-
nate the tire industry and drive out
the high pressure tire, as surely as
the cord tire drove out the old-fash-
toned fabric.
However, 90 out of 100 of the Il,
100000 ears and trucks now running
were built for high-pressure tires.
Thousands of owners wanted low
pressure tires but hesitatcd to go to
wheels and rims. So the first prob
lem of the tire designers was to build
Il tire that would fit present wheel
equipment without expensive change
over.
Along with this came the REQUIRE
1uent that these interchangeable tires
should have adequate fender and body
clearance and should be adapted to
present gear ratios.
All Problems Solved.
-Eacn of these problems has been
solved in the interchangeable balloon
tire which is now available for every
type of present automobile.
How successfully the designers have
cached the goal on low pressure may
he seer. ~ taking typical popular
size-32x4-for which the 33x4.95 in
rerchangeable substitutes on such
makes of cars as Buick, Dodge, Stude-
baker, Stutz. Jordan, Chandler, Rick
cnbacker, WHY'S Knight, Hupp, Velie
and others.
The imitation comparison follows:
52X4 (regular) should carry fifty
five pounds preSs-ae.
''53x4.95 Gnter~bangeable) should
carry thirty-SiX pounds pressure.
''31x5.25 (balloun) should carry
thirty-two pounds pressure.
These preSSureS are figured for 4
normal load.
THE difference in pressure between
the balloon tire and the interchange
able balloon tire varies with the diff
ierent sizes of tires. The 31x4.40 in
Interchangeable tire that replaces the
regular 30X3 Y, and the small dia-
meter balloon tire carry the same in
1ation, thirty-two pounds.
Difference Is Slight.
In the larger sizes the difference
= no greater than six pounds. How
over. here also the interchange geable
balloon tire will carry pressures only
Il little more than half that required
in the regular or high pressure types.
The effect that the interchange
able has on gear ratios is negligible.
\ simple comparison will show this.
The gear ratio is affected by the dis
tance from the center of the axle to
the ground. The 33x4.95 interchange
able ballon tire raises the axle one
eighth of an inch higher from the
ground than 32x4. But every car
owner who has considered this sub
ject realizes that there is frequently
a difference of as much as three
sighths of an inch. due to tread wear,
between the heighth of a worn tire
and a new tire. and even this differ
ence has no perceptible effect on gear
ratios.
The interchangeable balloon tire,
like the small diameter balloon tire,
is an efficient low-pressure tire CIV
ing all of the advantages of easy rid
ing and long life to the car"