Evening star., 1932-08-07
- ONTRARY to popular belief the
advancement of good highways
has not increased the life OF
4 the average automobile tire,

~ ONTRAR4 10 popular pehel ule
advancement of good highways
has not increased the life OF
the average automobile tire,
but has shortened its usefulness.
Scientific research in the TIRE moIs-
try alone has made the mooern tlrs
stand up in driving TO-DAY ana IreoIeo
its time of service.
In a recent issue of the Executive
Service Bulletin, published by one OF
the national life insurance companies,
j F. O'Shaughnessy. vice president OF
one of the largest rubber companies IN
the world states that today's motor
ISL gets many times as much mileage
out of a tire as he did is years ago
despite the fact that demand on tire
performance has grown heavier each
y1ar.
Automotive Advancement.
He points out that in five years the
average horsepower OF IL popular
makes Of cars has increased 30 per
cent, weight has increased Is per cent
and the size Of wheels decreased 20
per cent. ,
Stating that while roads are being
improved every day and that the ma
jority of people are of the opinion that
a tire would give more mileage over
good roads. such is not the case. Ine
very improvements, Mr.. OShaugh-
messy declares, tend to increase tread
wear, because they permit high speed.
According to him, speed is the worst
enemy of a tire. TESTS made in va
rious sections of the country show that
any increase in speed causes definite
increase in tire wear. AS an exam
pie. assuming that a speed of 80 miles
an hour will enable the tire to oeIlVer
100 per cent mileage, an increase to
so miles an hour will reduce the amount
of mileage to IS per cent.
AT 65 miles an hour the mileage
will drop to 63 per cent. and at 10
miles an hour the mileage Will sink 10
SIS per cent. These figures are based
on a constant normal temperature OF
so. it is evident that good roads and
their accompanying speed are not nKely
to lengthen the life Of tire: 1t Is a
matter of interest to know tnat II Is
not the concrete road of today, but the
old dirt road of yesteryear that was
easiest on the tire tread
All of which is very interesting, but
not inclined to cut down the average
drivers speed. If tires were to give
much more mileage, 1t would be soon
necessary to buy new cars to put on TO
th3 tires.
But that is not likely at present.
A New Tire Angle.
However. a new tire angle may con-
front motorists in the near future. A
motorist may have to get a new set OF
tires or stop driving his car. From
Massachusetts comes the story that
the State motor registrar may issue
such an order if motorist Is found
driving on tires that are dangerously
worn. Under the existing laws in that
State. it is said. the registrar has super
vision over equipment, such as lights
windshield wiperS, brakes, etc. So 1t
would not be so farfetched that after
a compilation of accidents begins to
show that wornout tires have caused
accidents, to class tires as equipment.
A statement to this effect is found IN
one of the Boston newspapers, which
ssys in part:
with so many State inspectors on
the highways, they could note these
dangerous tires and order the driver
to get new ones. Without waiting fol
such a law, however, the registrar has
the power anyway to suspend license
If he finds an accident was caused BY
disregard for fundamental safety BY
taking chances on old tires.
His men investigate many accidents
and it may be safer, in two ways, tc
be carefully getting new tires fol
your own sake to prevent an accident
and. also, to save the possibility Of los
ing your license.