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Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18526, 30 October 1925, Page 5

j CARE OF TYRES.

IMPORTANCE OF INFLATION. Pneumatic ty/es are deserving of much more care than they often get, and the car owner •who looks after his tyres will find himself generally well repaid for his trouble. The tyremakers state that far more tyres have their lives shortened by under-inflatiou and overloading, than by all other causes put together. Tables are issued by the makers showing the correct pressures for different tyfes and different loads. "When two tyres of ditferent sizes have to <®.rr.y the same load, it is only natural that the tyre of smaller section must lie inflated to a higher pressure than the larger one. There is less tyre surface in contact with the road, but it must not be forgotten that the rim. is also' nearer the road surface. Moderate loads and pressures will dive the best results, therefore, if a car is expected to carry a heavy load ! it should have really big,tyres. There ' is a Rf-.in in comfort to be obtained by : keeping one's tyres rather slack, but [ this -will be gained at the expense of long life, and is consequently dearly j bought. The proper thing to do is to* i lit ,; balloon". or low pressure tyres, j These are specially designed for low j pressure tyres. These are specially de- ! signed for low-pressures, and Wing | thin in the wr : lls, they are less likely ; to suffer from tho constant bending of | the fabric as they roll along the road. This bending, with the consequent in - I lernal friction, is the most usual cause Jof tyres becoming unduly hot. If, | therefore, your tyres are very hot after i a run, test the pressure with gauge i and correct it if necessary.

MUDGUARDS.

A NEW DESIGN. The mudguards in common use on most curs are expensive, easily damaged and difficult to keep clean. In addition they generally drum at certain speeds, whilst, with the running boards and their attendant valances, they weigh no inconsiderable amount. Jn Europe it was appreciated several years ago tiiat the-conventional paraphernalia which mars the broadside appearance or nearly every car had disadvantages which mere modification couldi not wholly eliminate, and Haired wings with metal steps in place ot' running boards were consequently introduced.

Designers in i,urope"are now going a step further, and mudguards ot D-sec-tion, only some 4in in width, are gradunliv ouscing the liaired type from their favoured position. These mudguards instead ot being attached by brackets to the frame are secured with stays to the axles, those at the front naturally moving with the wheels when they are locked over. The idea, of course, closely follows cycle and motor-cycle practice, but it can be carried out much more neatly, whilst owing to the unbroken and unobstructed surface of the mudguards and their stays, cleaning is exceptionally easy. In the- case of cars which aro built rather high off the ground it may be necessary with this design to fix steps to the chassis frame to facilitate entry and egress, but with most sports models no steps are needed.