MAKING CARS BEHAVE

Evening Star, Issue 21905, 17 December 1934, Page 17

MAKING CARS BEHAVE

Few minor adjustments have so profound an influence upon the behaviour of a car on the road as the maintenance of the correct air pressure in the tyres. As a rule this matter is regarded primarily from the viewpoint of tyre life, and it is, of course, obvious that the rate of wear of the tread and the deterioration of the walls are both affected by the degree to which the tyro deflects under load. This, in turn, is governed by the load and by the pressure of air within the tube. Apart from the influence of inflation pressure upon tyre wear, a cover which contains an insufficient quality of air will adversely affect the stability of the car, and may well give rise to heavy steering and front wheel wobble. Generally speaking, under-inflated tyres are also likely to increase the risk of skidding, particularly if one or more'of the tyres is running at a lower pressure than the remainder. Under-inflated tyres also increase the rolling resistance to a marked extent, so causing a waste of engine power, which hampers acceleration and increases the fuel consumption unnecessarily. To check the air pressure in a set.of tyres takes only a few and so niany modern garages and service depots

arc equipped with compressed airphuits that tliere is really no excuse tor neglecting this simple item oi maintenance. The rate at which pressure is lost depends partly upon the make of tyic and conditions of service, but in any case a certain amount of air is bound to escape by diffusion through the tubes. To this may be added a further loss it the valves are in poor condition.