CHECKING TYRE TROUBLES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23335, 29 October 1937, Page 18

CHECKING TYRE TROUBLES

CORRECT PRESSURE IS ESSENTIAL More tyre failures result from fabric breaks than from any other cause. If every tyre were run with the proper pressure at all times fabric breaks would be a rare occurrence. But in spite of the best intentions, the pressure sometimes becomes too ldw. Under-inflation may be the result of simply forgetting to check the pressure regularly, slow leak caused by a puncture or damaged valve. ' . In this condition, a tyre is very susceptible to fabric breaks. In fact, almost all fabric breaks are due to under-inflation.

Over-inflation will, not provide additional protection against fabric breaks;

All tyres should have their pressure tested once a week by a reli-

able gauge which has been checked against a master gauge, and any tyre showing a reading under the recommended pressure should be reinflated.

Do not rely on your eye in judging inflation. A pressure of 141 bor 151 b will support a car without showing undue deflection of the tyre, yet this pressure is probably less than half what it. should be. An under-inflated tyre, after a severe blow, might go flat a few days or even a week later. When the tyre is removed it is found that the original break, which probably occurred in only one layer of cords, gradually increased in size and broke through the remaining plies, finally pinching the tube. Low pressure or under-inflation also result in rapid tread wear, rim cutting near the bead, and excessive generation of heat within the carcass, causing shoulder breaks and separation between the plies of cord