WEAR ON TYRES.

Southland Times, Issue 20675, 22 December 1928, Page 16 (Supplement)

WEAR ON TYRES.

SOME COMMON FAULTS. Many tyre troubles arise as the direct result of mechanical faults in the vehicle. Briefly any condition which creates a tendency to move the wheels in any direction other than that of their rotation, comes within the scojpe of misalignment, and is detrimental to tyres. In a general way the fault first evidences itself in irregular or abnormally rapid tread wear, but many motorists of experience will be sensitive to some eccentricity in the I steering. Prompt investigation may bring the fault to light before serious results ensue. Defects of this nature usually demand the attention of a competent engineer, but will generally be found to be one or another of the following:—Bent stub axles, bent steering tie-rod, looseneat; or play in steering connections, unequal set in springs resulting from maladjustment, or from a broken spring leaf, bent torque rod, wheel out of round or loose at bearings. Occasionally the front wheel tyres will be observed to have worn completely down on one side the other being almost untouched. The explanation of this lies in the splay of the wheels, often adopted to promote easy steering, and where this condition exists the tyres should be changed from side to side periodically to ensure uniform wear. A too fierce clutch, or one that is carelessly operated, may produce effects similar to those of unduly harsh brake action by causing the rear wheels to accelerate more rapidly than the tyres can convey the impulse to the vehicle. In this case, of course, the more effective the non-skid design of the tread the less damage it sustains, but additional strains are imposed on the casing, and the tyre suffers acocrdingly.