AIR WHEEL TYRES

Waipa Post, Volume 45, Issue 3252, 8 November 1932, Page 3

AIR WHEEL TYRES

A NEW DEVELOPMENT. SAFER, MORE COMFORTABLE MOTORING. Widespread interest nas been manifested in the new Goodyear air-wheel tyres—those great, super-soft, smart tyres for motor cars. Dealers and consumers everywhere are asking about this revolutionary development in the tyre industry.

The Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Company is responsible for this interest through the manufacture and introduction of the air-wheel for aeroplanes. It was the wonderful experience with such equipment for taking off and landing in soft ground that pioneered the idea of extremely large cross-sections for motor-car use.

Goodyear began experimenting with the air-wheel tyre on motor cars and tractors over two years ago. The air-wheel was first developed and tested in Goodyear's own extensive laboratories, as well as on its own fleet of trucks and motor cars, before being offered to the public. After gruelling day and night tests on these cars and trucks—the world's largest test fleet —the air-wheel tyre has turned out as much as 40,000 miles over all kinds of roads.

The new Goodyear air-wheel requires only 14 to 20 lb of air, varying with the weight of the car and the size of the air-wheel used. The pillowlike construction enables this tyre to roll over bumpy roads as if they were riding on air. Five sizes have been developed to fit a range of 17 popular motor cars—6.so-16, 7.00-16, 7.50-15,

8.25-15, and 9.00-15. The complete unit consists of air-wheel tyre, tube, and disc wheel, ready assembled to slip on the axles of the car. For several years cross-sectional diameters of tyres have been increasing in size, while rim diameters have become smaller and smaller.

It isn't so many years since small cars used 30 x 3 and 30 x 3i tyres. Then came the 4.40 cross-section, the 4.50, and then the 4.75-19—the most popular tyre last year for small cars. For 1932, as has already been stated, 5.25-18 will be the original equipment size on several of these light cars. Practically every car manufacturer is using a larger cross-section for original equipment in 1932 than ever before. Cars that previously used 5.00 cross-section are going to 5.50; those that were equipped last year with 6.00 are now going to 6.50, and in some cases 7.00.

Car-owners have gone one step further by equipping their motor cars with Goodyear air-wheel tyres. Goodyear dealers declare that the 6.50-16 air-wheel tyre, which is the popular size used on Ford, Chevrolet, and Plymouth cars, has met with a response in orders far beyond expectations.