CYCLING AND MOTOR NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 886, 28 February 1907, Page 11

CYCLING AND MOTOR NOTES.

Prominence has been given lately in the columns of the daily press to the dust evil, and, of course, the motor car comes in for a large share of the blame (writes “ Auto” in Melbourne “ Punch.”) It seems a waste of time pointing out that the epithet of “ dustcreating motors” is not deserved, and is simply a verbal caper of doubtful sincerity on the part of irresponsible newspaper scribes. Lord Tennyson wrote that a straight-out lie can be met and defeated, but the lie built on a half-truth is far more difficult to fight. Because some motor cars in their rapid passage through the air do lift the dust from the roads and leave a cloud of dust behind them, it has been assumed by the public (and the delusion has been carefully fostered) that the motor cars “ make” the dust. Nothing is further from the actual fact. The steel tyres on the wheels of horse-drawn vehicles and the steel shoes of horses cut the roads and cause the dust, which is merely “ lifted” off the road by the suction caused by the fast-moving motor car. If there was no dust there would be none to be lifted by the car, for the tyres of a car cannot cut the roads to make dust. But, above all, faulty construction of roads brings the dust, and, given better roads, the evils of dust will be insignificant. Following their line of policy, the Automobile Club might profitably take some steps to investigate the dust-lifting propensities of motor cars, and thereby gain the goodwill of the public. It is recognised that a smooth, clear passage for the current of air passing under the body of a car moving at speed is the secret of success in keeping down the dust on the road. This is obtained by putting a shield made of metal or other material (linoleum is good) under the engine and gear-box, slightly curved at the front of the car, and by removing from the rear of the car such obstructions to the free draught of air as tool-boxes, silencers placed crosswise, and auxiliary tanks. Tool-boxes should be above the frarne; silencers can be placed lengthwise; auxiliary tanks can be lifted and put

under rear seats. Dust is caused by the currents of air striking the obstructions to its free passage and being deflected on to the roadway to disturb the dust, which is then caught up by the suction of the car, and a cloud results. A circular sent round the members by the committee, drawing attention to the agitation against the dust lifted by cars, and asking practical co-operation to minimise the nuisance, should produce distinctly beneficial results.

We have always advocated the employment of tyres of the heavy touring type on motor-cars on the ground of immunity from serious trouble and lower cost of maintenance (says “Melbourne Punch”), and are glad to note that this common-sense system is being increasingly practised by motorists. The cost of tyres is practically th only item of importance in the upkeep of a modem car, and therefore should receive the greatest attention, but in too many instances the first cost of the heavy type of tyres is allowed to sway judgment. This is a very great mistake, and is tantamount to allowing a penny-piece, by being held too close to the eye, to hide from sight the more valuable shilling. It affords us great pleasure to be in a position to give data on which full reliance can be placed which support to the utmost everything we have written in advocacy of the heavy type of tyre. These interesting results were achieved by using the heaviest type of touring tyre and by following the common-sense plan of putting every new cover on the driving wheels and keeping it there until unmistakeable signs of wear showed themselves, then transfering to the front wheel to get a similar mileage out of it in that position. Thus every cover was made to do an equal mileage on front and rear wheels. The figures apply to Austalian conditions because they were made in hilly country, with not by any means the best of road surfaces. They are as follows: —Size of tyre, 750 x 85 m/m, on driving wheels, 2000 miles; on front wheels, 2000 miles; on front wheels, 2000 miles; total, 4000 miles, and cost per mile, I.lBd. Size 760 x 90 m/m, 3000 miles on each wheel; total, 6000 miles, and cost .93d per male. Size, 760 x 100 m/m, 4100 miles on each wheel; total 8200 miles, and cost .80d per mile. Size, 765 x 105 m/m, 5100 miles on each wheel, and cost .69d per mile. Thus will be noted a gradual reduction in cost for tyres per mile of running as the weight of the tyres increased. The mileage cost was reduced by nearly half, and is equivalent to .75d (three farthings) in Aus-

tralia. The car was 10 h.p., and weighed 15cwt, unladen, which is about 2cwt. heavier than the usual type of 10 h.p. car. The heaviest type of tyre comes easily first in economy, but it possesses other advantages of great value to the practical motorist. These are the saving of inner tubes, easier running on rough surfaces, greater speed, and, above all, far greater freedom from roadside . travellers. Many motorists have the idea that large tyres slow a car, but actually the exact reverse is the case. The practical motorist who supplied these figures on tyre upkeep, drawn from his own personal experience over two years of motoring, lays it down that 105 m/m is the smallest size of tyre that should be used on any car over 8 h.p., and nothing less than 90 m/m on motor-cars of 8 h.p. and under. This is going much further than our recommendations, but .we have no doubt that his lead would be good to follow. He states that the last 25,000 miles he has covered cost him £66 2/6, equal to .63d per mile only, and that this extremely cheap upkeep is due to the use of 105 m/m tyres on all four wheels. We notice that on several cars a heavier tyre is used on the rear wheels than on the front, and we cannot believe that dt is good practice in the face of the experience just described. Apart from the fact that lighter tyres on front wheels detract from the appearance of a car, it saves the carriage of an extra cover when touring to have all four wheels shod alike. Talking of spare tyres calls to mind the necessity of carrying spare covers in a case or wrapping to protect them from the action of light when not in use, and prevent cracking and perishing of the rubber. This is important.