CHAPTER XII

CARE OF THE TIRES

When a tire buyer is told by the dealer that a tire is guaranteed for so many miles, the manufacturer expects to make good—he expects if the tire falls down on performance to replace it, or at least make an allowance for the mileage short. As a matter of fact they do not have to do this on thousands of tires which are defective, for the reason that the auto owner has not kept his part of the bargain. Nine times out of ten this is because the user of the tire does not know how it ought to be treated and doctored and cajoled into doing all that it is expected to do.

Tires are a great deal like human beings; are just as finicky and contrary; and it takes a great insight into their make-up if one would get the most out of them.

One of the chief causes of tire deterioration is lack of care—absolute neglect. Drivers send their machines over all kinds of roads, regardless of ruts, and stones, and glass or junk in the roadway, and then cannot understand why the tires are all cut up about it. Worse than that, they do not seem to understand that a cut tire needs as much and as prompt attention as a cut finger—perhaps more, for nature will mend the one; the other has no such luck.

The first thing to do when one discovers a cut is to clean it out and jiffy in one of the good solutions sold, which will cement the edges together or press in the putty-like repair material. If the cut is not too large or too deep it will mend easily and give little trouble, if care is taken. If it is a large cut the vulcanizer should be visited. The cement should hold long enough for that. It will keep out water, which rots the fabric easily, and sand, which makes blisters along the tread. Only a slight patch is needed if done promptly, but if water and sand get in it is almost impossible to vulcanize in a patch, and when it is done it probably will not last.

Tires should be inspected regularly and often and attended to intelligently. This will save the automobile owner much annoyance and cut down one of the big items of maintenance.

Some drivers, too, never seem to think of favoring an auto tire at times of greatest strain. They will whirl around a corner as fast as their nerve and the traffic policeman will allow and then wonder why it is that the tread wears away so quickly. They do not seem to understand that under such circumstances there is a steady grind of tire upon pavement, and grind means wear.

Another set of drivers will run along for weeks without noticing that the steering gear is out of true. Perhaps the machine has hit something and the equalizing rod is bent just a trifle, making the front wheels far from parallel. It may not be enough to see with the eye, but it is off true and one or both of the tires grinds with every revolution. The speed with which the tread will wear away depends upon the character of the roadway. On gravel or macadam roads it is fast. The manufacturer will not replace a tire worn out that way if he can detect the cause, and experience has taught him where to look for it. One man wore a pair of front tires through to the fabric in a very short run and raised a fuss because the replacement man disclaimed responsibility after testing the wheels. The roll and slide motion combined will work havoc with the best tire and should be corrected.

A harsh clutch does the same thing in a little different way. A clutch which grips too hard will cause the wheels to slide and wear. The brake, also, should not be too positive, but be adjusted to work easily, so that the wheel will stop turning just as the momentum is spent, to prevent sliding. Both brakes should be adjusted alike, or one will grip the wheel fast and the other turn. The gripped tire will scrape along and the pavement cuts the tire like a rasp.

Another set of men forgets that oil and grease and gasoline are the natural enemies of tires. They allow the machine to stand in the garage where there are pools of oil or gas. Gasoline will dissolve gum rubber. It will disintegrate the tire, which is a combination of rubber, soapstone, and other things, so that it wears out quickly. Lubricating oil and grease hasten the decay of rubber and shorten the life of the tire. Besides there is no sense in wasting oil and gas, and if someone else allows it to spill on the pavement the wise man will keep out of the mess.

In wet seasons there is especial need for care of the tire. Rubber cuts easily when the sharp edge of the cutting agent is wet. Tire workers dip their knives in water to facilitate the work. Go out on a road where there is glass, or sharp stones dripping from a rain, and the tire is an easy mark. A wet day on a sharp gravel road will fill the tires full of small cuts.

Tubes should be kept in the shoes where possible. If folded up they are likely to harden on the creases and crack on the surface, blowing out easily. Tubes in excess of shoes carried should be rolled up carefully and be kept in a bag to prevent chafing on tools or box.

Tires cost the owner about the same as the car if he does much running. In a general sense the set of four tires used on any car bears a certain proportion to the selling price of the car. On the cheaper makes of cars the tires cost new approximately $60 per set. They increase in price in direct ratio to the price of the car. They are usually guaranteed for five thousand miles, and as the average owner makes at least ten thousand miles per year, he uses up two sets of tires. Taking three years as the average time the owner will keep the car before trading it in, would mean six sets of tires. Taking the car which uses the $60 set and we find that six sets of tires would cost $360, or pretty near the first cost of the car. Few owners give consideration to this fact.

Another way of figuring the cost of tires is that in upkeep expense tires figure for one-third of the total, gasoline and oil for another third, and wear and tear on the car the remainder. Upon this basis the owner should give one-third of the total care to the tires. But few, if any, do.

When the car is stored for the winter, or for any length of time at any other season, the car should be jacked up and the tires deflated until the pressure is less than half the normal. Where the car cannot be left jacked up the tires should be removed from the car and hung up high and dry where there will be neither extremes of heat nor cold, though heat is more injurious than cold.

It is good practice, if, on coming to the garage, it is found that one or more tires are deflated below normal and there is no time to pump them up, to lift the weight off the tire with jack or otherwise, so that the strain will be removed from the walls of the tire between the rim and the floor or ground.

Do not put tires where they will be subject to strong sunlight, which decomposes the rubber. Oil and grease left on the surface do the same thing. Clean the tires of mud and grease after every trip. Keep the small cuts healed and the big blisters will not occur.

Make friends with the vulcanizer and take his advice as to repair of your tires. That’s his business. If too far from a vulcanizer, buy a small outfit and spoil a few casings and tubes learning how to do the small jobs, and send the big ones to the shop by express.

Remember in mending tubes and casings that cleanliness is before godliness. You may be a perfect church member, but if you do not observe perfect cleanliness the mend will not stick and in the end may lose you your church membership by provoking you to violent words.

Throw away the valve insides every once in a while on general principles and put in new ones. Learn how to test the tubes by dipping them under water when inflated and looking for air bubbles. Test the valve the same way, at the same time. Bubbles may indicate why the tire will not keep pumped hard.

Rubber is porous to a slight degree and you must expect loss of air from that cause both in the tires on the wheels and that held in reserve. Make sure of the pressure by the tire gauge.