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cou earI 70 TYRES rt

EARLS COURT this year reveals the continued spread of radial-ply tyres for commercial vehicle applications, though there are one or two cross-ply models among the exhibits not previously seen at the Commercial Motor Show.

An interesting feature is that, while some of the newest radials have the steelcord casing construction which one has come to associate with the cool-running, long-lived covers in this category, two of the new radials have nylon carcase construction, for which an 8 per cent weight saving is claimed.

As always, the grouping of the tyre stands at Earls Court makes it possible for interested visitors readily to compare the great range of models available for all truck, van and passenger vehicle applications.

189 AVON

Avon Rubber Co Ltd., Bath Road, Melksham, Wilts.

ROUTEMASTER cross-ply truck and bus tyres and two varieties of radial, one of them the Traction Radial for high-speed applications where good grip is also important, are among the exhibits here. On/off-road tyres by Avon include the Highway Monarch with heavy shoulders and very deep tread, the Traction Mileage and the Traction Supreme with grip characteristics especially suitable for driving wheels.

The Armadiilo low-loader tyre is another Avon model on display.

191 BERGOUGNAN

Bergougnan Tyre Co Ltd, 95-100 White Lion Street, Islington, London NI.

TWO ranges of tyres based on steel cord casings. the HTS and ROE, and two with textile construction, the RT and the MP, are featured by this company.

The HIS (heavy transport service) is designed for all types of road transport, but aimed particularly at long-distance haulage, where its resistance to heat build-up is an important attribute. The RQE (roads, quarries, excavations) is an on/off road casing with a tread designed to give soft-ground grip.

A high-performance heavy service tyre, the RT (road transport) has a broad flat tread contour for cool running: the MP multi-purpose tyre has deep-cut cross-lugs for traction in the rough, but is also built to run on the road. The RT is available in 8-ply and 10-ply in sizes suitable for low-loaders.

192 DUNLOP

Dunlop Co Ltd, Fort Dunlop, Erdington, Birmingham 24 MAKING its first appearance at Earls Court is Dunlop's SP111 steel radial tyre, introduced in 1969, which is displayed in tubeless and tubed versions. New moulding and building tech niques are said to give it up to 10 per cent extra life and unusually good wet-road performance.

Dunlop is showing tyres for all sizes of commercials and all operating conditions, among them the Highway 70 cross-ply, which is made in normal and wide-single versions. For on/off-road operations the GK82 Super Roadtrak and a radial-ply version, the G8K86, are offered.

Tyres for light commercials are represented by the Highway Light Truck and GT2 van tyre.

194 FIRESTONE

Firestone Tyre & Rubber Co Ltd, Great West Road, Brentford, Middx.

SEVEN types of Firestone commercial vehicle tyre are exhibited, the newcomer among them being the Transport 300, which is a 70 mph cover designed with operational cost-cutting in mind It has a wide, flat, five-rib tread and its features include a rubber compound which contains a superior treadcrack inhibitor. As well as being cool-running and durable, its manufacturer claims higher than average remould potential for the 300.

Particularly good non-skid properties are claimed for the Transport 200, while the low rolling resistance and cool running are main features of the Steelcord H radial designed for highway use, Its twin, the Steelcord T radial has a tread pattern giving added traction for off-highway use. The Tubeless Transport cover, used with the Firestone one-piece wheel, offers weight saving, low running costs and quicker servicing in the event of a puncture.

Completing the range are the All Traction Heavy Duty for such as tipper work in mixed, rough conditions, and the Duplex on/offhighway wide single.

190 GOODYEAR

Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Co (Great B ritain) Ltd, Bushbury, Wolverhampton.

FAT tyres (the Super Singles) and radials are highlighted this year by Goodyear. The weightsaving of the Super Single is stressed— replacing twins can save over 2cwt per axle.

The radial emphasis is on the recently introduced G.800, whose nylon casing construction is said to be about 8 per cent lighter than radial steel. This tyre is designed especially for heavy long-distance haulage at high cruising speeds, where cool running and low wear are important. Also on show are tubeless radial steel tyres of 22.5 diameter.

185 HENLEY'S

Henley's Tyre and Rubber Co Ltd, Bath Road, Melksham, Wilts.

THIS marks the first appearance at Earls Court of the Trek Track, a general-purpose cover with very deep tread of special non-directional type for on/off-road work. Another relatively new tyre, light but with kerb protection built in, is the Maxi Van for local delivery work in particular. The Super 70 for trucks and buses is a cool-runner with two different compounds in the construction. The Low Loader 27 x 6 has double-thickness sidewalls, as a display demonstrates on Stand 185.

184 INDIA

India Tyres Ltd, clo UK Tyre Group, Fort Dunlop, Erdington, Birmingham 24.

A "SECOND GENERATION" steel-cord radial tyre making its first appearance at Earls Court, the Super ITR115 has a new, flatter tread profile for even wear, and a deepertread pattern designed for exceptional wet-road grip.

The complete India range is on show, including the Super G91 steel-cord radial for tough site conditions, the Super G89 cross-ply for long-life highway running and the Super G26 for on/off-road use. For light vehicle operators the GC3 and the Autovan are offered.

188 KELLY-SPRINGFIELD

Kelly-Springfield Tyre Co Ltd, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, Middx.

THE new tyre here is the KR1 10, a radial with fabric construction which is about 8 per cent lighter than a similar design in steel-cord. The company also claims that its flat tread provides very high wet-road skid resistance.

For general-purpose haulage, the company is showing the RTS normal-pattern tyre and the KR 100 steel-cord radial. The FITS Light Truck model resembles the standard road tyre but has kerbing strips on the sidewalls. The S and G is an on/off-road cross-ply tyre which is claimed to be a cool runner with a thick, hard-wearing shoulder.

Designed for rear-axle fitment, the Tractor Rib is a nylon-carcase model.

186 MICHELIN

Michelin Tyre Co Ltd, 160 Brompton Road, London SW3.

MICHELIN'S display is backed by the impressive claim that well over a quarter of the goods-carrying vehicles in the UK are shod with its radials. A full range of the company's radial steel-cord equipment is exhibited, together with the tubeless tyre and onepiece wheel assembly which reduces unladen weight.

The 'X' and tubeless 'X' radials, with their reputation for cool running and long life, are exhibited together with the XZZ with its zigzag tread pattern, for long-distance goods and passenger vehicles; the X2 for on/off-road work where ruggedness is essential; and the XB for the heavier vehicle operating in quarries and on sites. Other special tyres are the XL on/off-road with self-cleaning tread pattern. the XS with high floatation for soft work and the reinforced ZX for light vans. For the demands of delivery work, the XC is offered.

187 PIRELLI

Pirelli Ltd, 343-345 Euston Road, London NWT.

AN on/off-road radial giant makes its debut at Earls Court. It is Pirelli's Cinturato P589, developed for use on all kinds of surfaces, hard or rough, where extra traction is important. It is a textile-construction type with three thick circumferential ribs to protect the sidewalls. Sizes at present available are 9.00 R20 14-ply and 10.00 R20 16-ply. Also on show are the Cinturato P555 radial with textile carcase but a reinforcement of metal plies beneath the tread: a light-truck version of the P555: the Cross Grip Nylon P522 with a nylon casing designed to give exceptionally high resistance to bursts and fractures on long-haul work: and the Carriload Giant P377 cross-ply which is intended for the carriage of heavy loads at sustained high average speeds.

193 UNIROYAL

Uniroyal Ltd,

62-64 Horseferry Road, London SW1,

A BRAND new all-purpose radial with steelreinforced tread belt, the Max TS3 makes its debut on the Uniroyal stand. It is an on/offroad tyre, complementary to the longerestablished Max radial designed for generalpurpose truck or bus applications.

Another multi-purpose giant, claimed to offer especially cool running, is the Fleetcarrier, which is also available in a version with a steel-mesh barrier embedded in the tread rubber. The same feature is found in the Super Fleetrnaster Rib which is an on/off-highway tyre with high traction. Without the steel, its counterpart is the Fleetmaster Super Lug with high-life flat tread and good skid resistance.