More Tyres Go

21st September 1962, Page 244

21st September 1962

Page 244

Page 245

Page 244, 21st September 1962 — More Tyres Go

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UNDOUBTEDLY the most noteworthy feature of the stands of the tyre manufacturers at the Commercial Motor Show this year is the number now offering tyres employing

steel construction. Of the 13 exhibitors in this section of the Show, nine are featuring tyres of this type.

Michelin must look upon the position which has developed with mixed feelings. On the one hand, there is so much more competition in the market for a tyre which has become increasingly popular in the last year or so, whilst on the other hand there are the royalties from licence agreements which they have with a number of concerns. In any event, the current position must do wonderful things for the egos of Michelin employees, particularly their salesmen, knowing that the tyre which . their company developed initially, is _receiving so much attention from other manufacturers.

In the circumstances, it is only fair to start off this review of tyres seen at. the Show with the display. of the Michelin Tyre Co., Whose -standnumber is 188-P. Two new tyres are featured—the D.20 type " X " B (10.00-20 " X "B) and the 9.00-20 "X " L. The " X " B is an extension of the Y range of Michelin " X " tyres. This means that it is intended for vehicles 'operating on and off the road. The D.20 type " X " B (10.00-20 " X " B) has a carrying capacity of 51 cwt. at 105 p.s.i. and when on the road, can safely be used at speeds of up to 60 m.p.h. At present, supplies of this size are limited, but they will be more readily available at the beginning of next year. The 9.00-20 " X " L is a recent introduction by Michelin and was described in The Commercial Motor of August 31, 1962. A ' full range of Other Michelin steel-cord types are featured on the stand.

Three new tyres are shown by the Avon India Rubber Co., Ltd. (Stand 187-1). These are the Lug Grip, designed for off: the-road operation, the Armadillo, Avon's new industrial truck tyre, and the Radial tyre. The Radial has steel casing cords and steel stabilizing cords under the tread. The tread pattern is designed specifically for road work.

The Bergougnan Tyre Co., Ltd., 95-100 White Lion Street, London, N.1 (Stand 19I-P), also introduce a new range of tyres with steel-cord construction, The H.T.S. (Heavy Transport Service) and R.Q.E. (Roads Quarries and Excavations) are the names given to the two types of c34 tyre included in the range. The H.T.S. is designed to withstand heavy loads and long runs at higher speeds, whilst the R.Q.E. combines the characteristics of the H.T.S. with improved traction under off-the-road conditions.

Although not new, the RB 6 steel-cord tyre is the main feature of the stand of the Dunlop Rubber Co, Ltd., Birmingham, 24. (Stand 190-P.) The Firestone Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd., Brentford, Middlesex (Stand 183-1), are including the W.2 tyre in the representative range of goods and passenger tyres they are displaying. The W.2 is a full steel-cord tyre having single-ply radial cords and a triple band of stabiliz ing plies under the tread. • • • Comprehensive Range No entirely new tyres are being exhibited by the Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co. (Great Britain), Ltd., Wolverhampton (Stand 184-P), but there are examples of a comprehensive range of nylon-, steeland rayon-cord constructed tyres, including the Unisteel Hi-Miler and the Unisteel Type " G." These have steel easing cords and steel stabilizing plies under the tread, the type " G " being specially developed for off-the-road work.

Henley's Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd., Randolph Avenue, Maida Vale, London, W.9 (Stand 185-P), are featuring at the Show for the first time the latest addition to their range—the Maxi Trek. A special damage-resisting con-n:611nd is used in this tyre which has a good depth of tread to make it suitable for operation in arduous conditions.

Two new India tyres are making their debut at this year's Show, on the stand of India Tyres, Ltd., Inchinnan, Renfrew (Stand 182-P). These are the India Super G.24 and the India Super Light Truck Tyre. The G.24 is again a steelply construction tyre both in the casing and the plies under the tread. The Super Light Truck tyre is intended for light vans and trucks and has internally reinforced sidewalls (with rayon) and incorporates heavy kerbing ribs to prevent damage caused by kerb scuffing. Steel-cord tyres are also being made the focal point of the display of tht North British Rubber Co., Ltd., Casth Mills, Edinburgh (Stand 192-P). Cut away sections of both the U.S. Roya Fleetway and Super Fleetmaster tyre are being shown. These tyres have stec under-tread stabilizing plies but thei main carcass is of textile construction.

Pirelli. Ltd., 343-345 Easton Road London. N.W.1 (Stand I94-P), are show ing the new premium version of th; Pirelli Carriload range, the Carriloat P.377 P.S. This tyre has a Tyrex-con carcass and an improved tread patten plus a double thickness of under tread When fitted to p.s.v.s, the Carriload P. can be used for sustained speeds up to 4: m.p.111 and for short runs of less than 2i miles it can be used at up to 60 m.p.h Pirelli are also featuring the Cintur; Giant which is another tyre with a textit casing and steel under-tread Stabilizin: plies.

Exhibitors in the tyre section who ar showing no new designs or steel-con tyres are Fisk Tyres, Ltd., Derwent Streel Belper, Derbyshire (Stand 189-P), Joh' Bull Rubber Co., Ltd., Evington Valle Mills, Leicester (Stand 195-P). and Kell Springfield Tyre Co., Ltd., 1-3 Redhil Street, London, N.W.I (Stand 186-P, Both Fisk and Kelly Springfield an however, showing examples of their tyre suitable for the dual purpose of onan ,ff-the-road operation. Fisk are showing he Bar Traction which has a selfleaning cross rib pattern for maximum raction off-the-road, whilst a central rib [lakes the tyre suitable also for use on lormal roads. Kelly Springfield are howing the Dual Trac which has a °bust tread to give grip on wet and loose urfaces and is designed for cool running vhen used on main roads.

Dual-purpose or special off-the-road yres and, in some cases, both types are eatured by most of the exhibitors in the yre section. Avon are featuring the Lug _lrip tyre which is intended primarily for °ugh operating conditions and their lual-purpose design is the Traction Milege in its 16-in. range. This design is Pio made in a 20-in, size in which case t is primarily for building and construeon work and quarrying operation. As tated previously, the Bergougnan I.Q.E. steel-cord tyre has a tread pattern vhich makes it suitable for arduous coalitions whilst the Dunlop tyre to be flown suitable for this type of operation ; the Power Grip Major. . The dualpurpose Dunlop tyre is the RK 9 which tas a three-ribbed pattern with wide ribs, vhich offer good resistance to wear and :ive long mileage. The shoulder formaion is designed. to give a reasonable noasure of traction over soft ground.

Firestone's All Traction Truck design is also designed" to give high mileage when used on the road and has a shoulder pattern which will give maximum traction off-the-road. Another Firestone dual-purpose tyre is the Super Mileage Lug but this is intended primarily for vehicles where most of the service is off-the-road. The India Super 0.26 is another tyre which is designed to give adequate traction in quarries and on unmade surfaces, as well as being an ideal tyre for long haulage work. This tyre is available with a nylon casing in which case it is called the Super Nytrak.

In addition to the Unisteel type "0 which which was previously referred to and which is suitable for onand off-the-road Work, Goodyear are also featuring the Super Road Lug.

Extra Heavy Casing Specifically designed for rock, logging and mining work is the Henley R.L.M; which has an extra heavy casing with 10type contoured bars. For Onand offthe-road work, the Henley offering is the Trek Track which has triple-centre ribs for mileage and angled buttresses for grip. The Pirelli Dual Purpose is, as its name implies, also intended for onand offthe-road use, whilst the Pirelli tyre intended for use mainly in rough conditions is the Atlantic P.410.

• Michelin make the " X " L tyre specifically. for vehicles operating off-the-road and their " X" Y and Metallic Y types are suitable for use on this kind of work as well as for use on main roads.

Obviously, a wide variety of tyres designed for general haulage, p.s.v, work and light delivery vehicles are also th be seen at Earls Court. Most maker S offer various types, differences being in tread pattern, depth of tread and such like. Avon have thc Highroad which has been developed primarily for long-distance haulage and general goods vehicle work, whilst the Highway Monarch is said to be suitable for general haulage as well as for p.s.v.s. The Avon Express Delivery tyre has been designed to cope with the heavy punishment of stop-and-start delivery work on light commercial or electric vehicles. Dunlop have a number ; of tyres suitable for all types of haulage including the RK 8 and the Highway Major, whilst the Elektra is intended for battery electric vehicles and the Truck

Type is a smaller tyre intended for light trucks and vans; it has a kerbing rib reinforcement built into the sidewall.

The Transport Heavy' Duly, the Cross Bar (for driving wheels) and Super Transport tyres from Firestone come into the same category and also to be 'exhibited by this concern is the Tubeless TruckBus tyre fitted to a one-piece drop centre rim also made by Firestone. Roadway and Powerdrive tyres will be included in a selection of giant tyres to be displayed by the John Bull Rubber Co., whilst India tyres intended for general service include the Saner 0.25, which has a broad, deep kerbing rib on both sidewalls to give protection against kerbing and is available with a nylon casing (the India Super Nylode), the Super G.17 and G.I7 P.T.

The Transportation tyre being shown by Fisk is designed for use on general haulage and incorporates Tyrex cord in its casing construction. Fisk are also featuring the Light Truck tyre designed for use on light delivery vehicles.

Goodyear are another company showing a large number of examples of their production. All except the Unisteel steelcord tyres are using the well-publicized 3-T carcass construction. These include the 3-T Nylon Cross Rib, the Hi-Miler Extra Tread Type "S" and the Traction Hi-Miler. Also being shown on the Goodyear stand are the company's range of van tyres, these are made in the Traction Hi-Miler design for general road duty; the Road Lug design for onand off-the-road mirk; and the Ultra-Grip Winter-tyre design. Also being shown is the tyre introduced early this year for Land-Rover-type vehicles—the Hi-Miler Xtra Grip.

For General Purposes Henley's tyre for general transport is the Maxi Miler whilst the Kelly Springfield Super Armor Trac (not a steel-cord tyre), which is available with a nylon case, is also a general purpose type tyre.

Tyrex cord is used for carcass construction of the Pirelli Carriload P.377 which is designed for general operation. Another version of this same tyre has the unwieldy name of Low Loader With Kerbing Rib P.377. As indicated, this tyre is the same as the standard P.377 and has an added kerbing rib on the sidewall. Another tyre by Pirelli, with the name indicating the type of operation for which it is designed, is the Light Truck P.377.

Also warranting inclusion in this report is the display of Tyresoles, Ltd. (Stand 157-PW) who are 'featuring equipment used to produce their Tyresoles, Wyresoles and Dual Purpose retreads. Of special interest is their new method of retreading steel-cord tyres.