Disagreement On Fast Vehicles
Page 53
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
REFERRING to your report of Mr. A. H. Carter's paper on new vehicles for motorways (January 15), I think it is a retrograde step not to consider speeds above 45 m.p.h. for eight-wheeled vehicles.
It is interesting to note that the American Commercial Car Journal for December, 1959, does not include a single advertisement for wire-cord tyres. Firestone, Goodrich, Kelly, Lee, Goodyear, Dupont and Dayton all advertise nylon tyres, claiming mileages of more than 100,000 on long hauls. In my view, far too much stress has been placed on tyre wear at high speeds, and I believe that improved British nylon tyres can deal with the problem. I am not as sure as Mr. Carter that tyre manufacturers in this country have missed the boat.
His comments on brakes do not appear to be generally applicable. By far the majority of .heavy goods vehicles today have air-pressure brakes, and they are used by British Road Services, the biggest operators in the country. Vacuum-servo braking would not satisfy my cOnipany, and I look forward to a twin-air-line disc brake system, with a powerful transmission hand brake.
An engine output of 285 b.h.p. for a maximum-load eightwheeler designed to cruise at ,55 m.p.h. seems to me to be high. I would have thought that 200 b.h.p. would have been more than adequate.
Warrington. J. D. MUSKETT, Managing Director, John Buckley and Co. (Warrington), Ltd.
Why Tyre Prices May Be Fixed
LTHOUGH I agree with your editorial comment (The 1-1 Commercial Motor,,January 22) concerning the pricing • of tyres, I think that you have missed two important points. One is that the buyer of a new vehicle obtains his tyres at far less cost than if they were not bought as original equipment, and the other that the operator who orders his tyres in large quantities often obtains varying quotations from suppliers.
The first of these points probably underlies the alleged price-fixing which still seems to persist. It is widely known that makers do not become rich on sales of original equipment but of subsequent replacements. An operator may obtain his original tyres at what might be called less than k fair price, but his replacements at perhaps an excessive figure. On balance, however, is he being overcharged?
The .second point-shows that the apparent uniformity on pricing among manufacturers is not consistent, and that a degree of competition, obscure though it may be, does exist. The crux of the matter is, however, the volume of relatively unprofitable business which a maker takes on in supplying original equipment compared with his competitors.
London. N.W.11. G. P. T. CHURCH.
Why Is 4 Called Ml?
IN reply to Paul Knight (The Commercial Motor, January 22), is it not „possible that the London-Birmingham motorway has been designated M1 not because it is the first motor road, but because it is part of the LondonYorkshire rnotorwaY, which will ultimately duplicate thr..
Al road? '
Potters Bar.H.E.G.