Tyre Equipment for Rough Work
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By Fitting the Right Tyre for the Job, Operators Can Put an End to Premature Bursts and Heavy Tyre Bills THIS article is not intended for the operator who runs his fleet on proper lines, nor is it likely to prove of interest to the man whose vehicles are engaged on good-class work. When tyres are used under sensible, normal conditions, they seldom give trouble, and the owners who work in these happy circumstances have rarely any complaint to make regarding the service which their tyres give. They will, therefore, find little of interest in what is to follow, unless they be interested in the abuses to which some operators subject their tyres.
These articles on tyres are intended for the man who abuses, rather than uses, his tyres—the operator who deliberately overloads by 50 per cent. and more; the fleet owner who is engaged in the roughest form of transport—building work, excavations, demolitions, etc.
To such, one might ask : " Are you not thoroughly dissatisfied with the results which you are getting from your .tyres? " Of course you are. You have experienced every form of tyre trouble: You have had innumerable bursts; you have had tyres the treads ofwhich have worn down after insignificant mileages; you have had concussion breaks; you have had severe carcass And tread cuts; in fact, you have had everything which can happen to a tyre.
No Result from Changing Makes.
You get a shock, too, when you receive your tyre account; you wonder why it should be. you that has
• this persistent bad luck; but what have you done about it? Have you ever tried to effect a cure?
Certainly you have; did you not change over to Y tyres because you had decided that the fault lay in the X tyres which you had used previously? When you found that Y gave the same trouble, did you not change to Z? And, now that you have concluded that the Z is just as bad as the others, you are wondering what to try next.
Did it not occur to you, after experiencing similar troubles with different makes, that possibly you, and not the tyres, were at fault?
Do you give your tyres a square deal? You know, of course, that overloading is bad for a tyre, and yet you frequently practise it. Why? It is futile to argue that the tyre ought to stand it; it was not made to do so. It is useless to say that over
loading is necessary, if your vehicle is to show a profit.
You cannot expect .the tyres to bear the responsibility of your own mistakes. If you want to carry a load in excess of the carrying capacity of the tyre, you must change your tyre equipment to an oversize which is capable of tackling the job.
Perhaps you object to the outlay for oversize tyres, . but do you not also object to paying for covers which burst after insignificant mileages? The oversize will cost you more, but once it is fitted you will have no more need to shudder at the
arrival of your monthly tyre bill. Your trouble will be cured, not by changing from X.-to Y and then to Z. but by changing your size.
Have you ever troubled to ask yourself why another operator should .. get a far greater mileage from his tyres than you do? Have you ever considered the difference in the class of work undertaken? He is engaged, say, in local deliveries with normal loads on good roads, and his vehicles are well kept, and his drivers are careful.
A Different Aspect.
In your case, the tyres frequently have to travel over tips, unmade roads, etc. Brick-ends get stuck between twin tyres and gouge their way into the carcass at every revolution of the wheel. Apart from the damage which the tyres sustain from these rough surfaces, there is the damage done to the vehicle to be considered. The machine gets shaken-almost to pieces, and the consequent loss of adjustment of brakes, steering, springs, etc., reacts, in turn, on the tyre equipment.
A careful driver could do much to counteract these evils. He could exercise caution over rough ground; he could take a personal interest in the tyres and see that the pressures are maintained, trapped stones removed, etc.; he could correct the loss of mechanical adjustments which result from rough going.
Unfortunately, the average driver on this class of work is totally indifferent to the condition of the vehicle, the circumstances in which it is used, and to his employer's interests in general. What can you do about it?
In :the first place, you should fit the type of tyre which is made for your particular job, a point which has been discussed in previous articles. The " rough-work " tyre is the one you want. All the leading manufacturers have a tyre which is designed for rough haulage, and, being the one for the job, this tyre will acquit itself in a most creditable manner.
Having fitted the right type of tyre in a size which is adequate to deal with the load carried, the next step is to take. an active interest in the behaviour of the drivers. See that they maintain the correct air pressures:, make sure that they do not overload; choose drivers who are careful when taking their Vehicles over rough ground; teach them the possible results of a stone trapped between twill tyres.
Finally, encourage them to take a pride in their vehicles. The appear
ance of the machine has a psychological effect in this respect, for while it is smart and an object of pride, the driver will make some effort to keep it up to scratch, but so soon as it becomes shabby it ceases to interest him, and, in consequence, is allowed to go to rack and ruin. Mechanical defects, which throw added stress on the tyres, are not rectified in the early stages.
Half the tyre troubles of the present day are the result of lack of coordination. The tyre is often badly chosen for the work it has to do: this is the -fault of the owner. It is maltreated when in use, which is the joint fault of the owner and the driver.
Choose an adequate and appropriate tyre for your work—there are 'no half Measures about this; give to it the periodini attention it requires; select a careful driver who will watch your interests, and your tyre troubles will be ended.
This is not an idle statement. It is a promise. L.V.B.