Motor Road Transport For Commercial Purposes
(Liquid Fuel, Steam, Electricity)

FUEL, SPARE PARTS, ETC. 153 in the annual tyre bili apply both to pneumatic and solid tyres. The high price of tyres, the condition of the roads, and the vanishing system of tyre maintenance con- tracts and guarantees, make it imperative for the van owner to keep a strict watch over this item in the running costs. One of the greatest sources of tyre extravagance is lack of care as regards inspection. This should be done on shed-day without fail. The whole operation is simple in the extreme, and takes but very little time. The wheels should be jacked up, and all cuts in the tyres should be freed from grit or stones. With the pneumatic cover this is of special importance. Small stones if left embedded in the cuts, will work their way in, and in the case of a pneumatic will eventually cut the fabric and cause a burst tube and cover, and once the canvas has been cut the previous reliability cannot be expected. In the case of the solid tyre, stones will very often enter so deeply that the tread is split, and finally strips of rubber come away. Inspection is more than ever necessary in very dry weather, or if the van has been running where top road surface is loose or scratched up. A great deal as regards tyre wear depends on the driver of the vehicle, and on the state of the mechanism. A fierce clutch, fierce brakes, or the careless operation of these will prove very destructive to the life of the tyres. If the van is out of commission for any time— even if only for a few days—it is advisable to take the weight off the tyres by jacking up and blocking the chassis. All tyres should be kept free from oil, and spares must be kept in a moderate temperature, and in the dark.