The Mail-Journal, Volume 7, Number 37, Milford, Kosciusko County, 14 October 1970 — Page 20

Approach of Bad Weather Calls for Tire Check

Condition of Treads, Maintenance Os Air Pressure Called Vitally Important Everywhere With winter approaching motorists should check their tires and make sure their cars are prepared for the season’s snow and icy conditions. Snow tires on the rear wheels with plenty of tread or added studs give the best assurance of safety and improved car performance in cold regions of the country. For motorists in warmer climates, new tires with good tread should be sufficient. Maintaining air pressure as recommended in the owner s manual remains vitally important everywhere. Also, it is important to remember that balding tires of any type increase the chances of skidding and cause a lack of steering and braking effectiveness. In the Interest of Safety Ross R. Ormsby, Chairman of the Tire Industry Safety Council, advises that a 2 32 inch or less tread depth in a tire is a sound guideline — in the interest of safety —for removing the tire from use. New tires will aid motorists in winter weather because of

their sufficient tread depth. However, for best results motorists should consider getting snow or “studded” tires. Tires equipped with studs give the best assurance of traction on ice and hardpacked snow. What Test# Show National Safety Council test results indicate that when glare ice conditions are present at 25 degrees F. snowtires provide 28 percent better starting traction than regular tires. Studded tires that have had 2,500 miles of bare pavement use demonstrated a 183 percent improvement in starting traction while new studded tires

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showed 218 percent improvement. Tire Industry testing also indicated that cars equipped with studded tires on all four wheels show braking distance improvements by 50 percent or more. The Council warns that studs should only be installed in tires whose tread surface is “pinned” for studding. The studs should be installed only by a qualified tire dealer or at a service station. The U.S. Department of Transportation recommends a tire have no more than 150 studs. Many foreign tires have up to 200 stud holes,

but over-studding a tire can adversely influence its potential purpose for normal highway use. When Install Studs Studs should be installed only when the tires are new. Older tires acquire dirt and foreign matter in the tread and stud holes, causing new’ studs to be improperly seated. Also as tires wear, the depth of the stud hole becomes less and newly added studs would have too great a profusion. No stud should extend more than 2/32 of an inch from the tread. For these reasons missing studs should not be replaced and tires should not be restudded after the original studs wear out. It is equally important that studded tires are put on the same wheel each winter. When removed, they should be marked for wheel position and direction of rotation. If placed on a different wheel position the following winter the studs will develop abnormal wear patterns which can lessen the tire’s ability to retain the stud in its tread surface. Replacement studded tires on rear w-heels should also be of the same size and construction as the convention-

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al tire found on the front. Should all four wheels have studded tires they should all be of the same size and construction. Check Inflation Many states and provinces restrict the months in which studded tires may be used — generally they designated a specific date in October or November and run through the winter months until April or May. He also cautioned against underinflation. Reducing the amount of pressure in a tire does not give it better traction as many motorists suspect, but actually gives less traction. Motorists were urged to maintain the air pressure recommended by the owner's manual and to observe the maximum air pressure and load limits noted on the tire’s sidewall. The Council cautions that these are maximum figures on the sidewall — not recommended pressure or load ratings. Tire manufacturers recommend that inflation be checked at least once a month. However, for every temperature change of 10 degrees F. a tire will increase or decrease its air pressure by one pound.

IF BRAKES FAIL Should you step on the brake and the pedal sinks to the floor, try pumping to build up pressure. If there is no pressure, coast in gear and use the hand brake. For quicker stops, shift into a lower forward gear. If all of these precautions fail, look for something to sideswipe such as a guard rail, snow bank or parked car. HOW TO COPE WITH FIRE Most engine compartment fires are caused by short circuits in the electrical system. Should you experience such a fire, immediately pull the jack handle out of the trunk, wrap protective cloth around it and rip loose any burning wires. Then, if you have a fire extinguisher, douse the burning area. If you don’t have a fire extinguisher, smother the burning wires with a coat or similar heavy article of clothing. NEVER USE WATER OR ATTEMPT TO GRAB THE WIRES WITH YOUR HANDS. If the fire is beyond control, hurry as far away from the car as you can in case the gas tank explodes.