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NAANY ex-Service vehicles being used infor civilian purposes are running on 10.50 by 16 tyres. The permissible loading figure for these tyres is 1 ton 16 cwt. per wheel at 60 lb. per sq. in. pressure, and 2 tons at 70 lb. per sq. in. It would obviously be undesirable to fit tyres of smaller section to a goods vehicle requ:ring such a loading, but for ambulances, for instance, a change of tyre equipment has important advantages, apart from economy. At the Windmill Road, Brentford, depot, of the Middlesex Fire and Ambulance Service, a representative of "The Commercial Motor" was shown an Austin ex-Service ambulance equipped with 9.25 by 16 tyres, which had been fitted to the original wheels designed for 10.50 by 16 tyres.
Mr. A. Wooder, L.I.Fire E., chief officer of the Middlesex County Fire and Ambulance Service, and •Mr. •T.
Field Rayne r, A.M.1.Mech.E.. A.M.I.M.I., manager of the workshops, were responsible for this conversion. Mr. Rayner explained that it had been made possible merely by machining the wheel rims to conform to the correct contour of a 9.25 by 16 rim.
The amount of metal in the original rims is so generous that even after machining, there appears to be more metal remaining than in a standard 9.25 by 16 rim.
The smaller-section tyres have a maximum loading of 1 ton per tyre, running on 40 lb. per sq. in. pressure. so that riding comfort has been much improved. The rear springs have also been softened by removing the fourth and s'xth leaves, and a leaf from the overload springs.
As the cost of machining is about 12 per rim, and the difference in tyre cost about £12, the estimated overall saving per vehicle is 150, or £1,000 on the fleet.