JUNE 10, 1955
rtre$fott^ mim\
PAGE FIVE
me Tubeless Tires For Passenger Cars
\
NEW TREAD—Magnified section of the tread
of Firestone’s De Luxe Champion tubeless tire for
1955 model automobiles shows some of the thou
sands of sharp non-skid edges that give the tire
increased traction on snow, ice and wet pavements.
3. Extra strength of rayon and nylon cord
bodies means they can be recapped more
times for more mileage with less cost.
They Ride More Comfort'ably
1. Less vertical reaction or bounce without
inner tube.
2. Less unsprung weight as car moves be
cause tire is lighter.
3. Less heat buildup. Tire stays cooler and
less pressure buildup at higher speeds.
types of firestone
TUBELESS TIRES
The above advantages are common to all
three types of Firestone tubeless tires. But
the De Luxe Champion, the “500” and the
Supreme have individual advantages of their
own. Here they are:
De Luxe Champion
1. Specifically engineered to provide extra
safety and comfort for motorists driving
modern autos with power steering, power
brakes and high-horsepower engines.
2. Newly designed tread gives glide-like ride
over rough and irregular roads.
3. Tire squeal virtually eliminated at any
speed.
4. Great increase in traction provided by
ingeniously arranged skid resistors of new
tread design is outstanding safety feature.
Seventy per cent more skid resistors.
Diagonal direction not only improves for
ward traction but also guards against side
skidding.
Road noise of tire such as roar or whine
eliminated by varying distance between
tread design elements and highly perfect
ed noise treatment.
More streamlined and flatter tread than
earlier models improves riding qualities.
Because tread conforms better to road
surface, small obstructions in road are
enveloped in tread rubber and bumps are
hardly felt.
25 to 30 per cent more strength than com
parable tires previously used as standard
equipment on automobiles because of
tubeless construction, use of newly de
veloped tread rubber compounds and new
I'ayon tire cord fabrics.
Firestone ''500"
Uses highest tensile-strength nylon yet
developed and race tire construction prin
ciples.
REPAIRING TUBELESS TIRES—To repair
small nail holes in tubeless tires, the gun method is
recommended by engineers of the Company. Using
this method, motorists themselves can repair small
nail holes in tubeless tires. Larger injuries can be
serviced at Firestone outlets in any locality.
2. Stronger and lighter in weight than any
other tire made before its introduction.
Runs cooler, wears longer, provides great
er safety margin under high-speed and
hot-weather driving conditions.
3. Protection from possibility of impact
breaks on rough rural area dirt and gravel
roads because of great strength of new
nylon.
4. Tire body 90 per cent stronger than regu
lar cord body because of heat tempering
of the nylon.
5. First tire specifically designed to assure
longer wear, greater safety under super
highway driving conditions. Combines
safety features of tubeless construction
and nylon strength.
6. Same tread design as De Luxe Champion.
Same advantages there.
Firestone Supreme
1. Now constructed with all-nylon cord, is
blowout-safe, puncture-proof and tubeless.
Provides exceptionally long mileage and
non-skid traction in addition to safety pro
tection. Secret of blowout safety construc
tion is an inner diaphragm, constructed
so in event tire wall blows out, diaphragm
automatically retains great bulk of air—
enough to support car and make it easily
controllable at any speed.
Made of two plies of rubberized nylon
fabric, diaphragm resembles an inner tube
with the top cut off. Small valve closes in
stantly and retains air inside diaphragm
when pressure on outside is suddenly lost,
as in the case of a blowout. During infla
tion of tire, and under normal driving
conditions, the valve is open to maintain
equal pressure through all parts of tire,
2. A sealant in the form of gummy material
that provides puncture-proof feature, is
provided inside crown of tire. When nail
penetrates tire tread, this soft sealing
material clings to the nail and prevents air
leakage. Inner diaphragm is pushed aside
without damage.
SERVICE
The motorist who buys Firestone tube
less tires can be confident that they will be
efficiently and economically serviced in any
locality. Mounting and servicing of tubeless
tires are much the same as with conventional
assemblies. Employees of Firestone Dealers
and Stores have been trained carefully in the
recommended methods of repairing injuries
to tubeless tires, and from these Firestone
retail outlets, the motorist can obtain a
simple tubeless tire repair kit that allows
him to repair small punctures himself.
TORTURE TESTS—Irish Horan and his Hell Drivers put
Firestone tires through brutal torture tests on a very abrasive
abandoned airstrip at Palatka, Florida, and at Akron Airport in the
spring of 1954. They roared over hurdles, to land with a multi-ton
jolt on their tubeless tires. They set the brakes and spun the steering
wheels of their cars going 65 miles an hour, in an effort to rip the
tubeless tires from the rims. They skidded, braked and spun. Purpose
ly underinflated for the ordeal, the tires screamed but stayed on the
rims.
“500” SAFETY LINER—Puncture protection is assured in the
new Firestone all-nylon “500” tubeless tire. Although nails may
penetrate the tread, the inner liner, which is an integral part of this
tire, seals against air loss, as shown in the above cross section. The
special bead construction of the Firestone “500” prevents air loss
under the most extreme operating and emergency conditions. 'I'he
Firestone De Luxe Champion tubeless tire has the same inner liner.
NORMAL INFLATION—This cross section shows the world’s
first blowout-safe, puncture-proof, tubeless tire. Under normal condi
tions and during inflation the valve remains open to maintain equal
pressure through all parts of the Supreme tire.
SUPPORT AFTER BLOWOUT—This view of the Firestone
Supreme shows how it supports the car after a blowout to make the
car easily controllable at all speeds. The small valve automatically
closes and retains air in the inner diaphragm in event of a blowout.