THAT RED SPOT.

Shannon News, 11 May 1928, Page 4

THAT RED SPOT.

BALANCING TYRES

On one side of practically every balloon or semi balloon tyre now used is a small red spot. Few understand the purpose it serves, but every motor-car owner should know it. It looks as though a careless painter had dropped a dab of red paint, but there js nothing careless, about it. It is a •piece of red rubber vulcanised imp the side of the casing, and it is one iof the important Dungs on a car for jan owner to watch, Many pounds wwe spent in research before it was placed there. Motor-car companies found that with balloon or semi-balloon tyres, wheels had to be balanced to avoid shimmying. Packard puts adjusting lugs on the rims of all its wheels, so that each wheel cap be as carefully balanced as that of a-racing car. The : extra weight of the valve stem of the ; tyre, it was . discovered by the tyre companies, was enough to 'throw the tyres so far out of balance as to cause the shimmy effect. As tyres • are produced this weight is compensated for by added wbight at one point in the casing and the red dot or : square shows the lightest side, where the valve should be placed to bring the tyre in balance.

Every time a tyro is changed the car owner should see that the valve stem is placed opposite the red spot, or not more than two inches away from it.