And turn it. ‘Those four small contact patches where . the tires meet the road - the footprints - are the only chance your car has for a grip on the road. That grip means everything. Forget the rest. The gleaming finish, the strong suspension, the best tuned engine, and the race- designed steering system. None of it is much good if the tires fall down on their job. * Popular Mechanics Encyclopedia advises only two ingredients are necessary to ensure reliable, long-lived tires - care and air. And both are free. Of the two, neglecting air pressure is more costly. To keep tires properly inflated, however, you can't be sloppy about it. You must know the right Pressure. And you need to recognize it may be different in the front. _ than in the rear. In the case of the classic Corvair, General Motors. recommended the rears get about 60 percent more air. ‘Reason: the car had little front overhang, but the engine sat right over the rear axle - with much of its weight even behind the axle. The manufacturer’s recommendation is an important guide, then, but you might reasonably decide it isn’t the last word. Increasingly, manufac- turers themselves are suggesting you add about four, pounds to the base recommendation for heavy loads or high speed. Clearly, they don’t feel that amounts to overinflation. Nor is it overinflation if yoh harden tires for a particularly heavy load. And merely a full load of passengers and luggage sometimes amounts to “particularly heavy’. You can't be as confident, ® Road test # Remove pan ® Visual inspaction Most domestic and impor cara We fix tranamissions because we know how. Mon. - Fri. 8 to 6, Sat. Bto 1. Remember, this is a preventative maintenance service (f you already have transmission problems, ask about our other retiable services. Locally owned & and operated by your Al-Trans man. 725 W. 14th St. at Marine Drive coon _. (North Vancouver 988-7121 Locations throughout the Lower Mainiand. Clean sump & screen* @ Adjust bands & tinkage* @ Replace pan gasket & fluid however, . about. -going | . far. _mendations. So check. tires before you, get .un “-way”- or” ‘at least before beyond ‘that extra four . pounds. Greatly. overinflated tires put more weight in ‘the ‘center of the footprint. than at the sides. The: middle of the tread then wears faster. In underinflated tires, the tread at the footprint tends to cup up in the middle as the sidewalls lose stiffness. So the corollary also holds: the shoulders of un- derinflated tires carry more than their fair load - and wear faster. Tread wear isn’t the most serious result of un- derinflation. The sidewalls flex each time the wheel rotates - close to 1,000 times each mile. Firmer tires flex less. ; A heavier load calls for -more air because of this same flexing. Added weight tends to. crash sidewalls;. they need | more internal support. a You get still. another bonus from adding air: Firm tires. have tess rolling — resistance, so you get better - fuel mileage. _ ‘Traditional bias ply tires, because, as..the . footprint, 5, area effectively travels hand, male no particuler try for sidewall stiffness. As tires warm up in and flexing, pressure naturally increases. That's allowed for in cold- tire pressure running, | recom- poorly informed drivers ‘have been known to check tires after an hour or two on the turnpike and find elevated specified. pressure-disturbing. Finding, say, a reading of 29 PSI, they decide to bleed off the excess. always better? There are ‘jimits, and: the: extra wear caused i in-the center: of the tread’. isn’t the ‘only restric! ion: « eonly. the limit is 32 PSI. for this Department of. Gp 32 PSI max press.” they've been rin. a-mile at. That DOT legend is surely moderate speeds after sitting important, ‘but- watch how idle for at least three hours. you interpret it. There Instead, zealous but should be no more than the .-There’s exceed the limit. Interpret load Does this’mean more is | Extreme from $12.95 Monthly Rates 980-1515 1180 Marine Dr. You'll have to lodk closely * Says IS. wee: . “DISCOVER the DIFFERENCE! ; DEALS and SERVICE 2ND to fo NONE! 79 FORD MUSTANG Ghia, V-8, Auto 76 TRANS-AM Loaded, with Air $5990 "79 PLYMOUTH HORIZON 81 DATSUN KING CAB Hatchback, 4 Cyl., 4 Spd. 4x4, 6Spd., Rally Gar, AM/FM Radio AM/FM Radio $4990. $9780 Bonus: BCAA with all used! ALL LEASE RATES OVER 36 MOS. WITH BUY OUT OPTION, OAC. MOL 6127 Shug IRE Grant hovies. Zi ~~“ northshore datsun itd. 985-9311 1160 MARINE DRIVE, NORTH VANCOUVER, BC.. occupants, many cars today . carry’ about 55 percent of their weight on the front wheels. In’ our hypothetical | case, each front tire now — carries 1,650 pounds as the car stands empty in the garage. Fronts are already overloaded. _ Phrasing will be something like: “Max load 1620 Ibs at load specified on any tire - and then only when it’s inflated to the pressure promisé that it’s safe if you Anyway, few drivers will keep tires at 32, never more This misunderstanding nor less. So tires should be costs tire mileage. Check chosen With them when cold. If a overcapacity. com -air source is some way off, keep the Carefully. needed increase in mind, take another reading at the service station, then add the needed air - even if resulting pressure seems high. generous limits Many a driver decides foolishly that if one tire can carry 1,620 pounds, four can easily handle his 6,000 Ib. car. But then he adds 1,000 Ibs, of occupants. And that isn’t the only way to go wrong. Even without Car Rentals Oldies but ‘Goodies RITCHIE ‘TI SERVICE CENTRE i [ FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY oo ‘ : va BT ~ Wednesday, Jane.10, 198] - North Shore News. Norm e Tune-Ups e Brakes ¢ Carburetion e Exhaust ~*~ system ° General | maintenance Letmebe _ your personal mechanic 830 W. 1st St. Just southeast of Woolco 988-5010 Marine D: RITCHIE SERVICE CENTRE FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY ~ Complete mechanical | and auto body repairs _Service Manager TOM WILSON fantastic savings! Save *70 sz:s, on our summer service package ‘No appointment necessary courtesy cars available reg. price *155 now *84°5 parts & fluids extra Lube, oil change & filter check exhaust system undercarriage check belts and hoses, fluid levets Check front & rear brakes satety check of wipera & defroster, headlights and general roadability Full ignition tune-up inctudes scope test, ignition, replace plugs, etc Service emission system, test charging system. Front-end alignment ” adjust steering box, centre steering wheel, check suspension Complete wash & clean-up clean-up inside & out Lubricate all doors and hinges, road test 1625 Welch St. N. Van. 987-7111