DDTJRAC Posted September 4 Share Posted September 4 Look at the front tires on this truck. Looks solid to me. eBay photo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-mman Posted September 4 Share Posted September 4 Yes. Horse drawn wagons don’t use pneumatic tires and do very well. Bicycles proved the value of air filled tires in providing a comfortable ride and the earliest cars oftentimes used bicycle wheels and tires. BUT, pneumatic tires go flat and when they do, you are parked. Also creating an air filled tire that could support a heavy load took some time. A truck carries a heavy load and doesn’t want the down time from flat tires so early trucks used (hard riding, uncomfortable) solid rubber tires. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted September 4 Share Posted September 4 Early trucks had solid rubber tires. Later as pneumatic tire technology improved, tires that could support the load weight of trucks became available and the changeover to pneumatic was adopted. Along the way many states charged higher licensing fees for trucks equipped with solid rubber tires as they were causing more damage to the roadway than pneumatic tires. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustycrusty Posted September 4 Share Posted September 4 https://forums.aaca.org/topic/322135-solid-rubber-tired-trucks/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
57Classic Posted September 4 Share Posted September 4 Jay Leno had a video on his 1916 Autocar coal transporter. That had solid rubber tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Byrd Posted September 4 Share Posted September 4 There were also versions of these ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustycrusty Posted September 4 Share Posted September 4 And then there was the Avery truck, with its unique wooden plugs (like bottle corks) that could be replaced individually as needed. https://iowa80truckingmuseum.com/exhibits-list/avery-tractor-gasoline-farm-wagon-rutenber-4-cylinder/1/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Studemax Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 I seem to remember that early Mack trucks had solid rubber tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne sheldon Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 Most heavy trucks had solid tires before about 1925. Solid tires were even sold for cars for individuals that were sick of fixing flats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 8 hours ago, wayne sheldon said: Solid tires were even sold for cars for individuals that were sick of fixing flats. I had an old golf kart to get around one property that I used to live on. The place was unkept and had black berry briers all over the place and I was at minimum airing every day and plugging every other day. I found a place that filled the tires with solid rubber, and problem solved. I don't recall now where I had that done, and I doubt the old thing is still running. But when I moved the place next door bought it as they had the same problems and thought I was genius. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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