The fact that about fifty or sixty years ago, drivers poured fuel over the rubber before leaving, and then set it on fire is a fact. Confirmation of this can be found on the Internet in the form of excerpts from documentary newsreels. At the same time, not those tires that were intended for disposal were set on fire, but the workers who stood on the trucks. We are not talking about vandalism in this case. There was a reason for such actions, and a very good one at that.
1. It's all about the deficit
In the USSR, there was a serious problem - the shortage of various goods, including priority, important for humans. A similar situation in the country has developed for several reasons: the disadvantages of a planned economy, as well as the lack of technological capabilities necessary for the manufacture of a number of products. This category of products also included winter tires for automotive vehicles.
Soviet car owners used either summer or all-season tires throughout the year. The fact is that winter tires as such did not exist in the country until the seventies and eighties of the last century. Despite this, the lack of these products was not a serious problem. Most of the cars stood quietly in garages and waited for warming.
Special equipment and trucks, of course, worked year-round, but drivers could easily get by with the all-season option, moving at low speeds. In addition, the best examples of domestic industry, and in some cases rubber made in Scandinavia, as the climate conditions there close to ours.
In the Soviet Union, natural rubber was used in most cases for the manufacture of automobile rubber. This material became less durable and elastic at low temperatures. This property had a negative effect on road grip, as well as tire wear resistance. Under the influence of a heavy load, and even in the cold, the rubber began to collapse and simply burst. The problem was especially acute in the conditions of the North.
To extend the life of tires, drivers used such an unusual method. Tires were poured with gasoline, and high-octane, and then set on fire. Rubber at sub-zero temperatures did not light up, only fuel. The trick was that while gasoline was burning, the rubber warmed up, regaining its softness and elasticity. In winter, in the sixties and seventies of the last century, this procedure was regulated and carried out without fail. During the trip, it had to be done several times. In some cases, drivers used blowtorches to warm up the tires.
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2. Winter tires of the times of the USSR
In the Soviet Union, for the first time, specialized winter tires began to appear by the end of the seventies. This rubber was called "Snowflake". It was no different from the summer one, except for the spikes installed on it. This element slightly improved the situation, as the grip with the road surface increased. As for the quality of rubber, it remained the same, respectively, and the destruction at sub-zero temperatures and the applied load did not disappear. In this regard, even after the start of production of "Snowflakes", drivers continued to carry gasoline and blowtorches with them.
Experimenting with the composition of the material and the tread began already in the eighties of the twentieth century. Unfortunately, the problem was not completely solved, as other obstacles appeared, namely, interruptions in the supply of raw materials. In addition, the possibilities of a number of enterprises in technical terms have also been exhausted.
Continue reading on the topic why do many Soviet trucks on wheels have some strange things.
A source: https://novate.ru/blogs/181021/60918/