Where the Rubber Meets the Road: A Brief History of Tires

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One of the most basic pieces of the modern vehicle, tires are something that most people use on a regular basis, and have become so omnipresent that they rarely elicit any consideration, except perhaps when one goes flat. But the history of the tire goes back thousands of years, and has played an out-sized role in the story of human civilization. The History Guy recalls the forgotten history of tires.
This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.
You can purchase the bow tie worn in this episode at The Tie Bar:
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All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Non censuram.
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Script by JCG
#history #thehistoryguy #tire

[@rickhobson3211]

I hope the History Guy never re-tires.

[@Derek-xr3uq]

Rick Hobson I’m sure he won’t tread lightly on that decision

[@lordchickenhawk]

Must we always ply puns in the comment section?

[@Derek-xr3uq]

lordchickenhawk sorry, I’m a little biased

[@lordchickenhawk]

@@Derek-xr3uq ...sorry if I pressure your position...

[@nikstone2420]

Rick Hobson Nice play on words. Have a great day.

[@alec_f1]

I was just trying to tell my 11 year-old daughter about the history of tires last week (she asked). This will be fantastic when I show it to her today!

[@alec_f1]

@Mycel Thanks!

[@moose2577]

History Guy is spying on you! Lol

[@svtirefire]

She's gonna find out you made it all up 😬

[@alec_f1]

@@svtirefire 😁 Kinda off the cuff, kinda right!

[@PJ-pj8lr]

I'v been having trouble with my Goodyear tires pulling hard left, switching brands.

[@Paladin1873]

I well remember the Firestone radial tire fiasco of the late 70s. The steel belts on all four of my 500 series tires separated, but when I took the car into a Firestone dealership, they refused to warranty them, claiming my tires weren't part of the recalled lot. I stopped buying Firestones after that. Being a Ford family member, I continued to acquire their vehicles, but they always came factory equipped with Firestone tires. I'd swap them out with Michelins as soon as they wore down sufficiently. When the next round of faulty Firestone tires were recalled because of Explorer rollovers, our local Ford dealership did replace them for free, but they were out of Michelins, so I had to settle for Goodyears (or was it Goodrich, who can keep those two names straight?). That incident was the final straw for Ford, which severed its nearly century long relationship with Firestone. The final indignation for me came when I retired from the Air Force a few years later and tried to rent a U-Haul trailer. Because of the rollover issue, U-Haul refused to rent me anything, despite no longer having Firestone tires on my vehicle.

[@charlenegodard564]

My father was a foreman at B. F. Goodrich for 45 years. They were eventually bought out by Uniroyal. Goodrich was the "world's OLDEST"rubber company, whereas Goodyear was the "world's LARGEST" rubber company! The 70s saw the beginning of the end of all of that. Thanks for covering this piece of history. Love your videos!

[@shmismith7196]

I was about to fast forward through your commercial when you said, “Your data is one place where you don’t want the story to include pirates.” I politely sat through the duration of the commercial. Well played History Guy, well played. You certainly are on a “roll.”

[@jarink1]

VPNs don't really provide security for the average person browsing the web. They mostly just obscure your location.

[@nhwilkinosn]

I think the only reason people get them is for the international roundabout to get shows.

[@tobybartels8426]

@@jarink1 : Indeed, which helps _you_ be a better pirate!

[@daszieher]

@@tobybartels8426 oh, the irony! 😊

[@daszieher]

@@misterhat5823 well, we all have to pay the rent, don't we?

[@rickyusa1000]

My dad worked as salesman for BFGoodrich in the '60's. When they introduced their radial tire in 1966 he put a set on his brand new Ford Galaxie 500. People had never seen radial tires before and weren't used to the bulge in between the rim and the pavement. Everyone thought they were going flat since bias ply tires didn't have that bulge unless they were low on air. People would wave at him from other cars and yell out the window that his tires needed air. At a full service gas station one time he forgot to tell the attendant not to put air in the tires. The guy came up knocked on the car window and told him "I can't understand it... Your tires are all going flat but I've got 50 pounds of air in that front one and it still looks flat". He had to tell him they were special tires and always look like that, just put 30 pounds in them and don't pay attention to what they look like.

[@davidneel8327]

Never tire of these little stories of history.

[@hawgbreath]

I think one of the most important point made in this video is the history of the radial vs bias-ply tire. I remember as a teenager the introduction of belted b-p tires and the radials here in the U.S. Radials were available only on and for “foreign” cars. The big American companies ignored the fact that they had better performance and gave better gas mileage. Firestone tried to make premium radials for big expensive cars and they were a disaster at first. They were terrible tires. And the American cars weren’t built for them. I mounted many tires on cars as a teenager and saw the difference in their performance and quality. Michelin was and, in my opinion, still is the best tire on the road. Thanks for this video History Guy!

[@TimFitzwater]

Living my whole life in Akron the former “Rubber Capitol of the World” this is my favorite episode yet. This city is shaped by the rise of rubber and the blunders of the US rubber companies. I go to breweries and art shows in old rubber factories & and one of my best cycling friends only lives here because he is a scientist working on prototypes for Bridgestone. Though only a few racing tires are made here now there are still a lot of tech and corporate jobs left from the industry. I could go on and on.....

[@calvinthedestroyer]

Akron represent!

[@HugeWolf1]

Don't worry, Akron will bounce back.

[@kevinlesch9656]

I went to school in Wooster and always remember seeing the Goodyear blimp flying south for Saturday football in Columbus. I guess not this year

[@trent3872]

@Ryke Haven I agree with you 100%. Goodyear is a big pos.

[@FLPhotoCatcher]

I have an idea for a tire. Is there a way to get in contact with your friend with Bridgestone?

[@DanielleWhite]

Being a farm kid who now is into motorcycles: both areas were later affected by radial and tubeless developments. My father would only run bias tires on our tractors, though usually ran used light truck tires (cheap) on the front as ours were two wheel drive only. Tubes had a long run for tractors due to the tires typically being ballasted by partially filling with water into which calcium chloride was dissolved (freeze prevention.) I've been told that the trick to ballasting tubeless is to ensure the liquid level is high enough to keep the rim submerged. Bias vs. radial was a debate only somewhat less raucous than discussion about motor oils when I got into motorcycles 20 years ago.

[@svtirefire]

Calcium chloride is becoming obsolete. Rim Guard (beet juice) is a sticky mess if it leaks, but it is nontoxic and can go in a tubeless tire without corrosion problems.

[@DanielleWhite]

@@svtirefire Cool! Thanks for that; we got out of farming in the mid-1990s and I hadn't kept up.

[@awolfalone2006]

@@svtirefire I was going to mention that but you "beet" me to it.

[@lukestrawwalker]

Guys also use window washing fluid to ballast tires on agriculture machinery, but chloride and very juice are denser (heavier weight per gallon) this give you more weight and are still give freeze protection... OL J R

[@gregorymalchuk272]

​@@DanielleWhiteWhat were they saying about motorcycle motor oil?

[@BamBamBigelow..]

My father worked 25+ years for General Tire in Akron, OH

[@BamBamBigelow..]

Jake...No, he made money to raise his family

[@TheDanno210]

I just remembered that TV commercial jingle from my youth: “Sooner or later, you’ll own Generals”

[@BamBamBigelow..]

IT'SME...telecommunications engineer (made sure phones worked at Headquarters)

[@giocomogiordano4694]

Dad worked for B.F Goodrich In Akron. Both grandfathers worked at Firestone tire and rubber in also in Akron.

[@jblyon2]

I've had some General Tire tires on past cars. Nothing fancy, but they were good tires at a good price when I couldn't afford much.

[@jetsons101]

Great video.... Wish it included some history on white wall tires, when I was a kid every car had them then they were gone overnight. Thanks for your time.....

[@FrankLoydWright]

Fun fact: the largest producer of tires by unit is LEGO.

[@Jasonwolf1495]

I was gonna post this. what i get for finding this channel late.

[@Mr3344555]

Same thing with bricks

[@randallmarsh1187]

True, but what they make are tires for their toys, so a bit misleading.

[@FrankLoydWright]

@@randallmarsh1187 I mean... Those are still, by definition tires, just because they're small and for toy sized wheels doesn't make them 'not tires'. And they produce more of those, by unit, than any other company in the world. Sure it's a tongue in cheek 'fact' but that doesn't make it "misleading". If anything it's misleading in the same way a joke is misleading. And in calling it out like that, the frog dies a little inside.

[@randallmarsh1187]

@@FrankLoydWright While I agree with you that they are in fact tires, the misleading part would be that people who don't know or don't research it are led to believe that LEGO Toys makes automobile tires.

[@hyfy-tr2jy]

this video rounds out this channel nicely

[@alex0589]

Tiresome comment section, though

[@jeffmoore2351]

Ha Ha perfect Dad joke.

[@kristopherbeer5422]

Is that where it hits the road?

[@aarondavis8433]

My Grandfather, was to say the least, a very interesting man. History professor, Polymer Chemist, Executive with, BF Goodrich/Reed rubber, Firestone and Teledyne. (along with working for the government as the head of R&D at the Oak Ridge Labs. ) He was the chemist, responsible for the research and subsequent development of adding Carbon Black to latex for tires as well as a multitude of other commercial, military and now consumer uses. I wish he were still here to have seen this. He would have love the episode and the channel

[@kencarp57]

One of your best episodes yet! I worked for Michelin NA in Greenville SC for several years about 20 years ago. Tire technology is absolutely amazing, and it’s something we take for granted and fail to truly appreciate. And that ultra-smooth segway into the NordVPN commercial was nothing short of BRILLIANT!

[@H00L3y]

Cats, tyres, screws. Dude, you never cease to amaze

[@darrellcook8253]

Potatoes, peanuts and pineapples. Who knew such things can be made so interesting. Thanks history guy.

[@mrkitty777]

Cats?

[@joephipps9122]

@@mrkitty777 cats ... Was a great episode

[@joephipps9122]

@@mrkitty777 kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2OWaWZ7odWIarc

[@mrkitty777]

@@joephipps9122 watched it, great cats history. 😀

[@TheRealCCSmith]

Watching this episode during my lunch break in the Cooper Tire plant in Texarkana. That clip of those old curing presses was interesting, they were very obviously brand new at the time, they don't stay clean very long.

[@steadyashegoes7763]

I never get TIRED of The History Guy.

[@alfrider3709]

i'm happy that you exist.. i'm just an old marine, also here in SEMO. it amazes me how many stories you tell that i had a hand,.. or spilled some blood in. keep up the great work

[@MagisterCobb]

A very interesting episode. I loved the smirk on your face at the beginning where it was very obvious you were enjoying all of the puns you were dropping. It's things like that that keep me coming back. You clearly love what you are doing and have the gift of telling stories in a compelling way. Thank you!

[@anotherpeasant]

I'm a proud Michelin employee (truck and heavy duty tires) in Canada and love the history of the company and industry as a whole. Awesome video bud

[@goodun2974]

Hmm, how did the Michelin Star system for rating restaurants come about? Related to the tire company?

[@temgmcks00]

good 'un It was a way to encourage travel, thus causing people to use their product.

[@kennyhagan5781]

Nobody else would do such a video. Truly,you are a historian.

[@kelstermass]

I finally got aROUND to watching this video, and will never get TIRED of watching The History Guy!

[@jovanweismiller7114]

Even if we end up with flying cars, they'll still need tires on the landing gear!

[@travisgartside409]

Unless they use skids, or something similar!

[@christopherwalker2228]

@Guilty Spark That's actually a big reason why flying cars aren't practical and way too dangerous. Say there is a crash or even a simple breakdown... if the car is in the air then it has to fall down, which will cause a lot of damage, and of course a lot of death. Flying cars are a nice, fanciful idea but I don't see them ever actually becoming a reality.

[@rogerwilson3633]

@@christopherwalker2228 Gravity does hurt .

[@jacksprat9344]

People can't even drive ground vehicles efficiently. Can you imagine the carnage if we let these morons fly?

[@singleproppilot]

@@jacksprat9344 As a pilot I agree. Flying is inherently complex and to do it safely requires a degree of attention to detail that most people aren’t willing to apply to just getting from here to there. Even automation can only help just so much. A competent pilot will still be required just in case the automation malfunctions.

[@spicehmchaggis5555]

I love how pleased with himself when he makes his puns :)

[@kevinreardon2558]

I never tire of this subject.

[@davearbogast2882]

THG, as a cyber security expert (certified) you sponsor NordVPN is an honest and good choice

[@hshs5756]

The book _One River_ by Wade Davis has a lot in it about the history of rubber development in the Amazon Basin. My favorite quote in it is from a chemist working on synthetic rubber in WWII who said, "This synthetic rubber is a great product, and the more natural rubber you add to it the better it is."

[@bobbulat1393]

I can never get tyred of the contents of this channel

[@georgebuller1914]

Yawn....... LOL :-)

[@garryturgiss8551]

Again, love the channel. I grew up in Woburn, Ma. And knew about goodyear. There was an elementary school on the site where the house stood where he made his discovery. Lot of history in that town. The John Travolta movie " A Civil Action" was about a boy Jimmy Anderson and an environmental polution suit took place in Woburn ( Jimmy was in my homeroom class 4th through the 6th grade. He passed in the 6th grade) it a good movie. The town library used to have a great little museum in the attic. Supposedly one of the drums used in the painting " Spirit of 1776" is there (At least thats what my elementary class was told when we did a tour eons ago). But yea..... history's great..... go history

[@robewalk2]

I wasn't too tired to watch this episode of the wheel and tires THG. I visited Thomas Edison home and laboratory in Ft. Myers, Florida and seem to remember he was working on a synthetic rubber process using goldenrod or some such plant THG. I don't remember exactly what Edison was using for a synthetic, but he was doing it in conjunction with Henry Ford who also had a winter home in Ft. Myers and they were good friends. We used to live in Naples, Florida at the time and I went on the tour of Edison's home and lab on a number of occasions. That might be an interesting snippet of forgotten history THG. I look forward to your next episode and you and yours stay healthy and safe. Cheers from this old retired coot and history buff living in Tennessee.💖 👍 😷 🍻 ✌

[@mercator79]

Thank you for mounting a balanced spin on tires for us. Never once did it seem flat, but the coming demise of tires seems inflated. Wishing you a good year!

[@richardtravalini6731]

Hahaha. Good parody of the History Guy.

[@garybrown1404]

👏👍

[@ramblingrob4693]

You got a lot of Air

[@barrymccaulkiner7092]

12:16 The old timey guy who slipped and fell? That's me in a nutshell.

[@goglerrocks]

What is going on there? A demonstration?

[@tapman1277]

One of the best things about The History Guy is the wonder of what they will make a video about next. It's always a nice surprise.

[@misternewoutlook5437]

Old tires should be part of the history too. Tires past their usefulness began to pile up. Eventually enterprise found a way to make old tires part of the composite of asphalt. Recycling of tires for roads and other uses shot up in the late 20th century when the technology to cost-effectively reclaim old tires improved. When THG posts videos like this, it is very interesting. They are my favorites and just as worthy to be remembered as people and historic events.

[@billvojtech5686]

You may be interested in Major Taylor, a black bicycle racer who, after his cycling career was over invented a steel tire filled with spring mechanisms instead of air. Rubber tires were fragile by today’s standards and he was going for durability. They were noisy and tore up the road, if I recall from the book I read.

[@daneclark3161]

@wargent99 - And you just *had* to downplay the fact that he was black. Don't be racist.

[@daneclark3161]

@wargent99 - Just because you have a burning desire to deny reality, and and to claim that race doesn't exist, that doesn't make it so. race2 /rās/ noun noun: race; plural noun: races each of the major divisions of humankind, having distinct physical characteristics. "people of all races, colors, and creeds" Firstly you try to claim that race doesn't exist, and in the same breath you make the claim that only racists harp on race all of the time. I am Caucasian and my husband is Asian. We ARE of different races. It just doesn't matter.

[@dynamo3059]

if youve ever had crap tires you can really appreciate good tires my last set wore out in 28k miles and had crap traction in adverse conditions my new set is barely worn in about 20k miles and has great traction

[@MrWATCHthisWAY]

nachos - sometimes you get what you pay for, or don’t pay for.

[@r.blakehole932]

Yes. When I bought, brand new, my Toyota pickup 15 years ago (and yes, I still have the truck) it had Firestone tires. Those tires kept going flat and I kept going into the local Firestone outlet to fix them. One day, literally parked in parking lot, one tire went flat and I used a can of inflate a tire which pumps the tire up and puts a compound in to stop the air leak. I then drove to Firestone to fix, again, the tire. They refused and said it was company policy to NOT fix tires that fix a flat had been used on. At that point the tires only had 15,000 miles!!!! The Firestone people were perfectly willing to sell me a new set of tires though!!! I told them where they could put their tires. I went across town to another tire shop. They were willing to fix the flat and literally laughed at the Firestone company policy. But instead, I traded in the Firestone leaky tires and got a set of Michelin's that NEVER went flat. I would never own a Firestone tire again.

[@dynamo3059]

@@r.blakehole932 same here, they were crap firestones that came from the factory. not bothering with another firestone. my continentals have been great though. night and day difference

[@ChallisVenstra]

R. Blakehole I understand your frustration, but on the other side, dealing with a tire full of goop is an absolute nightmare. Your machines are covered in goop, you’re covered in goop, it sticks to everything. So maybe not usually company policy, but they (we, I’m in the industry) reserve the right to refuse.

[@andrewsnow7386]

@@r.blakehole932 Unfortunately, I don't think there is any brand that hasn't made some poor tires. I had a set of Michelins that failed. The tires were maybe 50% worn when I started a drive from Seattle to Minnesota. Only one of the 5 tires (including the spare tire) made the round trip. The cords of the tires were failing. Each time a tire failed, you would feel a little vibration start when a small bump formed on the tire, and then it would quickly get worse as the tire tread pulled apart. And note that the tire pressure was correct, and the vehicle was not overloaded.

[@user-uv8qn3qw4e]

I did work at Montgomery Ward, as a tire tech. We sold a lot of tires, especially on Saturday. We had Ward's brand tires, along with Michelin.. then they expanded to 8 brands . Also when i worked at k Mart., we sold Kmart brand tires.most made by Firestone. Many gas stations sold there own brand as Gulf, shell, Phillips 66 and union 76 all did in the 60s and 70s. But i found recently B F Goodrich has excellent performance tires.but Uniroyal, had quality and ride issues.

[@richardcarr7702]

Another wonderful piece! /// Eight or ten years ago I came across an eye-opening statement about the quality of tire rubber these days: (I'll paraphrase) "Formula One racers of the Seventies and early Eighties would have given anything for tires that today grace our family sedans." /// I was witness to lots of tire squealing during fast cornering or quick stops. That was decades ago. Not so much these days. And I recall that wet roads were all treacherous back then. Nowadays we get much better traction in the rain. Think of the lives saved!

[@Sir.Craze-]

This is... The best example of a video I absolutely didn't want that I can not wait to watch! Awesome! 🎩👌

[@amywright2243]

Mrs. THG must "roll" her eyes constantly. Even The History Cat pushes paws on the puns. 🐈

[@laurenduvall8547]

Sir History Guy? Why was the role that tires played in the Viet Name war never mentioned in this story?!? Definitely major part of history that deserves to be remembered. Please consider producing Rubber and war part 2. Thank you.

[@JohnDoe-pv2iu]

Back in the late 70s to early 80s radials had pretty much became the standard. If you were a Teen into Hor Rods you could buy big, cheap bias tires. The Western Auto stores offered big bias ply tires for real cheap in their weekly sales flier. They were never in stock because noone bought them. You had to go to the store and ask for the manager. He would give you a 'rain-check' for the sale and order the cheap tires you wanted. I remember getting N50/15 tires for 12 to 13 dollars each. These were 10+ inch tread width (basically street legal drag slicks)! The brand name was wide-open belted... They were actually good tires! At that time, a similar sized radial was about a hundred dollars! We learned how to drive and survive on them! It was really a good lesson. We learned how to make do with cheaper tires and how to make a store stand behind their sale paper. I wreckon all of that is gone. . How about a history Guy about where 'Rain Checks' came from? Take Care and be safe, John

[@callumjoyce1712]

Love your work! Your ability to tell stories and anecdotes is incredible. I don't have a degree, but I do love history!

[@asahelnettleton9044]

Thanks for reminding me that I need new tires.

[@jeffbangkok]

I put 60,000 miles on those Firestone radials before the recall and was very happy with the performance..First radials I bought were on my 70 Mustang in 73..

[@johncashwell1024]

TheHistoryGuy, as previous owner of a tire and auto repair facility, I can add that the change from a polyester corded bias ply tire to a steel belted radial tire involved more than just choosing to replace one in favor of the other. Bias Ply tires can't be balanced the way radial tires are; as a bias ply tire heats up, the mass of the polyester cords tends to shift as the cords heat and stretch, in fact, just spinning the tire can cause this. Once, before I knew better, I attempted to balance a bias ply tire, I spun the tire on the machine and added the weight where the computer told me too, re-spun it, added another, re-spun, added a other, etc.. With a radial, balancing can be done with 1 to 3 "spins", but that bias ply tire refused to balance. Then my A.S.E. Master Tech. brother happened by and straightened me out. The other big difference, for people in the 1960s particularly, was that they were used to being able to repair a bias ply tire with use of an inner tube and to retread their bias ply tires. While it is possible to retread to radial tires for passenger cars, (retread tires for semi-trucks are still offered) it became less and less common over the 1970s. I think that it just took time for people to realize that radial tires were less susceptible punctures than bias ply tires and they lasted longer thus the benefits of radial tire vastly outweighed anything the bias tire had to offer.

[@davidkenworthy2403]

Your "Pirate" reference made your presentation more,,, "well rounded"!

[@kdfrkdfr]

Great history clips. Always. Last night I watched the one about the slouch hats and, as an Australian, learned a thing or two. Not being picky at all but around here we pronounce khaki as car key. "cacky" means poo around here. :)

[@MegaBoilermaker]

Same here in UK.

[@rcknbob1]

Oddly enough, I recall reading that that was why the color was named that - because it reminded people of the color of poo. I guess that sounds better than "Babys**t Brown"!

[@aussiebloke609]

@@rcknbob1 Actually, it's from Persian and originally meant dirt or dust. The poop origin thing is probably just a bit of crap (pun intended) that someone thought was funny. www.etymonline.com/word/khaki

[@johna1160]

@@aussiebloke609 Persian

[@aussiebloke609]

@@johna1160 Oops, typo - my bad. Fixed now. :-P

[@edrenas7930]

The History Guy is a big favorite of mine. I do have a problem with surcumventing a streaming services restrictions with a VPN while recommending a product that protects you from pirates.

[@bradfordbarrettluckotheIrish]

Great Episode! My Grandpa got into the tire biz in San Francisco post WWI. First India tires and then on to Firestone and kept rolling along after that.

[@thomasnapoleone2242]

Only good thing about Mondays! Thanks History Guy!

[@kevinlesch9656]

And Wednesday and Friday. Oh wait Friday can have other good things. Maybe one of the best things about Fridays.

[@jasonkirkland240]

I think the ccc camps would be a good episode.. Had one nearby where I grew up

[@hshs5756]

I've stayed at the old CCC camp at Hart Mountain Natl Antelope Refuge (est. 1936) in Oregon. It's where the refuge puts up volunteers who are working there. Fabulous place: www.fws.gov/refuge/Hart_Mountain/

[@jasonkirkland240]

The kintersburg ccc a soil conservation camp worked on my grandparents farm next to camp. It was located in Home pa . they planted lots of pine trees and you can still see the pine patches

[@vbscript2]

@Hansel Franzen "Tyre" becomes "tire" when one enters North America. "Tire" is the correct spelling on the Western side of the Atlantic. "Tyre" is the British spelling. Many words are spelled differently in British vs. American English (including, ironically enough, "spelled" itself, which is "spelt" in British English.)

[@rustyshackleford531]

@@jasonkirkland240 was just in kintersburg today. Home of some great maple syrup nowadays. Where was the ccc camp at?

[@5roundsrapid263]

There was one right behind my grandfather’s farm.

[@joeyjamison5772]

Thanks for giving us the en-tire history!

[@rogerodle8750]

A pity about Charles Goodyear. A man that dedicated to improving the lot of mankind should have been richly rewarded for his efforts.

[@mikeharbison8762]

Just bought a set of Goodyears... they veer hard to the left.

[@Georgiaboy9009]

I see what you did there lol

[@Georgiaboy9009]

Another could be: Goodyear recently had a meeting to inform factory employees that moving forward they will now be a "biased" ply tire company.

[@patricialefevre6779]

As always, excellent job. Since you asked: I would like to see a video [sequel to this video?] that deals with the refuse that was created by this great "tire" development alongside the phenomenal growth in cars. Tire/automotive/industries created a huge scrap tire problem - an environmental disaster. They reaped $$$, we, the pollution. That's a minus that this video skips over - while lauding the real successes which the development of rubber/tires/cars spurred.

[@goodun2974]

Patricia Lefevre, an unwanted side effect of old tires is their tendency to collect rainwater and create a breeding ground for malaria or yellow fever bearing mosquitoes which really like a tire with even a few tablespoons of water it. Dengue fever and the mosquitos that transmit it likely came to the US with shipments of used tires sent here for retreading or recycling. Zika virus and chikagunya fever are probably spread in the same manner. Here in Southern New England I have noticed that farmers often cover their enormous manure/compost files with tarps that are weighted down by old tractor tires, and I sure hope they drill some drain holes in all of those tires beforehand.

[@fostersmith7347]

Why dp you believe the tire companies are responsible for scrapped tires? Are motor companies responsible for scrapped cars? Is GE responsible for scrapped refrigerators? etc.

[@lizj5740]

@@fostersmith7347 Hi, Foster Smith. A fairly recent idea in the business world is "product stewardship", one aspect of which is that companies agree to dispose of the products they make. Adopting this idea can cause the product developer and manufacturer to think more deeply about how a product is designed: will it be easily disposed of or recycled or reused?

[@patricialefevre6779]

@@fostersmith7347 Yes, I do believe they have a responsibility to create a "cradle to grave" closed system when they create products that will end up left to pollute the landscape, the air, and the water. While there may have been a time when humans could poison the earth for their own profit, those days are coming to an end. For many reasons.

[@goodun2974]

@@fostersmith7347 , cars contain valuable used parts for the car-repair techs and DIY shade tree mechanics; and steel and aluminum are valuable materials, and easily recyclable,, and therefore you'll have no trouble finding scrapyards that will take old cars (the only important legal proviso is that they have to collect the hazardous waste: oil,, tranny fluid, and antifreeze must be collected for recycling, they can't be allowed to leak or be dumped out into the environment). Refrigerators aren't easy to dismantle for recycling, but it can be done; however, the refrigerants must be collected from old freezers and fridges, and taxes or fees are often attached to the sale of these devices to pay for and encourage the collection, recycling and reuse of refrigerant gasses. Tires present a special problem ---- the machines to grind them up are expensive and complex and so there isn't a good recycling program for tires. Most dumps have to charge a fee to accept old tires, and so, many people just dump old tires in a field or vacant lot and let them become someone else's problem. Which is why tire manufacturers are being made to provide, or pay for, tire recycling or contribute towards some of the cost of it.

[@cncwoodworxroc6881]

I wish this was also a television series. To bad the history channel has devolved, as this would be a great series for them.

[@Mattthewanderer]

GTOOOOOOOANNNNNNNNNN. You just won the internet for today and also won the Dad Joke competition for the week. I'll never get tired of it.

[@jdlives8992]

It’s tragic and amazing that war can make such drastic changes to the world. Some examples would make for some good videos

[@RealThundar1]

Would be cool to see a history on locks, doors, safes etc :)

[@BeansAndBullets1391]

Born and raised in Akron, also a fan of 4x4 vehicles so I'm a huge tire nerd, it's honestly the most important part of your car, nothing else matters if you can't get good traction. Personally I have always favoured Goodyear and BF Goodrich, my grandfather worked for BF Goodrich his whole life, tires are are hard core American industry that we desperately need to bring home!

[@AlphaGeekgirl]

It's amazing just how many world-changing discoveries and inventions have been made in the past at almost at the same time, yet on entirely different continents.

[@rustyshackleford2902]

I believe they steal the products from inventors and run with it.

[@stevedietrich8936]

Outsize role, or was it roll THG having fun with the puns.

[@evilferris]

I’ll never get tired of them.

[@stevedietrich8936]

@@evilferris Wheely? I suppose if THG spoke it, it's true.

[@damianbotello1372]

He you can see the proudness in the smirk

[@gregfeneis609]

THG, I hope you never retire from KZbin. No pressure, though 😉

[@goodun2974]

Puns have a way of coming back 'round when you least exspoke them.....😁. Follow the comment tread, which will have some bearing on the subject, and axle yourself if you can handle it; if not, best to steer clear!

[@starjunkie2804]

Being from northern Ohio, I only ever thought all american-used tires (tyres in the UK), were made in Akron in the past. I am from Toledo, The Glass City. Owens Illinois was my dads only job for 40 years. Please do a spot on glass-container making.

[@daveyjoweaver5183]

Your intro History Guy, deserves to e remembered as well! Thank You Kindly and Blessings and History to you and Mrs. History Gal! DaveyJO in Pennsylvania I certainly didn't tire during this episode!

[@ncrawford1488]

This is a topic that deserves so much more attention than it gets. GREAT VIDEO! I’m going to send you a note about this. Be well, all. Let’s make 2022 as good as we can.

[@chiefpontiac1800]

I currently live in Goodyear, Az. the former home of Goodyear tire and rubber.

[@chiefpontiac1800]

@Nobby Barnes Right on !

[@dcviper985]

Wut? No. Goodyear has always been headquartered in Akron. Goodyear, AZ was a company town to grow cotton for Goodyear Tire and Rubber.

[@hillarylevenworth8824]

@Nobby Barnes orangeman was late to the boycott. Most Americans haven't been buying Goodyear tires for decades!

[@HM2SGT]

Punny! 😸 As usual, THG opens a window and gives us a view we've never paused to appreciate before. It's becoming his thing to remind us that it's a little more complicated than we thought, but always in an interesting, intriguing and fascinating way.

[@SteeringSteel]

From wood to leather to steal and rubber I would say the The History Guy’s story of the tire has come full circle 🛵🚛😁

[@otpyrcralphpierre1742]

My Dad, rest in peace, worked for a company called Copolymer Rubber and Chemical Corporation, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They made the raw ingredients for tires among other things. One of the things they produced was a product that was an oil additive that changed it's viscosity according to temperature. It was later bought out by a company that produced a product called STP. If I remember right, the rights to that recipe was bought out by Mario Andretti, the famous car racer. I never Tire of listening to THG's videos.

[@Derek-xr3uq]

There was a lot of pressure leading up to this video, but it seemed to fall flat.

[@QuestionEverythingButWHY]

“History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.” ― Winston S. Churchill

[@TheHylianBatman]

Flying cars will need landing gear, of course. The history of essential but taken-for-granted things such as tires are quite interesting. I love them.

[@angustaylor5204]

THG & Lindybeige are now my go-to history channels and one of the few subs I will always watch. Will also never stop pestering THG for a Lotus/Colin Chapman video (just check out Lotus on the Donut car channel; there is a LOT to unpack in that story).

[@masterimbecile]

0:41 "outsized... roll". I see you, History Guy. Wheel funny.

[@khaccanhle1930]

This is one topic I never TIRE of. Badump Tshh. (edit), thanks for all the comebacks everyone. Just as corny as mine.

[@jjphank]

We’re all tired of hearing that joke, 😂

[@gregfeneis609]

Yeah, so tread lightly

[@thestephensfamily1792]

He's here all week, folks! Don't forget to tip your waiters.

[@FLPhotoCatcher]

@@thestephensfamily1792 If that was a tire joke, it fell flat. I hope you have a spare joke.

[@FLPhotoCatcher]

@@jjphank Yeah, he needs to retire it.

[@siennadarkrose5650]

My mom showed THG and, I just want to say thank you for your channel. I really wonderful and refreshing.

[@billknoderer8202]

I really enjoy your History Guy channel. I have a request to make. As a farmer, I’ve always admired the life and story of Harry Ferguson, thé inventer of the Ferguson 3 point hitch lifting system with innovative draft control for tractors using integrally mounted implements. Also, his subsequent landmark lawsuit victory against Henry Ford for not sharing royalties for using Ferguson’s 3 point system on Ford tractors. Lastly, the plucky Irishman decided to build his own tractors in Detroit and the story goes that when he found out that Ferguson was getting ready to start up, Ford contacted Harry Firestone and told him if he sold Ferguson tractor tires for his plant that he’d never buy another car tire from him again, which prompted Ferguson to strike a deal with Goodyear. Ferguson went on to merge with Massey Harris which ultimately became Massey Ferguson, one of the largest farm equipment manufactures in the world. My Dad’s first new tractor was a 1955 Ferguson TO-35 which he claimed was one of the best he’d ever owned during a lifetime of farming and the one that I grew up on. Thanks for all you do to make history enjoyable.

[@robertpierce1981]

It’s sad the original Goodyear died poor. Seems so many inventors struggle with their product while a layer company does very well with it.

[@BIGBLOCK5022006]

The same thing happened to John Dunlop and David Buick.

[@rumblebars]

That reminds me, I need to re-tire my cars.

[@agostinodibella9939]

I never get tired of watching The History Guy!

[@kerriadkins8197]

I love your videos. I’m a student teacher for early childhood so I don’t know if your videos would be appropriate or fit the standards for my grades. However, I’ve been sharing your channel with my fellow high school teachers. I think history and social studies is more difficult to teach because it’s so subjective but you remind of a kind of Bill Nye for history. I mean that with respect, since you are so engaging.

[@reynoldsreynolds4394]

One of the funniest things I ever saw, what's the documentary done by the Canadian fifth estate program. It was about how the Amish cartel was transporting methamphetamines for El Chapo. And at the end of it one of the elders in the Amish community was very displeased about how their buggies were using rubber tires, but transporting meth was a okay lol

[@redram5150]

I live in the Amish Country of Pennsylvania. Mennonites will buy brand new tractors for hundreds of thousands of dollars, then strap solid steel wheels on them. Then they’ll put around town in scooters with rubber tires. It’s kinda hilarious. Then if you ask them why one but not the other, their excuse is “Have you ever tried riding a scooter with solid tires?”

[@ImpmanPDX]

"The Mennonite Connection". That was a good one.

[@alex0589]

Lol, of course you cant do THAT

[@phillipstoltzfus3014]

@@redram5150 Its a little messed up

[@redram5150]

Phillip Stoltzfus what’s messed up is due to generations of inbreeding, Ordnungs will hire local young men to sleep with newly married women. You have to do it in the presence of the husband, her family, and church officials. If you make any indication you’re enjoying it they’ll beat you. Amish, Brethren, and Mennonites in the area only get married on Tuesdays in November for some reason. Their wedding announcements in the paper are “Sikifuss/Zimmerman Wedding”, “Zimmerman/Bashore Wedding”, “Yoder/Zimmerman Wedding”, and a lot of “Yoder/Yoder Wedding” “Zimmerman Wedding”, Zimmerman/Zimmerman Wedding”, “Zimmerman/Zimmerman Wedding”, etc

[@robinwells8879]

The more essential and ubiquitous a thing is, the more we disregard it. Thanks for sharing.

[@jamesdoyle5405]

Excellent observation, profound.

[@erikkunkle9574]

You're the bright spot if the internet. Thanks.

[@HarryBalzak]

Most of the large format prints(basically every sign and sticker/decal that isn't "direct to" print) made today use latex ink. It is by far the best ink performance I have ever seen. Amazing printing technology.

[@MustangsTrainsMowers]

I’m still puzzled as to why bicycle tires can’t hold air as long as car or truck tires.

[@fltchr4449]

I don't know for sure but I would think it's the higher pressure and thinner tube. Good question.

[@onebackzach]

I imagine it has to do with the surface area to volume ratio, thinner tubes, case tension, and generally lower volumes.

[@user-qf6yt3id3w]

The tyre was not invented in the city of Tyre in Lebanon.

[@joeyjamison5772]

Were paper bags invented in Baghdad? Pencils in Pennsylvania?

[@marbleman52]

@@joeyjamison5772 And let's not forget: hamburgers from Hamburg

[@marbleman52]

@J Smith Oops...yes you are correct...I just got the analogy mixed up...thanks..!

[@simplyme8009]

Oh Joy! " ..... the one place you don't want the story to include pirates." Love it. Your obvious joy and interest in history comes through. Thank you.

[@eamondillon2182]

Watching this while I get my tires changed👍Thank you History Guy😊

[@stevenwiederholt7000]

I'm Tired of watching this! :-)

[@stevenwiederholt7000]

@xr7fan Its doesn't? Dieter my invisible friend says it does. ;-)

[@stevenwiederholt7000]

@xr7fan I'm gonna go stand in the corner now and think about what I have done. :-( :-)

[@timothykeith1367]

I'm COVID re-tired but I'd rather be working

[@Alexander-fr1kk]

I’ve asked several times about doing an episode on The Jennifer Project any thoughts?

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

Probably sometime, yes. We do love submarine stories.

[@Alexander-fr1kk]

The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered I have the two original books written about it - ‘A Matter of Risk’ ’& ‘The Jennifer Project’ (Texas A&M) and in my career met some people involved.

[@Alexander-fr1kk]

The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered Also: thank you for your personal reply.

[@me3333]

11:05 Is this the man I need to thank for the additive responsible for that sweet, extremely pleasing aroma that emits from the tires when I drive (on a track of course) like a 12 year old playing need for speed? If so, Thank You, I Solute You Sir!

[@richardrichards8401]

What a discovery I have made in watching your insightful videos! If only we had this in the 1980’s when I was in high school. Thank you 😊

[@katieandkevinsears7724]

Why do they call them Goodyear Tires? Because they're only good for a year.

[@jamespfitz]

Because with Goodyear tires and Goodyear service you'll have more good years in your car.

[@ratagris21]

@@jamespfitz after 1998 the company's quality suffered substantially plus the designs for economy are pathetic.

[@katieandkevinsears7724]

I've never had good luck with their tires.

[@ratagris21]

@@katieandkevinsears7724 same here. They don't seem to make half their tread life in most cases even when you rotate and balance them regularly.

[@Miakel]

Actually, if they make it to the one year they call it a good year

[@firefighterps2]

I'm all ready 'tired' of this story. Sorry.

[@howardjohnson2138]

Again and again and again - Excellent

[@waterenglish9501]

recently found this channel. hands down my favorite