Maximum
outer

Skid depth
minimum

EXPLANATION OF DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CURRENT SPECIFICATION AND PROPOSED NEW FEDERAL SPECIFICATION FOR AUTOMOBILE TIRES

PROPOSED FEDERAL SPECIFICATION ZZ-T-00381K

Proposed Federal Specification ZZ-T-00381k is presently being coordinated with Government users and with industry and may be subject to some modification. As proposed, it reflects the following improvements over the current specification.

The proposed specification calls for a 15 percent increase in breaking energy requirements (to determine the minimum breaking strength of the tire) and a 15 percent increase in design load rating requirements. It also provides for two new passenger car tire tests not included in the current specification: a high speed performance test, including speeds of 85 mph, and a bead unseating test to assure that the tire will remain on the rim.

The endurance test has been revised in the proposed specification to make it more stringent. The test will be run at 60 mph on all passenger car tires on a laboratory test wheel at 100 percent load for 4 hours, 120 percent load for 6 hours, and 140 percent load for 42 hours. This endurance and fatigue test also includes a cut growth test to control the compounding of synthetic rubber tread. When this is not properly controlled, cuts occurring in tires on the highway may continue to grow and cause chunking or loss of tread.

The proposed specification provides for certain dimensional requirements not included in the current specification. Tolerances have been established for minimum and maximum tire outside diameters, minimum and maximum tire cross sections, and minimum skid depth. The revision also includes balance limits which have been improved 20 percent over those in the current specification. Further, the specification has been updated to provide a complete listing of current tire sizes.

SURPLUS PROPERTY

QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY SENATOR ALLOTT

Senator ALLOTT. I have just two small items, Mr. Chairman. I have four questions on this one, "Surplus property," which I will give to you, Mr. Moody, and you can supply the answers for the record. (The questions and answers follow:)

ACTIVITIES OF THE UTILIZATION AND DISPOSAL SERVICE

Questions: What is the total dollar value of unsold surplus properties that GSA is carrying on its books at the present time? Has this been going up or down in the last three years?

Answer: In order to reduce administrative costs, summary statistics are not maintained on the current value of excess and surplus personal property on hand. Estimates of value of personal property generally are limited to disposals by public sale.

While virtually all real properties are appraised prior to consummation of utilization and/or disposal action (except when conveyed for public airport and historic monument purposes or when the appraisal would serve no useful purpose), appraisals frequently are pending on a substantial number of excess and surplus real properties.

For these reasons, for budgetary and planning purposes, the basis for the measure of GSA activity has been the original cost to the government of real and personal property as reported by Executive agencies.

The following is a summary of the acquisition cost of excess and surplus property on hand :