HHE USE OF THE JACK.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 173, 24 July 1928, Page 16

HHE USE OF THE JACK.

SOME ESSENTIALS

The jack is one of the most important of the tools which a motorist must have always with him. Tyre troubles are still the ones which will most surely put the car out of action. Jacks are of all kinds and descriptions, well made and indifferently constructed. Speed of operation is an important consideration. The man who is held up with a deflated wheel does not want to waste time on the replacement, and is not generally in a frame of mind which makes it easy to tolerate delay or inconvenience in getting the jack to work. In using the jack two important points should be borne in mind. The jack should stand firm on its base on level road surface. If the jack stands on a sloping surface—either sideways or fore and aft—there is a danger of its toppling over when the load is applied. and especially when one uses force to push the spare wheel on or off. Sometimes force is necessary in this direction when a wheel has been on the hub for some time in all kinds of weather. The jack must have a stable base, whicli will resist any tendency to topple over. A head with a good concave surface will generally be found the best, because if it*'is enough it can be made to partly embrace the front of the rear axle, and if it does so it will add materially to ttie stability of the load when lifted. A frood jack should be kept in good condition. It should l>e weli lubricated, because this eases and expedites the work of raising and lowering, and conduces to the long life of the jack. The jack should tie kept in a safe, and very accessible place on the car. The

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bottom of the tool box is not the best place. Most car makers contrive a fixiMir for tho jack under tlie bonnet—a v\ i-e and workmanlike arrangement. It can there be pot at easily, quickly, and without interfering with the occupants of the car. A more us&ful feature of that location is the fact that the motorist ?ees it every time lie opens the bonnet. It is therefore les likely to be left behind in the garage--as so many jacks are —to tlie discomfiture of their owners.

WHEN APPLYING A PATCH

It is a common fault to apply a patch too soon when mending a puncture. After locating the leak, clean the tube, and ttien this and the patch should be well solutionised. Do not attempt to place them together until the solution is nearly dry. Then firmly press the patch on the tube and allow a few minutes for the cement to set before replacing the tube in the cover.