STEERING GEAR ADJUSTMENTS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17940, 7 December 1923, Page 4

STEERING GEAR ADJUSTMENTS.

HINT TO DESIGNEES. Those motorists who ia their time have ridden a bicyole or motor-cycle must often wonder why motor-car manufacturers do not make provision for adjusting and taking up the looseness in the steering gear of the car (states an Australian writer). recently had the opportunity of testing a few steering heads, and were surprised to find that in all cases the heads had a very considerable amount of play. This should easily be noticed by drivers when they come to ehange their front wheels for tyre repair purposes. The load on the steering head makes this looseness difficult to detect unless the axle is jacked up and the load removed. Loose steering heads will allow, a&d sometimes cauß©j front* wheel wobble; also the steering of the vehicle is considerably and adversely influenced by play a&d backlash, in the steering head. There is room to make steering h-oad bearings adjustable. They should be so. An unadjustable head would not bo tolerated on a bicycle or a motorbicycle; yet car-users seem to take little notico of the matter. There are very few designs of front axles where any means were provided to take up wear. These joints are very important, and upon their easy and proper operation depend the safety of the passengers and the amount of control which the driver has over the direction of the vehicle. There is room here for some designers to get to woyk and give us something a little bit better than is at present embodied in most of the cars now on the road.