CAR DEFECTS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20551, 20 May 1932, Page 6

CAR DEFECTS.

MANUFACTURERS' ADVICE. The modern car is such a reliable end sturdy' piece of mechanism that as a rule it will stand up tmfalteringly against a degree or' abuse which tarlicr models! would soon have resented, yet it is no uncommon thing to hear an owner complaining of his particular model having this or that weakness. Some motorists are prone to think no technical advice is superior to their owii' practical knowledge, and accordingly look upon the directions in the car instruction book with, a certain amount of disdain. But let us remember that' nobody is in a" better position thftn the manufacturer to assert what treatment his product should receive, and that it is presumptuous for' the layman to fly in the face of such advice.

"Roadster" invites articles and paragraphs of interest to motorists for this page.

The decision of Mr J. Miller, S.M., in a' case heard yesterday in Napier to the effect that it was illegal for carowners to carry passengers for the purpose of sharing expenses was commented upon yesterday by the manager of a large motor transport concern. He stated that the practice of private owners of taking passengers with them was fairly prevalent, especially during holiday periods and that, if one looked at the advertising columns of the newspapers, offers to take passengers by' cars leaving on specified days for eertain places were easy to find. Of course the practice was unfair to those engaged in the business for the reason that they had to pay an extra £7 per annum per vehicle licensed to carry up to seven passengers for such a purpose, and an additional 30s per passenger in excess of that number, whereas the private owner paid only the usual license. Passengers who travelled by a service which was licensed to run on a certain route were insured but such was not the case if they went by a private car. He considered it unfair that motor transport firms should have to tolerate competition of the kind referred to, stating that he was sure that by such means they lost the patronage of hundreds of passengers annually. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. An appeal to all motorists to consult their rear-view driving mirrors, and to give correct hand signals is made by the Canterbury Automobile Association in its latest safety first message. "It is obvious that far too many drivers do not make any use of the rear-view mirror, and make use of the roads without paying any attention to traffic which might be following," runs the statement. "The Motor Vehicles Act makes it an offence to travel without the equipment of a rear-view mirror on the motor vehicle, yet it is a fact that many vehicles are without this cheap, yet very essential, safety first, device. And it is a fact, also, that many drivers } have not yet developed the habit of using the mirror, and showing respect, consideration, and courtesy for follow r ing as well as oncoming vehicles. Some ■ mirrors, particularly those' in the open class of car, are so placed that they can be of no service whatever. A motorcar of the open type whieh has a narrow window slit at the rear is badly served by a mirror placed over the top of the windscreen; the only serviceable type of mirror for such a car is a mirror affixed on the right outside of the windscreen standard thus giving a clear and unobstructed view of overtaking traffic. Some motorists of the ultra-careful variety actually have a mirror inside and outside the car. If the rear-view mirror is used as it should be, and drivers obey all the rules of commonsense by giving signals of intended change of direction, there will be less traffic confusion, fewer accidents, and fewer unfriendly words said by one driver against another." SKIDDING TENDENCIES. ' Unequal adjustment of four-wheel brakes is known by most owners to introduce considerable extra -risk, of skidding, but-it is-not generally realised that locking of wheels produces " the greatest deviation from a straight course. During some recent, tests it was found that a miniature car skidded perfectly straight with all four wheels locked, travelling for four feet. With the two rear wheels locked it travelled forward nine feet, with one foot deviation to ono side. With the two front wheels locked the car was stopped in five feet, with only a slight deviation to one side. Powerful braking on the front wheels can therefore be seen to be safe and effective. The writer has, in fact, used a car which has the foot brake connected only to the fro'nt wheels, and has found remarkable freedom from skidding. The tendency to overturn when travelling at high speeds was shown by the experiments to be greatest with only the Tear brakes in operation, and also with diagonally opposite brakes, and ono front and two rear brakes. Conclusions are that caTC in balancing the action of all brakes equally is necessary, especially those on ' the same axle, and that the belief that front brakes should be less powc.rful > is ißcprrect. Braking effort depends * largely on the grip of the tyres on the • road, so that .brakes are only truly : balanced when tyre.treadß are in ap--1 proximately equal condition of wear, " Many of the older four-wheel braking l systems were designed to apply less power at the front. Modern practice is ) to apply as much or more power ir ' front. When brakes are applied niucl of the ear's weight is thrown forward increasing front-wheel adhesion, anc greatly reducing the risk of their lock ing.