PATCHES AND SPARES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 108, 2 November 1929, Page 29

PATCHES AND SPARES

THE TOURING TOOL KIT

Withthe advent of fine weather and long days there comes tho call to most car-drivers to get farther afield than they have been doing during the winter months. Some may see fit to have their cars properly overhauled, or they may-do this work for themselves, but even where an overhaul is thorough it is advisable-to bear in mind that trouble on the road, far away from service stations and • garages, is by' no means an impossibility. There is-.tfeed, therefore, to give thought to the tool- - While some " happy-go-lucky drivers seem to think that a jack, pump, tire wrench, and tire levers are all that are required, othors encumber themselves with a useless weight of Icit which ishardly ever needed. There should be spanners to fit practically every nut and bolt-on the].car, for one never knows which particular part may need attention on the road. The tool kit supplied with the car generally includes such items, and , all spanners and wrenches should be kept together in a separate roll, where, they are handy at a mome.nt's notice. Then, top, a good hammer, a, wheel, pujler, a cold chisel, and'a heavy-pair of pliers" must not be overlooked, while for long excursions a spare valve or two, with valve spring complete, is a great. standby. For tiro troubles it is not enough merely to carry one spare. One or two additional inner tubes should always be on hand, and to prevent deterioration these should be properly folded, sprinkled with French chalk/ and rolled upin soft cloth. A small puncture repair outfit in the form of solution and self vulcanising patches is a good' safeguard against some possible bad run of trouble, as also is the familiar blow-out patch. . -. . .-■-.■ . Many,.a motorist has been baffled through his f orgetf ulness to carry improper key for the carburettor jets where such'is required, and this small accessory must not be forgotten.- One never knows when a clogged jet will hold up the best of cars. To cope with electrical emergencies spare headlight and tail-light .bulbs should be carried, as'vwcll as Gft or 7ft of "double electric ligh'trflex", 3 a'T-'oil'-af friction tape, spare fuses, a magneto file, and several extra sparking plugs. It is stated from England that the demand for steam motor-vehicles-main-ly for commercial service is increasing so rapidly that one firm "has been compelled to run-its. w.orks.day and night to keep pace witfi current orders. In addition to commercial vehicles passenger cars equipped with steam engines are- finding an. increasing market. This is ascribed to the high cost of petrol and the new efficiency .of steam, engines created by scientific improvement in heat production and observatibn.-

One of the new motor-coach" services in the Midlands of England provides automatic' cigarette machines in all its buses. The phrase ."licensed to sell tobacco" has. had to be painted over I the door, of each vehicle.