FREE-WHEELS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 106, 31 October 1931, Page 10

FREE-WHEELS

THE PROS AND CONS

America is rather less prone, to transient fashions in motoring than this country (writes G.B. in the "Manchester''Guardian"), and it is thero■foi'C interesting to note that eight of •■Her principal manufacturers- arc now pushing the free-wheel on their cars. This .sudden .".conversion., is wholly nscribftblo'to the success of. the 1930 Studcb.aker. chassis, which completely •won tho hearts of that somewhat cynical fraternity the British retailers. On this particular car first and reverse gears- function precisely as they do on the cars ;which wo all drive. But a fr.ce-whccl is arranged to operate on second and top gears, both of which arc of the "silent" type. Should the driver ease the- pressure of his right foot on tho throttle pedal with either of these gears iv use the engine will automatically bo disconnected from the transmission and the car will coast silently ahead, precisely as a pedal-cycle runs ■on quietly when its rider ceases to pedal. The engine will- tick over quietly meanwhile. Should tho driver reopen his'-throttle by depressing the right foot tho "overrun" will automatically terminate, and the engine will pnee more propel the car. A radical rev-isipn of driving methods- is thereby forced on the driver. With a standard British car he normally cases his right foot>whenever he wishes to slow down a little without desiring such, a violent slowing as would necessitate an application of his brakes. On the Studebaker ho must use his brakes whenever he wishes to slow on the two higher gears. This revision of driving methods is obviously quite simple and ■■pleasant; it presents no diflieulty_except that of conquering a subconscious habit. .'■':'..' ASPECT OF ECONOMY. It- is not, however, only or mainly for, the sake of silent coasting, that America is boosting the free-wheel. We all know that any advertiser who guarantees his customer even a moderate numlvsr of extra miles per gallon, of fuel can r6ly on selling his gadgets in this country. We arc as a nation apt to be extravagant in large affairs. Wo, buy a. new car when we arc barely solvent, even if the "old" car is only two years old and full of life and reliability. But ,-ive snatch at any chance of cutting our fuel bills by a few shillings per month. If■: a car is coasted on infinitesimal fuel •costs for a quarter of the mileage over -which it was formerly pulled at standard fuel cost, our petrol bills will be reduced by 15 or 20 per cent, and such ■a. saving actually results with any free.wheeled chassis. But the half has not. yet been told. Tho most experienced o*f us-,occasionally scrunch our gears; . thS'less experienced of us do it very frequently, not--only in hill climbing but whenever we afe confronted by an awkward traffic pause. " With a freewheel it is impossible to scrunch the gearsj they go in under all circum■stsinces as silently as a knife- goos through ; butter. This ease of gear charging protects the driver from much humiliation" and mental agony, while it extends the life of his car and maintains the pristine silence of its transirtission. The advocates of free-wheels . cain, therefore, state an extremely plausible case, and it is rather curious that the numeroOs British manufacturers, who staged such accessories at Olympla three years ago, have allowed the notion to drop so unanimously. .POSITION IN BRITAIN. On the whole it is probable that we shall present imitate America, and that in tho near future free-wheels will receive a fresh tryout on British cars. These are certainly not days in which 'manufacturers rashly increase their chassis costs or raise their catalogue prices. But the sum involved is quite Irivialj provided that the chassis is already' due for a certain amount of redeeming. It is, unfortunately, true that commercial ■ motives bulk rather -large in the motor trade. The not too prosperous small firm, with a fair stock d£ 1931 parts left over for 1932, do.es not rush at radical alterations. The huge concern, with a weekly output of hundreds, is tefrifled lest its principal . rjvaltf should steal a inarch on. it by offering a similar car at £5 less. But in 1932 there will presumably be an insufficient supply of buyers to keep all our factories operating at full blast. And theso are favourable conditions for « concern to boost some novelty which will distinguish its wares from the ruck, and provide salesmen with a novel talking point. Prudence was probably justifiable three years ago, when no factory in the world had made a commercial success cii the free-wheel, and brakes were not in every instance completely adequate for our congested high-speed traffic. To-day the freewheel is selling American cars in direct . competition with British cars of similar size, and brdkes have reached a very high standard indeed on all sides. ■ I prophesy that the private owner will have> the chance of buying a British free-wheel car at the autumn show. NO PRACTICAL OBJECTION. Subject to the necessary revision of driving habits outlined above, there is no hint of any practical or technical objection to the new transmissions. The genuinely substantial reduction in fuel costs and the, elimination of the gear-changing-. bogy _ need no elaboration. Thoy are both points which make a. keen appeal/ to most owners, and are of the highest ■ value to the large commercial transport firms, It is loss easy,' perhaps, to bo enthusiastic about the {pleasures of.'coasting..'- It is certainly tru,Q that coasting is the sweetest form of.;, motpr-trayoi. ■. Take any..rathei1. dqcrcpit .'car,i put it on a long-easy hill with a grade of, say, 1 in 16, and slip the gear-lever into neutral. The resultant sensation .will be far pleasa'nter, than the- ;same car's smopthest^eruising speed seeurdd1 by a possibly fussy engine puljing' on half or three'quarter throttle. ' For the nonce it-will almost ape the, millionaire's silent leviathan. But the sheor perfection'of this mode of travel, provokes an inevitable reaction. :A mile farther on--the same car is confronted by a section of stiff collarwork, in which it pants and roars and clanks in sharp contrast, with the smoothness of its recent coast. If the owner by a self-denying - ordinance refuses to coast in nsutral he will never realise how noisy and fussy and vibratory his engine actually is. Coasting on a first-class; car. .is ■■devoid of subsequent emotional reactions; but to ■ coast on an elderly ono would create its own rovengo. This defect of the free-wheel is an insignificant set-off to its very pronounced advantage*.