The MOTOR LIGHTING-UP TIMES THE WORLD MARKET PRESSING OF BODIES CHANGING A WHEEL

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 132, 30 November 1935, Page 32

The MOTOR

LIGHTING-UP TIMES

THE WORLD MARKET

PRESSING OF BODIES

CHANGING A WHEEL

SUNIi'AY 8.7 p.m.-. MONJUAY 8,8 p.m. TUESDAY 8.9 p.m. WEDNESDAY .... 8.10 p.m. THUIISDAY ...... 8.11 p.m. FRIDAY 8.12 p.m. SATURDAY 8.13 p.m. MOTOR INDUSTRY

BRITAIN NEEDS LARGER

SHARE

An appeal to British motor manufacturers io make every effort to increase the.ir export market, was made by the Prince of Wales in opening the Olympia Motor Show.

Referring to the "number of important pointii in the show," the Prince said: "Thi!' first most certainly is the comprehensive character of the exhibition. .

"We car. undoubtedly say that here we have represented nearly all the well-know.i makes of cars throughout the world, which gives the prospective purchaser a wide range to choose from and,the mmufacturers themselves that healthy competition without which no industry can progress. "Progress is my second point. That the motor industry is ever progressing

is obvious to all of us. This is particularly pronounced after an inspection of the stands in this hall, where there are many new and interesting features to be observed. , , :

"The most notable, I think, is the in- ] crease of power for the same price in many of the most,familiar models. I would make this point, that the average motor-car exhibited here last year had 15 horse-power, whereas this year it has 19.5 horse-power. "I regard this as a very important advance indeed, because, from my experience in other, countries, this increase of power is vital to our export trade. As you know, manufacturers : have been greatly assisted in this direction by a reduction of the horsepower tax.

/'Britain needs a larger share in the foreign markets and, because of the vast amount of direct and indirect employment afforded in the manufacture of motor-cars, I would urge all who have: any control over conditions which govern-'.the supply of vehicles to consider carefully what readjustments" can be made to secure for us a larger-share in these export markets of the world.

. "My fourth and last point is safety. We all know how much, attention must be. paid to the factor of safety. The' problems that face the authorities are ever-increasing, if only because, in the last nine years, private motor-cars have, been more than doubled in number..

"Roads suitable for the ever-increas-ing number of motor-vehicles are urgently needed."

te PRACTICAL POINTS

In changing a wheel, as in most other simple mechanical tasks, there are various small points worth remembering which greatly reduce the time and trouble expended on the operation. First—and this is important—the owner-driver should make a habit of inflating the spare tire whenever ha is attending to the tires on which the car is running. It is very little trouble to check five pressures in place of four, and as a result of this precaution the "spare" is always ready for use should a puncture occur.

Secondly, when a new car is put into service it is as well to tmearth the jack and the wheel brace, in order to make sure that these tools are available and that they are in working order. Sometimes a careless storekeeper issues a jack of the wrong size, and it is unfortunate if the car owner does not discover this until such time as he is delayed by tire trouble in a lonely spot on a dark and stormy night.

When trying the jack, remember that it must be short enough to fit between the axle and the road when the tire is flat. One can also take the opportunity of examining the front and rear axles in order to find the best places under which to place the jack without risk of slipping. In the case of a car with an extended tail, the back axle of which is difficult to reach, the possibility of acquiring permanently fitted jacks should not be overlooked.

Most punctures are of the slow variety, the air-escaping gradually, and are indicated by a drag felt at the steering wheel. When this unmislakable sign occurs, it is a good plan to stop the car as soon as possible at a convenient spot, instead of waiting for the tire to become altogether flat.

Having come to a standstill and selected the necessary tools, the nuts

securing the wheel to the hub can be loosened before the jack is used; the weight of the car will then hold the wheel from turning while the brace is applied. Next, make sure that the hand brake is on, so that there is no risk of the car rolling off the jack; the wheels can be chocked with stones

if .there is any doubt on this point

If the work is being done on the grass or on a soft road, it may be necessary *ta alace a floorboard under the jaofert'

.vill simply drive the jack into the ground instead of raising the axle. When the tire has been lifted clear, ] the nuts can be removed, whereupon the wheel can be pulled off the studs. The spare wheel is then slid into position, after which the nuts must be replac*d. It is important not to tighten the nuts forcibly one by one. The correct procedure is to apply just a moderate force to each in turn, so as to make sure that the wheel is firmly and evenly held; the final tightening can then be tackled. There is no need to exert Herculean strength, although the nuts should, of course, be screwed up quite firmly. Don't choose a corner or bend, and, if possible, avoid encroaching on main roads when wheels are being changed. The practice is fraught with danger ! both to oneself <and others. It is best, if one cannot leave the road surface altogether, to face the car in the direction that permits the work being carried out on the side away from the traffic stream.

THE HIGH COST OF DIES

It was recently stated in "The Motor" that a die for any part of a motor-car pressing may cost £10,000 each or more. The statement was queried by a reader, bringing a reply from the journal that it meant exactly what it stated. It proceeded to give the reasons for the high cost, as follows:—

The process of pressing parts is extremely complicated, each die consisting of two parts, ah inner and an outer section,, between which the sheet metal is pressed to shape. Obviously the parts must be of absolutely uniform curvature and allow only the clearance which is necessary for thickness of metal to be handled.

It follows, therefore, that the malting of a die which must mate so accurately is a job,occupying frequently a matter of months, and.it is rare that the expensive dies are produced in greater number than two or three, so that the' whole cost of labour and material invariably has to be borne by a small number of products.

Allied to this question of extreme accuracy is that of ability to withstand heavy pressures for long periods,

and obviously it is desirable that the set of dies for a body should be made sufficiently durable, if possible, to with: stand the production run of that particular series of cars. .

As-^each manufacturer wants exclusive designs, there is no question of dies being available for competitive concerns —a feature which again increases the price per set. The figure quoted (£10,000) is by no means unusual in modern automobile practice. There are cases where dies for pressing out the various parts of a body may run away with £80,000, which has to be recovered in the selling .'price of the cars produced in that series.