MOTORDOM

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 March 1932, Page 4

MOTORDOM

NEWS OF [THE ROAD

(By

“Gearbox”)

NOISE ELIMINATION. A COSTLY PROBLEM. Noise elimination continues to be one of the chief problems in the automobile industry. Thousands of pounds have been spent annually to eliminate various noises, and the radio and physician’s stethoscope have become invaluable aids to engineers. In one American, laboratory there is a “floating room” within which the silence is absolute. So still is the room, it is said, that a person left there long alone would go insane.. In this and similar still rooms automotive engineers trace noise with radio and stethoscope. Sounds located by a radio microphone are recorded and measured by a special ammeter developed for the. purpose. One of the greatest steps in the elimination of noise has been the reduction of crankshaft vibration by addition at the front of a small slipping clutch fly-wheel to take up the twisting tendency induced by the motion of the pistons. This principle was developed more than 20 years ago, but its adaption to the automobile is comparatively recent. As the more apparent noises arc eliminated or reduced, others arise to plague the engineers. “When we eliminate one noise,” a Detroit automobile official said, “we discover- others which were not noticed before. A few years ago no one would,have thought of a fan belt producing an objectionable noise. It was drowned out by other sounds“As those sounds were eliminated, the sound of the fan belt became apparent. and forced itself to attention. The clicking of the distributor was another sound to be contended with.”

DEVELOPING ROAD SENSE.

Before the advent of the automobile, road rules and courtesies were punctiliously handed down, and there was a code of behaviour, not written, but universally understood- With the coming -of the automobile things changed. The same rules applied chey apply to-day—but there arose various and numerous contingencies not known to the horse-drawn vehicle driver- The bicycle was the instrument,, more than any other, which ex-, tended road usage to the multitude, and was then the fastest vehicle on the road. The cyclist represented the new road user drawn from the populace, from the class which had never before had charge of a vehicle on the public highway-, Being a particularly valuer able and fragile vehicle, the rider of it had to conform, and conform quickly, with the accepted usage. In many cases he had to sink his full rights, because neither as an individual nor as a class, was he strong enough to enforce them- ' But the cyclist gained road sense in a way which was not possible in the case of any other road user. Road sense comes of road use. It can come in no other way, as any kind of extended road use will give road sense to any but the really careless and inconsiderate. The first lesson, taught by sheer force of self-protection, of course, is to keep to the left. The beginner generally hugs the left side of the road closely; but soon he finds it more comfortable and easier to drive well on the crown of the roadReal road sense comes to our aid in any v such contingency because it immediately counsels caution. Do not attempt to pass till all is clear- That way sense and safety lie:

PNEUMATIC MILAGE

Even in these enlightened days there are many users of pneumatic tyres who insufficiently appreciate wltv some of their tyres give considerably greater mileage than others. And should one or more outer covers fail earlier than expected, the reason is very often attributed to faulty manufacture, and the makers are discredited accordingly.

So far as the leading makes of pneumatic tyres are concerned, methods of production are so standardised and supervised that variations in wearing qualities between covers and tubes of the same size and pattern are very much less than was the case when pneumatics were first applied. If, therefore, disappointing results are experienced, it will usually be found that the conditions under which the tyres in question are run, or -their treatment, are responsible. In tact, it can be regarded almost as an axiom that every pneumatic tyre is capable of giving the maximum mileage tor which it was designed; whether it attains it or not depends almost entirely upon the manner and circumstances of its use.

Here are some of the reasons for decrease in the mileage of your tyres-Under-inflation. Wheels not in correct alignment. Bent or rusty rims. Brakes not properly adjusted. Tyrete not properly mounted. Reckless driving. Tread cuts not. promptly mend-

K ee . p eyes ° n tliese fault s and t edy them promptly, and you will th in J.;- 5 ? 1 ' I '* tyi ’ eS WiH give more consistent mileage.— (Goodyear News).

intelligent signalling

iu regard to the giving Slgnals ’ ma y be divided into three classes—those who give clear signals in ample time, those who make and “th 1 !” 01 ,‘Y, a,,d " e,ated refuse t el ’berately careless, who thlVv i 1 mwart any information of then intended movements The last-named class fully deserve any legal penalties which they may in the 4>«L L - fl i C , Safety ’ but although liete \ . inUte siBnaller may believe that he is complying with the . o rainy Hl holding out his hand fr. indicate his intention of stopping or turning that he becomes quite as dan charge of following vehicles requirreasonable warning of what the man ahead proposes to do many accidents ■ and close shaves” would be avoided

hoardings. UNPROFITABLE PUBLICITYA recent meeting of South Island Motor Union (N-Z.) was unequivocal in their estimate of lack of value to advertisers of roadside hoardings. “The best way to test the value ol roadside hoardings as a means of advertising.” said the president, Mr ItW. Johnston, to his members assem-bled,-“is for me to ask you these questions. This is a, meeting which is laiily and fully representative of all, the motorist’s in the South Island. The first question I want to ask you is: Have any of you gentlemen ever been moved to buy petrol, or oil, or tires because you see them advertised on hoardings?” Aunanimous roar of “No” was the president’s answer. “Do you know „of anyone who has been moved to buy such articles because of hoarding advertisements?” proceeded the questioner, and against the answer was a full-voiced “NO!” “Then,” proceeded Mr Johnston, “do you know of anyone who has been deterred from buying a particular article because of the use of hoarding advertisements?” The answer to the question was “Yes!” and “Only too true!” “There.” concluded the president, “that shows the value of hoarding advertising- I honestly believe that the replies you have given to those questions are the replies that 99 motorists out of 100 would give.”

ITEMS OF INTEREST

The light car is developing faster than the large car, and proof of this may be found in the results of the big races on the Continent. Recently a 7 li.p. car broke the world’s record for light cars in travelling two miles at a speed of 117 miles per hour. There are, incidentally, very few big cars that can exceed that speed. In order to save warming up the engine again so that the oil may be properly drained from the sump, always drain the sump immediately after returning from a run and let the oil drain during the night. It is important that oil bo thoroughly warm before draining.

One carburettor manufacturer has produced a. “self starting” carburettor which has no choke control. Even when starting on. a cold morning the carburettor automatically supplies a rich enough mixture for instantaneous starting, and then reverts to the ordinary mixture for normal runniug-

Plans to test the eyes of motorists in every State in the United States are being advocated. In a single State 2000 persons who applied for motor licenses were found to be blind in one eye. Four-wheel brakes have not changed the truth that the better treaded tyres belong on the rear. On most occasions these wheels take the heavier part of the braking forceA three-litre car at the Olympia Show has a vacuum-operated preselecting gearbox with eight forward speeds.

“DRIVER’S THIGH.”

An affection, which is stated to be fairly generally recognised by both medical and non-rmedical motor drivers, and to which the convenient and descriptive name of “driver’s thigh” has been applied, is discussed in the current issue of the “Medical Journal of Australia.” The complaint is described as a neuralgia or neuritis of the sciatic nerve, observed in those who spend a fairly large part of their time driving a motor car, and the symptoms vary from an ill-defined feeling of fatigue of the thigh muscles to those of a classical sciaticaIn directing attention to the affection, Dr John Hoets pointed out that the cause was a long-continued pressure on the sciatic nerve just before its division in the lower third of the thigh. This pressure was produced by the ■ use of the accelerator pedal, which required the foot to be held in the one position, often for long periods. Treatment which he suggested was the adjustment of the seat. He explained that it would appear that the scat without the usual tilt was the best kind for the driver. The trouble, he pointed out, occurred only when the driver sat in a bad position or the springs of the seat had given way.

CAR MAINTENANCE PRODUCTS.

In the choice of car maintenance products, hood dressings, tyre repair products and other lines, it is well not to be guided by price alone. Many cheap products are made under conditions which cannot ensure a dependable standard of quality. As a result, a polish, for instance, which proved quite satisfactory on one occasion may be positively injurious when another tin is bought- Unsatisfactory tyro repair outfits are another possibility which might have very annoying results.

One of the best guarantees of quality in any product is to see the name and address of the manufacturer prominently displayed either on the product itself or on its container. Present conditions have produced a host of new manufacturers, and those worthy of support invariably provide adequate means of identification, besides advertising extensively.