MAINTENANCE OF SPRINGS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 25 June 1927, Page 14

MAINTENANCE OF SPRINGS.

CAUE AND ATTENTION. Of recent years a great deal more attention has been given to springs and spring maintenance' than, lias been afforded that important part or chassis construction hitnerto. Springing has Been studied from every angle and minor all conditions, and the result of this concentration of expert attention on the matter is seen in the very fine .msuens'ion which the modern car can ix>ast. A.s a matter of fact, there is, little to complain about in car suspenSiioii to-dav ;even in vehicles which mnv he considered to be in the low price category; and wluit is perhaps more noticeable and. in a way, more remarkable, is the fact that the big proportion of designers have adopted what, is, perhaps, the Oldest form of spring suspension, as applied to automobiles—the semi-elliptic spring. We have seen many designers who have com? back to semi-elliptic springing who have previously flirted with other and perhaps less orthodox methods. Firms who have at one time or another adopted full cantilever or semi- cantilever (otherwise known a.s opart cr elliptic have returned, after much actual trial of these methods, to

the semi-el ipt-ie, and have found in the older, method the more suitable and the more efficient type considered •roni every point of view of spring service. Out even the best springing sys-tem—-and it may here he stated that not ail chassis constructions are best muted bv the semi-elliptic system, and that sonic are expressly built to he adapted for other special springing systems—-cannot operate successfully unless it is properly looked after and due care is taken by the user in' the matter of maintenance.

Springs need attention just as much as airy other part of the car mechanism. The shackling of the springs is a point in question. Perhaps the bulk of motorists do not realise how much the shackles have .to do with efficient car operation. Loose and worn shackles cause rocking and side sway. Loose shackles make for side-skidding, especially in the case of well-loaded fiveseater tourers and closed cars. They make the car unstable on orea.se', and they add to the wear and tear of tyres, because they cause sudden side-strains of considerable weight to be imposed upon them. Shackles .should have good rigid side plates, and the best makers adopt the very sensible practice of fixing the .ddc .plates rigidly together This means a great deal in preventing side sway. Then, again, .makers of high-grade ears make the shackle, bolts -n ground lit in the plates, and ensure accuracy of fitting in the bushed

holes in the spring ends and in the chassis side frame or bracket. These points aire important. Really good fitting here is an assurance against side sway, but ample constant lubrication is necessary, or such wear will take place as will cause looseness and wobble. Hardened and -ground pins and proper forced greased f.ubrioation are the points to be kept in mind. And the same applies to the leaves of springs, which should be oil or grease lubricated and protected with spring gaiters. Attention to these points le imperative if freedom from wear and consequent side instability is to be attained. and the amount of time and trouble taken in attention here is repaid a hundredfold in the better operation of the vehicle under_ al-1 conditions. and its longer operating life.