MOTORING

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 17 March 1928, Page 15

MOTORING

CARE OF THE CAR WORTH REMEMBERING. Rust, one of the destructible foes of exposed parts, should be checked before it eats its way into the metals. The part affected should be thoroughly cleansed with petrol and immediate!.* painted. 'This will prevent the spread of the rust. A number of good quickdrying paints are available for this particular purpose. TYRE, PUNCTURES, it is possible to puncture any tyre, or there are many sharp objects much harder than rubber which can be forced through it. Some tyres puncture much easier than others because of poor construction. This often leads to quick and costly failure of the tyre. Moisture penetrates the hole, lots the plies, and the tyre soon gives way. INSPECTION OF VALVE TAPPETS. Have the valve tappets checked before starting on a long trip, regardless of how recently the valves have been ground. If more clearance is allowed than for ordinary driving, the engine will run cooler and better although not as quietly. The valve clearance lessens when the engine heats up and expands the valve stems. SPRINGS. .Springs, next to the tyres, are one of tne greatest factors oi preservation of the car. Roth, are designed to iunction lor the same purpose, in takmg road shoes, {springs that, are always in condition to absorb thei. share oi road shocks are bound to relieve tyres of a great amount ol punishment. Stubborn springs, where ne--1 giect has deprived them of then resiliency, thrust greater punishment on the tyres. This unequal distribution causes unnecessary wear on tyres. A SAVING IN SEAT COVERS. The seat covers used in motor cars generally wear first at the seams. In order to prevent this it is a good plan to reimoree the seams by sewing o\er them a strip of imitation leather about an inch wide. The strips are sewn to the cover cloth on eaefi side of the seam. This reinforcement also prevents dust from accumulating in the seams, and thereby adds to the cleanliness of the cover. EASY DRIVING AND RIDING. The front wheels have to satisfy three important requirements in order to make driving easy and riding comfortable. First, they have to have a definite pitch, or an inward slope, iso that the bottoms are from one to three inches closer together than the tops. Secondly, they must “toe-in“ or slant inward horizontally as well as vertically, so that their forward edges are closer together than the rear. Lastly, the axle has to have a definite tilt, or castor, w.hich prevents shimmying or wandering of the wheels. If the pit.-h or toe-in of the front wheels of a car is off just an inch, the tyre drags a mile sideways in every Hi mi.es the car is going forward. ACCESSORIES FOR, LONG TOUR. Use good judgment in picking accessories for the car when planning a long tour. Here are the extras that are most likely to be needed : Spare tyres, trouble light, spotlight, complete tool kit, tow rope, strong chains, mud-lugs, strong jack, extra nuts, bolts and (otterpins, extra spark pl.igs, set of bulbs for lamps, a <oup.e of blow-out patches, tyre repair li. in. lading valve insides, caps, etc-.; a small block of wood to put under a jack on soft earth, tape for binding wires, coil of wire to repair ignition system,' oil can, cotton waste, grease gun, extra grease, supply kit to carry at least a gallon of petrol, a gallon ol water, and a quart of oil. CORRECT AIR PRESSURE,

Every' car owner should give serious consideration to the amount ol air he puts into liis tyres. It is more important properly to inflate balloon tyres to the recommended pressure than it is to follow the schedules set down for high-pressure casings. Having fewer plies of fabric, the balloon tyre gives more to the shocks resulting from road irregularities. Therefore, the side-walls hex rapidly. They’ beau tike a piece of wire in the hands. If pressure is low, the little cotton cords will break and the tyre will fail sooner than necessary. Separation of plies also will be caused as a result of the heat generated by rapid hexing. Premature tread-wear will result from a wiping action on the road.