MAKING MOTORS MIND

Hawera Star, Volume L, 21 February 1931, Page 12

MAKING MOTORS MIND

POINTS ABOUT THE OAT?

OBTAINING BEST SERVICE

Lack of driving control may he the indirect result of ineffeient steering apparatus and should he attended to immediately. There are many things that mav reduce steering gear efficiency. The steering gear itself may have too much play. The steering control of any one of the steering knuckles or ioints may be too loose to give the driver good road control. Likewise the toe-in or camber of the front wheels may ho out of adjustment. or improperly aligned, causing the machine to pull to one side. Such conditions may have been caused by a collision or jamming of the wheels

against the kerbing. Positive steering control is essential to the safe operation of a motor-car. All of these points should be carefully checked at periodic intervals, so that the driver may be certain his car will be always under control.

Extreme caution should be exercised in checking for , damage when the car has been in a collision. If a careful inspection is not made, should the car again be operated before repairs, additional damage may be incurred. For instance, in addition to a bent axle, which will ruin tyres, the motor supports may be cracked or the transmission housing may be broken. Either condition may cause serious damage. If the car has been struck near the rear end the rear housing may be sprung, thereby causing damage to bearings, gears, tyres, etc. A smooth rolling car means a big saving in operating costs. A car that is hard to roll may be caused by underinflated tyres, brakes which do not fully release but drag at their drums, lack of lubrication of the transmission or rear end or the use of too stiff or too little lubricants in these housings, too tightly adjusted or improperly lubricated wheel bearings, universal joints lacking grease or misalignment of front wheels.

Never use benzine or any “drying” liquid to clean or preserve leather upholstery. The dirt can be removed by washing with pure soap and water, rinsing off the soap or drying with a moist chamois.

The fabric bag in which the chains were purchased is the best place to keep them. Before they are put away, however, they should be allowed to dry. The chains are protected against rust when new, but they are subject to wear and the protective coating wears first. Put away clean and dry, they will not rust.

Carbon will collect more quickly if the insulator of a spark plug is scratched with a knife or sandpaper. The best way to remove carbon is to soak the plugs in denatured alcohol, cleaning the insulator with a small, stiff brush or a piece of cloth. Thorough lubrication of all the moving parts of the mechanical brake system is one way to reduce the amount of energy required to operate the brakes.

Motorists who sit hack envying the owner whose car has such fine getaway may he wasting time that they could use to advantage in getting the same kind of performance from their own cars. fn many cases, flashing acceleration is a product of perfect condition of the drive mechanism from the engine to the differential. Motorists who keep their cars in such condition nowadays have little occasion to envy others.

Hinges on the car are often neglected when lubricating the vehicle. This is especially true of the hinges of the hood and the cowl ventilator. Application of a little light oil ensures ease in operation.