CHASSIS UPKEEP.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 2560, 10 April 1928, Page 2

CHASSIS UPKEEP.

HOW TO SAVE MONEY.

Many economics can be effected by careful adjustment of those chassis points which require the motorist's periodic attention. Take the brakes for instance. If their adjustment is carried out in a slipshod manner, so that they do not equalise properly, the friction linings of one set of shoes may wear out long before the others. Nevertheless, the whole set will have to be relined to obtain satisfactory oppression, and this is an expense which could be postponed for a considerable period by careful attention to the adjustments. Carelessness with other brake-adjusting points on the brake gear may have a similar effect.

• To illustrate: Some time ago the writer was adjusting the brakes of his car very carefully, being particularly scrupulous as to the equalisation. These brakes were of the external contracting type, and while doing the work he noticed that a small steel lug at the top of the brake band had broken off and disappeared. However he did not attach much importance to this, and did not worry about installing a new one. The result was that 'this band quickly wore away at one point, necessitating early renewal of the linings, and it dawned on him too late that the work of the small lug was to distribute the braking force equally around the band. Points of this description should not be overlooked.

Expense is also saved by keeping all the steering connections and all spring "U" bolts tight, and the shackle plates properly adjusted, so that there is no side-play present between them and the frame members and spring. It is, of course, unnecessary to add that frequent and copious lubrication of the various chassis parts will postpone the evil day when all shackles and steering pins will require renewal.

Now, a word as to tyres. The main duty of the owner is to keep these properly inflated at all times, and he should provide himself with a gauge to enable him to check the pressures. Failure to do this will result in undue wear and ruin of the carcasses long before their time. This is not all, however, for no matter how carefully one drives numerous cuts will appear and a common trouble is stripping of fairly long sections of rubber from the side walls, so that the cords are exposed. Small cuts may be filled successfully with tyre dough, obtainable from any accessory store; but it would probably be necessary to replace rubber stripped from the side walls by the vulcanising process. It is essential to keep the cords of the car*cass well covered with rubber, for otherwise water will enter and rot the structure of the tyre.