FOUR-WHEEL BRAKES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19412, 21 August 1926, Page 12 (Supplement)

FOUR-WHEEL BRAKES.

ADOPTION FOR CHEAP CARS.

Modern traffic conditions could no doubt bo alleviated if every car had equal acceleration and braking capacity. Such a condition would be impossible. In any caso the control of similar cars varies according to the skill of tho driver, and an occasional skilful motorist may get an efficiency from two-wheel brakes approaching that of' four-wheel brakes under tho control of a clumsy driver. Fast cars with rapid acceleration have brought about tho need for vehicles that ■will stop with the samo celerity. Four-wheel brakes aro not merely a safety measure for heavy cars. English light car manufacturers were first to appreciate that if heavy cars were to bo given the ability to pull up suddenly without skidding, tho small car was jeopardised unless It was capable of equivalent performance. It is not a pleasant sensation for the driver of a light car to see a six or eight cylinder vehiclo ahead of him decelerate at a rato about double his own possibility of stopping. In view of tho unparalleled traffic conditions, it is remarkable that American designers of light four-cylinder cars did not tackle tho four-wheel brake question more ambitiously. There are also several well-known cheap light sixes that do not feature four-wheel brakes, presumably on the ground of expense. The British manufacturer of equivalent type 3 of cars has been a better sponsor of front-wheel braking. A score of British light fours in tho cheap class are fitted with front-wheel brakes of the Alford and Alder mechanical type. No doubt American designers will take their lead from Britain in producing front-wheel brakes for the cheap cars of 1927. They will be fortunate if they can improve on tho simple Alford and Alder. internal expanding type. The excellent hydraulic types might prove a little expensive for the cheapest cars. American factories are observing some secrecy in experimenting with the small European type of car, but it is interasting to observe that the first of these " baby " cars to bo announced has fourwheel mechanical brakes.

American cities are endeavouring to speed up traffic and relieve congestion. To accomplish this without introducing fresh hazards has necessitated insistence on efficient brakes. Stopping testa are applied without warning, and ordinary rear-wheel brakes have • to bo in very good order to stop the vehicle in the required distance. A more rigid test would mean that only four-wheel-braked cars would qualify. The extra grip of four-wheel brakes may save that tew inches which mean the difference between a narrow escape and a serious accident. It is possible that a two-wheel-brake car will need very careful handling in a busy street five years from now if it is to ba prevented from ramming vehicles ahead. For this reason the installation of fronk-wheel brakes on London omnibuses ia being deferred until the equipment can bo made universal. The following are examples of average rear-wheel-brake performances: — Speed Stopping distance, m.p.h. Feet. 10 ..*• >. 9.55 ' 15 .. .. 20.8 20 < . • . . • 87.0 25 • • »• 58.0 30 .. ,« ."* • 83.3 40 148.0 Cars fitted with four-wheel brakes can bo stopped in approximately half the distance in tKe above table. MOTOB TRADE ITEMS. The firm of British Cycles, Ltd., has been formed in Auckland to handle .New Hudson motor-cyclcs.

Lacquer or cellulose finiah is now employed on about 50 per cent, of Ford enclosed cars sold in U.S.A., and it is probable that' all Fords will be turned out with this finish at a later data. Miss Nancy Debenham, riding a h.p. U.S.A. motor-cycle, has been awarded the "Two Hundred" Cup for the best performance in the London Club's 200 miles reliability trial. This is the ..first occasion on Which a woman has beaten all the roa.le riders in an important reliability * trial The prospectus of Morris Motors (1926) Ltd., is now being circulated in Britain. The authorised capital is £5,000,000, The company lias been formed to acquire Morris Motors Ltd., Morris Engines Ltd., Hollick and Pratt Ltd., and Osberton Radoatorg Ltd. The profits of these firms are set down In the prospectus as 1923, £951,332; 1924, £916,038; 1925, £1,235,545; an average yearly profit, of £1,034,305/ 3 Tho assets of Morris Motors Ltd., also include £769,500 in National War Bonds, representing a reserve built up of undistributed profits. The fact that several American factories were working on small European type cars was announced in these columns last month. The secrecy has now been disgelled in connection with tho Overland ompany's efforts, bv the production of the Whippet car. The Whippet is of typical English light car design, although tne power plant is somewhat larger than would be found in the normal British car. The car is selling in America at £145. It has balloon tyres of the popular British f.ize of 27in. by 4.4 in. Tho four wheel brakes are operated on tho servo system. The four-cylinder engine is rated at 15.6 h.p., and has an output of 30 h.p. at 2800 revolutions. The car is said to have a speed of 55 m.p.h. Tho body is low j swung and the overall, height is only' sft. Bin.