CARE OF THE “MOUNT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 842, 10 December 1929, Page 6

CARE OF THE “MOUNT

IDLE HOUR ON THE MOTOR-1 CYCLE This is the second of two articles for motor-cyclists who do their own repairs at home, telling of some points that should be remembered in order to keep their machines in good running order. KEEP THE CHAINS CLEAN Driving chains will next be examined. Exposed as they are to road grit and water, their service life is indeed remarkable, but there is no reason why it should not be further extended, by washing all traces of foreign matter from the roller bearings. Then, after heating gently over a gas fire, plunge the whole chain into a tin of graphite and oil or “greedag.’ This will not only lubricate the inner bearing surface, but will also prevent the entry of water and dust for some considerable time. Turning now to the bicycle part of the outfit, there is always something to be done in order to improve efficiency and to increase reliability. Firstly, the road wheels. After dropping the stand spin them to test if they run truly. A wheel out of truth is a bad asset, for not only does it make riding more difficult under wet conditions, but tyre wear is increased enormously. As a general rule, the wheel can be lined up by careful adjustment of the spokes, for unless the rim has received a severe blow, slack or broken spokes are at the bottom of the trouble. DETAILS THAT COUNT While on this job make sure no broken spokes are passed over, for it will only mean doing the truing up

work over again in a very short time, And in addition a loose spoke head is liable to cause punctures. Before leaving the wheel, test the axle cones for play, and if necessary adjust them, and when reassembling pack the hubs with good graphite lubI'icant. By the way, the exterior of these hubs are, perhaps, the most difficult part of the machine to keep clean, for it needs a trained snake to wangle the cloth between the spokes. A simple trick to save all this bother Is to cut a strip of leather about onequarter of an inch wide and long enough to make a circle twice the hub diameter. Thread it round the hub and fasten the ends together, and for ever afterward the metal will keep clean and bright. DON’T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED With regard to the steering head ball race, as the weight of the machine tends to keep pressure on this assembly, many motor-cyclists take its adjustment for granted without examination. A badly-adjusted steering head is not a safe proposition, and it tends to make riding more difficult than it should be. Place a block of wood under the crank-case in such a position that the front wheel is clear of the ground. Stand astride this wheel, facing the tank, and, grasping the forks firmly, heave slowly, but firmly, with an up and down motion to test for play in the hearing. Finally, it is a wise plan, in order to secure best tyre economy, to change front to rear occasionally, and so distribute the driving evenly.