WAYS AND MEANS.
Page 69
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Useful Contributions from Our Driver and Mechanic Readers.
A Broken Steering Column.
IT is not often that a mechanic is asked to get a vehicle home when the steering column has broken oft near the dash, bat " EX.," of Southfields,
was asked to do this, and seems to have managed it in a very clever manner. His sketch shows where the column snapped off, and how he overcame the difficulty.
Not having any spare parts to enable him to reassemble a new column, he first removed the off-side front wing and running board ; this enabled him to get a free action of the drop arm, which was of the type that hangs outside the frame. He then procured an iron bar, and, by packing it out from the drop arm so that it cleared the nut and binding it tightly with cord, he made an extension of the drop arm which stood high enough for a man to control the steering by moving the improvised extension backward and forward.
Another vehicle was then found to tow the disabled one, while one man sat on the engine and worked the improvised steering and another man looked after the brake. By this means he was able to get the vehicle home.
New Uses for Old Gudgeon Pins.
SOME drivers appear to have a great
objection to see-lag any scrapped parts thrown away, and in many cases they find some useful purpose to which they can he put. An instance of the kind can he seen in the number of uses that " E.S.T.," of Camberwell, seems to have found for worn-out gudgeon pins.
Having need of some V-blocks, he has fixed two gudgeon pins together as shown, and has found them answer even better than ordinary V-blocks, on account of their affording a longer bearing for his work.
In another instance he has made many heavy-duty box spanners out of scrapped gudgeon pins by using a mandrel of hexagon section, tapering and ranging from 1i ins, at one end to I in. at the other end. .0n this mandrel he can make any size of box spanner he is likely to require for motor work by simply heating the gudgeon pin, forcing it over the mandrel and hammering it to fit. The slight taper of the mandrel is no detriment, as in the short distance through which it affects the spanner it is not perceptible.
Still another use is found by "E.S.T." in making .hollow punches out of old gudgeon pins by grinding them to a s'-harp edge as shown.
The same -correspondent describes a means he has found useful for attaching bolts to straps for holding such articles as tanks, etc. To relieve the strain from the rivets, he forms the bolt as shown by cutting a flat at one side, but this flat does not extend to the end, and it leaves a portion of the bolt to enter a square hole in the strap.
Ilow Maintenance Costs Could be Reduced.
IN the course of his experience one thing has come very forcibly to the notice of " C.A.C.," of Westminster, namely, the vast amount of expenditure incurred in respect of spindles and bushes.
Take, for example, stub axles, camshafts, timing-wheel spigots, clutch spigots, gear selectors and other working parts too numerous to mention which when worn, scored or recessed are usu
ally remedied by reducing the spindles, spigots, etc., by turning them down to
get a fresh surface, a process that re duces their strength and enforces the employment. of -special bushes. railing
this, the whole part has to be renewed • throughout, usually an expensive matter, especially where lathes or other machine tools are not maintained.
Our contributor offers the following suggestion as a remedy, which; in his opinion, will prevent a vast amount of inconvenience, expense, accidents, etc., and what is most desirable of all, maintain the original standard size of the parts concerned; it is that where possible the spindles or spigots should each be fitted with a sleeve, keyed, squared, tapered, or with a grub save iv, which when worn on its outer surface can be removed and replaced by another one taken from the standard stock.
The same would apply to bushes, the sleeves of which, when, worn on their inner surfaces, could be replaced likewise, thus making what amounts to an entirely new job. Taking engine cylinders as another example, if these were fitted with sleeves there would he no necessity for them to be bored oversize or scrapped if severely scored, as -the sleeves could be extracted and new ones fitted.
Repairing Domed Mudguards. somE notes on the repairing and refinishito, of mudguards of the domed and doubl-curved pattern have been rcceivefi from" A.E.," of Manchester. He writes that should a domed or doublecurvature type of guard become badly damaged, it is obvious that all the repaired parts must be made to conform with the rest of the mudguard. If it be badly dented, place the dented part on suitable iron blocks and then carefully hammer over and around the damaged area. Judicious hammering will soon restore it to its original contour. Should a damaged mudguard be dented on the edge of a wired portion and it is impassible to remove the dents with the tools available, the best method is to fill up the defects with solder, hut do not forget thoroughly to clean the parts by scraping or filing before attempting to apply the solder, otherwise it will not properly adhere. After soldering, scrape off the superfluous solder and smooth up -with emery cloth.
Before commencing to paint mud guards that have been repaired remove all rust, dirt and the remains of soldering flux from the surface by the use of emery cloth, steel wool or steel card wire. These cleansing materials abrade and roughen the metal surface and assist in forming a key to „grip the paint.
If the repaired mudguard be enamelled black it can be renovated by coating with a mixture of -11 lb. asphalt, 2 oz. lamp-black, 4 cas. resin, 1 pint of spirits of turps. Make the lamp-black into a paste with linseed oil before mixing it with the other ingredients. Mix the whole thoroughly and when ready apply carefully to the surface of the mudguard, using a varnish brush. When dry a greatly improved surface will result.