The Motor Drivers News.
Page 21
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To Prevent Skidding on Snow.
" J.D." (Keighley) writes with reference to steel tires skidding on ground covered with snow :—" Being caught in a snowstorm, and my driving wheels failing to grip the road, I had to concoct some plan to enable me to get my wagon home. In a previous communication from me, I mentioned that I had bound rope across my tires, but had found that it only lasted a very short time. On this occasion, therefore, I determined to try wire rope. I simply wrapped the wire rope across the tire and underneath the fence, taking care to keep the coils as close to one another as was possible. I fastened one end of the wire rope to one of the spokes and worked round the wheel, finishing off at the same spoke at which I started. The rope, which was about inch in diameter, was some which I had found on a scrap heap, and, when I had travelled about a mile, I had a look to see how the rope was standing and found that it was doing well. On macadam roads, this non-skid will last to between one and two weeks, if well put on. With two or three inches of snow upon the ground, I can plod along without difficulty. We have already had to resort to the above remedy this winter, as one of our drivers had to face a hill of about i in 8, which was covered with two inches of snow, and ice. The journey was completed -satisfactorily, and saved the expense of having to tranship the load to horse-drawn lorries. If drivers would only try this simple means out of the difficulty, they would be amply repaid for the small amount of trouble entailed. Now that winter is at hand, drivers of steam vehicles will do well to remember the following points when leaving the dep5t at nights. Drain all water from the gauge glass, and especially from the steam gauge; uncouple the -unions of the injector and pump connectiens; shut stop cocks, and take out all clack valves. When there is any probability of a hard frost, keep a small fire in the grate and damp it down with sludge coal to just keep the boiler warm. All this means a few minutes overtime at night, but it saves a great deal of trouble by the roadside. Don't forget to drop the damper, and cover over the top of the chimney, so that the boiler will not generate steam during the night. Blow steam into the water tank before starting out in the morning, to prevent cold water from being pumped into the boiler. Although some drivers will undoubtedly consider my system of uncoupling unions too much of an undertaking each night, I can assure them that it is time well used. What is the spending of a few minutes each night to the driver who takes an interest in his vehicle? It is, after all is said and done, only another way of looking after one s self."