Answers to Queries.
Page 21
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Radiator Wanted.
_1,727] " BUILDERS " write :—Will you kindly favour us with the address of a firm where we can obtain a radiator suitable for a two-cylinder Eugene Brillid lorry."
..-iteswes. --You will be able to obtain the type of radiator suitable for a Brillie lorry from Messrs. S. Well and Co., 138, Southwark Street, S.E. They have recently acquiredthe sole agency for the radiator which has been used so extensively on many of these French machines. They have just concluded a contract to supply the whole of the 800 new motorbuses for the Paris services with Brillie radiators. See also page 257 in last week's issue.
Legal Wheel-widths.
1,728] " SUTTON " writes Having bought a. threeton petrol lorry with 8-in, tires on the back wheels and with 3", in. on the front wheels, I am told that the regulation width for front wheels is 3 in. The tare weight of the lorry is 2 tons S cwt. 22i cwt. of which is carried by the front wheels; the loa:r1 is carried over the back axle. Is it correct that the regulation requires 5-in. tires for that 22.1 cwt.? "
ANSWER.—You are obliged to have 5-in, tires on the Front wheels, unless they are shod with rubber, or soft material, in which event that minimum does not apply.
Advice to a Fitter.
11,729] " ENQCIRER " writes :—" I am a fitter, and. earning the London rate of wages in a London motorbus .garage. Being desirous of going in for taxi driving, I should like your opinion on the same. Do you think I should better myself ? Are there any firms who supply cabs on the instalment system? I am told that I can buy a cab by paying £10 per month."
ANEWER.—We should strongly advise you, if you are a properly-qualified fitter, to stick to your job and to endeavour to rise to a foreman's position by dint of good service. You must remember that motorcab driving is not the work of a skilled artisan. Several makers supply motorcabs, under certain circumstances, on the hirepurchase system. You might write to some of the makers who advertise in this journal.
A Centre-of-Gravity Query.
1_1,730; " R.W.B.," Leeds, write:—' ',should be pleased if you would kindly give me your expert opinion on the following point. It is an acknowledged fact that in all road vehicles a low centre of gravity is desirable, and, to obtain this end, the frame of a touring car is kept low and curved over the rear axle to give clearance for the upward movement of the axle. Now, in a commercial vehicle, where, in my opinion, the low centre of gravity is more essential, this is never done. I should like to know if there is any reason why it should not be." ANSWER.— The question of a low centre of gravity on touring cars is a talking point among manufacturers. As a matter of fact, they do not study this question so much as time of appearance and convenience; the real object of building a car low down is to reduce the height of the step from the ground, and to make entrance to the car easier for lady passengers_
So far as commercial vehicles are concerned, the centre of gravity with a full load on any four-wheeled vehicle of normal build is low enough to insure that the vehicle is absolutely stable, and we cannot recall any instance of a vehicle's overturning due to a high centre of gravity.
An Unfamiliar Name.
[i,731] " STORES" writes :—" I have had offered to me a four-cylinder van, called the — '; the engine and gearbox are of ' make, and the chassis is fitted with a well-known type of worm-driven back axle. I have never heard of these makers, and should feel obliged if you could tell me their address, also whether they are still in existence."
ANSWER.—A reply was sent by return to this corre spondent as follows:--The original " " chassis was made at in 1904, but it is understood that only a few machines were built, the makers subsequently turning their attention to bodywork. We have no knowledge of this model's being employed for industrial-vehicle purposes. We are not in a position to recommend it. We should strongly advise you nut to purchase any unknown model without proper expert examination.
Trackless-trolley Motorbuses.
[J,732] " PERINTENDENT Can you tell Ille if you have ever published an article in your valuable paper entitled "frackless Trolley Buses are better than Tramways.' As you may have heard, we are seeking powers to run motorbuses by the trackless-trolley system. Our chairman will call upon you with reference to IL" ANSIVER.--We have to inform you that no article advocating trackless-trolley motorbuses has appeared in this journal. A description of an experimental example of this class of vehicle was published in THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR on the 7th October, 1909, and some critical observations of the system were embodied therein. We have, as occasion required, consistently advocated the employment of the independent motorbus, in preference both to the electric tramcar and to the " trolleybus." An exhaustive article, dealing with the relative claims of motorbuses and electric tramears, was presented by the Editor of this journal to the International Road Congress at Brussels at the beginning of August this year. This paper was printed in our impression for the 4th of August. We are sending a copy of this latter issue to you under separate cover. The issue of the 7th October, 1909, is out of print.