TRANSPORT TIPS FOR TRADESMEN.
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Particularly Addressed to Those Who are Replacing Horsed Vehicles by Motors, or Contemplating So Doing.
EVERY commercial motor vehicle owner must, of course, realize that, in addition to proper maintenance and a. general weekly overhaul, it is desirable to subject his vehicles to a far more thorough overhaul about once a year.
Timing the Annual Overhaul
This last job may, very probably, be one which his awn men are hardly competent to undertake, though this, of .course, depends on the size of his business Ind, consequently, the size and organization of his notor delivery department. Presuming that the work has to be put out, it may be handed. over to the original manufacturer of the vehicle if this is at all sonvenient This plan has the advantage of mabling the .manufacturer to advise the user as to inly points in connection with which the vehicle does iot appear to have been: fairly or skilfully treated. ft is obviously in the manufacturer's interests that :he best possible results should be obtained. He is lierefore, anxious, not only to return the overhauled vehicle in thoroughly sound condition and so tuned up as to give good economy, but he is also anxious :o let the owner of th,e vehicle know anything that is .ikely to enable him to get better results in the future than he has obtained in the past.
If, however, the manufaieturer's Works are at a great di.stanee or if the manufacturer does not lay droself out to conduct such overhauls, the job may lavc to be placed in other hands. In London and other big centres, there are now a certain number of arge concerns which lay themselves out' Particularly or workof this kind and are thoroughly capable of Icing it in a firstela,ss manner. Such firms, if lesirous of devloping what is to them cornparaively new business, may perhaps offer advantages n respect of the price charged. Also, if their works ire conveniently situated, the vehicle can he sent in it short notice, just when the user finds that he can iart with it for a time with the least inconvenience o himself. .
In. some districts and these are increasing in iumber—there are sulaStantial public service iperating companies that are quite willing to underake overhauls for others. Their own work is irobahly more or less seasonal, and they are liable o experience slack periods during which it is diffi:lilt to keep their men fully occupied. If the trader an manage to dispense with the use of his vans at nc,h a time, he ought to be able to get his overhauls iffected. at a comparatively low price. i One cannot, 'however, n such matters, consider imply what is. the most convenient time of the year rem the standpoint of the firm that does the overauling work. The first consideration is to get that vork done with the least possible dislocation of one's iwn. business ; that is to say, when business is likely o be at its slackest. This. depends, of course, on the. rader's own locality.. A London firm may find that ts deliverieS drop to a minimiun in August, which lay, therefore, 'be the most --convenient time at vhich to arrange for the vehicles to be 'overhauled no after the other. A trader at a holiday resort vould certainly not choose that month, which is rrobably his rush period.
If there is a. very definite rush Period that can he .nticipated„ it is, of course, essential that the vehicle hould be in. first-class condition to undergo it, and
a good time for an overhaul is just before the rush commences. On the other hand, it may be argued that a rush period takes a good deal out of a vehicle and may reduce its efficieney in. consequence, and that, if this is the case, a thorough tuning up is to he recommended as soon as a. rush period is over, rather than just before it begins., in the interests of economical running during the greater part of the year. • Many traders like to arrange for the overhaul to be conduct ad in. the autumn and this is often
.good plan, because, on the whole, winter running is carried on under less favourable conditions, and, therefore, demands the use of a vehicle that is well tuned up and the engine of which is capable of developing its full power,
Reduce Your Fuel Bills.
Have you ever considered how much petrol is wasted almost unconsciously by the average user of a, motor vehicle? In some cases the saving which could be effected would be sufficient to run the vehicle free of fuel costs for several miles per day. There is waste by evaporation from the tins, through improperly sealing them after removing some of the eiintents; wasteful 'flooding of the float chamber every time a start is made—flooding which is often unnecessary once the engine is warm ; evaporation and dripping from the carburetter, through leaving the tap between the tank and this instrument turned on every night; cleaning parts with petrol instead of using cheap paraffin ; the washin,g of hands in the precious fluid, or with a petrol soaked rag, and all this quite apart from the ordinary running losses, each as those caused by switching off down hill and omitting to close the throttle.
Wheel Diameter.
There has been a good deal of discussion lately on the subject of the diameter of the wheels of trade motor vehicles, and the pros. and cons. of large wheels may, therefore, be summed up briefly. The main argument in favour of the big wheel is that it is better for the roads. It stands to reason that, on an uneven road, a big wheel tends to bridge over depressions instead of falling right to the bottom of them and then bumping out. A very large wheel may act more oriess as a roller, whereas a very small wheel will act more or less, as a hammer, beating the road and falling particularly heavily on to the bases of existing depressions, accentuating these, and making the road rougher than ever. It stands to reason that.what is good for the road is also in some degree good for the mechanism of the vehicle, protecting it from shocks not completely absorbed by the springs. On the other hand, a. very large wheel means a considerable increase in unsprung weight, which is, on the Whole, undesirable. Also, a large wheel increases the height of the loading.platform, and, therefore, as a rule, the work of loading and ef making deliveries. The tyres for large wheels will, of course, be more expensive, but, on the other hand, they ought to give bigger mileages. i On the whole, a reasonable increase n wheel diameter would be a desirable development, and the fact should he taken` into account in planning new loading facilities, which can be so designed that if, later on, vehicles with larger wheels are employed, the work of loading will not be rendered unduly arduous thereby.