A USEFUL MISCELLANY.
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Interesting Contributions from Our Driver and Mechanic Readers.
Three Practical Suggestions for Detail Improvements.
0"of our correspondents," J.S.B.," of Sheffield, who is in charge of the maintenance of a fleet of lorries, points out that experience often suggests alterations in details that would improve the vehicle generally, and, in many cases, would cost DO more to produce, and where extra cost is entailed
it would be only trivial. The three suggestions he makes are as follow, and we hope, that designers will give them full consideration :--
(1) On the vehicle under his charge the drop-arm of the selector mechanism is attached to its shaft by being splined thereto, no means being provided for tightening it on its shaft should the splines wear slack. The effect of slackness is to make the gear change uncertain and the pinions to remain slightly in ''sear although the lever has been pulled to neutral. Our correspondent suggests that the boss of the lever might be split and provided with a clamp so that slackness could not start, or, if it did, it could be easily remedied.
(2) The gearbox of the type of vehicle of which he has charge is so designed that there is a very small clearance between certain of the pinions and the bottom of the box. The result of this is that on more than one occasion some small foreign substance has found its way between the teeth and the bottom of the box, with the result that a fracture was caused. Our correspondent suggests that more clearance should be provided.
(3) " J.S.B." suggests that all passages along which grease has to be forced to travel by means of the greasegun should be as short as possible, and that all right-angle passages should be avoided,
An Example of Bad Organization. k STRIKING example of what should not be done in any circumstances when handling motor vehicles is shown
in the letter of " of Leicester, who tells us of a bus that had been repainted, and after this there was a very bad pitching and jolting action noticed from the front of the vehicle. An external examination showed nothing to be wrong when the bus was not moving, vet so bad was the trouble when on the road that the driver had to run with one wheel in the gutter if he wanted the bus to run steadily, so as to balance the camber of the road.
" J.E.0." tells us that at the earliest opportunity the bus was examined, and it was found that the painters, who had removed the wheels for repainting, had put them back again with the nuts which hold the disc wheels in place reversed (with the flat side instead of the bevelled side to hold the wheels in Place) , this allowed the bolts to have considerable play when the wheels were revolving.
This is the first time we have heard of such an, important operation as the replacing of bus wheels being entrusted to painters, who should never be allowed to replace ' any part of the mechanism, as they are not instructed in such work, and therefore cannot be expected to perform duties which should be undertaken by an experienced meehanic.
Two Useful Little Tips.
TO know how to make a temporary repair to a leaking radiator is sometimes useful, so we give the tip sent us by " G.R.S.," of Gainsborough, who tells us that he has made a satisfactory repair by emptying the radiator and allowing the leaking part to dry, then covering it with a layer of rubber solttion, which also must be allowed to dry. If the radiator be still warm the drying willnot take long. After the solution is dry a patch of the selfvulcanizing type can be applied to the leak.
Another tip from the same correspondent relates to a means for temporarily repairins.b a blown fuse of the glass-tube type by wrapping the old fuse in a piece of tin foil from a cigar ette packet and replacing it in the clip.
Starting Large Engines.
STILL another correspondent, " of Worcester, tells us of the difficulty he used to experience in starting a large engine in cold weather, and how he managed to start it single-handed. His method is as follows :—He agrees with " N.G.," with regard to the removal and heating of the sparking plugs, but before replacing them he pours about a quarter of a pint of lubricating .oil and petrol, mixed well together, into the plug holes. He then gives the engine about a score of turns, sets the ignition and throttle in the most favourable positions and gives the engine a sharp pull up, finding that there is rarely any difficulty in getting a start. The operation takes him from six to seven minutes, but an obstinate engine will often take much longer to start and will entail much exhausting labour.
We have heard before of a Mixture of oil and petrol being used and being slightly heated before pciuring into the
cylinder. Such heating should, however, be done most carefully. Standing the container in hot water is good, as there is no naked flame to cause a fire.
How to Keep a Licence Clean.
MANY drivers have suffered from their licences fading after being exposed to the weather for a time, and efforts have been made to prevent damp from getting inside the holder, thinking that damp was the cause of the fading. Our correspondent, " H.B.," of Lincoln, tells us that he has found that the best way to deal with the matter is to allow a clear space between the licence and the front glass ; this has been accomplished by fitting a bevelled-edged glass which leaves the necessary space to allow air to find its way to the card, and so prevent condensation. We take it that no rain should be allowed to get to the card.
Our correspondent says that his fellow drivers often ask him how be manages to keep his card so clean.
Removing Obstinate Gudgeon Pins.
THE removal of a' seized gudgeon pin is sometimes a dangerous job, as owing to the fragile nature of the piston, force can_only be applied with great care, and the resistance to any pressure brought to bear on the end -of the pin must be well distributed over the surface of the piston by some flexible member.
" Ef.J.G.," of Woolwich, tells us' of a tool he has made, and found most snccessful. It consists of a piece of flat steel of sufficient length to take the largest piston. This has a hole tapped in its centre for a setscrew, and four holes, two at each end, to receive steel pins that are afterwards filed to pass through the openings of either ordinary bicycle chain or motorcycle chain.
Any size of piston can be operated upon by this tool, as the chains can be engaged with the pins at Any convenient place along their length.
Our correspondent tells us that be has found this tool more rigid and less likely to damage a piston than anything he has tried.
It should be mentioned that with hollow gudgeon pins it may be necessary to use a steel disc or a washer with a small hole to prevent the setscrew entering the pin.