SOME "GET-YOU-HOME" POINTERS.
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Our Driver and Mechanic Readers Make Some Suggestions for Cases of Emergency.
VRI' few breakdowns ;which have serious consequences are similar in detail, but the method of applying an ingenious suggestion frequently lends itself to adaptation for other work which may have no relation to the original job for which it was intended.
Broken leaf springs are at all times highly inconvenient, more particularly so when the fracture issustained by the main leaf of g. semi-elliptic spring in front of the axle. In such dreamstances there is usually no method of preventing the axle from moving backwards relative to the chassis. ".F.N.N.," of London, W.11, had the Misfortune to break the front pring of a 5-ton lorry on some very loose ground in the neighbourhood of btfilding operations. For his suggestion this week's prize of 15s. is awarded.
No jack was available, and circumStaneee necessitated leaving the district with the least possible delay. The sight of some builders' materials provided food for thought, and the method of utilizing a few pieces of wood and rope was as follows :—The front of the ehassis had naturally dropped down owing to lack of support; a piece of timber was so placed that by driving the lorry forward the dumb-iron travelled up the inclined plank and lifted the chassis. A wedge-shaped piece of wood was then placed between the chassis and the axle, but it was found practically impossible to turn the steering *heel to give any left lock, as the axle was considerably out of place. In order to bring the axle forward again, another piece of wood was obtained, one end of whieh was firmly fixed into the ground, the other end resting against the front axle under the spring at the rear. By driving backwards very slowly a Matter of a few inches, the axle was returned • approximately to its original position. The hand brake was applied, and the fixing of the unit was accomplished by lashing the axle to the front towing hook with some odd pieces of rope borrowed from the builders.
The principle of the wooden block's and the rope is not, of course a new one, but the idea of raising, the chassis by the inclined plank and the movement of the axle by jamming with another piece of timber is certainly novel.
(INCE "A.17.L.," of London, W.S, IL/was stranded temporarily with steering trouble of a type which is quite likely to occur at any time, particularly if regular inspection has not been given to vehicles during their service.
Briefly, the thread holding the nut on to a steering arm stripped, allowing the track rod to fall down. The nut and split-pin were lost ; therefore, some method had to be devised for securing the arm. A thinner nut than the original was found to place underneath the ball; a nail was drawn from the fectboard3, pushed through the split-pin hole in the steering arm and bent. There was still the matter of t-in. play between the nut and the nail, which rendered steering very difficult, In the absence of other wire the switch cable was removed, the insulation torn away
and a few feet of the wire wrapped tightly round the and of the steering arm, between the nut and the nail.
ABURNT-OUT clutch lining which might have caused serious and expensive delay was the reason for "U.J.." of London, N.1, sending us a plan for overcoming this difficulty. When the leather had started to char with wear, the process of destruction became more rapid, until eventually there was no " grip " left at all. In order to get home with a load on a heavy lorry, ourcontributor took three or four pennies and pushed them underneath the lining of the clutch at points equidistant around the eircumferenceeof the inner portion of the clutch. The principle
closely resembles the use of " firgt intention" springs, but it may be the means of helping others who are placed in the same awkward position, and it certainly has the merit of being practicable in that such a sum of money is usually available.
IN THE majority of magnetos there are two or three carbon brushes1 and in some there are mare, the failure of any one of which inay partially or totally disable a lorry engine. The particular size of brush required to replace a broken one may not be obtainable in local garages, owing to the great variety of sizes employed. "HA.," of Preston, finds that an ordinary pocket flash-lamp battery provides the necessary material. Either an old or new battery would do. All that has to be done is to break up the battery, carefully remove the carbon centres from each cell and clean them. The three 2-in, carbon rods obtained Irons the average battery are enificient, according to "HA.," to provide nine brushes of average size. A file will tree up the carbon rods to the necessary diameter.
ADJESTING sleeves screwed with right and left-hand threads are frequently found in use on gear controls or brake mechanism. "-U.S.," of Wrexham, had the misfortune to be stranded by the stripping of the threads of one of the sleeves fitted to the selector mechanism of his lorry gearbox. Moreover, there were three of these sleeves fitted side by side in a fairly small space, which rendered a makeshift repair of a bulky description impossible.
After the selectors had been moved by hand to take the gears out of eugagement, the defective sleeve was removed and split for an inch or so at the damaged end by two saw-cuts at right angles to each other. This meant that, instead of the end of the sleeve appearing to be a circle, it was, in fact, four arcs. A split clip was manufactured from sonic scrap metal, and a suit-able belt found to go through the ends of the clip. After sliding the clip over the sleeve the latter was replaced, the selector rod moved by hand to the correct position and the split clip tightened up, thus fixing the sleeve firmly.