Answers to Queries.
Page 17
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Our readers will be informed by the Editor on any points connected with the construction or use of commercial motors. Where a direct reply is desired, a stamped and addressed envelope should be enclosed : if a request for privacy is not speciaily made, any query and answer may be published. Some replies, owing to pressure on our space, are held several weeks.
U.S.A. and Canadian Import Duties.
REMOVAL CONTRACTOR " SS ritesld you kindly inform me, through the medium of your paper, what are the duties on commercial-motor vehicles into the United States, also Canada? "
ANSWER.– The import duty in the United States is 45 per cent., and that in Canada for British-built goods 2'4 per cent.
Another Motor Ambulance for Scotland.
1,7051" SCOTTISH AGENTS write :---" We have an inquiry for a motor ambulance suitable for taking patients from country districts to hospital, and we shall be obliged if you can let us know of any makers of cars of this description and also if you would inform us which you would recommend."
Asisweas -We recommend you to address the undernoted manufacturers in Scotland : Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., South Street, Scots. toun, Glasgow.
Argyll Motors, Ltd., Alexandria, by Glasgow. New Airol-Johnston Car Co., Ltd., Underwood, Paisley.
We shall be happy to reply to any specific questions.
Taximeters for Vancouver.
11,7U6; " ENGINEERS write: " We shall be greatly
obliged if you a ill give us the names and addresses of the manufacturers of the most-reliable taximeter macidin s taximeter cabs. There is one, we believe, that delivers es the fare ' a printed and dated slip showing the amount of fare and charges. If you will kindly oblige us in this, we shall esteem it a favour, and if there is anything we can do for you in British Columbia we will be most oleastsl."
INSWER.—We are asking two good makers of taximeters to send particulars to you, and are also asking the maker of the Rogers recorder to send particulars of his device to you. The taximeter people will tell you whether they can tit it, and at what extra charge.
From Queensland.
L 1,7111I " OWNERS " write : –" As you may be aware, we lucre been running a two-ton motor lorry for the last 15 months, and have found it gives excellent antisbairns Unfortunately, however, the tire side of the lorry appears to be the weakest part of it--the rubber must wear. of emirse, and a new set of solid-rubber tires is an expensive item. Just lately, one of the inside tires of the hack wheel has stretched so much that it came over the flange, FDRI we had to get this cut and re-cemented, which it the hest seems to he but a temporary job.
" We are seriously considering the advisability of putting on solid iron tires on the back wheels of the lorry, and are writin:; you with the object of getting expert opinion on ti's wisdom of doing this. Out here, we believe, our good coachbuilders can show points to their English brothers-that is, of course, for wheels and bodies
to stand the Australian reads and climate, and one of our best coachbuilders strongly urges us to put on iron tires. We have just inspected in his shed a passenger bus that has been running for something like 20 years, and, with the exception of having the tires cut and shut every 15 months or so, there have been practically no repairs needed for the outfit.
" We are writing you for the reason that we do not think we can get any good opinion in Australia—the rubber people are naturally in favour of rubber, and we do not believe that any iron wheels are at work in Australia, but we understand numbers of them are in use in England, and especially on the Continent. We have always been under the impression that, having the wheels iron-tired would soon rattle them to pieces, but we find that the contrary is the case, for, in Our own lorry, the wood rims have sprung away somewhat from the iron channel holding the tires, and it is practically impossible to tighten it up, whereas, should the wood spring away from the ordinary iron tires, it is a very-simple matter to have them taken off and reset. With the rubber tires we have, it takes a special machine with enormous pressure to put the tires on, and the iron channel cannot be got at until the tires come off. The lorry would probably make more row going along with iron tires than with rub
ber, but we will have to stand that. The most-dangerous thing would probably be the extra vibration on the engine, but, as we intend to keep rubber tires on the front sleek, we believe the vibration will be greatly minimized, and perhaps not affect the engine.
'• We would esteem it a great favour if you would go into this matter and let us have your views.'
ANSWER.—We are happy, now, to give a general expression of opinion on the inquiry. Steel tires are unsatisfactory on commercial motors for the weight in question, except at speeds of less titan seven miles an hour on average roads. If the roads are of particularly-good surface, universally, steel tires permit higher speeds, but that cannot be expected in Australia, unless the whole of the running of this vehicle is upon " dirt " roads. We enderstand that the Polack Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd., has a depot at 28, Post Office Chambers, Pitt Street, Sydney, and that it deals with all re-tiring orders quickly. We think you should specify cast-steel wheels, such as those which are made by the Atlas Resilient Wheel Co., of 37, Cross Street, Manchester.
Comparisons with horse-drawn vehicles are dangerous. Any tire which is shrunk on by heating and quenching fails to stand up to the highest speeds of the motor vehicle, whilst the smaller diameter of the wheels greatly increases the impact shocks. It is not correct to say that there are large numbers of steel-tired wheels even on the back axles of high-speed motor lorries in either the United Kingdom or Europe. The tendency is all in favour of rubber, especially with the market price falling. The use of east-steel wheels, fitted with rubber tires of ample section, appeals to us as offering the best solution of the difficulty by which you are faced.