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Know-how 47: Preventive Maintenance (32) A Stitch in Time
Page 55
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DESPITE their low mileage compared with the trunk and tramp vehicles, the "locals" build up quite a collection of assorted trouble, even when fully serviced each month. Because there is no truly spare vehicle in the goods world, the local collection and delivery vehicle is usually very fully occupied, and daily availability is a matter of considerable importance. This leads to a good deal of local maintenance being undertaken on an overtime, late shift, or weekend basis—regular night shifts are the exception. But the apparent reliability of the local vehicle hides a danger in that it seems capable of working day in, day out, even when almost an eyesore. Also, the operating department may not take kindly to requests for daytime vehicle withdrawal, until brought up sharply by MoT action.
With "smalls" traffic, 40 calls a day can well be a minimum figure, yet this alone means a door is slammed and the handbrake operated 80 times . . . Today's light door catches, guides, locks and hinges do not take kindly to this and after several weeks' continuous duty the day dawns when nothing works.
Similarly, the pressed steel handbrake lever and immediate mechanism is just as heavily "thrashed", and side play can illtreat the pawl and ratchet teeth, probably cleaning off 50 per cent of the tooth width unseen, until failure (or the MOT!) calls a halt. Therefore the hardworked handbrake should have side play kept in check, and any worn clevis pins replaced. The monthly service check can keep this unit in order with no runaway oit-V9 fears.
Eyesore Another eyesore is the offside front wing with its top area flattened and coming away from the wheel arch. Many light vehicles have no initial stiffening at this point, and a heavy driver's foot soon finds a weakness. The quickest answer here is a good treadplate—but do not skimp it, give it a good length over the curve.
Window lifts and slides, also mirror fittings and fixing suffer equally and need
monthly attention. Ideas vary regarding the mirror. If it is fitted to the cab the door strap must be watched, otherwise "bang" goes the mirror head. Another point to watch with "locals" is lubricating oil. Even if the mileage is low it pays to change oil monthly and deal with filters also, on elderly engines. Local vehicles tick-over for quite a lot of the working day—despite orders against this— particularly, for obvious reasons, in winter, and oil in these engines soon becomes black and gritty with carbon. It is as well to check for oil, fuel, water and exhaust leaks during the same examination.
Remove nuts The diff unit is often found to be loose . If neglected and allowed to chatter am I leak, it will be most difficult to finally sea I. The monthly check will highlight th Le "floating" studs, and although they can F 5e screwed fully home before the housit ig threads suffer, the nuts must be removi first.
The same thing applies to axle shaft stu, ds, and it serves no purpose just to keep tie htening the nuts. In all cases the nuts ml ust be removed from the studs on the her ;oh first, then the studs should be sent "hon
to their shoulder.
A frequent sight on the roadside is the vehicle with the "dropped" prop sh
and despite contradiction, I would say this is not—or is rarely—the fault of the universal. The fault originates from nei glected flange nuts and bolts—once they • are slack or easy, vibration does the rest.
Finally, when carrying out the mo nthly check, do not miss the item almost ; ander your nose! The loose or disintee rating driver's seat has "Immediate Stop" la mitten all over it.
• FLOODING, FOG. . or any bar ards to road transport users are now to be "I lashed" during BBC Radio 1 and 2 programm• es from midnight to 2 a.m. And between 5 a .m. and 8.30 a.m. they will be put out on B reakfast Special (Radio 1 and 2) and the Ton, p Blackburn Show (Radio 1).