ON HEAVY VEHICLES. FRONT WHEEL BRAKES
Page 14
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THERE is no gainsaying the fact that the braking system on heavy vehicles has been greatly improved during the past few years. The brake drtmis have, in many cases, been largely incrcased in diameter, and the shoe made wider, whilst the greatest attention has been paid to rendering all the connections as safe as is possible, and in making adequate provision for adjustment ; in fact, we might almost consider that, so far as .the braking of the rear wheels is concerned, we have practically reached finality.
Therefore, why is it that so few manufacturers and designers have turned their attention to the question of providing front wheel brakes? Only one example of these was to be seen at the Show, and this on a comparatively small motor coach. There should be little trouble in overcoming the difficulty caused by the necessary movement for steering of the front wheels. In the particular example we have 1)14 quoted this difficulty has been overcome in a very simple manner, When the roads are in a very greasy condition, the use of rear wheel brakes only tends to swing round the rear of the vehicle, whereas we believe that, with the braking on all four wheels, this swinging of the rear portion of the vehicle does not occur, and, naturally, the braking' effort required from each wheel is considerably reduced, and thus there is not the same tendency for. the individual wheel to skid. It is questionable whether it would be advisable to operate the front wheel brakes separately, as, if they were used alone, a front wheel skid might occur and, as all drivers know, this is a type of skid which they would much prefer to avoid. However, by operating the brakes on all four wheels together and carefully compensating them, skidding owing to the applica, tion of the brakes should be, to a great extent, overcome.