SOME EMERGENCY TIPS.
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Useful Expedients Adopted by Our Driver and Mechanic Readers.
THE opinion is expressed by " A.M.D.," of Lanark, that there is a certain sporting element about breakdown work which has an irresistible appeal for repair staffs, who may be called upon, at a minute's notice, to depart for some more or less remote part of the country to answer an S.O.S. Gall. The repairer sets out with his breakdown lorry, not knowing in the least what may be before him, but with -the fairly certain prospect of encountering an enterprise which will tax his resources of brain, brawn, and material.
Just such an experience befell him, be states, recently. On arrival at the 'scene of the smash, be found that a -mishap to the steering gear was the cause of all the trouble. The ball connection which links the steering arm to the rod had snapped, aud the net result Was one dumb-iron bent back to the radiator so that it prevented the starting handle from being used; rear end of one front spring torn from the frame, end front axle broken away from the spring clips and bent baok almost at right angles.
rise breakdown lorry, adds " A.M.D.," is a Ford toner, and, surveying the wreck, which consisted of a fairly heavy van body mounted on a really substantial chassis, it was immediately apparent that the tanner would not be able to bring the disabled lorry back to the repair shop as live weight, let alone dead weight.
First of all the battered mudguard and broken spring were removed. A substantial bar was then placed between the sound and damaged dumb-irons, and between this and the bend on the damaged axle, a jack. The jack and bar afforded the necessary reaction against the pull of a bending tool which, esitended by means of a piece of shafting ei as to give about 10 ft. of leverage, proved sufficient to enable the front axle to be straightened. The broken spring was replaced by a good stout block of wood, which was lashed between the underside of the frame and the top of the axle. The road wheel was then replaced and the weight of the vehicle let down on the axle. The broken hall was removed from the steering socket, and its place temporarily taken by a piece of thin rope, which served to secure the steering arm to the socket. The
engine was then started by •(owing the van with the gears engaged (the starting handle still being inaccessible owing to the interference of the bent dumb-iron) and the van brought home. We have awarded the 15s. prize to The lorry which " B.W.," of Potters Bar, drives has an ash frame reinforced by steel fliteati plates, and he found, one morning, that this &AMC frame had broken close to the near-side front-spring rear bracket. A job of some urgency was in prospect, so that an immediate repair was called for. This was effected by means of a couple of U-bolts and a piece of H-section girder. The latter was bolted to the chassis frame, above the break, in the manner illustrated in the accompanying sketch, to entire satisfaction of all concerned, and involving a delay of no more than half an hour. With a view to disarming, ill advance, any possible critics, "
adds that in his view there was no other way of closing the break, as there woe a cross-stay inside the frame atthis point, and a spring bracket on the outside. "AC.," of Middlesbrough, was also called out to a roadside breakdown, and on arrival found that the vehicle was a Ford light lorry, loaded with about 8 cwt. of furniture. The rear axle had broken close up to the wheel flange, and the vehicle itself was lying head on in a ditch. The " breakdown lorry " iii this case happened to be a Baico-cone verted Ford with a platform body. To this the load was transferred. The help of one or two farm labourers was then procured, and, with their aid, the him was towed backwards out of the ditch, and set with its rear towards the direction in which it had to travel. The back of the damaged vehicle was then lifted on to the tailboard of the Baico, and there secured. As an impromptu six-wheeler it proceeded successfully home, with but one mishap, which occurred when the man on the towed lorry misunderstood and turned his steering wheel in the wrong direction. The sudden extra load which this put upon the towing vehicle was enough to burst the front tyre.
" T.D.," of Sunderland, remarks that the steam-wagon driver's most frequent trouble on the road arises from leaky tubes. Expanders, be points out, are hardly even consolation, let alone use, to a man when he is miles away from home and cannot raise more than 70 lb. of steam. In such circumstances the best thing to do is to add about a handful of flour to a bucket of water, taking care that it mixes thoroughly. Pour this into the tank and then carry on as usual: After about ten minutes the tube plate will have dried up and will keep so for months. The flour seems to get in between the tubes and the plate whereever there is a leak.
Prevention, the'Y say, is better than cure, and it may be found worth while, in a boiler which is prone to this trouble, to adopt the following expedient which " T.D." has found useful. Fit a baffle plate in the ashpan, SS shown in the sketch, so that it throws the cold draught well into the middle of the fire, and keeps the draught from impinging on the front of the tube plate.