WRINKLES ON WHEELS.
Page 29
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A Few Wheel Repair Hints Contributed by Our Driver and Mechanic Readers.
MISHAPS with wheels, their a.xlesand hubs, and their means of retention are naturally the subject of many communications which we receive for considerationon this page. The follow. lug seleritien affords examples of each main type of trouble: The 15s. prize jestifiably goes to "T.H.," of congleton, for his description, with accompanying sketch, of a really workmanlike repair which he executed in a case where .the road wheel of a heavy motor collapsed. " It appears that all the spokes of an artillery pattern rear wheel which was fitted to a Well-known American-type lorry had worked loose in the felloe, with the result that, they all broke off close to the felloe, when the vehicle was passing the garage and repair shop where our correspondent is employed. The lorry WAS loaded with three tons of goods, and was 70 miles away from home, having been on a long-distance journey which, up to this mishap, had already occupied three days. The owners were actually cognizant of the parlous State of the wheel, and had a new one on order, delivery of which, however, was not likely to be effected for another two or three days, the long a time for the driver to think of waitMg for its arrival before proceeding on his way. Consideration had, therefore, to be -given to the possibility of effecting a temporary repair, and eventually
this was accomplished in the following manner :— The wheel was removed and an maxillary felloe made, in three segments, of stout ash blocksThese blocks were cut on the band-saw so that their outer surface registered with the inside of the wheel felloe. They were wedged tightly in place by means of the taper block, shown at W in the sketch, being further secured by nails and coach screws disposed diagonally and attaching the false felloe to the real one. Holes were then drilled, one through each spoke, right through the false felloe, for the accommodation of the half-inch bolts shown. The job teak three hours only to carry ant, and was good enough to enable the lorry to be driven home without further trouble.
" H.A.L.," of Rayne e Park, drives a Peerless, which at one time suffered from a most mysterious complaint. The
symptoms were an intermittent grating noise from the rear part of the chassis, with occasional stradderings of the whole machine; all of them being sometimes absent altogether, particularly when an opportunity appeared to offer to demonstrate matters to the repair shop staff.
Eventually, however, the trouble was traced to its source : the distance collar which, butting up against the inside of
the Timken roller bearings, scares to locate the rear wheel on its axle. In order to prevent movement of these collars on the axle itself, each is generally secured by a single 4-!,,ein, grub
screw. The screws are, however, too short ; after a time the head wears off, and the collar is then free to turn, and, turning, causes the grating and shuddering symptoms which, in the beginnieg, were the cause of so much anxiety and speculation.
Correction of the fault would be an easy matter but for the fact that the screws are American, and therefore not available, as a general thing, in any British garage or repair shop. In such circumstances the best thing to do is to rob one of the brackets which carry the bonnet holding-down clips. These are
secured by in, hexagon-headed setscrews. The head of one of these screws may be sawn off, and the stem .slotted for a screwdriver, or, alternatively, the screw may be fitted and tightened up with the hexagon head stillon, using a spanner for the purpose, cutting the head off being the, final operation.
Another collapsed wheel was experie enced by "J.E.W.," of Poplar. In his ease the ocillapse appears to have been quite unexpected; at least, he says nothing of having noticed any signs of coming disaster previous to this sudden occurrence. In this case, too, it was a rear wheel, the near-side one, and the rim, he states, "came conipletely away from the spokes." At first sight, the position seemed hopeless; or, at least, it appeared to he a job requiring the assistance of the breakdown lorry. He decided, however, to make an attempt to get home under his own power, and eventually succeeded in so doing, as the result of the adoetion of an ingenious and unbseal expedient.
His employer, he states, was well known to the management of a shipyard which happened to be hard by the scene of the miehap. They WON) kind 'enough te lend him a small three-wheeled hogie,
one of the type frequently seen in warehouses and goods yards, and generally . used for the handling of small heavy article-s. This bogie, at any rate, was strong enough to support one end of the rear axle of a loaded two-tonner without fear of another collapse.
The lorry was jacked up until this bogig could be run under the end of the axle, to which it was securely lashed,
being located as near an9 possible to the broken wheel. The latter was then similarly lashed to the spring, so as to prevent it, from turning.
An increasing number of commercial
vehicles, points out " Of Wisbech, is fitted with pneumatics, and even where the rear. wheels are not so equipped the front wheels are frequently shod with them. Running on pneumatics inevitably involves a puncture or punctures sooner or later, and many drivers will therefore welcome hints as -to the manipulation of the tyre in such
circumstances. Most, of the troubles met with are in connection with the replacement of the tyre after a repair has been carried out; for example; difficulty is often experienced in replacing the valve, particularly if one of the forked levers usually supplied for the purpose is not available.
In such a case a jack handle will be found to be of considerable assistance. Lay the wheel flat on the ground and insert one end of the bar between rim of wheel and tyre, moving the bar away from the wheel, as shown in the accompanying sketch. This operatiosi should be carried out at that side of the wheel opposite to the valve hole. It will be found that the effect is to buckle the tyre so that it also leaves the wheel near the valve hole, opening a gap into which the hand may be inserted,