MAKING BEST USE OF THE FORD.
Page 15
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Valuable Advice on Every Phase of Ford Transport, Which Will Appeal to the Owner, Driver and Repairer.
IN THIS series of hints concerning the Ford light-.
chassis and ton truck wherever they are employed for commercial purposes, we endeavour to deal with the subject from every view-point, so that the advice given will appeal to the owner, driver, maintenance engineer or mechanic.
We shall welcome for inclusion among the hints those which have proved of value to individual users, and will make suitable remuneration for any which are published. The contributions should be accompanied by rough sketches wherever possible. Readers are recommended to obtain the original " Book of the Ford,' which constitutes a complete manual dealing with the Ford car, the van and the truck, 2s. 9d. post free from the offices of this journal.
287.—Facilitating the Lubrication of Stub Axles.
In the ordinary course, oiling of the stub axles or front-wheel spindles, as they are sometimes tailed, involves removal of the wheels, but if each
stub axle be drilled in the manner illustratecl and plugs inserted where required, the use of a pressure grease gun on the top of each stub-axle pivot-pin will force the grease not only to the pin bushes, but also to the wheel bearings.
288.—A Special Carburetter.
A carburating device which has given excellent results on a large number of Ford vehicles is the Millennium, made by Lake and Elliott Ltd., of Braintree, • Essex. It is not a freak device, and it does not include entirely new principles, but combines a number of detailed improvements which make the carburetter particularly suitable for the engine for which it is designed, which is the Model T power unit.
The instrument is interchangeable with that fitted as standard, and the change can be effected in a few moments.
With the standard carburetter fitted by the makers it is sometimes necessary, especially on the heavier models, to open the jet when going up hill, and there is a tendency on the part of many drivers to leave the jet open, with the result that the efficiency is impaired and the consuinption increased. This difficulty is avoided in the case of the 'instrument with which we are dealing.
289.—Troubles with the Old Type Coil Box.
Two frequent sources of electrical trouble occur in Fords of old types. These are to be found in the coil-box. The wood backing may crack from end .to end through damp and exposure to the weather. If there be any nioisture present, the high-tension current will use it as a path to the metal beading at the side of the coil-box to which this wood is
secured, and misfiring will ensue. If the metal path to the coil-box be touched, the shock will at once show how the current is straying.
Another trouble—this time with the low-tension current—may be due to the switch-box working loose on the face of the coil-box. Movement of the switch lever will then cause the switch-box to throw a strain on the wiring connection passing from the base of the coil-box to the contact terminal of the switch, and the wire may give way, thus cutting out the magneto current, or it may earth to the box and may be detected by the sparking which will ensue. Attention to minor details of this description has avoided the removal of the engine in endeavouring to solve the difficulty.
290.—Replacing Spring Hangers.
• Mention was made in a recent paragraph of trouble due to looseness in the front radius rod, or " wish-bone," as it is sometimes facetiously called. When replacing the spring hangers to which this rod is anchored care should be observed that the right and left hangers are used on their respective sides. If they be not, the stub axles will be set forward and the effect will be a very dangerous and even unmanageable locking of the steering.
When the hangers are in their correct positions, the stub axles should have a slight backward
291,—The Rapid Tracing of Electrical Troubles.
One of our readers has sent us details of the method which he employs rapidly to locate electrical troubles, particularly those which cause difficulty in sparking, .First of all, he advises examination of the coils. If these be all buzzing, it is obvious that a plug is at fault, in which event try changing the plugs. If, however, there be no buzz, the trouble may he in the magneto coils, the wiring or the timer.
To trace the fault, disconnect the plug wires, then join one of thg timer-wire terminals on the dashboard direct to a good earth on the engine (as, for instance, one of the cylinder head bolts). Now swing the engine and if the coil buzzes the trouble lies either in a broken timer wire or in the brush not making contact with the segment. If, however, the coils do not function, the fault lies in the magneto.