For Drivers, Mechanics, and Foremen.
Page 23
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We revive this popular "C.M." feature in connection with our "Keep Your Lorry Fit" Series* and offer a prize of ONE GUINEA for the best communication concerning any chassis to which reference has been made in that series.
Other letters on subjects 0interest will be paid for on publication at the rate of One Penny a Line, and failing any award of the above prize, TEN SHILLINGS will be paid for the best letter published each week. Mention your employer's name, in confidence, as evidence of good taith. Address D., M. and F., "The Commercial Motor," 7-15, Itosebery Avenue, London, E.C.
Lamps Alight.
On Saturday, 28th October, light your lamps at 5.11 in London, 5.12 in Edinburgh, 5.8 in Newcastle, 5.18 in Liverpool, 5.14 in Birmingham, 5.21 in Bristol, 5.36 in Dublin.
Moon.—There is no moonlight this week-end.
How to Keep a Leyland Fit.
L1678] " (Llandaff) writes :—" The following notes may be helpful in that they are additional to your remarks on how to keep the Leyland chassis fit.
"The careful driver, one with his heart in his work, will get to the garage half an hour before the time for his departure. He will start the engine up, glancing round the steering joints, then to the fan belt and ignition-wire connections ; he will look over the magneto to see that it is free from moisture, try the brakes, lubricate the clutch spindle and see that the clutch stop is all right. When the engine is warmed up, he will see to his engine lubrication ; it would not be of any use to do this before as the indicator does not function correctly when the oil is cold. He would then be able to fill up his oil tanks and crankcase accordingly.
He will look round the engine, particularly the carburetter, to see that there are no nuts or screws corning loose. On some mornings he will take out the carburetter jet, being careful when replacing it that the fibre ring is on correctly and that the jet is screwed right home. Furthermore, he will sometimes take the carburetter down and see that the float and needle are working correctly. Afterwards he might fill up the radiator, examine the lamps to see that the wicks are trimmed and the reservoirs full, and if time still remains, finish up by strolling round the wagon giving an eye to any possible tendency -kr bolts or nuts to slacken.
The careful driver working on accustomed roads will very quickly get to know hills which he can safely tackle on top ; he will make his gear changes in reasonable time, and endeavour so to change gear that the casual observer will not be aware of the fact that he has done so.
"When stopping, especially after a fairly long run, he will walk round his wagon, feel his hub caps, and have alook under the bonnet to see that everything is O.K.
"When returning to garage at night he will, in the winter time, drain thewater from the radiator and circulating system, turn off the petrol, and stop the engine. Once a week he will lubricate his gearbox and steering joints. If the wagon is fitted with dual ignition and carries accumulators., he will take care that these are fully charged. Valve grinding should be done about once a, month, more or less, according to mileage. The distributing gear and the magneto should be cleaned occasionally, and the plugs taken out and examined. The clutch should be dressed with a little collan oil, and he ahoidd occasionally look to the springs. He should not forget to lubricate his shackle pins. "Personally I strain all petrol through a. fine piece of muslin ; the driver who wishes to avoid as much as possible the risk of choked jets should be very careful always to strain his petrol in this manner or in some other similar one. Pieces of flint, grit and glass should be removed from the tires, and every month or so the wheels should be tested to see that they are still in line."
How to Keep a Sentinel Steam Wagon Fit.
The Guinea .Prize offered for the best letter on "How to Keep Your Lorry Fat" has been awarded to the sender of the following communication.
[1679] " W.G." (Liverpool) writes :—" Referring to your issue of 21st September, in which you describe how to keep the Sentinel steam wagon fit, and to that particular reference to washing out the boiler, you suggest Saturday afternoon as being a good time to choose for shed day. In my opinion, it is far better to arrange for this to be done during a morning if only half a day is going to be spent on the job. Amongst my reasons for this are: that it will be possible to draw the fire the night before so that when the men come on duty next morning and commence operations on the boiler it will be only just warm ; there will consequently be no danger of cold water being poured into the boiler while hot, with the usual consequent damage from such an operation; and in this way the time usually lost waiting for the boiler to cool will be usefully occupied ; furthermore, any unexpected derangement which may be discovered can be, in many, cases, corrected during the afternoon, whereas if the work has only been commenced after dinner, any unexpected work will carry the shed day. on to Sunday ; also by commencing this work in the morning, when the boiler has had the night in which to cool, the passibility of men being scalded by slacking plugs back too quickly will be obviated. "A few words about the importance of the fusible plug may be useful. Many drivers pay very little regard to this useful accessory. They seem to be of opinion that if the plug does not leak it is quite in order.. No thought is given to the fact that an accumulation of scale on the inside and soot on the outside may render the plug inoperative. The results of such neglect may be serious indeed. I have known fusible plugs to have been in the boiler for two years without being touched ; on another occasion I discovered one with a bolt knocked into it to prevent it from leaking.
"A hint concerning the use of the injector may help a new driver. This is supplementary to your remarks on page 73 of the issue to which reference is made to this important part of the anatomy of a boiler. The water in the tank may be too hot owing to the pickup valve blowing past its seating, or being left open a little. In the latter event, 'shut this valve tightly and fill the tank up with cold water ; if the injector now refuses to work, pour cold water on it, and when it is cool try again. In many cases I have known this method to get over the trouble. There is no need to take out the cones of the injector. The inexperienced driver may in such circumstances take them out and still not be able to say whether they are right or wrong. I once came in. contact with a driver who could not get his injector to work, so he commenced to look inside for the trouble. Taking the plug over the back pressure valve off, he tried to get the valve out finding it tight, he blew it out with steam, the result being that the valve was lost, and when I found him he had been hung up for half a day owing to this loss."