ABOUT WHEELS AND AXLES.
Page 31
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Some Useful Tips from Our Driver and Mechanic Readers.
TROUBLE with the steering gear is often encountered on vehicles which have seen a good deal of service, and many drivers and mechanics come across these troubles without being able to discover the cause, let alone remove it. Generally, it will be found to develop on those chassis in which the front springs are anchored at the front and shackled at the rear. When the chassis is new the springs are so set that even when the vehicle is fully loaded the pivot pin of the front axle has a slight inclination ,backwards, and the castoring action thus provided is sufficient for all practical needs. As time goes on, however, the springs of most chassis settle to some extent, and where this settling is enough to allow of the pivot pita of the front axle tilting forwards, erratic steering will certainly result,
The remedy, fortunately, is a simple and inexpensive one. All that is .needed, writes "R.F1.," of Trowbridge, is a wedge under the spring seat on the axle, between it and the spring. The thick part of the wedge must be at the back, as shown in the sketch, so as to tilt the axle in the desired direction.
A WELL-KNOWN make of car was, we are informed by " H.M.," of West Bromwich, to be seen the other day .careering along the high road near Birmingham minus one of its rear -wheels. Naturally enough, it did not continue its journey for long, nor did any consequential damages result, the only inconvenience of importance being that suffered by the tramway service of Birmingham along that particular road, since the said service was held up while the setscrews, which should have held the wheel on, were found and the wheel replaced.
Apparently it was shortly after this occurrence that " H.M." came into the
story, when he was asked to devise some means of minimizing the chances of the same thing happening again. His first step to that end was to inquire into the existing means of retaining the wheel in place, and he discovered that it was there that the fault was to be found, as the means in question were inadequate, consisting only of setscrews tapped into the thin metal of the back of the brake drum. The said metal was only 15, in. thick, and the threads poor.
"MIL"
replaced the setscrews by studs, arranged as shown in the accompanying sketch. The studs were screwed into the holes tapped for the setscrews, but were screwed well and tightly into place, and afterwards secured by lock-nuts inside the brake
drums. The wheel was held to the studs by five substantial nuts. The whole job is much more workmanlike than the original arrangement, and has obviated further trouble.
THERE are not many troubles which the motor driver associates, in his mind, with the hot weather. Most of the weather ills come in the winter. Those machines which are equipped with wooden artillery wheels may possibly give him something to think about as no hears ominous creaking sounds coming from the wheels, and, on examination, finds that the spokes, where they enter the huh, have become quite loose. When this happens many drivers tako the obvious course, and throw water over the wheel, besides keepifig it covered with wet sacking when it is not in use, thus swelling the woOd and making it tight. This method, however, is only of value as a temporary expedient. The proper thing to do, according to "R.H.," of Trowbridge, is to make a number of iron wedges, the same width
as the spokes. What as in known as double hoop-iron will be found to be a suitable material for the jab, if the ends be hammered out flat so as to allow them to find their way in between the spokes. They can be hammered into place, driving in at least three at a time, evenly spaced around the wheel, so as not to disturb its truth. As a ride, it will be found to be sufficient to site half as many wedges as there are spokes to the wheel, driving them between alternate pairs of spokes. The wedges should be driven in while the wheel is quite dry, and it is necessary to slack back the hub bolts while they are hammered in.
REPLACING the wheels of heavy vehicles is a difficult operation, largely because of the weight of the wheels themselves. In the past suggestions have been put forward by readers of this page for reducing the labour of such operations, and another idea is embodied in a letter from " W.J.F.," of Stoke-an-Trent.
The majority of drivers, he opines, tackle this job with a crowbar in the bore of the wheel, and wrestle with it as best they may, generally trusting to luck to enable them to get the wheel on its axle. The proper way, according to this correspondent, is to roll the wheel over until it is opposite the axle, then tilt it away from the axle, which will have the effect of lifting the hole on the side of the wheel nearest the axle, bringing it on the same leyel as the aide; that is, provided the jack be not too far extended ; if it be, it must
be lowered accordingly. Keeping the wheel tilted as recommended, gradually work it towards the axle until the latter has entered the bore to the extent of about of an inch. Now lower the jack a little, allowing the wheel to move' forwards towards the axle. When the axle is nearly down to its normal level, give the top of the wheel a good push towards the axle, and it will "float" on to it, and if the aide be lifted again it can be secured in its proper place.