• MAKING BEST USE OF THE FORD.
Page 13
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Valuable Advice on Every Phase of Ford Transport, Which Will Appeal to the Owner, Driver and Repairer.
TN THIS series of hints concerning Ford light chassis and ton trucks wherever they are employed for commercial purpose, 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.
312.—Getting Home with a Leather Big-end,
When 20 miles from home with a ton truck, one of our contributors had the misfortune to burn out a connecting-rod big-end bearing. Having a full load on the vehicle at the time and it being necessary to get this back without delay, he set his wits to work to evolve some scheme by which the vehicle could run home under its own power.
Eventually he decided to pack out the bearing, and after removing the inspection plate, and taking away the connecting rod bearing cap, he roughed off the remainder of the white metal, cut a piece of good leather of such a size that it would just encircle the crankpin and utilized this leather in place of the white metal, with the outer, or smooth, side of the hide towards the crankpin, replacing the cap and tightening it up in the usual manner.
This temporary repair not only enabled the vehicle to be run home, but allowed it to keep going for several days until a suitable opportunity for carrying out a proper repair presented itself. It is certainly surprising that the expedient proved so successful, but it can well be understood that the leather would be thoroughly soaked in oil and, consequently, would allow a good film of oil between the crankpin and the actual surface of the hide.
313.—An Improvement to the Hand Brake.
After a vehicle has been on the road for some time the hand-brake toggle spring may be found to be weakening. This causes the toggle or pawl to slip on the rack, and both the teeth and the pawl become worn, with the result that when the vehicle is standing with the engine running, or upon starting the engine, the pawl is apt to slip from the teeth, possibly with serious consequences.
One of our readers, who runs a fleet of 16 Ford vehicles, has overcome this failing in a very simple manner. By taking down the speed lever and handle it is a simple task to drill and tap a hole in the place indicated in the sketch to take a Fin. bolt. This is in a direct line with the pawl rod, and between the pawl and this bolt is connected a brake-shoe spring from a 7-cwt, model rear wheel, using one end of the spring in place of the cotter pin in the pawl rod. This spring will be found of the exact length and the right tension. It holds the pawl firmly in position in the rack, and, providing the teeth in this are in fair condition, will. never slip.
314.—An Auxiliary Leaf for Strengthening the Front Spring.
The attention of the foreman in charge of a large fleet of motor vehicles, belonging to one of the largest universal providers in South Wales, was drawn by the management to the fact that the expense of providing front springs and steering parts for the Ford tonners was becoming rather high, so his efforts were concentrated on making some improvement, if that were possible, with the result that he has now fitted a special-top leaf to the Ford standard spring, of the form which we illustrate. The new leaf was made of Parkgate special spring steel by a competent smith to attain the best results.
During six months' use there has been steady steering at all times and a notable absence from shiver. The springs stand up to their work and there have been no sudden collapses, also no fractures have appeared in the front cross-members.