MAKING BEST USE OF THE FORD.
Page 20
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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 concern-Ling the Ford light chassis and ton truck, we endeavour to deal with the subject from every viewpoint, so that the advice will appeal ba the owner, driver, maintenance engineer or mechanic.
We shill 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.
377.—Preventing Stretch. of the Fan Belt.
The average fan belt for the Ford will be found to stretch considerably. This permits the fan to slip and, consequently, overheating of the engine may occur, unless the belt be constantly adjusted.
To avoid trouble, obtain a piece of belt
shorter than the actual size required. Saturate the belt with water and stretch it to the extent of * in. per foot of length, using a stretching machine such as that employed by carriers. This canbe done without fear of breaking the belt. Leave it in the stretcher over-night, and again saturate with water before removing it from the stretcher. This prevents the belt from springiw back to its original dimensions. The ends should then be sewn together.
378.—An Auxiliary Leaf for the Front Spring.
*Many cases have occurred—we are afraid sometimes due to overloading— of front springs flattening out under load, which gives the vehicles a "knockkneed" appearance and may cause the front member to bump on the top of the axle.
To rectify or prevent such an occurrence, use can be made of an auxiliary spring consisting of the second leaf of a front spring shortened by about I.* ins. at each end and slightly bent at the ends to follow the contour of the under part of the standard spring. This spring may be attached to the centre of the front axle by means of two pieces of steel plate, 21 ins, long and 2 ins, wide, these plates being drilled at each corner and secured by means of four i-in. bolts.
A small piece of wood or fibre should be placed under the auxiliary spring, which is held down to the axle by means of the upper plate. If thought advisable, the leaf can be se bent that it only comes into action after the spring has been depressed. 379.—Preventing Sidesway.
One of the characteristics of the. special springing employed on Ford chassis of all types is that the lateral forces between the axles and the chassis are carried through the shackles, so that the only resistance to such shocks is due to the weight component on the shackles. This is a great advantage on a vehicle which is intended for work under almost any conditions, and particularly so when it is used for crossing rough ground or roads in bad condition, hut it has the disadvantage that when higher speeds are permitted on modern roads, and if heavy loads be carried, there is a tendency to sway to the sides if a driver mile' to reduce the speed on striking a rough piece of road.
One result of this movement is reaction on the steering wheel, this being duo to the transverse setting of the steering rod. The effect on the steering adds to the sidesway, and the effect, if the speed be not reduced, is cumulative.
To damp out the movement a new type of device; known as the Swaysorber, has been brought into use. This device takes the place of the old shackle
and carries the load in exactly the same way, but it incorporates friction discs made of Ferodo, which give a rotary braking action and absorb vibrations, whilst not adding any pressure to, the shackle pins. The fixed arm on the axle and its two Ferodo discs are sandwiched between the disc on the shackle and another outside ; there is no lost motion, and therefore rattling cannot occur.
The device can be fitted either to the front axle only, in which case two are required, or to both the axles, when
four will be needed; but the effect of adding them to the front axle only is the most pronounced, as compared with a vehicle not equipped with the devices.
The sole licensee and manufacturer is J. C. Vreelenburg, 2 and 3, Charterhouse Square, London, E.0.1, and the price of the Swaysorber is 42s. per pair.
380.—A Timing Trouble.
A mechanic was recently sent for by the owner of a 'Ford vehicle which could net be made to start. ITpon arrival he was informed that the owner, who had run two big-ends, had re, moved the timing ease, and then the large timing gear from the camshaft in order to clear out the oil pipe. After reassembling, the vehicle was towed some distance, but persistently refused to start up.
When the Mechanic 'examined the engine and changed over the valve timing he found that the large timing gear had been replaced on the wrong dowel pins, so that the valve timing was 180 degrees out; that is to say, No. 4 piston was in the -firing position when No. 1 should ,have been.
As it was a roadside job and in dark, wet weather, and only half an hour could be spared before the vehicle had to be on an important job (incidentally, it was an ambulance), the mechanic simply changed round the plug leads as follows: 1 to 4,2 to 3, 3 to 2 and 4 to 1. This, of course, restored the timing of the spark to normal, but watt not in accordance with Ford practice as regards the marks cm the timing gears, but the tip may prove useful to readers who have .experienced a similar trouble. An early opportunity for retiming Correctly 'should be taken.
The correct method of valve timing is so: to arrange the gearsthat when the marks on them are together, the -first •cain. (No. 1 exhaust) should point in an upward direction, away from the crankshaft, as shown in our illustration.