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A. PRIZE OF TEN SHILLINGS is awarded each week to the sender of the best le ter which we publish on this page, all others paid for at the rate of a pennli a line, with an allowance for photographs, All notes are edited before being published. Mention your emploger's name, in confidence, as evidence of good tenth. Address D., M, and F., "The Commercial Motor" 7-15, Rosebery Avenue, London, E.G.
Keeping a Peden Fit.—A Further Letter.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the 10s. prize this week:
[1691] " H.B." (Bromley) writes :—" I beg to submit a few additional remarks concerning the keeping of a. Foden fit. These are additional to the points stated in your article.
"The delivery or clack-box of the pump requires cleaning at least once a month. The later type wagons are fitted with cleaning holes, and this makes the job much less difficult than it was on the earlier ones, in the latter the clack-boxes were placed behind the main frame and no cleaning holes were provided. I pointed this out to Mr. G. W. Watson when attending his lectures at the R.A,C. after he Lad described how easy the box was to clean. The safest method is to remove the fitting from the boiler a clear passage must be ensured or the result will be a burst pump or clack-box. "Now as to the firing, this is performed, as a rule, by the stoker. It is the driver's duty to watch how and when the stoker fires. As the fire-hole door on a Foden opens inwards, it must be opened to its fullest extent when putting fresh fuel on the fire. ptherwise it will be impossible to reach the front. of the firebox where the fire is fiercest. This will cause the fire bars to become bare at that point and allow an inrush of cold air where it would do most harm and cause tubes to leak.
"When cleaning exhaust pipe and fittings, give the isside of the funnel a scrape as well. I have seen funnels so corroded that it was a wonder a spark managed to get. through. ." When washing out the boiler, use a force pump, or a reduced nozzle. Have the nozzle bent to a right angle; this will be more effective when trying to penetrate to otherwise inaccessible places. A.useful fitting on the Foden boiler is a 11 in. screwed plug fitted over the firehole door between the two stay nuts ; this will facilitate washing of the firebox crown and of the portion of the boiler above the firebox door where sediment settles. and if it is not removed causes a seam round the door to leak. I am of opinion that if the hand hole were placed in the side of the barrel, it would be an improvement. It would be removed for washing-out purposes more frequently than it is in its present position, because it would be more accessible.
"With regard to syphon lubricators, it is better to remove them and clean them thoroughly than to fit new wicks. Twopennyworth of worsted will provide a supply of wicks for a year if renewed once a month. The syphon oiler for the main axle box acts well when fitted with a soft sponge as a wick. It is cleaner and not so likelasto pick up dust and dirt as is waste, the more usual material.
"With regard to the springs, the makers fit Stauffer
grease cups, which cups are in my opinion nearly useless, as it i almost impossible to screw thena down when a load is on the wagon. My advice to drivers is to fit a piece of pipe of such a length that it comes within il in. of the underside of the top channel, which then forms a dirt excluder. Use oh for lubrication which will ensure the free working of the springs, and which can be poured down the pipe. The steering chain as well as the driving chains requires to be kept taut and clean. Valves should be ground in occasionally, and the feed tank should be flushed on every alternate occasion on which the boiler is washed out.
• "A good idea with regard to shed days is to have a regular system, for example: one week clean and renew all oilers ; next week clean the exhaust pipe fittings ; the third week, the pump delivery and water gauge; fourth week, flush the tank and clean the strainer ; then repeat. "If the driver keeps before him every day the necessity for keeping his machine as clean as possible and keeping all nuts tight, the Foden is not difficult to keep fit. '
For Aligning Connecting Rods after Rebushing.
116921 " M.M." (Fulham) writes :—" When connect ing rods have been fitted with new big-end bearings, it is frequently necessary to adjust the rod for align. ment as between the gudgeon pin and crankshaft. 1 have made a small tool which is very handy for this purpose, and other mechanics also, I feel confident, will by copying it save themselves trouble
"It consists merely of a clamp so designed and fitted to the rod that on screwing it up, the connecting rod is bent slightly towards the side on which the screw is fitted. The clamp itself is made from a piece M f, in. steel plate bent to a suitable size for the rods which will have to be adjusted. I enclose a sketch [We have had this redrawn. --E.1 which illustrates my idea.