MAKING BEST USE OF THE FORD.
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A. N THIS series of hints concerning the Ford light chassis and ton truck wherever they are employed for commercial purses, 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 such information which we publish. What we desire are the results of actual practice.
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.
319.—Taking up End Play in Transmission Bands.
Considerable stress is sometimes thrown both on the transmission drums and their bushes, owing to excessive end play. This stress will cause the bushes to wear loose and the drums to wobble. A symptom of this is a harsh, grinding noise, which can be heard when the first and reverse speeds are engaged. , When the drums are in the condition indicated, complete rebushing will be required, and when reassembling the drums and fitting them to the spigot on the flywheel end play should be tested with the clutch drum in position. While testing, leave the clutch plates and the driving plate off, and, after trying the end play, make quite certain that the drums revolve independently and freely. If they
' do not, remove at least one of the steel thrust washers ; otherwise, should the washers seize, the drums will be locked solid, and it will he impossible to engage the first or reverse speeds or to obtain a net 4-ral position.
After rebu. ing the drums, two, or at most three, steel thrust washers will usually be found ample to eliminate excessive end play.
320.—Taking up Play in the Steering Gear.
In taking up play which develops in the steering gear after a period of wear, two of the parts needing most attention are the ball joints at the ends of the rod connecting the drop arm to the track rod. This wear is often accentuated by lack of lubrication, in which ease play between the balls and the ball caps Is often considerable. The obvious remedy is to remove the caps and to file c54
them on their faces so that they close on to the balls. This sounds easy in practice ; but, as a matter of fact, the caps are rather awkward things to handle, owing to their shape, but a useful jig for carrying out the work can easily be made.
This consists of a piece of h-in. or round steel bent into the form of a U to the same centres as the holes in the caps. This jig is gripped in the vice with the ends projecting to a sufficient height to hold the cap, which is to be filed, in position.
The same idea can be applied when filing down the faces of the radius-rod ball cap which is located under the crankcase..
321.—Transmission Bands which can 'be Removed and Replaced in a Few Minutes.
Particulars of the McQuay quick-change transmission bands have recently been sent to us by the B.E.N. Patents, Ltd., 100, Victoria Street, London, S.W.1, who have been appointed sole concessionnaires for the United Kingdom and the Irish Free State, and have a stock in hand in London for Immediate supply.
These bands, one of which we illustrate, allow for complete relining to be carried out in less than half an hour, as they obviate the former necessity of taking down the upper half of the transmission case, starter, etc. Consequently, no gasket need be disturbed, other than that on the small inspection plate. The cost of installing these bands is little more than the ordinary relining cost, due to the great saving in time, and future rellnings can be carried out at a fraction of the regular charge.
There is often a strong temptation on the part of owners and drivers to keep vehicles on the road when the bands are badly in need of relining, but with the new type this temptation is greatly reduced.
The retail price of a set, packed complete with instructions for fitting, is 25s., and they are guaranteed by the makers for the life of the vehicle.