MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3023, 9 March 1917, Page 9

MOTORS & MOTORING

fßv Cldioh.l Tha Trade in England. \ The manufacture of motor-cars and motor-cycles has boon prohibited in England, an order to that efccTliaving beon. issued, by the Ministry of Munitions. Tho issuo of an ordor of this character two years ago would havo created consternation in the English : motor trade, but tho output of. tho leading factories has been so restricted since'that date, and particularly during tho past twelve months, that tho order has been recoived without any excitement, and is, indeed 1 , tho subject of very littlo oomment. Tho output of tho great majority of the motor and motor-cycle faotorios has, for a considerable time past, been taken by the Government for the purposes of tho war, and in cases' whero the product was not of a kind which could ho usefully used by tho Army or Navy the energies of the works have Been turned to tho manufacture of munitions. It has become increasingly difficult to secure a now motor-car or new motorcyclo of any kind in England 1 , and consequently the new order is not likely to upset tho trade or tho public to anything like tho extent it would have done had it been issued two years ago. AVhile tho ordor gives tho authorities very wide powers, it remains to be scon (says the "Motor News,", England) how far these will be exeroised. Many of the ordors issued under the Defcnco of the Realm Act have proved less formidable in operation than their terms would suggest, and it is quite possible that this order may not prove an exception to the general rulo. Bead in its literal sense, it suggests that no work will be permitted which is not to tho order of tho Admiralty, tho War Office, or the Ministry of Munitions, but it is quite possiblo that when tho requirements of these Departments have beon satisfied that manufacturers will bo permitted to supply their surplus output to the public. Adjusting Brakes. '•"• ' ' | On many emnll cars tho brakes are not compensated, and it is therefore necessary to adjust each brake rod separately. It will bo understood that the pressure has to bo applied equally, otherwise one wheel will skid as 60on as the brakes are applied. Accurate setting requires oare, ns if the previous adjustment of tie brakes has been incorrect it is not sufficient to' adjust each the same number ef turns of tho coupling. In the oaso of a hand brake the simplest mnilw is to jack up both wheels and apply the brake four notches on the quadrant. Each broke should thon be so adjusted that ono can only just turn each road wheel. Tho next notch should render both l wheels immovable. Tho same process, where tho foot-operated brake acts direct on tho rear wheels eon be adopted by propping tho brake pedal forward a little, or by tying it in placo; bnt'.this is not always easy. In such, a caso, tho somewhat drastic method of locking the wheels on a slight hill can bo adopted. Tho car should bo loaded normally, and a bill, preferably with n creasy surface, descended at a su'ecd of oight or ten miles an hour. Tho brakes should then bo applied gradually, nolo being taken of which wheel .locks first. Tho locking need only bo momentary, and if the surfnee is greasy no damago is done to the tyre. Both -wheels must, of course, be on equally £rensy surfaces, and tho brnkn for the wheel which does not lock should. 1m adjusted up tighter and tho process repealed. Use of tha Soreen. With winter rapidly approaching, one is only too glad to secure all tho protection from the elements that a, hood and screen caii give. Tho best method of arranging tho hood and screen in wot weather to avoid back draughts under the hood has time after ■timo been oxplaincd, but it is not generally recognised that with tho hood down a very back draught can be caused by tho screen alono, In the anxioty to obtain the maximum shelter from the biting wind the screen is put. almost vertical, thus causing the maximum disturbance of tho air just behind tho screen when tbo car is in motion. If tho screen is tilted back somewhat loss disturbance is caused, and the draught is thrown further backwards, though it would ]K>ssibly bo felt, by a passenger in tho. dickey seat. Tho best position for tho scroeii can soon be found by experiment as tbo car is going along, for the passenger can vary tho rake of tho screen from timo to timo until the best position is found. It not infrequently happens that a very good position with the average sizo screen is when tho driver can just sec over it, and in this position, although the driver's head is higher than the top of the creen, no draught should bo felt, as tho current of air shoots up'over tho screen to some extent. It is not usual to find a two-fold screen on a light car, but if such is used it will'be .found most effective if the bottom piece is tilted back, so as to bring the top fold as near the passengers' faces as. is consistent with comfort. Sido wings to tbo wind-screen are also not employed on light, cars, although there is no reason whv thev should not bo, as they readily fold out of the way to give access to the car, and arc certainly a great protection'from draughts-. v Washing Out Accumulators. Washing out accumulators is not a difficult or very messy job, tackled properly, and tbero is no need to send them away to haw it done. It should not be left till there is a possibility of it shorting the plates. Before commencing the washing, tho accumulators should be fully charged, then allow them to stand, if the acid is to bo used again, so;that the sediment. may settle and duly clean acid retained. Put tbo acid in a glass, load, or china, vessel (do not use unglazod earthenware), fill up tho accumulator with water, distilled for preference, rock the accumulator in" tbo hands, pour off a little water, rock again: continue until empty. A few fillings with water will loosen the sediment, when it can be poured off with the water through the filler holes. Get a shallow bath, with some common washing soda dissolved in water, invert tho accumulator so that the terminals only are immersed in the solution (it is best to wipo the terminals with a. dry rag to remove all grease before this operation takes place). Take care not to allow this solution to outer the inside of tbo accumulator, and dry before greasing the terminals again. Grease inside the Accumulator causes frothing, prevents tho gases escaping, which force the frothy grease and acid through the vonts, smothering the terminals and defeating its object. Therefore, do not use thin oil to grease tho terminals, but thick grease that will not run in ordinary temperatures; liquid grease has a knack of runuing. where it is not wanted. If the accumulator is to be left idle for some time, fill it up with water after washing it out, and leave it for a day, then now it off. Do not replace the acid until ready to common.ee recharging, and never replace a connector or wire that shows signs of corrosion, or the terminals, in spite of tho grease on them, will contract the disease. Hero and There. The remarkable expansion of the American motor tiro industry in recent years is well illustrated by tho growth of the "Tire City," Akron, Ohio. Whereas in 1910 tho population of tho place was 69,000, thero aro now 51,150 of its inhabitants employed in the rubber industry alone. Tt is estimated that well over Hi million tiros were turned out in 1916, and as the daily total output of the various factories is now 54,000 per day, it is safe to say that the total in this year will ,

be considerably in advance of twenty millions. Many motorists are unaware that tbo contact points in tbo magneto of their car or motor-cycle is inado of platinum, tbo present prioo of which is £14 per ounce. Owing to the scarcity of this metal, experiments have demonstrated that a silver and gold alloy, the former predominating, will make a good substitute, if the contact surfaco is greatly enlarged. Owing to tbo heavy condition of the roads in the Balkan Peninsula, rendering motoring practically impossible, General Sarrail, Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces at Salonika, has his staff motor-cars sbod with metal flanged wheels, which enables them to gravel on the railways instead of trying to plough through the road mud. Mr. Percy Armstrong, one of the .best-known motorists in Australia, and one of tie party who last year put up such a wonderful car drive from Fremantlo to Sydney (2959 miles) in S days 23 hours 35 minutes, shortly leaves for England, with a view to joining the Army Servico Corps. A' catalogue of interest to motorists has 'been forwarded! oy tie Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company of Australasia, Ltd., a concern with New Zealand headquarters in Wellington. In the brochure the company outline their polioy, which is based on tho slogan. "Protect our good name," and show illustrations of various tiro-sav-ing ideas. Tho different types of Goodyear tiro rims, tho A'.W.T. and ribbed cord tiros, tho usual and extra sizes of tires and tubes are all given, and contained'in tho book is an inflation table and illustrations of gaugos that should prove useful to motorists.