USE OF THE CLUTCH.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 224, 16 February 1928, Page 7

USE OF THE CLUTCH.

“RIDING” and “SLIPPING.’

The clutch transmits or disconnects the power from the engine to the transmission, and permits the engine to pick up its load gradually. Keep the foot off the clutch unless you are shifting gear. “ Riding ” or “ slipping ” the clutch should be discouraged. Unnecessary pressure on the clutch wears its mechanism, rhakes clutch surfaces smooth, and may cause the clutch to overheat. The clutch seldom needs adjustment except with reference to floorboards. The pedal should have onehalf inch clearance in every direction. Noisy gear-shifting is generally due to clutch not being “ thrown out ” far enough. The Transmission transmits power from the clutch through the differential to the rear wheels. The transmission is a series of great reductions which provide increased leverage and additional power for starting and climbing hills. Keep transmission well lubricated. Use a good transmission oil or semifluid grease. Heavy grease will not circulate through bearings. Oil level can be determined by removing screw plug in side of transmission case. Oil should be renewed about every 500 miles; the case should be filled until oil flows out of plug holes.

Gear teeth in transmission are sometimes broken off by throwing in clutch too suddenly, by shifting speeds rapidly when the engine and car speeds are not equal, or by shifting accidentally into reverse when the car is moving forward. The differential is a set of gears which equalise the power between the two rear wheels when they are going at unequal speeds. When turning a corner, the outside wheel travels faster than the inside wheel.

Turning a comer on two wheels may damage the differential due to the unnecessary spinning of one of the rear wheels. It is essential that the differential be properly lubricated. Universal joints are used to increase the flexibility of the drive shaft. Usually the drive shaft is in several pieces, joined by universal joints. They permit the free rotation of the pieces of shaft, even though they are not in an exact line with each other.