SILENCERS.

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 23, 19 April 1927, Page 11

SILENCERS.

QUESTION OF REPLACEMENT. When a silencer has to be replaced, and this course is preferred to attempting to burn out a much-used silencer, the new one should have the same area both of inlet and outlet and internal capacity as the one removed, but it is useful to make the ends of cast iron, well ribbed at the back and held taut by a through-bolt with brass nuts and lock-nutted. This will permit of the silencer being dismantled for burning out the carbonised oil over a forge fire. Most modern silencers are defective in this respect, which is explicable from the fact that they are made by outside whitesmiths with little knowledge of the requirements of the case, and also by reason of it being cheaper to oxy-acetylene seam the joints. In the case of old engines which it is desired to make more silent, provided other factors make the cost worth while much help may be obtained by substituting a silencer of the type in which is a series of short conical tubes which nest telescopic-fashion, and may be removed or added to as required, of course within the capacity of a given length ot outer cylinder or casing. USING A BRAKE A brake is one part of a motor-car that is much abused. In driving along a road, and coming to a place at which you want to stop, ease the car up and get to your destination with such an amount of way on that the car is easily pulled up. Many drivers come along at a fast rate, jam on the brakes, and pull up as if they were preventing an accident. Such a method shows bad driving, as it is a sure way to do damage to the brakes, and will not improve the tyres. If you were driving a pair of horses, and pulled them up in the “quick stop” fashion, you would have them back on their haunches. A good horseman would gradually ease his horses up, and often stop without a brake being used at all.

A car wants to be treated in the same way. Use common sense with the brakes and they will last much longer than if used carelessly.

Another thing, do not get In the habit of letting the foot-brake do all the work; make the hand brake do its share as well. You will get better service, and when they do wear out they will do so together, and can be repaired the same time.