MOTOR AND CYCLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 March 1921, Page 10

MOTOR AND CYCLE.

NEWS AND NOTES. CORRECT ALIGNMENT. Wheel alignment, according to the Dunlop Rubber Company, is often neglected, usually because the motorist doesn’t know how to check it up himself. The process is so simple that it only takes about three minutes, and the results are often an eye-opener. Place the car on a level floor, and set the front wheels straight. Next fasten a piece of string or cotton thread to a rear wheel spoke (on, the inside at rear of wheel), and bring string round back of tyre to the front wheel around front tyre and tie it to one of the front wheel spokes on the inside. Now note that the tyres must touch the string at four points. Do the same to the other side, and note results. A prolific source of tyre wear is caused by the rear axle,being off the square, but the two pieces of string will readily show this up. In many cases when tried on one side of the car it will be found that when the string is touching front and back of rear tyre that it is two inches away from the sides of the -front tyre. This denotes that the rear axle has slipped back on one of the springs. If the trouble is on the front axle, lengthen or shorten the front tie rod connecting the stub axle arms, until all wheels are dead in line. When this is done, it is advisable to lengthen the tie rod (if behind the axle, shorten if in front) about half a turn, which causes the front wheels to “toe in” about quarter of an inch to half an inch, which assists the steering. If a few thousand more miles on the tyres are gained by aligning the wheels, the ultimate saving to the mototist is well worth the few minutes’ work done periodically in checking the alignment. The average motorist complains that he never seems to have any luck with his tyres usually has a rude awakening when the “string” teat is put ‘on the wheels. WEAR ON UNIVERSAL JOINTS. Many makes of cars, which otherwise are not very ?xpensive in the matter of upkeep and repairs, have the objectionable peculiarity of developing excessive wear on the Cardan shaft joints, when the latter are of the metallic variety. It is a very well-known fact amongst repairers that the moving parts concealed beneath the chassis seldom receive the proper amount of attention when oiling is being performed and the universal joints are often one of the worst sufferers from this kind of neglect. Lack of proper lubrication, fierceness of clutch engagements, careless manipulation of the accelerator and brakes, may be enumerated amongst other causes responsible for excessive wear on universal joints, and should be carefully avoided by the motorist who studies economical opera- ■ tion. Two other factors in this class of wear are apt to be overlooked, even by experts, and a reminder of this point may not be without interest ani value. We refer, firstly, to inaccurate alignment of the rear axle, which imposes unnecessary degrees of angularity upon the universal joints; and, secondly, to the seizure of the spring chairs on axles provided with torque members. A ROAD CHAMPION. The Victorian road champion, E. Tamme, has decided to visit Europe, with +he intention of competing in the various long distance road e.rents decided in France, Belgium and Italy. Tamme, who is a fast pedaller, is the class of rider who should db well in Europe, where the pusher of high gears has little chance owing to the manner in which these events are run It will be remembered that some years back a team of Australian road riders, including Kirkham, Munro, Snell, Bell, and others, went to Europe for the road racing season, but they failed to show their best form. A WRONG IDEA. Most people are under the impression that jnotpr-cars are mostly used for pleasure purposes, an idea that is very far from the truth. Wherever figures are available it has been demonstrated that the average car is used more for business purposes. An interesting announcement has recently been made in America, where the' National Automobile Chamber of Commerce issued .a large number of question cards to motorists resident in ten different States. The motorists’ names were selected at random from the millions of owners out of 7,000,000 motor vehicles registered in the United States. The answers received in reply to the first 10,000 cards sent out are very instructive, since the results may be considered to be highly authoritative and reliable. The returns showed that ten per cent, only of the cars are used more or less for business. Furposes, and that 00 per cent, of them are used lor or less for business. Further, that GO per cent, of the average ear mileage, and no less than 78 per cent, of the farmers’ car mileage, is to be credited to business; also that 34 per cent, of (he average mileage represents the substitution of the automobile -for the railroad, and the use of the car where there is no other means of communication. Most important of all, it was found that the average car owner, according to his own testimony, adds 57 per cent, to his output through the use of the automobile, and that the farmer adds 68 per cent, to his efficiency. These are illuminating figures, and similar conditions apply to the use of inp motor car in New Zealand.

Lessons as regards the screening of the rear passengers may be learnt from the designs of special screening for side-cars which have been placed upon the market in the past season. One of the most popular consists of a large rectangular strip of mica carrying a waterproof apron. It is held to the body by hinged arms, and can be adjusted in -front of the occupants so that it either acts as a windscreen (its curved formation pre. venting any side draughts), or it can 'be tilted up over the passenger’s head so that it acts also as a hood in wet weather. Folding and extensible rear screens are obtainable from the hood and screen makers, but they are not so sightly as the screen built up as part of the car, like the standard types of front screen.

Another plan suggests itself for the protection of the rear passengers. It is generally found that the back of the front seat is flat, and it would be pos-

sible to arange a disappearing window, that could be raised or lowered at will. The side doors at the rear could also be fitted with a special form of sliding windows, so that, when ample protection is required at the rear; all three windows will be raised to their fullest extent, thus providing an area of dead air free from draughts of all sorts, in which the rear passengers will be seated.

In four-five-seater bodies fitted to a short wheel-based chassis considerable protection can be afforded to the rear passengers by sinking a well beneath the front seats, in which the feet of the rearward passengers can be accomodated. The occupants are thus fairly close up tu the front of the ear and thereby obtain protection from the large screen fitted in front