MOTORING NOTES.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 31, 15 October 1920, Page 13

MOTORING NOTES.

TO REMOVE WHEELS. ~JL Here is an easy way to remove a wheel from the axle. Get a stout rope and tie itaoross the wheel, leaving enough room to insert a jack between the rope and the end of the spindle. Place the foot of the jack against the rope and the head against the end of the axle and work the jack slowly so that a pulling force is exerted on the wheel through the rope. LUBRICATING SPRINGS. It is a custom in one of the largest repair shops in the world to lubricate and preserve the chassis springs of motor-cars whenever they are disassembled for an overhauling by painting them with a mix. ture of graphite and cylinder oil. This mixture prevents the accumulation of rust between the leaves, and improves the riding qualities of the springs. The mixture is prepared by simply mixing powdered or flaked. graphite with cylinder oil to a pasty consistency ; and it is applied with any suit-able paint brush. Another method is to glaze the working surfaces of th,e spring blades with beeswax shavings, which is a eleaner job and lasts a long time. DISMANTLING THE ENGINE. In order to look over.' the parts of an engine and to restore the worn or defective components it is necessary to take the engine ent-irely apart as it is only when the power plant is thovoughly dismantled that_ the parts can be inspected or measured to determiuc defects or wear. If one is not familiar with the engine to be inspected it will be found of value to take certain precautions when dismantling the engine in order to insure that all parts will be replaced in the same position they occupied before removal. There are a number of ways of ddentifying the parts, one of the simplest and surest being to mark them with steel numbers or letters or with a series of centre punch mai'ks in order to retain the proper relation when reassembling. This is of special ixxiportance in connectioix with dismantling multiple cyclinder engines as it is vital that pistons, piston rings, conxxection rods, valves, and other cylinder pai'ts be always replaced in the same cylinder from which uiey were removed, because it is uncommon to find equal depreciation in all cylinders. All parts should be tlxoroughly cleaxxed with petrol or in the potash kettle as removed, and wiped clean and dry. This is necessary to show wear which will be evidenced in cases where the machine has been used for a time, but in others, the deterioration caix only be detected by delicate measux*ing instruments. . KEEPING THE CAR NEW. / The presept day owxxer, usTng modern methods, may keep his car looking new all the time, xxor will he have to spend more than a few minutes a day to accomplish this end. For instaxxce, there are now on the maa-ket a xxumber of liquid and wax polishes, which will give admirable results, if they ax'e used as directed. In the xxse of wax polishes the first step is thoroughly to clean the body of the car. The polish is applied to the surface with a piece of cheesecloth and then another clean clot-h is used to distribute the wax evenly all over the surface. The polish will last for from four days to a week and after it has been applied at the beginning of the week, a little rubbing with a cleaix cloth will bring out the lustre again. The wax polish may be used for body, fenders, liood, and other lustrous surfaces and it will also be found that if the under side of the fenders are cleaned and given a good coating of wax, less mud will be deposited and what there is may be easily removed. The present day owner must not assume that these really useful aids to beautifying the motor car have superseded plain water. The contrary is true. The car must he washed just as formei'ly, after which the polishes do bring out the lustre of the original finish.