Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-09-02
UTOMOBILE OWNERS SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE
OF TAKING SPEEDY ACTION in REhEDYNG CLUTCH TROUBLES
Worn Surface is First Thing
To Look For in Clutch
IT,. Trouble ~ .
EXPERT ADVICE GIVEN
TN CARE OF AUTOMOBILE
Automobile Owners Would Do
Well to Follow Timely Tips
in Article Herewith

(ey Special Permission Of Motor Age)
How many motorists there are who
viii spend hours adjusting the valves
in their motors to clearance meas
ured In thousandths OF an inch, faith
fully stand over their -earburetor un-
Gil the motor is purring like milk
fed kitten, initiate their tires to the
exact pound pressure and then start
out with clutch that will either
wrench the necks Of the passengers
with its ferocity or mildly and hesi-
tatIngly take hold, with an accom-
panying odor of burning leather! The
clutch Is q neglected item and the
reason can be attributed to that char
acteristic Of man In which he will
first do the work that is staring him
in the face and then trust to luck in
the behavior OF the inaccessible parts.
II Is important that clutch troubles
be readily recognized and remedied.
The power and speed Of the vehicle.
MAY be seriously affected by improp-
er clutch action. The same ailments
will crop up In all types, and the most
important Of these is too harsh or
grabbing clutch, simply because ope-
IA -
ca q severe strain on the gears, bear
ings, tires-in fact, on the entire pow
er transmission system. It is almost
as important to Fix a grabbing clutch
Immediately as It Is to change pune
tured tire. Surely running on a flat
tire can be no harder on the mechar-i
ism. The other troubles. easily mo-
ticed, are failure to engage properly,
slipping and poor release, which re.
suits IN spinning. with the resulting
1dlffIetlty nghiffing -eearss
The types OF clutches to be onsid.
cred in this article are the cone, tie
dry plate, the multiple disc and the
planetary transmission such as is
used IN the Ford. OF course, each
type employs fractional material as
facing and VIII not act properly Ii
this material becomes worn. There
fore the first thing TO look for in
clutch trouble is worn surfaces.
Cone Clutch Types
In the most commonly used type OF
cone clutches there is main clutch
spring operating within shell be-
tween the clutch and gearset. In 9TH
er types pressure Is produced by four
coll springs carried on the clutch
spider. in conjunction with the main
spring. the smaller springs being fit
ted to insure equal pressure over the
whole surface and freedom from chat
terirg. II is evident that as the clutch
facing wears and the cone seats itself
deeper the tension on these springs
VIII be proportionately reduced. Pro
visions are made IN many construc-
tons 70 increase this tension by turn.
Inc up nuts on the end Of the bolt
which goes through the spring. II
your car Is Of this construction and
your clutch slips, take up these bolts
evenly until the trouble is eliminated.
Another common construction embed.
ies the fitting OF a grease cup cal ried
by the clutch cone. In such design IL
Is imperative to keep this cup filled,
as II Is the only means of lubricating
the clutch spindle. A dry clutch
spindle may cause either grabbing
or slipping clutch.
Leather 10 Trouble Maker
The most common cause Of faulty
clutch action is some defect Of the
leather facing. This may be com.
pressed and made hard or burned and
charred by heat from slipping. A
cluch must always slip. This is its
function In setting the car in motion.
Therefore It Is impossible to avoid
burning OF the facing, and these fac
ings must necessarily be occasionally
replaced. Leather also has limited
life and becomes hard and cracks
with age. Then, too, the clutch spring
may have become broken or weaken
ed TO such an extent that II does not
have the power to keep the surface
engaged with sufficient pressure.
II the friction surface becomes hard,
IN other words, loses its resiliency,
when II is brought In contact with
the metal cone, II creates a sudden
tight pressure and the clutch grabs.
To insure even clutch application the
leather must be soft and pliable. II
the leather has not become unduly
worn or burned Its resiliency may be
brought back to sufficient extent by
the application of neatsfoot- oil, which
should be allowed to soak into the
leather. Never use machine or lubri-
eating oil. They are very injurious
10 any form OF friction material used
In clutch facing.
Kerosene may also be used to soft.
en- the leather. In several designs the
use is made of flat steel springs in
serted In slots in the cone between
the leather and the surface of the /
cone. These are designed to give q
delicate application OF the leather |
on to the cone before the clutch Is |
fully engaged, tending toward very
flexible action. Such springs can be
inserted in any cone clutch by chip
ping places for them on the fact OF !
the cone