Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-26
s|MPL|F|ED LESSONS IN
CARE OF AUTOMOBILE
Use of the Clutch Is Text Of Gucrr
liCh's Machine Talk
sfSs To-day.
ONE THING DRIVER MUST KNOW
Otherwise He Will Never Be Able
to Handle His Car Well-ENpcrt
Tells Of Proper Way to Start
Motor-Many Queries Answered.
ALTO LEssON 40. $50.

n
fcopyriehted. 1915, by Frederick G.
Gucrrlich)
Before a person can drive a car Wei.
Sc must be able TO properly manipu-
tate his clutch.
There are many drivers. who have
been at tho wheel of car for some
time. who cannot start /: without a
jerk. and who. when their car is park
cd with others and in close quarters.
End it almost impossible to get it
out without moving the others. II is
their failure to properly use the clutch,
which is responsible for this.
In most cases the fault is not theirs
so much, as IT is the fault OF the one
i who instructed them in driving. Most
u Instructors. when telling a new driver
how to start The car. simply tell him
to let the clutch up slowly. This is
uot enough.
The proper way to start car is
: to shift to low. give the engine little
gas, and then. while observing the car.
let the clutch in very slowly. until
the car just begins 10 move, when the
clutch must be held. the letting i'm
stopping altogether. until the car has
moved Il few feet. Then. and while
the car IS in motion. the clutch can
slowly be let in the rest Of the way.
1t is this stopping OF the raising
the clutch pedal or holding the
clutch" which is Tho secret of smooth
start.
Holding the clutch in this way al
lows it to slip. This means that there
is but a small amount OF friction be-
tween the two members OF the clutch
the force OF this friction being just
enough TO move the car slowly. but
not enough TO either stall the engine
or make the car !urp ahead
In telling in a previous lesson Of
how the clutch depends upon friction
for its action, used the illustration
OF how. when a boat IS 10 ne towed
by another, man will take hold OF
the so~-iine. and. gradually. le, it slip
through his fingers until The boa,
which is 20 be towed IS in motion
when he will gradually lie, it become
taut- and then Will let {, 60 altogether.
the knot REPLACING his hands Hold
ing The clutch is like the letting O.
The rope slip through the fingers
Another thing which maay drivers
which dereads u1on t1e manipulation
of the clutch. i The starting az the
car on steer grade
To accomplish mis- pres. down on
both the brake and clutch pedal. shift
10 low gear give the engine some gas
with the hand lever Che sleeper the
grade. the more Eas) and then slowly
let UP on bo,h pedals. the clutch pedal
will! finally cone 20 a point in letting
IN the clutch where the engine and
clutch will prevent the car iron, SID
:nE back. Hold The clutch At ,ais
point. quickly let go the brake give
the engine more gas As tho car be-
gins TO move slowly. let the clutch
in tho rest OF tn. way
Many drivers prefer TO hold he ca =
from sliding back by the hanGbrakc
when starting on a nil. This has ,hc
advantage In that the foot can &c ,.ed
for controlling the gas The writer
however, prefers the former .ncthod
and has found while insiruc,irr ma.
II is the easier method TO new drivers
Note that the holding Of tho clu,ch
pedai at the tGent where the clutch
Just begins ip snake the car move. is
again the secret 'of success Of mo
operation
Where the ear starts with q i.-,;
In spite OF care in letting n the clu:cb
the fault may he in the clutch i,s..If
In this case III" clutch is said TO "rrob :"
or grip" The remedy for mis- ,.a.
given in previous Lesson.
In the case OF cone clutch :, &
sometimes found ,ha, even though .hc
no
spring adjustments rish, ,ha, 49,.
clutch still grabs way in witch
this might he rcmcdied is 10 coli.c,
number Of the thin corks found in
3ottle caps. and pry up the leather
about every ,h;rtv degrees and ,nsor.
these corks. Many clutches have ,o,l.