El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-04-13

mission the gears cut a clean path
through the grease when IL Is cold and
run practically unlubricated there
after. In addition grease has the
unfortunate Characteristic Of carry
ing dirt and foreign matter that ii
may pick up. It has distinct draw
backs as a lubricant in any location,
especially in cold weather, when it
ought never to be used In winter
the grease is almost certain to be-
come packed against the walls Of any
case in which il is used. while the
gears operate entirely dry
When grease is used in cups, II has
the Characteristic OF getting hard so
that the cup cannot be turned down
properly, and very little fabrication
gets to the bearing surface for which
il is intended.
OH Feed the Best.
On practically all cars OF any but
the most recent vintage, grease cups
are fitted at various locations. If the
owner desires TO substitute oil as a
lubricant for the grease he has prac-
tically TO replenish the cups every
day In many cases this would be
worth the increased labor. On the
other hand IL may be possible to re-
place the grease cups with large OIL
cups having gradual feed Some OF
the newer car models have been de-
signed with central lubricating points
and with wick Oiling devices, which
twice a season At any rate the sub
stitution Of oil for grease for almost
any fabrication service viii be a BEN
eft 70 the parts affected
Naturally different parts OF the
mechanism require different lubri-
cants. that is 10 say different grades
OF oil FOR the gears. the transmits
sion, differential and rear axle, a
heavy oil viii be the most satisfac-
tory lubricant Other parts viii do
better on a cylinder oil For the ay-
eraEe car two grades OF oil VIII
pretty well take care Of all the lubri-
cation needs
The past year OF so has seen a
number Of extremely ingenious oil
cups offered to the motoring public,
some OF them embodying a gradual
feed, achieved by means Of con-
stricted passages that allow the oil
to leak out only by degrees Others
employ what Is known as wick feed.
in which the oil is carried up in a
wick and fed gradually to the part
needing fabrication. For such places
as the shackle bolts Of the springs,
the cross shafts OF the brakes, the
universal joints, IN some types, this
makes very satisfactory arrange
ment
OIlinE Universal Joints
It has always been the custom to
Intricate universal joints by means
OF grease or graphite, because there
IS great difficulty in keeping oil in
the Joint This part moves with great
rapidity when the mechanism Is in
operation and needs the most effec-
tive fabrication. Recently II has been
found possible to lubricate the uni
versals by means OF oil fed through
wiclrs. In many cases this change
would have TO be the result OF altered
design, which the manufacture is
loath to do because Of the cost
Wfn1r feed has the 7orrh1a nHv-n MA rrn
OF being economical as well as eff
cient In operation the oil travels up
the wick by capillary attraction. just
as Il does up a lamp wick. and IS dis
charged upon the surface requirngi
fabrication The oil spreads itself
over the whole surface and really this
method is the next best thing TO hav-
ing the parts run in oil The wick
oil cup does not require frequent fill
ing and another advantage OF the
system is that dirt or foreign matter
even II IL is present in the oil cannot
make its way to the bearing surface.
The question OF obtaining adequate
fabrication Is one to which engineers
have given and are giving almost
constant thought Some OF them have
10 the problem by employing BUSH
lugs made OF wood or OF metal that
does not require fabrication. In most
OF these latter there Is a certain pro-
DQEA4Un OF EEaDuALea WHICH is AALG4QeQ
to act as a lubricant, Just as the
soapstone griddles our grandmothers
used to have would bake cakes with
out the application OF outside grease.
These lubricantless bearings serve
very well for certain parts Of the
cars mechanism. but where there is
intense movement they are. scarcely
up TO the work. However. at that
they are probably better than grease
cups, especially those that are never
turned down by a careless owner.
Many engineers believe that event
ually we shall have a car that en-
bodies a single fabrication system,
feeding all parts OF the mechanism.
In that case all the owner would
have to do would be to fiji up a
single central reservoir. In fact a
car approaching that ideal was ex-
hibited at the shows OF a couple OF
years ago. In the meantime. the
owner who desires to treat his car
with all possible tenderness and get
out Of Il all the mileage and service
that there Is In It. win substitute oil
lubricants for grease even at the
expense OF installing new cups OF the
gradual or wick feed type The
change will be worth while.