Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-22
s|MPL|F|EO LESSONS IN
CARE OF AUTOMOBILE
Mysteries of the First Axle and the
Steering Effect Ex-
planned.
OLD METHOD OF PLOTTING
Would Probably Cause Disaster In
Guiding the Modern Motor We
hiclc-Whccls Should Run True to
Prevent Undue Wear on Tires.
Auto Lesson 80. 100.

When discussing, the dinerential. the
writer made the statement that the
development OF the automobile was held
back because OF the failure OF design
ers and inventors TO solve the prob
as regards the rear wheels. hut prob
ably even bigger as regards the front
Before the present method Of steer
ing the front wheels WAS invented. all
vehicles were turned by turning. The
ana turned or pivotcd at It's middle.
the pivot here being termed the NTH
wheel" In figure this construction
Imagine for moment that you ha!
ouch an axle on your auto and that
mile rate, one wheel fell into a small
hole or struck small obstruction In
the road. DO you think you would be
strong enough 10 prevent the front
axle. the wheels OF which are nearly
wo and a half feet from inc pivot,
such that you could. VIVA, would hap
pen when the various parts Of the
shheerinE appara'us became worn SO
think that because Of the innumerable
Irregularities of the road. the car would
one reason why the solid and turning
type or front aAlc viii not do.
what about steering such an axle?
What would you have to accomplish?
why. you would have to push
wheel forward a foot or two. depend
inE, upon the radius of the turn. and
Pull the other back this amount. This
takes power. and the steering apara-
tus would have to be so designed that
II would be necessary to give the hand
wheel two or three complete turns when
SONG around the ordinary curve. or IT
would require strong man at the
wheel Here then. is another reason
Why the solid axle. which turns at its
middle. VIII not do.
WHEELS roo FAR FROM
PIVOT IN SOLID ANIE
You VIII note that the fault OF the
so.id Ak" * that the wheels are so far
sb. rom their pivot, obviously. then,
wheels brough, in TO the pivot which
YOU'D he a three wheel car or 10 bring
would stve us Il construction as shown
The three wheel vehicle is unstable
practical FOR an auto. 'e
While constructing, the front axle.
the Problem. another ses.oas. problem tS
nons SrouSm, INTO cSRsaideration by so
uave iTg:'l II H. cre %he ip1,sus Theei is
be tangent 10 the cireia, but, in the
urn as $40 doe. sSa sn me not
he hf ia5e4 3 x hsrs 'ha,
thrown more than 1 M fff wheel tB b.
'n ns mses is e s2 nss When
rn,uI nave 20 be thro siuors than :,
Here is real problem andS IL is ,hc
, TTi.'ers opinion that faflyres.to solve
hA
"ut" not being developed loonef than
l;e, US see how this prshrem was
study for moment Tho c,rc,o
l, nlnne Here have laid OFF on the he;
have e' ORA ~ VIA, d,fi.nces H. 4 2. and
hhe'e; Notice This. that at The ton OF
H. H. s s.Ioie me ares and : are nearly
~. arcs become longer and Ionrer &c
Shey approach the sides: Thus the are
nov. We have the wbe.,s , an,
~ o piNoted at c and ID and moved
nE me arms n L and r. which are CON-
roo - rs moved to the left a sIipht
amount say equa! to Il. the end Of The
All" ~ T. moving on the top OF the circle
"hcrc the arc is nearly equal 10 II Tho
while tthc end OF Arm T. moving 10,
ward the side OF the circle where inc
ares are greater than n the wheel -
WI! be thrown much more than a m,
wheeis taking the position shown by
the dotted lines. This, you viii Oh,
nstfse., VII throw the wheels as re-
CURED when turning in one direction.
- be!nS thrown more than A. If tb,.
ron = Is moved toward the right. B
VIII be thrown less than A. which ,vi'i
be the condition required when ,urn
ing IN the other direction
mus TINS steering problem is solved
by having the arms of the steering
knuSk!es at an angle 10 one another
Mhen they ar. placed in the rear of
the axle they point toward IN. center
bug when, placed in front of the axle
from the center.
The amour, of the angle depends
upon the wheel base Of the car. and
is such that lines drawn through them
would lnierSect in the middle of the
rear axle This is shown in Fig. s.
by the lines NJ and "
MAKES IT EASIER FOR
CAR TO HOLD THE ROAD
a. h.ll' 500 y,n
pivot OF the wheel close to IL, STEERING
is made easier, and that i, will also be
easter to make the ear hold the road"
With the steering knuckIc as now de-
signed. the wheels must still be some
inches from the center OF the pivot
but by setting the wheels al Il slight
angle to the vertical, the bottom OF
the wheels tthe point where they touch
the grounD can be brought almost
under the center Of the pivot. which
would give the same effect as having
the pivot actually in the wheels. The
wheels are generally set. therefore, so
as to toe in al the bottom, as shown
in an exaggerated form i'm Fig. . When
this is done the wheels are said to be
under ga hcred."
Cndergathering the wheels results in
tendency Of the wheels 10 wedge out
in front so that he front Of the wheels
would be farther apart than the rear
portion of them. This would result in
the tires. in addition to. rolling on the
road. sliding to some extent causing
out action cannot he overcome design
ers have decided to let them wedge
out, but TO set them so that the front
OF the wheels are Il little closer to-
gethcr than the rear. when the car is
idle. and so, when running, the wheels
Will wedge out, but to the proper posi-
ton. This is called foregathering the
wheels In most cars The "foregather"
is about one-quartcr 40 of an inch
which means that the rims at the
front OF the wheels are about one
quarter inch closer Done another than
they are In the rear. This is deter
mined by the setting of the tie-rod
&C in Fig. 50.
As the tires will wear quickly IL the
wheels do not run true. and because
OF the required forcgathcr different
for different cars) il would be well,