Evening star., 1919-03-09
MOTOR TRUCK SHOULD
Be WELL LUbR|CATED

From Motor.
A good way 10 add years to the serv-
ice life of a motor truck and to re-
duce expensive layups is to make sure
that it never lacks fabrication There
are between fifty and hundred points
on a, motor truck which require indi-
vidual fabrication attention. Unfortu-
nately it is not possible to arrange
the chassis so that all of these are
to be fabricated at the same time
since the parts represented by this
array nearly all work at different
speeds and under wide variations of
load. Every manufacturer conscien-
tiously supplies purchasers with
charts showing just where, with what
and when to attend to each lubrica-
ton job. Yet it seems impossible for
most organizations to get their me-
chanics and drivers to keep the chas-
sis oiled as per schedule.
The only way this can be done with
certainty is to set aside certain days
for the inspection of each vehicle by a
mechanic whose sole duty Is to seek
out the thirsty members and apply
the lubricant most to its taste. Armed
with fabrication diagram, perhaps,
though this would only be necessary
at the start, large squirt can of
Oil, another of kerosene to clean out
dirty bushings and to free those
which may be gummed or stuck, a
bucket and gun of dope" or trans.
mission lubricant and a pail or can
or cup grease. on the appointed night
he Will go entirely over the truck.
He should pick out certain place
to start-the starting crank is a logi-
cal place-and proceed about the
truck, cleaning away the caked mud
and dirt and looking at each point
keenly; Parts which are found to be
in need of lubricant should have the
needed material applied at once and a
note made OF the need. In his inspec-
ton he viii test the quality of oil
in the engine base, gearbox, differen-
tlal, etc. as well as merely the ouan-
tity present, since it is necessary to
clean out old oil periodically. When
| a chanse OF oil is needed he will flush
out the case with kerosene and fill il
TO the proper level with new, clean
| oil
1t may take several hours to give
the proper attention to one badly
neglected truck, but If once done
properly and conscientfously followed
up by periodical subsequent inspec-
| tions, an energetic mechanic should
De able to act as godfather to three
! or four vehicles a night Naturally
II the feet is small. this will not be
! necessary Once in two weeks is
| often enough for each vehicle. the
| driver being held strictly responsible
for all daily fabrication points. such
as the fan grease cup. the clutch
| olier or grease cup, the spring bolts
steering JOINTS, steering knuckles and
| radius rods.
! The report of the fabrication in
! spector serves as a check on the
driver and should serve as an excel
| lent index to the conscientiousness
OF the driver. Conversely. the drivers
| should be given every opportunity to
report any complaints regarding
| fabrication of the other parts which
! may be necessary to insure dill
| gence on the part of the inspector
In small fleet the chief mechanic
himself may best be intrusted with
this work, otherwise a special man
(! may be detailed. The nature of the
! work would preclude any elaborate
report, so that manila card with the
names Of the different oiling points
on all the chassis may be prepared
with spaces for check marks by the
| inspector. simple code. such as c
! for change. o for lack of oil, d for
dirt and r. for repair may be adopted
! a simple check serving to show
/ that the part was found in
condition. Naturatly, wnen man
| goes over chassis so minutelv as to
examine each fabrication point he
covers all of the vital portions which
| are liable to become out of order, sc
| that this inspection is also invaluable
| in detecting slight arrangements
| which are easily repaired in the in
| cipient stage, but which might go un-
| suspected in ordinary running until
| they become SO serious as to necessi-
| tate d major repair