Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1919-12-20
REGULAR OIL|NC
Of CAR SPRINGS
Cleveland Auto School Head
Thinks Neglect Is Often the
Cause Of BreakdoWns.
EASY way OF LUBRlCATION
Put Lifting Jack Under Body Of Car
and Spring Leaves Are Separated
by Means Of Small Tool
Prolonus Life Of Car.

The reason you feel completely tired
out after days ride In one car>--or
on the other hand, thoroughly re-
freshed after u similar trip over prac-
tically the same road In another car, Is
due to u difference in the action of
the springs Of the two cars, says Clyde
ii. Pratt, president Of the Cleveland
Automobile School company.
The most important part Of the cars
mechanical construction as far as the
riding qualities are concerned Is the
springs. II the reader will take the
trouble to look at the springs of vari-
Gus cars he Cor she) will note that
there are a number of general types of
springs. These may be classed under
various names, among them full-ellip-
tic, semi-elliptic, three-quarter elliptic,
cantilever and platform springs being
the most common.
How Springs Are Made.
All springs, regardless of their type,
are made up Of number OF separate
layers Of fiat pieces of spring steel
placed one above the other, short
pieces being In the middle and the
longer ones extending through to the
eyes of the spring. The spring is con-
nected to the frame by means Of a
spring shackle which Is fastened to the
end of the spring by spring bolt
through the eye.
BY watching the springs carefully
when someone else Is lettering the car
up and down you will notice that these
separate leaves slide on each other in
stead of simply bending rs most peo-
pie suppose. In order to keep the
vibration of the axle from being trans
mitted to the body of the car 1t Is nee
essary to see that the spring leaves
slide easily on each other, ana in order
for them to do this there must be a
film of oil between the separate leaves
through their entire length.
Without this oil film these springs
cannot slide without excessive friction,
which means that they will not bend
properly and the spring action instead
of being smooth will be stiff and jerky,
with the result that the car will ride
hard and the springs are more liable
to break. In fact, most of the broken
springs can be traced to lack of
proper fabrication of the spring leaves,
Easy Way to OIL.
An easy way to oil these Is to put a
lifting jack under the body of the car
SO that the weight will be taken Off the
springs. The spring leaves are then
easily separated by means Of a screw
driver or small chlsel and little
, graphite in oil Is easily inserted
/ Graphite Is usually used with the oil
in the spring leaves, because the graph
tie does not work out as quickly as the
| oil alone would.
Many Spring oilers.
There are many different kinds Of
spring oilers on the market. Some o.
these are good and others are goOt
only because the spring needs oilinl
and these help to call your attention
to 1t. The spring bolts must also b.
oiled practically every day or the!
soon wear so the springs work hare
and then at an unexpected mOmen
break, allowing the car to drop down.
The market also offers many auxil
larry springs and various shock absorb
ers which will very often make quite
difference In the riding of the car. Blu
with the instructions that come wit
all of these various attachments 20
will find that one of the very impoi
tant items which they bring out is t
have your springs thoroughly oiled o
creased before applying the sprin
sustaining device.
AS you travel around in variou
makes of cars you will find that 1t
not so much the make of spring or tn
type of spring which makes the ca
ride easy as II is the proper care an
fabrication of the springs. This moi
than anything else will keep YOU
springs from breaking, making yor
car ride easy, cut down your gasolin
consumption and prolong the life
the car and tires.