St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1919-09-13
LUbRICAr IS
VERY IMPORTANT
Hard to Induce Mechanics and
Drivers to Keep Chassis Oiled
as Per Schedule.
Make REGULAR INSPECTION
Several Hours May BE Required to
Give Neglected Truck Proper A.
tention and Cover All Of Most
Vital Portions

A good way to add years to the serv
Ice life Of a motortruck and to re-
duce expensive layups Is to make sure
that 1t never lacks fabrication. There
are between fifty and hundred points
on motortruck which require indi.
vidual fabrication attention. Unfortu.
nately 1t 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 fabrication
job. Yet it seems impossible for most
organizations to get their mechanics
and drivers to keep the chassis oiled
as per schedule.
Days for Inspection.
The only way this can be done with
certainty is to set aside certain days
for the inspection Of each vehicle by
mechanic whose sole duty is to seek
out the thirsty members and apply
the lubricant most to it's taste. Armed
with a fabrication diagram, perhaps,
though this would only be necessary
at the start, a large squirt can Of
oil, another Of kerosene to clean out
dirty bushings and to free those
which may be gummed or stuck,
bucket and gun Of "dope" or trans
mission lubricant and a pail or can
Of 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 logl-
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 will test the quality Of oil In
the engine base, gearbox, differential;t
ETC.. as well as merely the quantity;
present, since 1t Is necessary to clean!
out old oil periodically. When a.
change Of oil Is needed he will flush
out the case with kerosene and fill it
to the proper level with new, clean
oil.
It may take several hours to give
the proper attention to one badly neg!
lected truck, but If once done properly
and conscientiously followed up by
periodical subsequent inspections, an
energetic mechanic should be able to
act as godfather to three or four vehi-
cles 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 oiler or grease cup, the spring
bolts, steering joints, steering knuckles
and radius rods.
Check on Driver.
The report Of the fabrication in |
spectOr serves as check on the |
driver and should serve as an excel |
ent index to the conscientiousness of |
the driver. Conversely, the drivers
should be given every opportunity to |
report any complaints regarding lubri-
cation Of the other parts which may
be necessary to insure diligence on the |
part Of the inspector.
In a small feet the chief mechanic |
himself may best be intrusted with
this work, otherwise special man
may be detailed. The nature Of the |
work would preclude any elaborate re-
port, so that a 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. A simple code, such as G
for change, O for lack Of Oil, D for
1irt and R for repair, may be adopted,
4 simple check serving to show that
he part was found In good condition.
Naturally, when man goes over
chassis so infinitely as to examine each
ubrication point he covers all Of the
7ital portions which are liable to be-
,ome out of order, so that this inspec-
ion Is also invaluable In detecting
slight arrangements which are easily
'epaired in the incipient stage, but
which might go unsupported in ordi-
larry running until they become so seri-
JUS as to necessitate major repair.