The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-11-13
THE WHY rs DESCRIBED
Theory Is Wheels Should be Parallel
While Practice Shows They are
Not and That's the
Reason.

Herald this expert says:
| You don't have to carry goad
and shout Gee" and Haw" until
your lungs are sore to steer the auto
out Of ruts and away from broken
glass or other distractions. II glides
about the streets, turns corners and
moves up to the curb at the precise
| six inch distance prescribed by the
police, and but simple twist of the
wrist-and not much Of that-dees
| 1t. Why is it that you can steer the
car so easily? Well, it took a lot
F, of midnight oil and lot or gray
matter to produce this result. Here
are some of the reasons why you
have so little trouble: ,., H..
The first autos had a long bar like
tiiler on boat, such as you some
times see on the electrics today, and
| there was not much else except the
shaft and several levers below to
attach the shaft to the axle, first,
and then to the steering knuckles.
It was quite genius who studied
out the latter, after it was discov-
cred that an auto could not go very
fast with loose front axle like a
wagon. improvements followed until
today we have an almost vibration
less, easily controlled steering
mechanism which does not tire ones
arms as though engaged in hard
manual labor. Nor is the wheel
wrenched out of ones hands as was
the old bar or early wheel when
there was only gear and rack to
transmit direction to the wheels.
The common steering mechanism
today consists of a wheel attached to
t,,h cd in ,-i,
in which it turns. On the lower end
meshes with a worm gear or sector,
through which proper motion is
transmitted by lever called drag
link, to one Of the steering knuckles
on which wheel is mounted A rod
known as tie bar connects this
knuckle> with its mate on which, the
other front wheel turns, so that Mey
move in common t- sssf s.oss
Tubes Connected.
! Where the throttle and spark con-
troll levers are mounted on the hand
wheel the steering post is a tube
Within it is another tube to which is
attached lever, controlling, with
proper linkage, the throttle. Within
this inner tube there Is a rod, with
Ia lever on the lower end, and link
age from this controls the spark ad
vance. All the linkage mentioned
here has ball and socket connections,
easily kept fabricated and clean, and
the entire mechanism usually Is easy
of access, so that there is no excuse
for not keeping 1t in order. And mas
much as upon it's condition much or
/ the comfort of steering depends the
wise guy will spend few minutes
occasionally looking after it.
! Fortunately there is little trouble
with the several devices which make
up what is usually denominated the
steering gear About the only wear
there Is comes to the worm and worm
gear or sector. These move together
| for such limited part OF the thread
and gear that all the wear comes
practically in one spot. The worm
gear is fastened on an eccentric to
take up this play. but this only
moves the parts together and there
might be binding when the wheel
is turned for sharp curve or cor
ner. So that on an old car where
there is much play it is wiser to take
/ off the worm gear and turn the steer
ing gear half around, then replace
the worm gear or sector, or put in a
new one, and 1t will engage a part
Of the worm which is not worn.
! IF not kept fabricated the ball and
socket joints will wear and give an
annoying play, besides making the
front wheels wabble excessively, but
there ordinarily will be little trouble
| between the steering wheel and the
steering knuckles with slight attsn-
ton regularly, according to book
Theory and Practice.
| AS has been stated previously, the
front axle does not move, but Is
rigidiy attached to the frame, and
: the wheels move. On each end of
! the axle is steering knuckle
mounted in yoke and moving on a
pin. A spindle on which the wheel
OF the knuckle A tie rod connects
the knuc1'es and is provided with
! a turnbuckle or other device for
/ keeping the wheels parallel.
I AS a matter Of fact. while in
, theory the wheels should be at all
time exactly parallel in practice they
are not, and the reason why they are
not is exactly why the auto steers
so easily. No matter how perfect
: the steering devices may be to pre-.
vent vibration wheels turning
straight ahead would magnify every
little unevenness OF the road and turn
the wheels aside, producing wab
bling effect.
= A SQUARE BROW does not steer
easily in the water: with the pointad
N7w tho water presses equally OF
10Th sides and keenS tho vessel
+ rtr"i pht. So wi'h tho auto. The
( wheels arc very sl'"'''Iv toed in and
tore IS o0~al procure from either
! ri7- '"0G'-~ - .r"eD TO wheels