The Washington times., 1921-09-17
too MUCH PLAY
W|THSTEER|NG
COMMON FAULT
Makes Direction Unreliable Be-
sides Meaning Unnecessary
Wear on Car.

Nlne OUT OF Ten CdTb uu the
streets have too much play IN the
steering system. says II. A. Taran.
tous in Motor. II Is rather strange
that such q condition should exist.
despite the fact that each owner will
tell you that II makes steering some
what unreliable, In that the driver
must take into consideration the
wear In the system. Many owners
acknowledge that the trouble ex.
lists but insist that they have be-
come so accustomed to consider the
play that they would feel uncom-
Portable at the wheel were 1t all
taken up" The cause of the trou.
BILE is wear, perhaps at one point,
perhaps at two or more OF the con.
nections.
Lack Good System.
While 1t Is quite true that the
average car lacks a really good steer
ing system, 1t is also true that even
such systems as. exist can be kept
in good shape for a long period II
little care IL given to adjustments,
fabrication and some to the operation
Of the system.
The steering system of your car
consists essentially Of the following
parts: A wheel which you grip: the
wheel Ia attached to a post which
has reduction gearing at the top. or
bottom. BY means Of this gearing
there is accomplished ease of move
ment and also a change Of direc-
ton of motion. which 10 transmitted
to what Ia called a steering arm.
This in turn Is connected with q
drag link which extends forward to
meet the left steering knuckle arm.
The latter is connected with the
right steering knuckle arm by means
of a tie rod. All systems are not
exactly like the one described and
illustrated. Modified systems are in
use. In the Ford car. for instance,
steering wheel and the connections
to the wheels are not like those de-
scribed. In the Chevrolet the bottom
Of the steering post is directly behind
the radiator and the connection from
the steering arm consists of two
links resembling the ordinary drag
link.
Differences I'm Gears.
There are many differences in the
gearing. For instance, q few cars
use spur gears to obtain the desired
results: a great many use a worm
and worm wheel, still others what Is
called the screw and nut type. The
two last named are the most popu
lar. Most systems have some means
of taking up wear in the gears
some. for some unknown reason, have
no adjustment.
One of the first considerations In
keeping the steering systems in good
shape is to keep the joints well packed
with grease. or, better still, half
grease, half graphite. The housing
holding the reduction gears ought to
be packed with soft grease at least
three times a season. 1t In not neces-
sary to pack the housing SO tightly
that grease works out at all crevices.
Simply pack the housing sufficiently
40 that the gears will never run dry.
Some provision IL made for injecting
grease. II there is an ordinary screw !
plug, this must be removed and q
grease gun used to inject the lubri- |
cant. II you are fortunate enough to |
have an Alemite system the work In
quite easy. In addition to the gears |
grease, the ball joints at the |
ends of the drag link must be cared |
for. 1t is almost impossible to keep !
these joints packed .or any length OF i
time when the joints are open, 10 |
that the owner ought to watch these |
more often than the gearing. But the |
system goes beyond.
Ends Fitted With Bolts. |
The ends of the tie rod are fitted I
usually with bolts, and these also must !,
be fabricated. Then the steering |
pins must get their share.
The average owner Is under the i'm !
preston that the steering system is