New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-18
Regular Inspection
OF the Steering
Apparatus Urged
Car Owner Should See That
Pins Are Kept Tight and
That Wheels Are Aligned;
Neglec, Means Disaster
by II. CLIFFORD BROKAW,
Technical director Vest Side v.
e AufonooI,;lo Qrhnoto

4. 4, Automobile SchO0lS.
Suppose it should break-the steer
ing apparatus of an automobile going
at even ordinary speed7 One needs to
have no very vivid imagination to pic
ture the possibilities Of disaster. The
thought brings up visions of a car
making wreckage ont of itself and
everything in its path, plus horrible
human suffering. A broken steering
apparatus leaves the driver in more
helpless position than the collapse of
almost any other part of the machine
When q motorist thinks of running
without the steering rod he pictures
wheels trying to go in divergent direc-
tions, with his ultimate destination the
ditch AS a matter of fact. it is posi-
bic to run considerable distance at
moderate speed with only one wheel
connected to the steering apparatus, as
experiments have demonstrated.
The front wheels of an automobile
also have other peculiarities not usu-
ally understood by the amateur driver.
the front wheels Of an auto should be
perfectly true in every. way; that u.s.,
that they should run exactly parallel.
But they do not run parallel from any
Viewpoint. The front wheels ACTUALLY
toe IN to a slight degree; that is. the
distance between the front mart of the
wheels should be one-quarter to three
eighths of an inch less than the dis
lance measured between the back parts.
Variations Necessary
Theoretically there would be wear
on the tires if they were at all out of
true, but when 1T comes to the practical
consideration Of an auto there are GER
tam variations Of this which are nee
essary to make the operation of the
car safe and a matter of ease.
OF course. there cannot be too great
difference in the alignment, but a
very slight difference is necessary to
enable the steering to be a matter Of
certainty There will be an intangible
amount OF extra wear, but it does not
cut any particular figure in the life
OF the tire and it gives a stability TO
the e., steering which cannot be neglected
rms principle can be illustrated by
referring to two types of boats which
are familiar to most folks. One is the
scow with the square nose, which is
very hard to steer either with or
against the tide. 1t is pushing fiat
against the water and there is no lat
er&i pressure to keep it steady. The
pointed bow boat, the ordinary type,
mas pressure on each bow so that
there Is a constant resistance against
any extraordinary pressure from either
direction.
This makes it necessary in steering
to exert q certain pressure to turn the
beat about. In actual practice it keeps
the boat from wabbline. The same
principle applies to the front wheels
of an automobile. If they are perfectly
aligned there will be no tendency to
give ono way more than another and
very little pressure would tend to turn
the wheels aside and make the car
wabble. Experience teaches that this
actually occurs.
Keeps Car Steady
If the wheels toe in a little there
is exactly the same pressure effect
working. from opposite directions. Each
seeks to go slightly out of true and
each Offsets that tendency in the other.
This naturally keeps the car steady
and the wheels pass over slight OBJ
structions without turning them in the
slightest degree. Only a rut or some
large obstruction would cause them to
turn, and this would be the case under
all circumstances.
In case there is wear due to neglect