The Democratic advocate., 1922-06-02
MAKING SPRINGS
RIDE VERY EASY
Most of Them Are Either Too
Stiff or Too Soft and Either
Is Uncomfortable.
LUBRICATION OFTEN BLAMED
IndiscrIminate Advice May Be Worse
Than Useless as No Two Sets Are
Alike-Intelligent Attention
Is Big Need.

Automobiles may be divided into
two classes, those with springs that
are too stiff and those that are too
soft. Either can be very uncomfort-
ah1n. "H-ic and there, of course,
there Is car with springs that really
spring without springing the occu-
pants of the car against the top"
writes an expert.
Automobile instruction books, car
experts and all the wiseacres Of the
fraternity advise one to luhriCate the
springs regularly. If the springs need
il, that is very good advice, but it
sometimes happens that the lubrica
tion is the very last thing that the
springs need. If YOU could work a
little rust or gummed oil between the
spring leaves and thus retard the
spring action. it might he pndurable.
OF course, this is when the springs are
too soft and spring too much. Indis-
criminate advice as To the care of
springs may be worse than useless.
No two sets of springs require the
same medicine. Therefore, before fol
lowing any"ne's advice to lubricate
the springs It were well to discover
whether they need it.
Soft Springs Yield Easily
Soft springs, so flexible that they
WELD easily Ia road unevenneSS, are
inclined to compress 700 readily when
they drop into hole or hit Il bump.
IT,
sag down again and after while
cease vibrating Meanwhile you are
bouncing around like rubber ball.
Now to oil such Il spring merely in
tensifieS all this. You do not need the
exercise acquired by the oiling proc
pss. You will get all you need riding
in the car without it. Such Il spring
needs friction between the leaves
rather than luhrication. Friction slows
the motion of the spring and steadies
the car.
Now, almost every one will tell you
that friction between the leaves makes
the car ride hard. Probably the first
time you heard anyone say this and
thought your ear was not particularly
easy you oiled the springs and went
from the frying pan into the fire.
However, this complaint is not as
general as that whore the springs. ut
terly neglected and rusted together,
have lost Il large part of their reSili-
pncy So that the ear rides like farm
wagon. In such case lubricating the
spring leaves is the greatest aid to
comfort. A quarters worth of graph
! ite grease and n liberal quantity of
( elbow grease works wonders for a
stiff spring.
Intelligent Attention Needed.
Springs really do need great deal
If attention, if it be intelligent atten-
tion. They should be taken apart at
least twice a year and cleaned and
fabricated well. There may be OBJ
tanned fabrication inserts to go be-
tween the leaves of the springs,
I which usually last for the life of the
car. If the springs have been well de-
signed they will not need extra at
tachments to make the car ride easily,
hut seven-paSsenger car will not
ride as easily with two persons as
with its normal load. The point
where the springs are attached to the
body and the suspension point on the
axle or frame need frequent inspec-
tion and fabrication regularly at the
points indicated in the car instruction
book. Spring shackles will wear quick
ly unless fabricated, rendering a
breakdown much more likely,