Evening star., 1923-08-19

experience trouble than when apply
ing the brakes on the rear wheels
alone. The braking force Is equal on
both front wheels, and the effect is
turning a corner. The car simply
goes slower. Whether you skid or not
depends upon the condition of the road,
your tires. your speed and the sharp
ness Of your turn. except that in the
case of the four-wheel brakes you are
less likely to skid, because when you
realize you are going too fast and start
to stop the car will decelerate quicker
and will not be further encouraged to
skid through locking of the wheels.
Are quick stopping and skid preven-
tion the only advantages Of four wheel
brakes?
Emphatically no. AS a matter OF fact.
these two points have been overdone.
One point about the new brakes is that,
with proper use. refining should hardly
have to be considered Another point
is the saving in tires, since they are
never slid.
One of the most interesting points in
connection with the use of these brakes
Is found in descending rough or stony
hills All drivers are familiar with the
difficulty of stopping car under these
conditions. The weight of the machine
is thrown to the front, and the rear
wheels. though perhaps locked. merely
bounce over the stones and slide. In
driving fourwheel brake equipped car
one is Immediately impressed with the
decided Improvement in descending such
hilly roads.
Advantage Descending Hills.
II you have ever noticed the way your
car stops when you apply the conven-
tional brakes you will recall that there
is tendency for the machine to tip
forward n,9nns slightly; this being more
cars. When the weight tips forward
naturally the rear wheels have less
traction, which has an unfavora bl
erect on the stopping. With brakes
on the front wheels this tipping has
no effect on the stopping.
Over A rough road. Furthermore.
when two or more wheels are often
IN the air. the advantage of four wheel
brakes is self-evident
But are they reliable?
This depends upon the forethought
displayed in designing the brakes and
the quality of workmanship. Care
and attention play their part, too,
There is much doubling and ques-
tioning about the reliability of these
new brakes. which is to be expected
in so competitive field as the auto
mlble; but the main point to watch
is provision for the torque or twist
ing force which is eXerted on the
front axle by reason of the brake
action. This calls for a stronger axle.
though not necessarily a heavier one
as some manufacturers maintain as
an argument against the use of the
new type of brakes. One car gets
around this by means Of a tubular
front axle which not only provides
for a minimum of unsprung weight
and the maximum strength. but takes
the torque reaction and furnishes an
inclosure for the hydraulic tubing
IF one goes into the subject sci
ertifically many technical objections
can be found to the use of front
brakes. but for that matter IL is also
true that in millions of cars which
are giving faithful service to owners
all sorts of weaving OF frames. dis
tortion of springs and stressing Of
vital parts is in process because de-
sign is not perfected.
Point for COnside lie ra tiOn.
The thing to be sure about in con-
sdering a four wheel brake equipped
car is to see that provision has been
made to keep the front axle from
rotating sufficiently to lock the front
brakes accidentally. But you may be