Evening star., 1929-09-01
MILADY'S MOTORING
BY Frederick G. Russell

Women, too, are learning that, even
though the car carries a reverse gear,
there's no opportunity to go back over
the mistakes.
Women are criticized lot for keep
ing to the center of the road. 1t may
be just criticism, but let's look at the
other side OF 1t.
Keeping to the center, where trafflc
conditions permit, makes for easier
steering and guards against fatigue,
which is always an accident breeder. It
saves tires to keep up on the crown
Of the road. And what II the man be-
hind does have to sound his horn for
milady to get over to the right when
he wants to pass? Otherwise he prob
ably would run the risk of passing
without warning.
Keeping up with the Joneses may be
all we'll and good, provided you have
the car to do 1t with. Much Of the
overheating of engines these days Is due
to trying to follow new model with an
old car, and many a second car in the
household is in the latter category.
One of the things the modern woman
should beware is the type Of driving
hint that is not only out of style, but
heard the suggestion to alternate be-
tween the hand and the foot brakes
when going down a steep hill. This
rule was excellent when the foot brake
contracted against the drums of the
rear wheels and the hand brake ex-
panded against them. That balanced
expansion of the drums nicely. Today
it is different.
A number of hand brakes simply op-
ek ~
wheel brake layout. To alternate be-
tween the foot and hand controls,
therefore, merely keeps the same rear
brakes in operation. Many other cars
have the hand brake on the propeller
shaft This latter type Of brake should
not be used to check speed except oc-
casionally to keep 1t in condition.
When the car starts to jerk, press
the clutch pedal to the floor. Either
you should be in a lower gear or the
engine isn't warmed up.
When assisting friend husband in the
gentle art of polishing the lacquer f1n-
ish on the car, give him pleasant sur
prise by driving the car out into the
sun for a few minutes and then run
ming it back into the garage again.
Lacquer or enamel polishing should be
done in the shade but having the metal
a little warm dries the air around 1t
and simplides the work.
How are gear changes made in the
transmission?
This is not an easy matter to SIM
plify for the woman who, though not
mechanically inclined, is nevertheless
interested in knowing something about
the operation of the units she uses so
! frequently.
What we do in the transmission is
simply this: We mesh gears of various
sizes so that in low the engine turns a
little more than three times for every
turn of the propeller shaft in back Of
the gearbox In second it turns nearly
| two to one, while in high gear 1t turns
at the same speed as the propeller shaft
| In all cars there Is further gear re-
| duction in the rear axle. 1t can only
be changed by mechanical removal OF
the ring gear and substitution Of one
OF different size.
All this is accomplished in the trans
mission by having the main driving gear
drive a set Of gears on what Is known
as the countershaft. Just behind the
main gear is q third shaft that con-
meets with the propeller shaft. 1t car
rieS two sliding gears. Thus, in neutral
you simply set these gears so that they
do not mesh with any on the counter
shaft. For the various combinations
you mesh in accordance with the gear
reductions desired. In high the first
gear on the third shaft simply catches
| sideways into the main driving gear.
That gives the direct coupling between
engine and propeller shaft.
Perhaps it Is easier to understand
that the reason the clutch can be left
engaged or disengaged with the engine
running and the gears in neutral is
| simply because when the gears are sep