Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-06
BY H. CLIFFORD BROKAW,
Automobile Technical Adviser.

There are many parts of an automo-
bile which are given very little or no
consideration by most car owners. Some
of these are very important, but be-
couse they are in inconspicuous places
tney fail to attract any attention, or it
may be that it is because they sell
that knowledge of their existence is
not readily acquired. It is well, how
ever, that the automobile owner should
at least know of the existence and func-
ton of such parts, If perchance for one
reason or another their presence has
not come to his attention.
When an automobile is being assem-
bled in the factory the first thing done
Is to put together rectangular frame
consisting Of two long steel beams,
which are braced with cross pieces, so
as to give rightly and strength. This
frame becomes a foundation on which
the automobile is constructed and while
not often noticed by the car owner, is,
as one will readily observe, basic fac
tor in the construction Of an automo-
bile. This frame must be very strong,
for it has to resist the distorting road
strains to which it is sure to be sub
jected.
Under the body of the automobile
and situated about In the middle Of
the frame are the drive shaft and uni
versals. These are here to relay power
from the transmission to the rear axle.
The universal joints are flexible coup
lings. They are made flexible so as to
permit the angle of the drive shaft to
change as the springs which support
the frame on the aXleS absorb whatever
unevenneSS may be found on the high
way over which the car may be driven.
Joined to the drive shaft, toward the
rear Of the frame, Is the differential.
The purpose of this factor, which is
not often seen by the car owner, Is to
allow the inside rear wheel to revolve
more slowly than the outside rear
wheel when the automobile is being
driven around a curve.
The frame of the automobile is sup
ported by steel springs. If it were not
for the introduction of these springs
the riding comfort of the automobile
would be greatly reduced. BY using
springs the road shocks are reduced to
minimum and the best possible riding
comfort is obtained Usually there are
four Of these springs, two of them being
anchored to the front of the frame
and the other two to the rear.
! The springs of an automobile consist
| Of a number of layers of steel leaves
held together with clips. When an au-
| tomobile is being driven over a rough
road the springs flex like an archer's
bow. The shock which would obtain
but for these springs is now absorbed
by the sliding upon each other of the
steel leaves.
It has been explained that the auto
mobile spring is like the sole of a shoe
This sole consists of a couple of layers
! of leather, which hex back and forth
when the person walks. If these layers
of leather chafe against each other, the
shoes are likely to squeak. Most people
do not like squeaky shoes-they will
probably take them to a shoemaker
shop to have the squeak removed. In
such a case the workman will probably
punch hole halfway through the sole
md insert a few drops of oil. after which
the owner of the shoes will be no longer
inconvenience or annoyed by the
squeaking. Automobile springs are
sometimes known to squeak and
for a similar reason, namely, that
the spring leaves are chaf1ng against
each other. The application of OF
will remedy such a squeak. It viii
do even more-it will keep the spring: