Evening star., 1933-05-14
SPRING OVERHAUL
OF DRIVER URGED
Revamping of Habits Of 0p-
GRAFTON Seen as Timely
Need.

1t isn't possible 20 take of drivers
head and scrape out the carbon. but
a psychological process approximsting
this is being urged as part OF the
Springtime overhauling this year.
Safety advocates declare that. while
the car needs all the attention the
owner can afford to give 1t, the first
consideration should be to send him
self, flguratively speaking. to the shop
for q thorough revamping.
Old Mistakes Continued.
One reason why SO many cars that
are petted and pampered in the Spring
time fail to recover from their SEEM
owners 60 ahead making the same old
mistakes year after year. A halt on
this is being advocated. Motorists are
being asked to face up to the fact
that what their cars are depends
largely on what they, as drivers, make
them.
Driving habits need to be ground cut
and mental slack taken up. There
should be thorough oiling Of common
sense and tightening up Of control.
Even the balance wheel will need to
be checked over aid any missing
thoughts replaced. The Sprlngtime
overhauling OF the automobile is on.
1t bears directly upon service work
itself This year more owners will
realize that, having been through an
overhauling, a car needs the same
breaking in as new one. Pistons are
tight, bearings snug. Valves need to
be pounded down and everything must
be watched carefully lest the oil
pressure be off normal or the cylinder
head gasket spring a leak. The pic
ture of the motorist starting on on
a trip the evening his car comes out
Of the service station is part OF motor
antiquity He has turned over a new
leaf
New Cars Needed.
This year more than ever before
owners of older cars will need to rec
ognize the fact that they are making
a mistake in trying to keep up With
the newer models. A 5-year-old car
cannot be expected to keep pace with
one Of the current models. and this
year particularly the dif1erential In
capability between cars is more evi-
dent. New cars are more advanced IN
design; older ones have not been as
well taken care Of.
II drivers will take this fact into
account they will have far less over
heating to contend with this Summer.
They will remember to drive at their
cars age. This will also spare them
considerable grief. 1t will keep them
from driving too fast for the braking
systems of the older cars. They will
not be SO disposed to try to pass newer
cars on hills. Knowing the limitations
of car Is part of the mental re-
adjustment which every owner owes 1t
to himself to bear in mind.
Motorists would do we'll to elini-
mate a - of rubbish from their
minds-those queer ideas which seem
to persist regarding what is right and
what Is wrong in the way OF car care.
Let them resolve to inquire regarding
the facts and turn a deaf ear to the
notions that are too freely circulated
in motordom. The advice OF an ex-
perienoed mechanic will come In
handy.
Guard Against Shimmy.
He will advise not to lubricate the
front springs on the theory that too
much fexibility of the leaves will en-
courage front wheel shimmy. He will
suggest that when front wheel align
ment is being considered the rear
wheels be checked with respect to the
front ones. When headlights are being
tested or refocused he will point out
the necessity for having normal
passenger load on the rear seat. When
the rest Of the car dips down, natural
ly the front goes up.
The seasoned mechanic will call at
tention to certain hazards which every
driver ought to bear in mind when
rolling over the road. Too much re-
lance seems to be placed In the shock
absorbers, without regard to what
might happen If one Of them hap
pened to break. This eventuality at
the front Of the car might result in
shimmy. A defective shock absorber
when the car goes round a curve.
Where cars have a remote control of
the shock absorbers a good rule Is to
set it for the hard ride when driving
fast In fact, set it for the hard ride
and ease up only when the car seems
to be riding too stifiy, excepting in
cold weather.
Study Of Natures Laws.
In revamping his habits the provident
driver will take into account those laws
of nature which are always enforced
regardless Of how man-made laws are
violated. He cannot tapper with the
law of gravity without serious conse
quences. He cannot expect to swing
around curve at too high a speed
without centrifugal fcrce asking him to
pay the piper. Momentum, force and
inertia are dynamics that cannot be
ignored without penalty.
Revamp for the new season. Get your
ideas overhauled and ride forth to the
sort Of satisfaction Springtime, sign
posts and sandwiches suggest.
Copyright. 1933.)
measure is being sponsored by the alco-