Evening star., 1933-10-01
FAILURE Of BRAKES
LAID TO MOTORISTS
Expert and Service Men Say
Drivers Are Not Getting
- the Breaks.
Motorists are not getting the break

Motorists are not getting the breaks
with their brakes.
So say the brake experts and the
service men along automobile row. What
the motoring public needs, according to
the latest view of things, is decision
to put on the brakes long enough to get
down to first principles about the sub
ject. The need for this Is best illus
trated by the growing tendency on the
part OF car owners to expect a brake
adjustment in about the same time it
takes to fill up the tank with gas.
One service man insists upon having
at least an hour to make simple brake
adjustment. He Is not satisfied unless
he has two hours. Customers anticipate
that all he has to do is tighten up on a
turn-buckle; they are invariably sur
prised when they see him take off the
wheels.
Grease In Drums Harmful,
II there is any grease working into
the brake drums from the wheel bear
ings or the axle housing there will be
no possibility Of obtaining satisfactory
adjustment until the leakage Is cor
rected and the Innings put back into
normal condition. Even If a service
man knows that there is no likelihood of
grease or Oil being on the Innings he
VIII at least use the air hose to blow
dust out of the brake drums before he
settles down to the business of adjust
ing. He points out to the puzzled owner
that unless the drums are clean there
is no chance for eQualiZa ton.
IL IS becoming more and more evident
to those who follow brake work that the
most important consideration is to check
the condition Of the brake lining. Next
comes the condition of the drums. Third
In order Is the clearance between the
drums and the brake shoes. Between
this step and the adjustment Of the
rods or cables is the condition Of the
brake nnkage, pins, cams, universals
and equalizers.
In the case Of hydraulic brakes the
last steps are eliminated in favor of a
cnecK.up OF the fluid lines, the supply
ana the functioning of the master
cylinder. Hydraulic brakes, more than
their mechanical contemporaries. are
more sensitive to the condition of the
lining, drum true and clearances. This
should be apparent when one takes into
consideration the principle of hydraulics
which rules that the fluid will exert
equal pressure at each one of the four
brakes. If the Innings, for instance.
nave different coefficients of friction
1t Will be impossible to equalize the
brakes. With a mechanical system this
dlfnculty can be overcome by change
IN the leverage exerted on each indi-
vidual brake.
Innings Must Match,
Every now and again the owner of
car with hydraulic brakes will be
puzzled because he cannot obtain EQUAL
lzatlon. 1t usually turns out to be a
case where he has had different kinds
OF lining installed. Occasionally a car
rolls of the assembly line with Innings
that do not match. The only remedy
here is TO have all the Innings replaced
with those Of known uniform quality
1t Is more satisfactory with modern
oraking systems to use nodded lining
However, there are certain notable ex-
ceptions. On one Of the popular makes
OF cars 1t has been found that by using
semi nodded lining on the secondary
SHOES very effective stopping can be OBJ
tanned. The shoes with the nodded
harder lining come into contact with
the drums first. Then, when the car
has started to slow down, the more
energetic brakirg comes into the pic
ture. Woven lining also still has its
place.
Many motorists continue to drive
around with the wrong kind of lining
on the brakes of their cars This situ-
alton is complicated by the natural
temptation TO fall for inferior lining
when trying to get by with as little ex-
pense as possible. An inferior lining
will give trouble even If it is of the
right type. Quality counts also in
brake service. There are a half dozen
ways to adjust brakes, for example.
Some are fit only for temporary or
emergency use.
Prevent Leakage.
Where brakes are found with grease
the first step is to correct the leakage.
Install new grease retainers. Clean and
repack the front wheel bearings with a
heavier cup grease and see that the
lubricant level Is not too high in the
rear axle. Sometimes lining can be
cleaned with gasoline, but usually it
must be heated with torch. This is
expensive and tedious work. The better
way is to refine the brakes. Before the
adjusting is done the drums should be
checked for trueness.
Much trouble is caused by failure of
owners to 60 back to the service sta
ton for a check-up after 1000 miles
of service. Brake lining has high
spots that will wear off, neceSsitating
a re-adjustment.
Give your brakes a break. They can
be much better than they are. Play
safe by playing fair with yourself.
copyright. 1880
L.