CARE, REMOVAL AND REPAIR OF WHEELS.
Page 31
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Our Driver and Mechanic Readers Contribute Some Informative Hints.
LAA USEFUL and a 'practical hint is sent by "MM.," of London, W., in connection with the fitting of Selden front road wheels end their bearings. His letter, being the best of this week's
bunch, wins the prise of 15s.
He tails us that be has noticed, on several occasions, after fitting front wheels of this make of chassis with new roller bearings, that those bearings have been inclined to heat. As they had been in every ease left. fairly free, as is the custom with bearings of this type, he was for a long time at a loss to discover the came of the trouble. Eventually he came to the conclusion that there must be some little knack about the fitting of the retaining nut for the bearings, which he had hitherto overlooked, and in the end he decided that this was really the faot and that particular attention should always be paid to that point When reassembling roller bearings.
The nut in question is of peculiar shape, as indicated in the sketch. It
has, as a matter of fact, three faces. Each of these faces has its own specific' purpose, and it is Very important 'when replacing the nut to see that each face
occupies its proper position.
The central face, marked C on the sketch, should bear hard against the end of the stub axle indicated at D. The second face, E, should be just touching the inner race J, of the outermost roller bearing. It should not press tightly upon that bearing. The outer -face should be quite free and clear of the outer race of the bearing. When the nut is assembled in accordance with this instruction no trouble ensue.
Apparently difficulty had arisen formerly in the following manner :—The fitter,after assembling the bearings and replacing the nut, discovered that the latter .bore too tightly upon the inner race of the bearings. To correct this fault no doubt he slacked the nut back a little, and left it at that. Unfortunately, the wheel in turning has a tendency to tighten the nut, causing it to grip the bearings, the result being overheating, as has been stated.The proper procedure in such circumstances is to take a little off the face E and thus ensure that the face C bears against the end of the axle before E tightens on to the roller bearings. On many steam wagons of old types the road wheels are fitted to tapered axle ends and secured thereon by steel keys about 7 ins, long, 1 in. wide, and
3D. deep, these keys being also, of course, slightly tapered. Given a lapse. of 15 months or more between such occasions as may call for the removal of a road wheel, and the odds are that considerable difficulty will arise in connection with the job when it has to, be carried ,out. If the driver is the fortunate possessor of a substantial wheelpuller, big enough and strong enough for the work, or even if he has access to such a useful garage tool, then the difficulty in qUestion is soon disposed of. If, however, no such facilities exist, then means for applying the fairly substantial force which is necessaary to separate wheel and axle in such circumstances _must be improirised. .
. of Heckmondwike, has had thisproblem to solve and sends us a note of his experience in the hope that it may .be of use to 'other drivers who may be similarly placed. Ile makes use of a, pair of sling chains fitted with hooks, a six-ton jack, a. block of hard wood about 4 ins, cube, and, if necessary, a heavy hammer. He tells us to use these aids to wheel-removal after the following fashion.
Commence by jacking the wheel clear of the ground, then removing the nut on the end of the axle and making anyother such usual arid preliminary preparations for freeing the wheel. Then place the block of hard wood against the end of the axle and the jack against that, arranging them as shown in the accompanying sketch, and, supporting the weight. of the jack, for' the time being, on suitable packing. Now take the sling chains and wind them round the base of the jack, in between the spokes of the wheel and round the back the wheel. hub, so attaching the 'hooked ends of the chain to convenient links that with a turn or two on the jack it may be tightened and will become self-supporting. By using a long bar so as' to be able to stand clear of the wheel in case it comes off suddenly, or in the event of the chain breaking, screw out the jack, and in-the majority of cases'the force available Will. be sufficient to remove 'the wheel. . If it be not, use the hammer and .apply a few fairly heavy blows to the, back. of .the hub while someone else continues to
manipulate the jack. •. .
When replacing a wheel, if the shaft be well greased with miXture of graphite and cylinder oil, the difficulty of remoVal on a future occasion will be 'considerably lessened. • Another reader has evidently encountered trouble in wheel removing, but his machine,' as regards weight and capacity at least, is at the opposite end of the scale to that to which W.H.W." is accustomed. This correspondent, " E.G.," of Nuneaton, drives a, Ford. Whenever he has to remove a wheel and has not got a wheel-puller to do it with, he persuades the van to free its own wheel by adopting the following simple expedient., which, by the way, has, since our receipt of this latter from " been recommended, by other driver readers.
He commences by removing the cotter , pin. at, the end of the axle and then slacks back the lock nut one complete turn. The next thing to do, he says, is to replace the cotter pin and take the van on to -the road for a mile or so, preferably going round a few sharp earners. On return the wheel will be found to be sufficiently free oh its shaft to enable it to be withdrawn by hand. A most unusual breakage occurred in connection with a vehicle which was being driven by " F.J.T.," of Nottingham. The main portion of the wheel hub cracked right round, as indicated in the sketch, and the outer-portion of the broken hub started to work loose. It so
happened that the load which the vehicle avas conveying at the time consisted of boxes bound with stout hoop iron. " J1F.T." borrowed a piece of this hoop iron and bound it over the end of the hub, as shown in the sketch, securing it in place by two of the hub bolts. He tells us that this temporary repair was riot only snffieient tri enable him to return home with his load, hut is still in Use..
.."A.G.," of Plaistow, on a chain-driven one-tonner, had an unfortunate experience recently when, after a skid, a rear wheel hit the kerb, with the result that the 'rear axle broke off short, close to the spring bracket. .He" managed to get home under its own power, however, in quite an ingenious manner. He bor. rowed a small sack truck, which he lashed to the underside of the axle and spring in such a way that the truck, resting on its own wheels, served as a Support for that side of the vehicle. He then fastened up the chain and sprocket on that side of the vehicle which had suffered damage, and drove slowly home.