Q. What care should the running gear have?

A. In the first place it at all times should have proper lubrication (see chapter on Lubrication). Once in every thirty days the front and rear axles should be carefully gone over to see that every moving part, such as the bushings in spring connections, spring hangers, steering knuckles and hub bearings, are thoroughly lubricated, and that all nuts and connections are secured with center pins in place. The spring clips, which attach the front spring to the frame, should be inspected frequently to see that every thing is in perfect order.

Q. How is the front axle removed?

A. Jack up front of car so wheels can be removed. Disconnect steering gear arm from the spindle connecting rod, disconnect radius rod at ball joint, and remove two cotter pin bolts from spring shackle on each side, so detaching front spring.

To disconnect radius rod entirely, take the two bolts out of the ball joint and remove lower half of cap.

Q. In case of accident, how is the front axle straightened?

A. Should the axle or spindle become bent, extreme care must be used to straighten the parts accurately. Do not heat the forgings, as this will distemper the steel, but straighten them cold. If convenient it would be better to return such parts to the factory, where they may be properly straightened in jigs designed for that purpose. It is very essential that the wheels line up properly. The eye is not sufficiently accurate to determine whether the parts have been properly straightened, and excessive wear of the front tires will occur if everything is not in perfect alignment.

Q. What about the wheels?

A. The wheels should be jacked up periodically and tested, not only for smoothness of running, but for side play as well. If in spinning a front wheel a sharp click is heard, now and then, and the wheel is momentarily checked, it is probable that there is a chipped or split ball in the bearing which should be removed, otherwise it may necessitate the removal of the entire bearing. A wheel in perfect adjustment should after spinning, come to rest with the tire valve directly below the hub. Undue wear of the hub bearings, such as cones, balls and races, is usually caused by lack of lubrication and excessive friction, due to the adjusting cone being drawn up too tight. It is a good plan to clean the bearing frequently and keep the hub well filled with grease.

Q. How are the wheels removed?

A. Front wheels. Take off hub cap, remove cotter pin and unscrew castle nut and spindle washer. The adjustable bearing cone can then be taken out and the wheel removed. Care should be taken to see that the cones and lock nuts are replaced on the same spindle from which they were removed, otherwise there is a liability of stripping the threads which are left on the left spindle and right on the opposite as you stand facing the car. Back wheels. They should not be removed unless absolutely necessary, in which case proceed as above. Then with a wheel puller remove the wheel from the tapered shaft to which it is locked with a key. In replacing rear wheels be sure that nut on axle shaft is as tight as possible and cotter pin in place. The hub caps of the rear wheels should be removed occasionally and the lock nuts which hold the hub in place tightened. If these nuts are allowed to work loose, the resulting play on the hub key may eventually twist off the axle shaft.

Q. How does the setting of the front wheels differ from that of the rear wheels?

A. It will be observed that the front wheels are “dished”; that is, the spokes are given a slight outward flare to enable them to meet side stresses with less rigid resistance, while the spokes of the rear wheels are straight. The front wheels are also placed at an angle, that is to say, the distance between the tops of the front wheels is about three inches greater than between the bottoms. This is to give perfect steering qualities and to save wear on tires when turning corners. The front wheels should not, however, “toe-in” at the front, at least not more than a quarter of an inch. Lines drawn along the outside of the wheels when the latter are straight in a forward position should be parallel. All wheels should always be kept in proper alignment, otherwise steering will be difficult and tire wear will be greatly increased. Adjustment can be made by turning the yoke at the left end of the spindle connecting rod, to draw the wheels into a parallel position.

Q. What care do the springs need?

A. The springs should be lubricated frequently with oil or graphite. To do this, pry the leaves apart near the ends and insert the lubricant between them. Whenever a car is given a general overhauling, the springs should be disassembled and the leaves polished with emery cloth, afterwards packing them with graphite when reassembling. Rust can be prevented from accumulating on the springs by painting them when necessary with a quick drying black paint. You will find that these suggestions if carried out will not only improve the riding qualities of the car but prolong the life of the parts as well.

Q. Should spring clips be kept tight?

A. Yes. If the spring clips are allowed to work loose the entire strain is put on the tie bolt which extends through the center of the spring. This may cause the bolt to be sheared off and allow the frame and body to shift to one side. It is a good plan to frequently inspect the clips which hold the springs to the frame and see that they are kept tight.

Q. What about the steering apparatus?

A. It is exceedingly simple and will need little care except, of course, proper lubrication. The post gears which are arranged in the “sun and planet” form are located at the top of the post just below the hub of the wheel. By loosening the set screw and unscrewing the cap after having removed the steering wheel they may readily be inspected and replenished with grease. To remove the steering wheel unscrew the nut on top of the post and drive the wheel off the shaft with a block of wood and hammer.

Q. How is the steering gear tightened?

A. Should the steering gear become loose, that is, so that a slight movement of the wheel does not produce immediate results, it may be tightened in the following manner: Disconnect the two halves of the ball sockets which surround the ball arm at the lower end of the steering post and file off the surface until they fit snugly around the ball. If the ball is badly worn it is best to replace it with a new one. Also tighten the ball caps at the other end of the steering gear connecting rod in the same manner. If the bolts in the steering spindle arms appear to be loose, the brass bushings should be replaced with new ones. Excessive play in the front axle may be detected by grasping one of the front wheels by the spokes and jerking the front axle back and forth. After the car has been in service two or three years excessive play in the steering gear may make necessary the renewal of the little pinions, as well as the brass internal gear just underneath the steering wheel spider.

It is also advisable to inspect the front spring hangers occasionally to determine whether or not new bushings are necessary to overcome any excessive vibration.