How To Drive A Motorcar
A Key To The Subtleties Of Motoring

USE BOTH BRAKES pattern, the other being of the contracting type, and usually the latter is a good deal more efficient than the former. If it is, then make a special point frequently to use the less efficient one, always remembering thai the real value of high brake efficiency comes into being in case of emergency. Another point to remember is that, when a brake is not used for some considerable period, oil may leak on to the drum, and then, if it should be wanted in some emergency, it may be found that its efficiency is re- duced very considerably during the first part of the application until the oil has been squeezed or burnt out. Endeavour, then, to form the habit of always using the brakes alternately, in addition to using them as lightly as may be reasonable under the circum- stances. It must also be remembered that, although a brake may be in perfectly good adjustment when it leaves the manufacturer’s testing department, if it is never used and not attended to it is unreasonable to expect it to be still in perfect working order, say, after the car has been on the road for two or three months. This dual use of the brakes advice may be extended and emphasized in the case of descending long hills. In such cases, if it is necessary to brake the car all the time, then change over from one brake to the other so as to prevent overheating, and by so doing reduce the inevitable wear and tear to a minimum. When chang- ing over, do not release one brake first of all and then have to check the increased momentum of the car, as this means unnecessary strain, but rather as the one is released gradually apply the other so that the braking effort remains more or less equal throughout. Speak- ing in terms of generalization, it is preferable when descending long hills in ordinary country touring to use the brake acting directly on the road wheels rather than the other one, so that this should be the one used first, and then when it is judged requisite to make the change the differential brake may be employed, and if the hill is sufficiently long to make another change desirable then the brake which causes least wear and tear rèceives a second “ dose.” 63