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

WEAR OF THE BRAKES it does in theory. Consequently, continued wear and tear on the brake, say over a period of six months, means that the surface of the actual brake block is not worn away evenly from the surface which it had when new. Consequently, if a considerable adjustment is made, it means that the brake has again to bed itself, which in turn means considerably greater wear for an equal brake efficiency owing to the smaller area of the shoe actually in contact with the drum. This defect, which, as pointed out, is present in practically all cars, 1 1 s Wear in brakes is much minimized by making a small adjustment of the brakes frequently. The embedding process is thereby reduced to a minimum, and the available area for active braking effect is increased, so that the wear is proportionately reduced. With regard to the whole question of the use of the brakes, perhaps the most important point of all is that of keeping the side-brake lever, which operates on the drums of the rear wheels, in thoroughly good order and in a serviceable condition. If, perchance, the actual control of the brakes is reversed and the pedal should apply this brake, whilst the differential brake is con- trolled by the side lever, as in the Daimler, Pipe, and some few other cars (the writer prefers this principle), then, of course, the advice applies to the pedal-applied brake. 65 E