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THE BRAKES
of all automobiles are more or less exposed to splashing water which in
winter is apt to freeze in the brake drums.
Therefore,
when parking your
vehicle, do not set the hand brake but shift to first or to
reverse
gear.
THE DOOR LOCKS
can freeze up in the winter, especially if water gets into the lock cylinder
when washing the vehicle. You should, therefore,
not aim the water jet
directly at the lock, or better still, cover
the
key hole up when washing. A
frozen lock can be opened by warming the key before
insertion
and then
squirting anti-freeze into the lock cylinder straight away.
TIRES
Worn tires are apt to cause trouble in winter. For safety's sake replace them
in time.
T
o meet the special requirements
in winter, so-called
M
+
S
tires
are available.
These
special-tread tires are designed
to
give a better grip on
mud and snow.
T
hey are either used on the
rear
wheels on ly or on all four
wheels. However, during the rest of the year you should use the usual tires.
CHAINS
You will need chains only when the roads are covered with snow. Without
such chains the rear wheels of your vehicle are apt to spin, and applying the
brakes may result in skidding.
Have
the chains adjusted to the wheels if you
wish to avoid loss of time and inconvenience
later on. When driving on
long stretches that are free from snow, the chains should be
removed
to
avoid unnecessary wear of both chains and tires.
THE BATTERY
is under greater strain in winter than in warmer seasons because of the
increased consumption
of current when starting the engine and using the
lights at night.
Besides
this it is a characteristic feature of any battery that its
efficiency decreases at lower temperatures.
If the vehicle is used mostly
over short distances, the battery may require additional recharging.
Keep the battery well maintained and the ground cables and connections
between battery and starter clean.
SPARK PLUGS
The
normal gap is 0.7 mm. (.028"). In extremely cold weather, reduction of the
gaps to 0.4-0.5 mm. (.016"-.020")
will aid cold starting considerably.
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