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About Sandy post. (Sandy, Oregon) 1938-current | View Entire Issue (June 17, 1982)
G fstbam Outlook W»d June 16, 1982. Sondy Po*», Thun. June 17, 1982 _9 Thinking ahead can save breakdown on trip by MARK STEM ART of The Outlook staff A pretrip check could save motorists a lot of heartache on this summer’s vacation drive. I t ’s usually minor items which lead to breakdowns on long trips “ Most of the breakdowns which do occur could have been taken care of with a little preventative m aintenance,” says Bill Dolby, manager of the Oregon Automobile Club’s road service department. Dolby says his crews have found that most breakdowns could have been prevented by p re -trip m aintenance. “ Things do happen which are completely unexpected (such as engine and transmis sion failures), but not often,’’ he says. The detail to which a vehicle should be • Check the head and tail lights and turn signals Drivers also should carry a number of items which could come in ^andy in case of a breakdown, Dolby says This includes a basic tool kit of screwdrivers and wren ches, jumper cables, a container for water or gas, a syphon hose and flares or reflec tive devices to warn drivers of trouble ahead He also recommends carrying a tow rope and spare belts and hoses if possible This could allow a passing motorist to provide a tow or a simple repair. “ The better prepared you are before the breakdown . . . the better able you’ll be able to get out of it more easily.” Dolby said. If a breakdown does occur, there are some common sense things which a prepared depends on the length of the trip and the destination “ If you are traveling over 200 miles of nothing, you v int to be prepared," Dolby says. Most people do a good job of preparing their vehicles for a long drives, he indicates Dolby says a pre-trip check should in clude : • Giving the car a regular maintenance including a tune-up and an oil change; • Checking all fluid levels including the battery, radiator and all power accessory units; • Inspect the belts which drive the cool ing fan and power accessories Those which are cracked or excessively worn should be replaced; • Inspect tires for cracks or nails Also check the spare to make sure it has enough air; Caring for tires can be very simple by MARK STEWART of The Outlook staff T a k in g c a re of tire s doesn’t require a lot of time or work, but it will increase tire wear, safety, ride com fort and fuel economy. Basic tire care consists of maintaining proper pressure and rotating them every 5,000 m iles, says M ark Musico of the Gresham Les Schwab Tire Center, 390 E. Burnside Road. A ir pressure in tires should be checked once a month, he says The amount of pressure depends on recommendations for in dividual vehicles It should be checked when the tires are cold Keeping tires properly in fla te d w ill in c re a s e a motorist’s margin of safety while driving Comsumer Reports magazine says an underinflated tire will im pair normal braking and tr a c t io n ; in c re a s e the chance of overheating or tire blowout especially at heavy loads or high speeds, and cause a w k w a rd or dangerous handling. It also will reduce fuel economy. An overinflated tire also provides a rougher ride, the magazine says In addition, a tire with too much air will lack the “ give” tires need to help avoid damage from road hazards M a in ta in in g p ro p e r pressure in tires also will help them last longer, says Randy Roberts of Master Tire Center, 996 N E Division St. An underinflated tire will wear more rapidly at th edges while an overinflated tire will wear more quickly in the center. Rotating tires also is im portant because it will allow a set to wear evenly, he says Radials must be rotated from front to rear on the same side. If they are moved to the opposite side of the vehicle, their internal belts could slip which would riun the tire. However, bias-ply tires can be moved across the car. The usual method to rotate this type of tire is to move the front tires to the rear on the same side and the rear tires to the opposite front side. M o st new c a rs a re en g in eered fo r ra d ia ls . r i ran $3 4 .9 9 C o u p o n E x p ire s J u ly 3, 1982 You get: And it** fully guaranteed: □ Brand nam e spark plugs □ Points □ C ondenser □ 6 mos or 6,000 miles, whichever occurs first. (No extra charge for parts or la b o r) A n d if needed: i i i i i _ 1 ■ Peg ’ 39 99 □ □ □ □ □ Distributor rotor PCV valve Fuel filter Distributor cap 3 spark plug wires In clu d es 4, 6 & 8 cylin d er autom obiles Then we: □ Set your carburetor □ Scientific road test □ Adjust timing It take*: □ 30 to 45 minutes while you wait - • » y Ai- ..5 ’ >-■ s- s ■ * , > • » 1 II II I II II II II II II I II Shopping Center 253-2125 OPEN: Monday thru Saturday 8 AM-5 PM J v«*«,-.-. it.” Then place flares or reflective triangles at the front and rear of the car to warn passing drivers of the situation The next step depends on the type of breakdown If possible stay out of the road way, he says However, this often is tough when changing a flat on the left side of the car on a narrow road If possible, use a passenger to warn of oncoming traffic The best rule of thumb to use during breakdowns is to use common sense. Dolby says. Keep spare fuses around reduced, which leads to bet ter fuel economy, and belts — usually steel cord — circle the plies to provide lengevi- ty, about 40,000 miles for the average tire Bias-ply tires have plies and sidewalls which are stif- fer, which affects handling They also don’t roll as easily as radials and usually do not have steel belts to protect them so they do not last as long, usually about 25,000 miles HARD TIMES Coupon i i i i i i which provide better handl ing, increased fuel economy and longer life than bias-ply tires. However, they are more expensive than bias- ply tires. R adials handle b etter because of their design — body plies run from sidewall to sidewall and perpen dicular to the roadway This allows the sidewalls to flex and the tread to maintain contact with the road. Rolling resistance also is motorist should do to increase his margin of safety, he said. Most important is to get off the road as far as possible If the roadway has a fog line on the shoulder, the car should be park ed well inside it, Dolby says. “ If a car is a hazard, the Oregon State Police will tow , To most car owners, fuses are like volcanoes. They don't think about them un til they blow Then, certain accessories in the car stop w o rk in g — p o ssib ly windshield wipers, lights, radio or whatever is on that circuit. Caught without a spare, you could be in trouble Protecting the car s electrical system, fuses open and shut o ff current when overloads occur that could damage w iring or other components. To get a c ir cuit back in business after a fuse blows, the fuse has to be re placed If it blows again, find out why and correct the prob lem u m y sen, u n n t K ------- VALUABLE C O U P O N ----------- - FREE ________ $ 1 8 .0 0 VALUE S ? 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