A REALLY CHEAP BREAK TESTER
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A REALLY CHEAP BRAKE TESTER.
Although of particular interest to garage owners, the new Smith Quick-Test Brake Dynamometer will also appeal to enthusiastic motorists with a wellequipped private garage. First and foremost in its list of merits comes the price, £12 10s. Od., which is really amazing for a machine of this type.
It is simple in design and construction, consisting of a caterpillar track which gives a perfect grip to the tyre. This track is driven through gearing by a handle containing the measuring apparatus. When the brake is applied ‘ the resistance to the rotation of the wheel is transmitted to the dynamometer handle. The dial has two needles, one yellow and one black. They show the braking figure for the near and offside brakes respectively.
When adjusting the brakes an even pressure on the pedal is obtained by means of a special jack, which depresses the pedal about half-way down. The braketester is then applied to each of the Jour wheels, and a similar reading obtained, by adjustment, on each. The principle used is not to demonstrate the maximum braking figure available, but to simplify the balanced adjustment of the brakes on all four wheels. A common complaint among cars with a long mileage behind them is that their brake-drums become slightly oval. The Smith brake tester shows this clearly,
for brakes in such a condition give a constantly varying figure on the dial. An attractive booklet about the BrakeTester has been produced by Messrs. S.
Smith & Sons (M.A.), Ltd., and free copies may be obtained, by mentioning MOTOR SPORT, from the Publicity Department, Cricklewood Works, London, N.W. 2.