Cars - http://maxpages.com/carsinhistory/T

Tread block: Raised portions of rubber that make up part of the tread pattern They are often present in the shoulder area and are more or less rectangular in shape.

Tread depth: The measurement from the bottom cm of the tread groove to the top of the tread expressed in 32nds of an inch.

Tread rib: The continuous raised portions of rubber that run circumferentially (straight or in a zigzag pattern) making up the tread on the tire.

Tread roller: A roller, either manual or power, used to help apply me tread rubber, remove trapped air and obtain adhesion. Also see stitching.

Tread separation: Pulling away of the tread from the tire casing.

Tread squirm: The flexibility in the tire tread between the surface of the tread and the tire carcass. Snow tires, with their small, deep, unsupported tread blocks, have a large amount of tread squirm. Slick racing tires, which have no tread pattern, have very little squirm.

Tread wear indicator: See tread-wear indicators.

Tread-wear indicator: See tread-wear indicators.

Tread wear indicators: See tread-wear indicators.

Tread-wear indicators: Bars of hard rubber that appear across the treads of a tire. They are 1/16" above the base of the tread. They become visible when the tread has been worn down so that only 1.5 mm (a sixteenth of an inch) of tread is left.

Tree: See christmas tree.

Trials: A type of ATB cycling competition that tests riders not on speed but on ability to maintain balance while navigating a bicycle around and over numerous obstacles such as rocks, trees, and steep, slippery terrain.

Triangle: See front triangle and rear triangle.

Triangle split system: See dual brakes -- especially the picture.

Triangle-split system: See dual brakes -- especially the picture.

Triangulation: The arrangement of the stabilizing tread plies whereby their cords form tiny triangles in the Michelin 'X. radial truck tire.

Trick: !!!.

Tricycle: A three wheeled vehicle (usually pedal-powered) where there is a single front wheel and two rear wheels. A three-wheeled, early-type open automobile using bicycle wheels and a steel-tube frame. Also see trike.

Tri-drive: A vehicle having three rear driving axles.

Trike: A tricycle. Sometimes a motorcycle that has been converted to a three-wheeled unit. Sometimes the rear two wheels are powered by a small automobile engine.

Trim: Nonfunctional metal or plastic molding, frames, and other decorative additions to vehicle bodies and interiors.

Trim level: vehicle designation assigned by vehicle manufacturers that represent specific equipment packages.

Tri-oval: !!!.

Triple tree: The yoke that supports the handlebar on a motorcycle.

Triple clamp: The devices which secure the handlebar to the triple tree on a motorcycle.

Tripod jack: A device for lifting a vehicle.

Trip odometer: An auxiliary odometer that may be reset to zero at the option of the driver. It is used for keeping track of the mileage on trips up to one thousand miles.

Triumph: The Dolomite 8 and Gloria 6 models only from 1925-1948 are classic cars. The 1953-63 TR2/TR3 models are milestone cars.

TR number: Code number of the tube valves and flaps set by Tire and Rim Association.

Truing: The act of cutting rubber off the tread of a tire while rotating on a "truing" machine to make the tire assembly round. A sometimes harmful practice which takes off tread rubber to allow for an out of round wheel, or for a tire not mounted properly.
T-slot: A variation of the split skirt piston. The top of the "T" tends to retard the transfer of heat from the head to the skirt of the piston. The vertical slot allows the skirt of the piston to close when heated.

Troubleshooting: Diagnosing engine, transmission, etc., problems by various tests and observations.

Truck tractor: See tractor.

Trunk: The storage compartment of a vehicle. In older cars, a large suitcase (or trunk) was strapped to the back of the vehicle.

Tube: 1. A long, narrow, hollow cylinder for holding or passing liquids or gases. See bourdon tube, distribution tube, head tube, neon tube, seat tube, steerer tube, top tube, and torque tube drive. 2. A rubber doughnut-shaped object which is placed within the carcass of a tire and inflated. See inner tube.

Tube cutter: A tool used to cut tubing by passing a sharp wheel around and around the tube.

Tube frame: A car frame made up of rigid tubing welded together. Tube frames are easier to manufacture in small quantities than unitized frames.

Tubing: See butted tubing, plain gauge tubing, seamed tubing, seamless tubing and tube.

Tubeless tire: A tire which does not have a tube. Air is sealed in the tire chamber because the bead of the tire adheres to the tire's rim. First developed by B. F. Goodrich in 1948.

Tubeless tires: See tubeless tire.

Tubular tire: A type of bicycle tire that has a tube sewn up inside the casing, also known as a sew-up.

Tucker: The 1948 models are milestone cars.

Tudor: A word coined by Ford for a 2-door sedan.

Tumblehome: The severe inward (concave) curvature used on the sides of some cars.

Tuned exhaust: Intake and exhaust systems that harness the pressure pulses and resonances inside the various passages and chambers of the intake and exhaust manifolds. In this way they increase the flow of intake charge into and out of the combustion chambers. Although the exhaust port must be a smooth as possible, the intake port must not because the fuel must churn and mix with the air.

Tune up: See tune-up.

Tune-up: The intent of a tune-up is to obtain the maximum performance and economy of the engine with the lowest possible exhaust emissions so that the vehicle engine will meet the manufacturer's specifications. It involves checking the components of the ignition system and cleaning or replacing them; cleaning and adjusting the carburation or fuel injection system; adjusting the points and timing, cleaning and gapping the spark plugs. Tune-ups should be performed according to the recommendation of each manufacturer.

Tune up kit: See tune-up kit.

Tune-up kit: A set of parts containing points, rotor, condenser, cam lube, and possibly a feeler gauge. Each vehicle make, model, and year has its own tune-up kit.

Tuning the exhaust: See exhaust tuning.

Turbine: Turbine: A type of engine in which all the parts that are in regular motion are rotating, making for very smooth operation. The basic gas turbine operates as follows: air enters the compressor and is compressed. It is then delivered to the combustion chamber under pressure and here the fuel is introduced, mixed with the air and burned, the quantity injected determining speed and power output. The hot, high-pressure burning gases then proceed to the first turbine, which drives the compressor, and continue to the power turbine, which delivers power to the output shaft through reduction gears. The gears are necessary because the speed of turbine rotation is measured in tens of thousands of rpm not thousands as with a typical piston engine. The turbine's attractions include its utter simplicity and directness in getting power from burning gas, its smoothness, easy cold starting and its ability to run on almost any hydrocarbon fuel. On the minus side are high cost, problems with materials because of the high temperatures and speed of rotation and relatively high NOx production.

Turbine engine: An engine that uses burning gases to spin a turbine, or series of turbines, as a means of propelling the vehicle. Also see turbine. .

Turbo: Abbreviation for "turbocharger." In computers the term is erroneously used to mean an increase in speed.

Turbocharger: An exhaust powered turbine super-charger. Turbochargers always use centrifugal-flow compressors, which operate efficiently at the high rotational speeds produced by the exhaust turbine. See blower.

Turbo charger: See turbocharger.

Turbocharging: A method of increasing power and decreasing emissions by rerouting hot exhaust gases through a turbine which drives a pump that forces more air into the engine cylinders.

Turbo-diesel: !!!.

Turbo lag: Within a turbocharger's operating range, lag is the delay between the instant a car's accelerator is depressed and the time the turbocharged engine develops a large fraction of the power available at that point in the engine's power curve.

Turbulence: Violent, broken movement or agitation of a fluid or gas.

Turn a lap: !!!.

Turn-in: The moment of transition between driving straight ahead and cornering.

Turning over: See turn over.

Turning radius: Radius of minimum fuming circle. Also an alignment angle.

Turn over: An engine is said to "turn over" when the starter has caused the crankshaft to begin to turn, which starts the pistons moving so that combustion can begin to take place in the cylinders, providing power to move the vehicle.

Turnbuckle: A device which allows the linkage to be lengthened or shortened. A threaded hole is found on each end of the turnbuckle. The linkage which attaches to the turnbuckle can be screwed in or out on each end to create the necessary length. Usually a lock nut secures the turnbuckle in place. In some instances, the turnbuckle may have a threaded hole at one end and a threaded stud at the other.

Turning circle: See turning radius.

Turning radius: The diameter of the circle created by the outer front wheel when making a full turn. There are two ways of measuring the turning radius: curb to curb and wall to wall. The latter is always larger because it takes into account front-end overhang. As the vehicle turns, the inside wheels make a smaller circle than the outside tires. Also see Ackermann steering.

Turnup: See ply turnup.

TV rod: This refers to the throttle valve rod that extends from the foot throttle linkage to the throttle valve in the automatic transmission.

Tweak: 1. To adjust a screw or component by making a very slight adjustment. 2. To bend a component to such an extent that it will need to be replaced.

Twincam: An engine with double overhead camshafts. Also see overhead cam and DOHC.

Twin fitment: See dual mounting.

Twin I-beam suspension: !!!.

Twins: !!!.

Twist drill: A metal cutting drill with spiral flutes (grooves) to permit the exit of chips while cutting.

Twisty bits: !!!.

2+2: See two plus two.

Two plus two: See two-plus-two.

Two-plus-two: (2+2) A two-door car with seating for the driver and a front passenger and only two people in the rear. It differs from a regular two-seater in that generally three people could sit in the rear seat and possibly three in the front. Usually the rear seats are very small and suitable only for children, small pets, or extra luggage.

Two second rule: The minimum gap or distance between two vehicles travelling in the same direction. As the vehicle in front of you passes a particular mark on the road or sign along the road, count two seconds and your vehicle should pass the same mark or sign. If road conditions are poor, the gap should be extended to three seconds or more. If you are following less than two seconds, there is not sufficient time to react to emergency evasive manoeuvres to avoid the possibility of hitting the vehicle in front.

Two-speed axle: Axle having two selective gear ratios.

Two-staged turbo: !!! Also see turbocharger.

Two stroke cycle: See two-stroke cycle engine.

Two stroke cycle engine: See two-stroke cycle engine.

Two-stroke cycle engine: An engine requiring one complete revolution of the crankshaft to fire each piston once. See two stroke.

Two stroke: A reciprocating engine cycle in which the piston takes over some of the valve functions in order to obtain a power stroke each revolution of the crankshaft. This involves the use of ports in the cylinders which are covered and uncovered by the movements of the piston. As the piston moves down, it clears these ports so that the exhaust gases can exit and a fresh charge of mixture can enter at the same time. In a typical two-stroke engine the fuel-air mixture enters the crankcase through a reed valve. When the piston is at the bottom of the cylinder a port is uncovered. As prior movement of the piston has compressed the mixture in the crankcase, it flows into the cylinder. Further compression in the cylinder starts as soon as the piston reverses and covers the ports. At the same time compression is occurring in the cylinder, movement of the piston has created a vacuum in the crankcase which draws a fresh charge of mixture from the carburetor into the crankcase. The compressed charge is fired as the piston reaches top dead center. As expansion of the burning charge forces the piston downward, the reed valve in the crankcase closes and the mixture in the crankcase is compressed. As the piston uncovers the ports at the bottom of the stroke, compressed mixture from the crankcase enters the cylinder again and is deflected by a baffle on the piston head into the outer end of the cylinder. This incoming fresh mixture then assists in pushing the burned gases out of the cylinder and the cycle is repeated.

Two-stroke: See two stroke.

Tyre: A British term for "tire." The British smile when they see a sign saying "Goodyear tires" which implies lethargy in Goodyear.

TireX: A trade name for a form of rayon produced exclusively for tir

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Page Updated Sun May 20, 2001 8:08pm EDT