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l/100 km: This is the metric measurement of fuel consumption or fuel economy. The lower the number the more economical the vehicle. Thus a vehicle that gives 7 l/100 km is better than one that gives 8 l/100 km. A vehicle that gives 7.3 l/100 km is giving 32.2 mpg US and 38.7 mpg Imperial.

LAADA: Acronym for "Latvian Authorized Automobile Dealers Association."

lacquer: A fast drying automotive body pyroxylin paint.

ladder frame: A type of frame design which has two long parallel sections which run from the front to the rear of the vehicle. In various places there are shorter sections which connect the long sections. The result looks like a ladder. The connecting pieces hold various components such as the engine. This design is not used today because it is too heavy and lacks rigidity.

laden weight: See gross vehicle weight.

lading: The load or freight that a vehicle carries. Also see bill of lading.

ladies' frame: The type of frame in which the top tube is replaced by a second down tube to make mounting and dismounting the bike easier.

Lagonda: All 1925-48 models except Rapier are classic cars. See the 1938 Lagonda. The 1948-49 V-12 models are milestone cars.

Lagonda Drophead: The 1949-53 2.5 Liter Drophead Coupes are milestone cars.

laminate: To build up or construct out of a number of thin sheets. The magneto coil has a laminated core.

laminated: Something made up of many layers.

laminated windshield: Older safety windshields were made of tempered glass which is heat treated so that the surface is very tough. When a vehicle with tempered glass is involved in an accident, the windshield shatters into a spider web of little crystals. Its adhesive property is greatly diminished so that an object (your body) can easily be ejected through the windshield. Laminated windshields, however, are made with two sheets of glass with a thin layer of rubbery plastic in between. When your head hits the windshield, the windshield bows out without being punctured. The plastic sandwich prevents the glass from splintering.

laminated windshield glass: See laminated windshield.

lamp: A device for giving off light without being consumed itself. See headlight.

Lanchester: The 1925-1948 models with required application are classic cars.

Lancia: The 1925-1948 models with required application are classic cars. The 1959-64 Flaminia Zagato models are milestone cars. The 1961-63 Flaminia GT Two Passenger Coupe or Convertible are milestone cars. The 1962-66 Flavia Coupe are milestone cars. The 1951-59 Aurelia B.20 and B.2O Coupe are milestone cars. The 1953-59 Aurelia B.24 Spyder and Convertible are milestone cars.

land: The metal separating a series of grooves. Also see piston lands.

landau: A closed-type body on the sides, it has provision for opening or folding the fabric top over the rear quarter. This precludes the use of rear quarter windows. Landau irons are fairly common but not a mandatory feature.

landau bar: See landau bars.

landau bars: S-shaped bars or irons on the C-post. On convertibles, they are functional; but decorative on other body styles.

landaulet sedan: This body style is similar to the landau sedan in appearance, but with a stationary rear quarter. Landau irons are mounted on the rear quarter but are non-functional.

lands: The piston metal between the ring grooves. See piston lands.

lap: [1] One complete trip around a race track or route laid out for racing. [2] To fit two surfaces together by coating them with abrasive and then rubbing them together.

lap joint: [1] A piston ring gap in which the two ends of the ring are shaped like the letter "L". [2] A joint in which the edges of the two metals to be joined overlap one another.

LaSalle: The 1927-1933 models are classic cars.

lash: See backlash, valvelash, and whiplash.

latch: A fastening device for a door or panel.

lateral acceleration: The acceleration created when a vehicle corners that tends to push a vehicle sideways. Because of centrifugal force, the vehicle is pushed outward. For this reason, you need to accelerate a little as you reach the apex of the curve to pull you through the curve. An inexperienced driver may panic in a curve as the lateral acceleration pushes his vehicle into the left lane. He might hit the brakes to slow the motion only to find that the problem actually increases. The proper way to take a sharp corner is to slow down before the curve, then accelerate at the apex of it to bring the vehicle around. To increase your frustration, try following an inexperience driver as he drives on mountain roads. He maintains his speed to the corner and brakes at the apex. Also see acceleration.

lateral arm: See transverse arm.

lateral clearance: The smallest distance laterally between the tire and the nearest fixed point of the vehicle.

lateral link: A suspension link that is aligned to resist sideways motions in a wheel.

lateral run-out: A tire assembly that does not run true to its plane; i.e., a damaged wheel moving in a wobbling, side to side manner.

lateral stability: Limiting side movement. (1) Tread grooves running circumferentially around the tire resist side forces for maximum traction on sums. (2) Stabilizing tread plies limit side to side movement of the tread ribs caused by the expansion and contraction of tread areas as sidewalls flex.

lateral tire clearance: The distance between the tire sidewall and the nearest point on the vehicle, reduced by any increase in rim offset and 1/2 any increase in tire section from the existing tire.

lathe: A device for shaving the metal from the outside or inside of a cylinder. Also see brake drum lathe.

layer: A certain weld metal thickness made of one or more passes.

lb: Abbreviation for "pound."

LCD: Acronym for "Liquid Crystal Display."

LCV: Acronym for "Light Commercial Vehicle."

Lea: The 1950-54 Francis 2.5 Liter Eighteen Sports models are milestone cars.

lead: [1] [pronounced LEED] A short connecting wire which makes electrical contact between two points. [2] [pronounced LED] A metal added to gasoline in the form of tetraethyl lead.

lead ballast: See dry ballast.

lead burning: Connecting two pieces of lead by melting the edges together.

lead free: Until 1973 all new vehicles used gasoline that had tetraethyl lead or some other lead compound as an additive to increase octane rating and reduce knock or detonation. In 1973, almost all new cars required lead-free gasoline (unleaded gas). The exhaust valves in older cars were lubricated by the lead, so they were redesigned to accommodate the new gasoline. To offset the detonation problem, the compression ratio was also reduced. Lead-free gasoline was introduced to remove the lead in the exhaust fumes as a health hazard.

leading arm: A suspension system which has two long arms that extend forward from the pivot points of the arms. The wheels are attached to the forward end of these arms. The Citroën 2CV has this form of independent suspension.

leading brake shoe: See primary forward brake shoe, single leading brake shoe, and double leading brake shoe.

leading link: A suspension link that is aligned to resist longitudinal motions in a wheel; it is mounted to the chassis behind the wheel.

lead wire: A welding term referring to the electricity carrying wire from the power source to the electrode holder or to the ground clamps.

leaf: See leaf spring.

leaf spring: A length of flat spring steel plates bent in an arch usually with curled ends to allow mounting to the frame. Two holes are drilled in the center to mount a u-bolt shackle which surrounds the axle. Some applications need only one leaf spring; but most have several leaves, each smaller than the other, nested together. Only the longest one is mounted to the frame. Also see longitudinal leaf spring and transverse leaf spring. Also called semi-elliptic springs.

leak down tester: !!! Definition under construction !!!.

lean air-fuel mixture: A mixture of air and fuel in which there is more air and less fuel. See air-fuel ratio.

lean mixture: A mixture of air and fuel in which there is more air and less fuel. See air-fuel ratio.

lease: form of contract transferring the use of a vehicle in consideration of payment.

leasing: The financial plan like renting where you pay a sum of money each month in return for the use of a vehicle instead of buying it outright. Open-end leases allow you to pay an additional amount at the end of the term so that you can own the vehicle. Sometimes this is called the buy-back option. Closed-end leases state that at the end of the term the ownership and possession of the vehicle must revert back to the leasing agency. Leasing used to be the domain of businesses; but because of the high cost of vehicles, leasing is now an option for the average consumer.

LED: Acronym for "Light Emitting diode."

ledballast: See dry ballast.

left: When referring to the side of a unit, the left side is always from the perspective of operation. In other words, when sitting in the driver's seat or when pushing a mower, the left side is the operator's left side.

limo: Abbreviation for "limousine."

limousine: A chauffeur-driven car where the driver is separated from the passengers by a glass or metal partition.

Lincoln: All L, K, KA, and KB, 1941 168H, and 1942 268H models are classic cars. The 1952-54 Capri models are milestone cars.

Lincoln Continental: The 1925-1948 models are classic cars. The 1946-48, 1961-64 models are milestone cars. The 1958-60, 1965-67 Convertibles are milestone cars. The 1961-67 Custom Limos (Lehman Peterson) models are milestone cars.

line: The path through a corner that best accommodates a late braking point, a high cornering speed, and the fastest-possible exit speed out of a corner. Also see brake lines and fuel line.

liner: A thin section placed between two parts, such as a replaceable cylinder liner in an engine. Wet liners are the complete cylinder wall where the outside of the liner makes up part of the cooling system to allow coolant circulation. Dry liners are pressed into the block and are not surrounded by coolant.

lining: See brake lining.

link: A suspension member that has a single joint at each end. See drag link, half link, master link, and offset link.

linkage: Any series of rods, yokes, levers, bars or links used to transmit motion from one unit to another. Also see center steering linkage, progressive linkage, shift linkage, steering linkage, and watt linkage.

liquid: Any substance which assumes the shape of the vessel in which it is placed without changing volume.

liquid ballast: A form of ballasting which uses a liquid -- usually water mixed with calcium chloride to prevent freezing and increase specific gravity. Also see dry ballast.

liquid traction: A special liquid that is applied to the tires of drag racers to provide superior traction.

liquid withdrawal: Drawing LPG (propane) from the bottom of the tank to insure delivery of liquid LPG (propane). Withdrawal from the top of the tank will deliver LPG (propane) in the gaseous state.

liquefied petroleum gas: See LPG.

lithium base grease: chassis and wheel bearing grease using lithium as a base. Not compatible with sodium base grease.

lithium grease: chassis and wheel bearing grease using lithium as a base. Not compatible with sodium base grease.

liter: Metric measurement of capacity equivalent to 2.11 US pints. Five litres equals 1.32 U.S. gallon or 1.1 Imperial gallon.

litre: Metric measurement of capacity equivalent to 2.11 US pints. Five litres equals 1.32 U.S. gallon or 1.1 Imperial gallon.

live axle: A driven axle upon which the wheels are firmly affixed. Usually there are two half shafts with a differential in between. Each axle drives the wheel it supports. A dead axle is not driven. Also see axle.

live wire: See hot wire.

load: The object which is being lifted or accelerated.

load and inflation table: A chart in the tire manufacturer's data book listing the carrying capacity of a tire at each of several air pressure increments from the lowest range of practical usage to its maximum capacity.

load base: Used in calculating load distribution; it is the distance between the center of the rear axle (or center between tandem axles) and the center of payload. Also see negative load base.

load capacity: See carrying capacity.

load distribution: The distribution of load on truck or trailer chassis. The relationship of the gross load on the front and rear axles to the total gross load.

load distribution calculation: The payload on the front axle is equal to the total payload multiplied by the "load base" (in inches) and divided by the "wheelbase" (in inches). To complete the calculation of load per axle, it is necessary to obtain the unladen weight of the vehicle and estimate its breakdown by axle.

loaded radius: Measurement in inches from the wheel axle centerline to the ground when the tire is properly inflated for the load. Also called "static loaded radius."

loaded tourer: A bicycle whose structure, geometry, and equipment is designed to allow a cyclist to travel with 50 pounds of gear.

load range: [1] An index of tire strength which replaces the older (discontinued) ply rating system. [2] A discontinued measurement of the number of plies at which a tire is rated. Load range B equals 4 ply rating; C equals 6 ply rating; and D equals 8 ply rating.

load rating: The maximum amount that a vehicle can carry with the tires and springs it has. See carrying capacity, ply rating and spring booster.

load test: A test applied to a battery. Although the battery indicates 12 volts or more, it may not meet the amperage for which it is rated. A tester with a variety of amperage loads can be applied to determine if the battery is good.

load transference: The changing of the amount of load distributed to each axle while the vehicle is in motion, due to the effects of braking, cornering ascending, or descending grades, etc. See rollsteer.

lobe: An off-center or eccentric enlargement on a shaft which converts rotary motion to reciprocating. Also called a "cam." See cam lobes.

locating pin: See dowel pin.

lock: A fastening device. See air lock, steering lock, and vapor lock.

lock de-icer: a fluid which is inserted into the key-hole to melt the ice which has bound the tumblers in a door lock.

locknut: A nut used in conjunction with a washer or a second nut to lock a mechanism in place, such as the nut found at the upper end of a headset and in front of the calipers on many caliper brakes.

lockring: [1] The notched ring that fits on the left side of a bottom bracket of a bicycle and prevents the adjustable cup from turning. [2] A metal ring which snaps into the rim gutter, holding the side ring in place.

lockup: The moment when a tire begins to skid during braking. A tire's maximum braking force occurs when it is on the verge of lockup. Ideally all four tires should approach lockup simultaneously to give a vehicle the best braking. Because this ideal is hard to create in the real world, one end tends to lock up before the other. Front-wheel lockup is inherently more stable than rear-wheel lockup. Anti-lock brakes provide the best type of braking because it rapidly releases pressure on the brakes to prevent lockup.

lockup differential: A differential whose two outputs can be locked together, eliminating any differential action but maximizing traction under slippery conditions.

lockup torque converter: A torque converter fitted with a lockup clutch that can be engaged to eliminate the slip between the torque converter's input and output, thereby improving fuel efficiency and performance.

lockwasher: There are several types of lockwashers which are designed to be placed between a flat washer and the securing nut in order to keep the nut from backing out or loosening. One type is a split ring. Another looks like a star with prongs or tangs coming out from the outer circumference. Also called a "star washer." Another type has prongs coming out of the inner circumference of the washer.

locktite: Brand name for a type of liquid which is applied to the threads of a bolt and/or nut to secure them to various degrees of strength.

Locomobile: All models 48 and 90; 1927 8-80; 1928 8-80; and 1929 8-80 are classic cars.

log manifold: A special intake manifold generally designed to accept four or more carburetors. Each side has bases for the carburetors set on a pipe-like log area.

long and short arm suspension: A suspension system using an upper and lower control arm. The upper arm is shorter than the lower. This is done so as to allow the wheel to deflect in a vertical direction with a minimum change in camber.

longitudinal tire clearance: The distance between the tread and the closest point forward or rearward, reduced by increase in tread depth and rearward movement of the axle under load (1/3 of the distance between shackle pin centers).

longitudinal leaf spring: A leaf spring that is mounted so that it is parallel to the length of the vehicle.

long stroke engine: An engine where the length of the piston stroke is greater than the diameter of the bore of a cylinder.

long ton: 2240 pounds. Also called "gross ton."

loose: [1] Not tight. [2] A colloquial term for oversteer.

loping: Action of the engine when the mixture of gasoline and air to the carburetor is too lean.

lorry: A British term for truck.

loss Leaders: Products whose prices are cut with the idea that they will attract customers to the store.

lost motion: Motion between a driving part and a driven part which does not move the driven part. Also see backlash.

Lotus: The 1958-63 Elite models are milestone cars.

louver: ventilation slots such as sometimes found in the hood of the automobile, intended for letting air come into the passenger compartment or for cooling in the engine compartment.

louvre: Canadian and European spelling for louver.

low: See bull low.

low beam: The outboard headlights in a four-light system or the main lights in a two-light system. The low beam is used for most applications of night driving. For those cars without day-time running lights, the low beam should be turned on. In fog and heavy snow, the low beam can provide more light on the road because the high beam reflects light back to the driver.

low bed: A low platform trailer for heavy equipment hauling, usually on 15" diameter tires. Also called low boy.

low boy: A low platform trailer for heavy equipment hauling, usually on 15" diameter tires. Also called low bed.

low brake pedal: A condition where the brake pedal approaches too close to the floorboard before actuating the brakes.

low Emission Vehicle Standards: (LEV).

lowering kit: A set of springs and other suspension parts to reduce ground clearance.

lowers: The bottom part of a motorcycle fairing to protect the rider's legs from wind and provide a more aeodynamic configuration

low gear: The lowest gear in a transmission, usually called first gear.

low pivot swing axle: A rear axle setup that attaches the differential housing to the frame via a pivot mount. A conventional type of housing and axle extend from the differential to one wheel. The other side of the differential is connected to the other driving wheel by a housing and axle that is pivoted at a point in line with the differential to frame pivot point.

low pressure indicator: A unit or combination of units which provides a visible or audible warning signal whenever the system pressure is below a predetermined value.

low pressure tire: A tire with a large cross-section for operation at lower pressure. Increased air capacity permits lower pressure. ATV tires, for example, have only 3 or 4 psi.

low profile: A tire with a low aspect ratio of a tire (i.e., the section height is smaller than section width).

low tension lead: See low tension leads.

low tension leads: The wiring in the ignition system that is distinguished from the high tension wiring. The low tension leads carry only 6 or 12 volts. Includes the battery cables, the coil connections (but not the high tension wire going to the distributor), the wiring to the ignition switch, and the non-high tension wires going to the distributor.

low speed circuit: See idle circuit.

low-speed circuit: See idle circuit.

low speed traction control: See low-speed traction control.

low-speed traction control: A system that helps prevent front-wheel spin on slippery or gravel surfaces during acceleration at speeds up to 40 kph (25 mph).

LPG: Acronym for "liquefied petroleum gas" or bottled gas or a mixture of butane and propane. In Canada, propane is the recognized term, not LPG as used in the U.S.A. Volatile petroleum gases are compressed to a liquid form. It must be kept under pressure or at a low temperature to keep it in a liquid form. It is generally less expensive than gasoline yet has high octane. It also does not create as much carbon deposit in the engine or dilute engine oil as gasoline does thus reducing the need to change spark plugs and other components as frequently. However, if not serviced and maintained properly, it can result in leakage and possible explosion. Most underground parking facilities will not accept propane powered vehicles.

lube grease: A very thick lubricating oil that has a paste-like consistency. Used to lubricate the steering linkage, the suspension system, and other moving parts outside the engine. Also see gear grease.

lube job: The greasing and lubrication of the suspension system, the drive train, and other parts of the vehicle which need it. A grease gun is applied to zerk or grease fittings and the grease is forced into the component. It should be done professionally once or twice a year. It can be done regularly when you change your oil.

lubricant: Any material, usually of a petroleum nature such as grease, oil, etc., that is placed between two moving parts in an effort to reduce friction. Lubricant can also protect a part from dirt and moisture. Also see extreme pressure lubricant. Grease oil.

lubricate beads: In order to mount a tire on a rim, the bead of the tire is coated with a vegetable base lubricant. In this way, the tire slides on easily. A petroleum base lubricant must never be used.

lubrication: A type of friction reducing agent like oil or grease

lubrication system: The system which stores, cleans, cools, and recirculates oil in an engine to lubricate its moving parts and bearings. It includes the oil pump, oil pan or sump, oil coolers, tubing, filters, oil passages in the block, and dashboard oil gauge. Checking the level of oil is accomplished with the oil dipstick.

lug: [1] To cause the engine to labor by failing to shift to a lower gear when necessary. [2] A protrusion on an object. Also see dog. [3] An external metal sleeve that holds two or more tubes together at the joints of a frame.

lug bolt: Bolts which secure the wheel to the hub. Also called "wheel lug bolt."

luggage rack: A trunk which fits on the back of a motorcycle behind the rear passenger.

lug nut: The nuts which secure the wheels to the vehicle. A lug wrench is necessary to remove the nuts.

lug wrench: A wrench used to remove the lug nuts which secure the wheels to the vehicle. Some are L-shaped while others are X-shaped. They are usually found in the trunk of the car with the tire jack.

lumbar support: A feature in an automobile seat which allows the driver or passenger to increase the pressure in the small of the back and thus provide more comfort.

luxury car: A well-appointed, well-equipped, well-designed and constructed vehicle varying in size from a compact to a large sedan.

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