Letter discussing excessive front braking on 'SS' models and potential solutions involving servo efficiency and materials.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 12\5\ 05-page090 | |
| Date | 15th April 1929 | |
| x7420 Expl: Dept: Messrs. Rolls-Royce Ltd., Derby. 15th. April 1929. H941 Hotel de France, Chateauroux(French test region), Indre, France. MR. Hancock from Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /Rm. {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 'SS {S. Smith} ' BRAKES. With reference to your note of the 12th. We note that you consider you are still getting too much front braking. We have carried out careful tests on a chassis measuring the brake distribution to the front and rear brakes. We find that with the original support of the rear brake countershaft the rear brakes definitely were inefficient which confirms your report from the first 10,000 miles test in France. We find however that with the new support for the countershaft which you have got on your car, the rear braking should be entirely adequate. We think that if you are getting too much front braking it is due to the servo being too efficient. We are sure that if you use 45° cams or alternatively try lubricated cotton duck as a servo lining, you will find that your front to rear brake proportioning is about right. We think the fact of the front brakes squeaking gives you the impression that you have got a great deal of front braking. Actually, we think this is due to the torque control to a great extent and are making experiments in this direction. | ||
From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).