Customer Mr. Summers' complaints regarding front and rear springing and tyre preferences.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 47\1\ Scan292 | |
| Date | 1st June 1926 | |
| (2) EP {G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} 6/HS. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} 6.26. It was also considered by tests that low pressure tyres at the rear improved these points, but not so satisfactorily as the test above described. Mr. Summers, however, would not consider using balloon tyres, nor could we press the point, as we could not agree to them being used on the front wheels. Mr. Summers still insisted that the springing at the front was bad. I could not appreciate that his car was particularly bad in this respect as compared with the standard Phantom car, and in discussing the matter with Rm. {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} I was certainly of the opinion that this complaint would not be cured with any standard adjustments or alterations, but that some form of increased flexibility combined with some more definite front axle control will be required before making this customer satisfied on this point. This is a matter which is having Experimental Dept. attention, and I can only recommend that this complaint should be the means of bringing forward the urgency of this trouble. As regards the rear spring trouble, it is not felt any improvement can be made by any ordinary adjustment, as explained above, and it is considered that this also is a case where some scheme should be embodied whereby at least one spare wheel can be carried at the rear of the car. Such a scheme, I understand from Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} , is being considered by the Experimental Dept. and this complaint should be the means of the scheme mentioned being pushed. It was explained to Mr. Summers that our chassis is generally designed and made suitable for carrying heavy loads, and that his was the exception, the weight on the rear wheels being lighter than any Phantom we know. Mr. Summers fully appreciated this, but at the same time he stated he expected R.R. to make a car suitable for his requirements, otherwise they should not have supplied him with a car at all. He is certainly a very enthusiastic Rolls-Royce owner and considers that we can satisfy him in this respect. Unfortunately, we were not able to try the Chrysler car which he was so pleased with, as this car had been taken away that morning and was not available. We expressed our regret in not being able to do this, as it was of CONTINUED. | ||
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).