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).
Investigating Phantom steering complaints and testing weaker side steering tube springs as a solution.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 67\4\ scan0056 | |
| Date | 27th April 1926 | |
| To Mr. Hancock. from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} x8430 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}5/LG27.4.26. PHANTUM STEERING COMPLAINT. x8430 We have wired you today as follows :- *INVESTIGATE PHANTOM STEERING COMPLAINTS MADE BY "PARIS WE ARE XXXX SENDING BY AIR MAIL WEAKER " SIDE STEERING TUBE SPRINGS FOR YOU TO TEST "ON PHANTOM COMPLAINED OF" HIVES. We attach a copy of complaint which has been received from Paris. We are not surprised that customers are complaining of the steering but we are anxious that we should try and arrive at the best compromise with the present material. One of the easiest ways we know of to reduce the shocks on the steering wheel is to reduce the strength of the side steering tube springs. For this reason we have sent you several different strengths of springs. We know that reducing the springs will introduce other faults such as low speed wobbles and a tendency to wander. As, however, most things on the car are a compromise, we think that for Continental touring conditions it is better to sacrifice some other feature to reduce the terrible road shocks which the driver receives. Therefore, when judging the effect of the side steering tube springs we want to judge the steering as a whole and not condemn it from one point of view. You will realise that it is quite impossible for us to stand the cost of fitting new steerings to all Phantom cars. contd :- | ||