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).
Investigation report into a complaint of dangerous steering on chassis GUL-1, with comparative measurements.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 153\2\ scan0090 | |
| Date | 18th June 1936 | |
| Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/FJH.{Fred J. Hardy - Chief Dev. Engineer}18/KW.18.6.36. Steering of Chassis GUL-1. The above chassis was returned to the Works owing to a complaint that the steering was dangerous at over 50 M.P.H. During a trial run on the car as received we could not detect anything that appeared to be non-standard apart from an occasional slight stickiness. The preload on the steering gear and the friction of the various joints were measured and are compared below with the same figures for 21-G-IV. GUL-1 21-G-IV. (1) Load on steering wheel rim with front wheels jacked up - 3½ lbs. 2½ lbs. (2) Ditto - front wheels on greasy plates - 7½ lbs. 5 lbs. (3) Steering wheel torque; front wheels on dry concrete - 25 lbs.ft. 25 lbs.ft. (4) Preload on steering gear 2 lbs. 1 lb. (5) Cross steering tube load at 9.00 rad. - 7½ lbs. 3½ lbs. (6) Side steering tube ditto - 3 lbs. 1½ lbs. With the side steering tube disconnected, the adjustment of the gear as judged by feel and measurement could not be criticised in any way, and it was considered that dismantling of the gear was not justified. The difference between the friction with the wheels jacked up and on greasy plates is 2½ lbs. on 21-G-IV and 3½ lbs. on GUL-1. The pivots of GUL-1 were dismantled by the Test Dept. and it was found that the bedding on the thrust faces was very uneven and there were signs of picking up. The side and cross steering tube loads are both higher than the recommended figures of 2 + ½ lbs. and 6 + 1 lbs. respectively. | ||