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).
Testing and modifying a steering column with spring-loaded friction to improve feel and reduce shock.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\Q\February1927-March1927\ 14 | |
| Date | 31th March 1927 guessed | |
| contd :- -3- As a result of these tests we fitted up 9-G-111 (a 20 HP. car) with spring loaded friction on the top half of the steering column. This differs from a plain thrust race, as previously tried, in that the frictional load is a constant and does not vary with the load in the steering gear. Thus it does not make the steering heavy for shunting. We removed all the friction from the pivots and the cross steering tube with the exception of just sufficient to eliminate low speed steering wobbles. The friction on the top of the column was increased until the steering would just self-centre and no more. We then found that we had friction in the column equivalent to 2 lbs. at the steering wheel radius, and that under these conditions the load at the pendulum lever ball required to start the steering wheel rotating was 55 - 60 lbs., 5 lbs. of which was due to original worm and nut friction. The resulting steering was quite remarkably free from joggles, the side steering tube springs apparently absorbing all movement due to defective geometry without any shock whatever being transmitted to the hand. We found that we could definitely get very much better results with this arrangement and 900 lbs. side steering tube springs than with the present standard steering and 600 lbs. side steering tube springs, while the selectiveness of the steering was very greatly improved. The only drawback so far encountered is the sluggish selfcentering. We think that with a spring return to the central position either in the box or on the pendulum lever as previously suggested by you, this disability could satisfactorily be overcome and are trying one out, contd :- | ||