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).
Visit to the Dunlop Works to discuss the non-skid life of tyres following customer complaints about skidding.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 65\4\ scan0104 | |
| Date | 28th November 1928 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson} c. to BJ. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} +8005 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}6/LG2.11.28. TYRES. X4050 We visited the Dunlop Works on Tues. the 30th.ult. We discussed the effective non-skid life of the tyre with them. We pointed out that for practically half the life of the tyre it had no pattern on it. We have had complaints from customers that our cars are dangerous for skidding, because they have not appreciated the danger of running on the modern tarred roads in wet weather with smooth tyres. Messrs. Dunlop offered us the 'Fort' tyre to overcome the difficulty. We told them we were not interested in 'Fort' tyres or in any tyre that increases the effective tyre dia., so raising the car. We asked them to produce a tyre with a replica of the 'Fort' non-skid tread i.e. a broader tread with considerably greater depth of non-skid pattern but having the present rolling'dia. This they agreed to do by reducing the thickness of rubber below the pattern. The broader tread may make the steering heavier with a new tyre but when smooth the width will be as at present. We again pressed them for delivery of the silent tread pattern for the 19" rims 6" tyre. They have promised to let us have a set of these tyres by the end of the month. We discussed further with them the possibility of getting a rubber for the engine mounting that will not take contd :- | ||