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).
Steering wobbles and ball joint poundage on a Bentley.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 83\2\ scan0270 | |
| Date | 28th February 1938 | |
| To. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. Rem/FJH.{Fred J. Hardy - Chief Dev. Engineer} 200a CHATEAUROUX 5/.28.2.38. 6.B.IV. - BENTLEY. STEERING. In reply to your memo, we have checked the poundage on the ball joints of the cross steering tube. The load required on the end of the special arm you sent out was, nearside 3-3.1/2 lbs. offside 2.1/2-3 lbs. We have added six and nine of the washers to each side respectively to bring the load to 6.1/2 lbs. We will observe the effect during the running. At no time have we been able to induce low speed wobbles, they were started by a particular type of bump or by uneven braking. The "slight tendancy towards low speed wobbles" which we have referred to, consist of four or five oscillations which have died out on all occasions except when definite sustained wobbles have occurred and been reported. When Sr. tried the 7.50 section tyres on his trials Bentley, he remarked when passing over rough pavée that with these tyres it felt as if it would not take much to start a wheel wobble. I had not mentioned the possibility at all. We do not consider the matter at all serious out here on account of its infrequent occurrence and it would be practically non existent on English roads, but we must report that the increased tendancy is there. ---------- Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/IMW.{Ivan M. Waller - Head of Chateauroux} Ivan M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} Waller. | ||