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).
The performance of the clutch, steering, and gearbox after extensive road testing in London.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 5a\4\ 04-page244 | |
| Date | 29th January 1936 | |
| -3- Borg & Beck Clutch. We drove for five days in the thickest of London traffic we could find - Oxford St.{Capt. P. R. Strong} with its many traffic signals, Piccadilly Circus, Whitehall, Regent St.{Capt. P. R. Strong}, London Bridge, Vauxhall Bridge, Tower Bridge, Strand, Westminster. The traffic was exceptionally heavy and jams were frequent. The severest test the clutch has to withstand is during the crawl in the traffic jam, when the car can only be moved a few yards every minute or so. In many instances it is impossible to declutch fully. The car has to be held by slight engagement of the clutch, gradually creeping along with intermittent stops. This causes the clutch to heat up, and if the heat cannot be readily got rid of, deterioration of the clutch fabrics quickly sets in. The traffic signals call for a smooth engagement with a heavy call upon the friction surfaces, due to the higher engine revs. for a quick acceleration necessary for the weight of the car, otherwise smaller and lighter cars forge ahead. The clutch went through all these conditions without any signs of failure. The wear of the fabric was immeasurable by the travel of the clutch pedal. The smooth engagement deteriorated approx. 10%. Steering. We found the steering light to manoeuvre. Its quick self-centreing was an asset during the many occasions when sharp turns had to be made. On the open road and many of the inferior London roads, considerable reaction of the steering was noticeable. In our opinion the large diameter rocker shaft has no bearing upon the steadiness of the steering. The box remained free from oil leaks. Gearbox. (This has experimental pieces). The synchromesh for the third gear is poor. We continually came up to the edge of the engaging teeth with the cone jamming. These are special cones for the synchromesh, Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} - EX.20624 & Ex.20625/B. | ||