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 column friction, joggles, and performance issues on various car models.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\Q\2-July1927-September1927\ 51 | |
| Date | 19th August 1927 | |
| To DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}6/LG19.8.27. ORIGINAL FRICTION IN STEERING COLUMN. X8430 With reference to DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}3/M17.8.27. You will see from the reports of our tests in France that the new type axle suffered from joggles with high pressure tyres. 10-EX steering undoubtedly suffers from this complaint since we changed the axle to fit torque control. As sent to WW. rather less than 1 lb. friction was placed in the column. The reason for this was that B.J. strongly objects to anything but the lightest steering and we knew that he would not drive the car above 50/60 m.p.h. If the full range of adjustment is used on the column of 10-EX, slightly more than 3 lbs. friction can be obtained in the steering column. This practically eliminates joggles and we have always understood is the main feature of the device, i.e. the customer can in a few moments make his steering suitable for high speed Continental touring or for traffic work. For British conditions, we consider that the steering of 10-EX, as sent to WW., is the best compromise. You will appreciate that the joggles on the 40/50 HP. are a somewhat different proposition to those on the 20 HP., the latter occuring on a bad road at speeds from 10 to 20 m.p.h., the former being almost an incipient high speed wobble. The steering of 10-EX at low speeds is remarkably free from joggles. We still maintain that in every case for a given heaviness of steering, friction applied in the column is much more effective than that applied in the cross steering tube, as it also does not spoil the steering selectivity. We are not satisfied with 10-EX steering and are trying to improve it. The aluminium engine so far has given us two rather mediocre steerings in 10-EX and 14-EX, though it may be only a coincidence. at high speeds, Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||