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).
Progress report on a 15,000-mile test in France for the 20/25 HP model, detailing issues with steering, oil consumption, roll-rod, and clutch.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 82\4\ scan0364 | |
| Date | 28th August 1936 | |
| -4- Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/AW.28.8.36. 20/25 HP. 15,000 Miles Test in France. The car is still in France awaiting the roll rod pieces. It is important that it should be kept running until we have a figure of merit for the 'L' shaped rings which have been standardised. We also want to get a life for the bearings, which in the running done so far have shown no signs of failure. Steering. Hancock has been investigating the steering on the Paris Trials car, which Sr. reported bad for wandering. He is returning the steering for examination. He attributes the trouble to the cam being incorrectly machined. Since the Ph.III and 20/25 cams are of similar design, it is not quite clear why we are having trouble with the latter and not the former. We think that we shall have a legacy of steering troubles from the first 25/30's produced, but now that a system of inspection for bought-out parts is being developed, matters will improve. Oil Consumption. The 'L' shaped ring has been fully reported on and is now in production. As far as we are concerned we do not think there need be any more complaints of high oil consumption from customers, for the time being at any rate. We are now testing the four pinned ring piston. Roll-Rod. This is an experiment which it is hoped will improve steering selectivity. There has been such difficulty in getting dies that we have been forced to make castings of the levers in order to get parts to France quickly. We expect to have some results in a fortnight's time. Clutch. In view of the report on the 15,000 miles test on 22-C-V, we have decided to revert to the propellor shaft damper on production. We do not accept, however, that this weighty and expensive device is going to remain on the car, and are continuing tests to get a smooth clutch by other means. | ||