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).
Various steering gear systems and their respective advantages and disadvantages.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 28\2\ Scan003 | |
| Date | 10th July 1925 | |
| To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to CJ. BJ. c. to HG. EY. c. to DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to FN. CWB. +4094 STEERING. R1/M10.7.25. X.8430 X.4214 X.4094 (1) We shall have a slightly slower and definitely more irreversible box. This will make a marked improvement to the feeling of road shocks. (2) If the steering is quite irreversible it is necessary to cancel the springs on the longitudinal tube, or slow speed wobbles will appear. If these are not used then the steering connections and box will get tremendous shocks, which, though not conducted to the hand, will probably cause failures. (3) The Marles steering gear had nothing special to recommend it and I believe it was very reversible, but two engineers of that Company have patented a very ingenious scheme of rendering the box irreversible, yet not destroying its efficiency, but still it will be subject to the disadvantages in para (2). (4) The only perfect scheme would be obtained with our damped flexible pendulum lever which enables an irreversible box to be used without wobbles or shocks dangerous to the gear. (5) We should prefer not to use the Marles scheme as we rather doubt if it is as practical as our scheme in para (1), but we shall know more in a few days. (6) Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} says the only real difference between Hispano and ourselves is that they have more flexible springs in the longitudinal tube, but this would give the steering less definite control, and he thinks would not give us satisfaction. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} will confirm this. (7) I am arranging for Mr. Day and Mr. Hardy to go to the Marles Steering Gear Co. Works to see what they are offering. (8) The Marles steering gear was used on the Ruston-Hornsby, one of the worst cars for steering, but this may have been improved. (9) Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} says Dunlops inner tubes have been definitely considerably out of balance, causing high speed troubles. XXXX R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||