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).
Tests on a new axle pivot arrangement to improve steering performance and reduce wobbles.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 17\3\ Scan094 | |
| Date | 1st September 1926 guessed | |
| contd :- -2- strengths and set up in the cross steering tube. We have carried out a number of tests varying the ball end load and find that with the new axle pivot arrangement a range of from 5 to 9 lbs. friction measured tangentially at the periphery of the steering wheel with the front wheels jacked up, is required to give the best results with various sizes of tyres at different inflation pressures. The side steering tube with the present opposed springs giving 300 lbs. ball end load, provides 2 1/2 lbs. friction at the periphery of the wheel when used with a standard non-spring loaded cross steering tube. We quite appreciate the fact that any friction in the pivots which is independent of the weight of the car necessarily adds complication as pointed out in your RL/M17.4.25. Nevertheless, in the case of the new axle, we feel absolutely certain from our comparative tests that we could not have overcome the tendency for high speed steering shocks and wobbles and yet have retained the excellent features of the steering at low speeds, unless we had resorted to friction independent of gravity. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/W. A.{Mr Adams} Robotham. | ||