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).
Complaints from America about hard tyres causing poor ride quality, difficult steering, and increased wear and tear.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 42\5\ Scan015 | |
| Date | 1st September 1920 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to CJ. c. to Bn.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to Oy. c. to EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} X3895 X.3895. X.4050. RE - TYRES. X.20. We are receiving a number of complaints from America re. the riding of the car, bouncing of the back axle on the road, steering, slack in spring shackles etc. All these complaints point to the tyres being very hard. X.1768. It will be remembered that several years ago we took up a very strong attitude against Palmer Cord Tyres. At that time the Palmer people insisted that their tyres should be run with very high pressure. From actual experience we have proved that our cars which had been run with these tyres were uncomfortable to ride in, uncomfortable to steer and the wear and tear on the chassis parts, such as springs and steering, was very considerably increased. We did all in our power at that time to persuade our customers not to use these tyres. Our attitude appears to have been justified because the Palmer tyre people did agree afterwards to run their tyres with less pressure. We have lately carried out tests with American straight-sided tyres and find that one of our cars fitted with these tyres blown up to 80 lbs. pressure is very bad for di riding, uncomfortable for steering, and all noises from slack in transmission and spring shackles exaggerated. After running the car 50 mile with these hard - Contd. | ||