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).
Observations of steering wobble and wheel balancing during a high-speed trial run.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 4\3\ 03-page59 | |
| Date | 18th December 1925 | |
| S/W. HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from Bt.{Capt. J. S. Burt - Engineer} o.{Mr Oldham} to PN.{Mr Northey} o.{Mr Oldham} to BJ. o.{Mr Oldham} to CWB. o.{Mr Oldham} to R.{Sir Henry Royce} Rf PN{Mr Northey}5/DN1-12-20 X2401 Bt{Capt. J. S. Burt - Engineer}1/HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/18.12.25. re:- Wheel Balancing. H/L.99-12-25. Referring to your comments on PN{Mr Northey}5/DN.1.12.25, I have noted that you do not think small amounts of out of balance serious, and that you have not found slightly uneven tire pressures, such as those mentioned, to affect wobbles. With regard to the suggestion that the steering wobble reported may be dismissed as just a slight oscillation which was magnified to the observer by a state of 'wind-up', I should like to point out that this is not so, for the following reasons:- (1) Henning Junr. was driving and he has never previously experienced this high speed wobble and would therefore not be on the look out for it. (2) We had previously run this particular car at Brooklands up to speeds of 78 m.p.h. without experiencing a wobble, and had therefore some reason to suppose that the car was immune from this wobble. (3) We had never previously heard that this wobble developed at a less speed than 76 m.p.h., and should therefore not expect it at 60. (4) A trial run was being given, the object being to demonstrate the speed of the car on this particular hill which is wellknown to driver, who was sitting alongside of Henning Junr. I was sitting in the back of the car and was keenly interested in watching the speedometer. My attention was drawn from this by the violent shaking of the car, and I had plenty of time to lean further forward and observe the excessive oscillation of the steering wheel which was taking place. [Handwritten note at bottom] The gallant Captain Bt.{Capt. J. S. Burt - Engineer} on his high horse & tells us a nice little story to prove he was not suffering from wind up | ||