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).
The dangers of wheel locking and the challenges of achieving equal braking.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 182\M20\M20.2\ img051 | |
| Date | 20th March 1924 | |
| R.R. 493A (20H) (D.A. 652 20-3-24) J.E.D. -2- Expl. No. 9940 REF: Hel/102/5.24. EXPERIMENTAL REPORT. which, when the wheels lock continues in a straight course, is more dangerous than one which skids sideways. If the car skids sideways, the driver immediately knows that he must release his brakes, but if the car continues in a straight course it is very difficult for the driver to know that the wheels are locked, unless it is necessary for him to use the steering. It requires a skillful driver to release the brakes when he finds himself going straight off the road on a bend because the braking has locked the front wheels. The natural thing is to put more pressure on the brakes. We had a good example of this when returning from WW. on our last visit. Between Oxford and Banbury there was a deluge of rain and with fairly smooth tyres on a tarmacadam road there were numerous occasions when the brakes were applied and all four wheels were locked, there was no indication of this until we wished to steer and found that the steering did not answer because the front wheels were locked. If we have equal braking on wet roads, then we cannot avoid having equal braking on dry & roads. To allow a car to have the maximum efficiency on the front brakes on dry roads, is likely to cause trouble. We have very definite reports that there have been numerous very bad accidents with Hispano cars in France. It is most probable these have been caused by the efficient front brakes affecting the steering. Even if it is desirable, we do not know how cars can be produced consistently to give equal braking effects on all four wheels under all conditions. On the present contd:- | ||