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).
Letter from the Experimental Department to Adamant Engineering regarding steering performance on Bentley and Phantom models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 28\2\ Scan227 | |
| Date | 2nd September 1933 | |
| X+- Experimental Dept. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}9/KT, Sept. 2nd 1933. The Adamant Eng. Co, Ltd., Dallow Road, Luton. For the attention of Comndr. Matravers. Dear Sirs, Thank you for your leter of the 23rd ult. The Bentley steering was not as good on whole as that on the Phantom. As a matter of fact owing to the light front axle and the stiff front springs, and various other features which reduce wheel fight, a worm and nut steering gives almost perfect results on this car, and therefore the Marles Weller does not show up to advantage. The most unpleasant feature of the one we are running is that when parking, the steering tends to become heavy in patches, as though metal to metal contact was occurring on the cam. Furthermore, when cornering fast, after holding the steering in one particular position for a short period, the self centering tendency of the axle seems to squeeze the oil film out, and there is not instantaneous self centering response when the wheel is released. With regard to the Phantom, one of the major concerns was the collapsing of the hemisphere, and we should like to know what has been done to overcome the trouble on the steering you are returning to us before we commence endurance testing thereon. Yours faithfully, FOR ROLLS-ROYCE LIMITED; | ||