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 performance and condition of a vehicle's steering, front axle, and brake components.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 4\9\ 09-page203 | |
| Date | 18th January 1926 guessed | |
| - 5 - Steering column & box. New "D" type steering with outside pendulum lever and larger diameter worm and nut (.700 lead) to E.S.2065/6/7 and L.O.P. V.53935. The nuts holding bottom flange of steering column had become half a turn loose. We have also an oil leak at this joint. The rear top cross bolt holding box together had worked loose. The pendulum lever had become slightly slack on the shaft. We were able to tighten the nut two serrations. The bracket on frame was firm and there has been no oil leak from shaft. A slight amount of slack had developed in spherical thrust on steering column. The bracket holding column to dashboard has remained firm. The steering generally is very good. There is a great improvement in that the steering has now no tendency to wander and does not appear to be affected by the ever changing camber of the roads. If the car is driven over the roads at a speed which would be comfortable for rear passengers the steering is very good. On good roads the steering is very steady up to 70 M.P.H. and there has been no sign of wabble at these high speeds. At low speeds the steering is heavy at half lock, and does not readily self center. There are practically no oscillations of the steering wheel. On rough roads at moderate speeds and high speeds there are considerable shocks felt on the wheel. These we consider are much worse than those which were felt on the phantom steering. At speeds of 20 M.P.H. approximately there is a feeling of a steering wabble but this does not materialise. The steering column at high speeds on rough roads whips considerably. Front axle & pivots. Front axle to E.S.2058 and Arrangt. Drg. D52834. Lean of pivots 3 1/2°. The front axle appears to be in good condition. Brake operating shafts, fitted to axle have operated satisfactory, and bearings are in good condition. New side steering lever G 52843 with solid ball end to E.S.2087. This is still in good condition. There is no sign of wear in pivot bearings. Front brakes. Improved dust covers C.52940-1-2-3-4. The dust covers are a great improvement, on examination of brakes, they were found perfectly clean; there was no signs of water or dirt having entered; we had a failure of front brakes after oiling the pivots. This was found to be due to a faulty fitting of the bottom pivot cover on N.S. which allowed the oil to escape and drain on to the brake drum. We also found that on the N.S. and O.S. the top pivot covers were not oil tight. We were able to in either case to tighten up the nut half a turn. Oil had also drained from these into the brake drum. These were attended to and brakes have since been very good. | ||