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).
Customer complaints and findings on vehicle springing, steering wobble, and overoiling issues.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 28\4\ Scan186 | |
| Date | 6th October 1920 | |
| R.R. 255a (100 T) (S.H. 159, 11-8-20) G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} 2806 X457 COPY. X.2626 6.10.20. "Have cabled works to-day as per attached. Hives. Chief trouble here is springing. Customers complain of being thrown about over roads with waves and most of the roads here have this effect, much more so that Europe and the cars gets a swing on causing passengers to be thrown off their seats, in fact the serious cases are those where damage to ones head has been the result, and refuse to ride further in it. The roads are so Some are very bad. None of the cars ride without being thrown about in some degree but when a second and third bounce synchronise with springs, it is hopeless, and dangerous. Cars which are better that I have so far tried are not so good for absence of jars over pot-hole roads - a point on which the flexible springs are particularly good. All the other troubles such as rattles, etc. are overcome by soft tyres, which has been now appreciated and is being made the best of, but still they claim this is less so on the thin leaves - but yet to be demonstrated to me. No appreciable difference could be shown between thick and thin (greased). I have taken up question of driver, - driving car to avoid this - but I must say that ordinarily one can anticipate what to expect when you see the road, but it is the synchronising which gets you and which cannot be seen. In all other respects I think I can flatten out the spring troubles. Steering wobbles - it is agreed and proved that this is only prevalent when cord tyres and detachable rims are fitted (general) - confirmed by actual tests. The extra weight of the rim is on the outside of the wheel, away from the pivot, hence I feel most effective in causing wobbles. Steering also gets freer with running - their damping device fixed on several. Am now trying our design on one giving trouble. If O.K. is it agreed me standardise? Everything else we know of has been done without definite cure. Overoiling, also a complaints, but feel more fuss than facts - a few cases only, but am afraid trouble is not actually overoiling, but that the intermediate plugs will not stand overoiling. They claim, and it seems quite true, that Champions are better, but only single point plugs and look pre-igniters. I have asked them for something better. They claim Bethlehem very good, now testing on Contd. | ||