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).
Braking issues and disappointing speed on a trails car.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\L\Jan1924-March1924\ Scan102 | |
| Date | 8th February 1924 | |
| R.R. 493A (40 H) (SL 12 12-7-23). J.H., D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} Handwritten: MAX SPEED DISAPPOINTING Handwritten: Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} SAYS Stamped: ORIGINAL Handwritten: 46 PK BETTER THAN H-N. Expl. No. 9680 REF: Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}3/LG8.2.24. EXPERIMENTAL REPORT. To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to CJ. RG.{Mr Rowledge} c. to PN.{Mr Northey} E+ c. to DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} SECRET. PN{Mr Northey}'S TRAILS CAR - 46-PK. It is difficult for us to understand why the brakes on this car are ineffective and yet have excessive wear on the servo. Our experience has been that the wear on the servo is proportional to the amount of braking. At first we thought something must have happened to prevent the servo operating but the fact that it is wearing, proves that it must be working. We had thought that our tests here had erred on the severe side. It is evident that this was not the case. As regards the speed, we should say that something has happened to the car if it will not reach 75 m.p.h. on a level road. We had expected that under favourable conditions of wind and road, it would have touched 80 m.p.h. This is doubtful however when one realises the valves will leave their seats at approximately 2600 revs. which is about 75 m.p.h. If the car is down in speed we should suspect either that the Autovac is not supplying sufficient petrol or that there may be pre-ignition or the speedometer has gone wrong. We sent as spares on the car one dozen aero engine type sparking plugs in case there was any trouble in this respect. We have no better carburetter at present we could send. We have written to the mechanic with the car suggesting that he might try a weaker air valve spring, or no spring at all could be tried for a test. contd:- | ||