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 Rapson Tyre & Jack Company discussing steering wobble issues and proposing tyre modifications.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 28\4\ Scan225 | |
| Date | 27th December 1924 | |
| -2- 27th. December, 1924. no wobble occurring at any speed between 10 and 80 miles per hour. As I informed you in my last letter, steering wobble commenced in the use of the Dunlop tyres at 75 miles per hour and became excessive at 80 miles per hour, yet these tyres were perfectly balanced and well made. As a result of my trials, I venture to respectfully suggest that if steering wobble is going to prove a source of trouble to you on your new four wheel brake model, this can be instantly eliminated by your adopting a slightly smaller tyre than you are at present using and recommending inflation pressures for the front to be slightly higher than the rear. In making this suggestion, I quite appreciate that it is essential all tyres should be interchangeable, so that the same may be fitted either to front or rear, but this would not prevent you from adopting a tyre with the same tread periphery as at present and of the same tread depth at its centre to ensure equivalent wear and mileage, but of considerably lighter construction by eliminating the useless heavy shoulder rubber and reducing the number of plies from eight to six, retaining the strength of the casing by using a stronger cord. I appreciate very much the suggestion you so kindly made in your letter that it was your desire we should get together to tackle the trouble so that Rapson tyres might be refitted all round, but as His Royal Highness is now using the car again and is, I understand perfectly satisfied with the steering with Rapson's fitted all round, there will be no need for us to bother further, other than to give one of your experts a demonstration run so that he may confirm the statements I made in my last letter. Again thanking you for the trouble you have taken in this matter and assuring you of my best personal services at all times, I beg to remain, Yours faithfully, RAPSON TYRE & JACK COMPANY, LTD (Sgd) F.{Mr Friese} Lionel Rapson. Governing Director. | ||