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).
Examining plain thrust washers to provide friction in steering on experimental cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 171\3\ img075 | |
| Date | 1st November 1920 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. CJ. Bn.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} EWT. fro RR.Inc. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}2/LG4.11.20. FRICTION IN STEERING. With reference to Mr. Olley's memo Oy6/7.10.20., we have examined the plain thrust washers which have been running on experimental cars. We have examined three cars which have run 3,000, 7,000 and 10,000 miles respectively. We find that on none of these cars is there any sign of any of the parts shving worked loose. The point which appealed to us in providing friction in the steering by means of a plain thrust washer, was that it could be easily applied to exsisting cars, much more easily in fact than the spring plungers which they are using in America. With regard to Mr. Olley's points, we think that there is very little risk of the plain steel thrust washer turning round as it is gripped by a 5/8 nut on the top of the pivot pin. We think there is very little chance of the cup, which is pressed into the steering pivot, moving as this is fixed by means of a slow taper. As regards the pivot pin in the axle, we actually found on one of the old experimental car s we had fitted this plain washer to, that the pivot pin was slack in the axle. If we moved the wheel with the car jacked up, the pin turned in the axle, but we found as soon as the laod was on the wheel, the pin was held and the movment took place on the plain thrust washer only. (Contd). | ||