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 relationship between front wheel braking systems and the geometry of true pivotal steering.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 32\2\ Scan001 | |
| Date | 18th February 1910 | |
| FRONT WHEEL BRAKES AND TRUE PIVOTAL STEERING. [16546.]—I venture to think there is a slight error in your article on back and front wheel braking (page 180, February 11th). It is surely obvious that if the axis of the steering pivot intersects the contact beween the tyre and the ground the application of the brake to the front wheel brake drum cannot by means of the pull of the road on the wheel have any tendency to twist the wheel round and so interfere with the steering. I assume, of course, that the other parts of the braking arrangements are so designed that they themselves have no tendency to turn the wheel either in one direction or the other. Should they have such a tendency this tendency would be quite independent of the position of the axis of the steering knuckle in relation to the tyre and ground contact. JOHN V.{VIENNA} PUGH. [The point raised by our correspondent was dealt with in an article by Mr. G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} Hubert Woods in The Autocar of December 3rd last. Mr. Woods pointed out, and we quite agree with him, that, although theoretically, and maybe on a dead smooth surface, front wheel brakes and the type of steering referred to are a good combination, yet when passing over road inequalities, and with a tyre which is not "board hard," the axis of the steering pivot does not, all the time, intersect the ground contact point. True pivotal or centre steering is the only solution.—ED.{J. L. Edwards}] | ||