Tests conducted to understand high-speed steering wobbles by adding weights to an axle.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\N\July1925-September1925\ Scan193 | |
| Date | 4th September 1925 | |
| R.R. 493A (50 H) (D.D. 31, 12-6-25) J.H.D. EXPERIMENTAL REPORT. To R. {Sir Henry Royce} from Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to CJ. BJ. c. to RG. {Mr Rowledge} E. {Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to DA. {Bernard Day - Chassis Design} EY. c. to Wor. {Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} ORIGINAL Expl. No. REF Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 2/LG4.9.25. HIGH SPEED STEERING WOBBLES. +457 +82430 We have made tests of adding a given weight to the extremity of the axle, with a small moment of inertia rotationally and then a large moment of inertia rotationally. The weight in question was 50 lbs. For the first test the weight took the form of a lead band secured to the circumference of the brake drum. The mean radius of this band was 8.160". For the second test, large brass rings were employed secured to the rim of the wheel. The mean radius of these rings was 11.187". It will thus be observed that the moment of inertia of the 50 lbs. about the hub centre rotationally was almost exactly doubled, in the second case. The moment of inertia of the brass ring is half that of the wheel and tyre. Therefore the total alteration in the rotational energy at any given speed effected by replacing the lead bands by the brass weights is rather less than 20%. We were unable to detect any increase in the violence of the wobbles due to altering the distribution of the masses in the manner indicated. Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /Rm. {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||
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).