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 performance of the steering column, propeller shaft, and rear axle components under test conditions.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 5a\3\ 03-page058 | |
| Date | 30th September 1931 guessed | |
| -4- in the water temperature with the shutters open was 2.5°C. at 60 MPH. with an average air temperature of 20°C. there was a difference in the water temperature of 4.025°C. This does not show the shutters to any advantage due to the cold atmospheric temperatures. We have not heard any bonnet knocks throughout the mileage. STEERING COLUMN & BOX to LOP.Y.58034. "C" TYPE. The steering for the first half of the mileage was particularly good for absence of joggles. The selectivity was up to standard. The only criticism to be made was that it was affected by heavy cross winds. During the latter part of the mileage the steering became freer. Wobbles have developed. Under ordinary touring conditions in England, these would be difficult to obtain. They are produced here when going over railway crossings chiefly. This appears to be sufficient to set the front wheels in motion and causes the wobbles. We have not had this occur on any of the good surface roads. We have checked up the steering parts, and the only part that has not remained consistent has been the cross steering tube load. We have had no further trouble with the lubrication of the steering parts. The condition of the cross steering tube generally is very good. The friction load of the cross steering tube does not remain consistent. At the start of the test the load was 95" lbs. Checked at 8,000 miles the load had dropped to 75" lbs. At 10,000 miles it had dropped to 55" lbs. We dismantled it and found that the outer pads were fouling in the neck of the ball, showing that wear had taken place in the ball pads. The cross steering tube was built up and set to 75" lbs. At 15,000 miles the load had again dropped to 65" lbs. The lubrication of the ball pads has been ample. The side steering tube has remained fairly consistent. Lubrication of the ball pads has been ample. PROP. SHAFT to LOP.G.53436. The prop. shaft universal joints have given no trouble and it has not been necessary to add any oil to the universal joints for the last 10,000 miles. The fault during the first part of the test, as was reported, was due to the Scots lubricator leaking in the front joint. REAR AXLE to LOP.G.54309. G.L.483 Modified Lubrication to Rear Brake Actuating Shafts. The rear axle has been consistently noisy upon acceleration, starting at a speed of 30 MPH., the worse period being 50 MPH. It is not considered to be a good axle for silence from a standard axle point of view. It has remained consistently so and has not developed. Otherwise the axle has given no trouble and is practically free from oil leaks. | ||