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).
Steering criticisms for the 40-50 HP New Phantom and 20 HP India cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 67\4\ scan0073 | |
| Date | 26th April 1926 | |
| BJ. Copy for PN.{Mr Northey} Steering 40-50 and 20 HP. It would appear that R.{Sir Henry Royce} does not realise the full extent of the criticisms we receive almost daily with regard to the steering of both 40-50 h.p. New PhantomCodename for PHANTOM I and 20 h.p. India cars. This criticism is very severe, very caustic and usually quite justified. When analysed it falls into three headings. 1. Criticism of the heavy shocks received when travelling at any speed over a road which is other than dead smooth 2. General vibration of the whole of the steering wheel and column. 3. A certain stickyness in starting steering to work, or in the commencement of its return to the central position after rounding a corner. 4. A difficulty in keeping the car on a straight line when driving on the side of a high cambered road. I consider that these points should be specially brought to R's attention and at the moment wish to make special reference to item 2 i.e. the general vibration of the steering wheel column, which in my view is not sufficiently appreciated as a serious fault. Certain new features are now under consideration at W. with a view to improvements in this respect. I refer to the cast dash board. Unless some urging on is given to the matter I fear it will be a long time before we see any improvement in these respects in our production cars. CWB. PS. I attach hereto the further remarks of ON and H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} on the question of steering of New PhantomCodename for PHANTOM I and 20 h.p. cars, and now that we are going into this matter in detail would wish to include still one other feature i.e. a certain lack of positiveness about the steering, which makes it difficult to drive very close to a given line, particularly at high speeds. This feature is notably absent from Sunbeam and other cars. It is believed owing to the side steering tube being direct coupled. CWB. | ||