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).
Poor quality and faults found in a Marles steering column from a GUL-16 car, including an oil leak and rough component finishing.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 130\2\ scan0064 | |
| Date | 7th July 1936 | |
| COPIES SENT TO E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} Sft.{Mr Swift} C O P Y. To G.W.H. Chateauroux. Cricklewood. 7.7.36. Re the Marles steering on GUL-16 car, the new column arrived to-day and has been fitted. Before sending the old one back to Derby, Cliburn said he would like to see inside the box. I showed his steering men how to dismantle the box. After washing all the bits and pieces carefully, the evidence could be seen clearly, where the oil was leaking from. It might be mentioned also that the general fitting work on the box was very poor indeed. There were even burrs standing up on the faced joints, they had not been touched with a scraper or countersink. The general feel of the steering was rough and lumpy. I think that might be put down to the bad finish of the worm. The worm had machine lines, not running with the thread but across the thread. There was no slack in the roller that works in the worm. There was a good bit on its balls. The slack in the box can only be put down to the fact that the wheel is not enough in mesh with the worm. One other point, the needle roller bearing surfaces both on the steering wheel end of the shaft, and also on the shaft carrying the wheel, were rough in finish and had not worn true. however, now we have the evidence, the box has been re-assembled and is being sent back to the Works, as they have no facilities here yet a while for playing about with the washers etc. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/K.F.Scholes. Bottom of Steering Box. .0015" feeler would go in between the shaded portion. With the box being flexible it would, under load, fridge away the Heldite and let the oil through. | ||