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).
Proposed design and testing of a new cross steering tube ball joint for existing chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 80\1\ scan0030 | |
| Date | 1st July 1917 | |
| X3126 To By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Oy. c. to Mer. (struck through) c. to EH. c. to IP. (struck through) Re Chassis. I send herewith LeC.832 showing proposed cross steering tube ball joint for existing chassis. We send this as a scheme for fitting to existing chassis, which should be made experimentally from machined parts, not drop forgings, and put on test on the wobbling rig which was used for the steering levers, and which I understand is being re-erected for the test of the new type of replacement ball joint, LeC.536 &c. We expect the design of LeC.536 to prove very much more satisfactory than the old design, and if so, this would be used for immediate alterations in France, but if LeC.832 proves to be still better, and is not much heavier, we should consider fitting this cross steering tube instead of LeC.536 (F.6386) in future on repair chassis which were returned from France or elsewhere, also on any new chassis which might be made before the series which may be set aside for more advanced designs. Please note that the ball joint sent us today, F.6386, is of the long type suitable for cars prior to series H, and it is the short type which should be tested, as this is more liable to give trouble. One advantage of LeC.832 is that the amount of rod projecting beyond the ball is very slight. Note that the ball should have a smooth polished surface. The sample sent us is very rough, and on design F.6386 the plug used is too small to expand the thread sufficiently to make (Conta..) Handwritten notes: - above 'on design F.6386': on joint F6386 - between 'sample sent us' and 'is very rough': ^is | ||