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).
Suggestions for the possible causes of steering wobbles.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 80\1\ scan0101 | |
| Date | 19th February 1920 | |
| R:R.{Sir Henry Royce} 235A (100 T) (S. G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} 643, 19-2-20) G 2618 STEERING WOBBLES. We should like to make the following suggestions as to a possible cause of steering wobbles:- (1) The mass that is being oscillated is the whole [crossed out] sprung weight of the car, pivoted about the back axle [handwritten: Rear axle]. plus the front wheels. [handwritten: Combination Spring] (2) The springyness about which it is oscillating is :- a). The tyres. b). The front Road Springs. c). The Frame. d). The top Steering Lever. e). The side Steering Tube. f). The springs in the Side Steer/Tube. g). The Pendulum Lever. h). The Steering Worm Shaft - in the case of 7 CA up to the thrust bearing - in the case of an ordinary wobbling car, up to the steering wheel. (3) The means by which this springyness is brought into play is the inclination of the front axle pivots, both in the front elevation. and in the side elevation. If there were no inclination in the side elevation, the inclination in the front elevation causes the tyres, road springs etc., to be compressed on turning round, because the wheel is turning about a cone. The same effect is produced by the inclination of the pivots in the side elevation, except that in this case the tyre springs, etc., on one side are compressed, while on the other side the pressure is relieved momentarily, by turning the wheel. So that it is quite possible that when a front wheel is turned suddenly, at a particular speed, the mass of the car, carried on the above combined system of springyness, may develop a resonant period, which would be comparatively slow, but of considerable energy Contd. | ||