Letter from Cadillac discussing steering gear and the advantages of a front stabilizer.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\2\ img239 | |
| Date | 12th January 1935 | |
| E C to Wo. By. {R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} Da. {Bernard Day - Chassis Design} Haly CADILLAC MOTOR CAR COMPANY DETROIT, MICHIGAN CADILLAC AND LA {L. A. Archer} SALLE MOTOR CARS January 12, 1935. Mr. W. A. {Mr Adams} Robotham, Rolls-Royce, Limited, Derby, England. Dear RM {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} : Am trying to clean up accumulated tag ends on letters from you before I become absorbed by another biggish job. Steering. As I think I explained fully we don't think the Cadillac gear would be completely satisfactory because the helix angle is not as small. Apparently with this type of gear irreversibility occurs at about 5 degrees, so that small decreases between six and five degrees make a lot of difference in reversibility. I also believe that an approach to irreversibility is unnecessary and that your present steering will be much better with a front stabilizer. We look upon the front stabilizer as essential to best handling and beneficial for tire wear. Let me see whether I can put the advantages of front stabilizer in few words: As compared with the rear stabilizer (which should be removed) it:-- (1) Produces a more stable handling car. In particular cures the "oversteering" which you speak of. (2) Improves cornering ability. (3) Prevents dangerous rear skids when brakes are applied in emer- (4) Appears to reduce both front and rear tire wear. | ||
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).