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).
Testing steering friction and axle arrangements to address low-speed wobbles.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\P\2July1926-September1926\ Scan187 | |
| Date | 1st September 1926 guessed | |
| contd :- -2- of giving lighter steering than with the standard axle. We believe that we can see the reason for this as explained elsewhere. (f) Low speed wobbles. As finally arranged for test by Sales, the new axle was quite free from low speed wobbles with the large tyres. 11. FRICTION IN THE STEERING. (a) Friction generated by the car weight. This was carried out on much the same principle as that at present employed on the 20 HP., an extra friction plate being inserted at the bottom of the pivot (see G.75041 attached). Both pivots were thus treated. The result was to make the steering impossibly heavy for shunting and low speed work, and yet the effect at high speeds with regard to the diminution of road shocks and wobbles was almost negligible. (b) Friction generated by spring loads. By varying the strength and the set up of the springs loading the balls in the cross steering tube, the desired amount of friction could be obtained. It was found that a compromise could be arranged which at high speeds materially reduced road shocks and wobbles without spoiling the steering at low speeds. 111. TYRES. New type axle arranged as follows :- Standard steering without extra friction washers. Ball ends loaded to give friction required. Iron plate test on rims 12 - 15 lbs. High pressure Tyres 10 - 12 lbs. with 54 lbs. ball end friction. contd :- | ||