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).
Steering tests carried out on the 9-EX car to investigate steering box oil temperature.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\Q\2-July1927-September1927\ 37 | |
| Date | 1st August 1927 | |
| COPY. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/GWH{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux}1/LG12. 8.27. REPORT ON STEERING TESTS CARRIED OUT ON 9-EX CAR. To confirm a report from America giving an oil temperature of over 80°C (180°F) in the steering box, we have carried out tests to find the temp. obtained here. We find that with normal conditions viz: keeping the water temp. at approx. 80°C the average temperature of the oil in the steering box is 40°C. By raising the temp. of the water to 100°C by almost closing the radiator shutters and driving at 5 m.p.h. boiling for an hour, the max. temp. of the oil was 61°C. To obtain a higher temp. of the oil we conveyed the steam from the radiator round the steering box, with this extra heat our maximum temp. of the oil was 69°C. The average temp. of the air under the bonnet at steering box side was 75°C. We also conducted tests to see if we could make this steering tighten up under the worst conditions we could produce. To obtain the load we reduced the pressures in the front tyre(tread width 5") to 25 lbs/sq.in. also adding ballast to the extent of 100 lbs. on the front axle. Under these conditions with the oil temp. in the steering box 69°C we could not produce any stickiness or binding with this steering even under the most extreme conditions of shunting and steering at low speeds. Standard Prices Motorine 'B' oil was used in these tests, and in another test Iso-Vis supplied from America. We could not detect any appreciable difference on the road between the two oils whilst hot. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/G.W.Hancock. | ||