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).
Technical analysis of steering selectivity and control, comparing various car models and potential improvements.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\T\2January1929-June1929\ Scan023 | |
| Date | 1st January 1929 guessed | |
| contd :- -3- one a feeling of excellent selectivity and car control, superior to that of the Phantom. Over the critical range from 60 to 70 m.p.h. it was inclined to nibble slightly in sympathy with the front end, but the tangential movement was so small as to be almost negligible. The steering of the SS.{S. Smith} running in France (18-EX) was not very selective though the road springs and shock damper loadings were the same and the body much lower and lighter than that of 20-EX. This car was of course fitted with 20" wheels, but we do not think these affect selectivity very much. We therefore feel that while it is difficult to form an accurate opinion on one car, the increased torsional stiffness of the frame will give us a more selective high speed steering. This confirms previous tests on our experimental Sports car 10-EX. Whilst trying the steering we removed the restrictions from the front hydraulics of 20-EX and noted a marked deterioration in the high speed steering. All the SS.{S. Smith} steerings are appreciably lighter than those of the Phantom for shunting, presumably because the spare wheels now actually tend to relieve the load on the front axle and also the altered tyre contact of the new axle must reduce the tread distortion when parking. We are therefore expecting an all round improvement from the increased friction load in the cross steering tube agreed upon at WW., at present we are using the highest load the standard design will permit. We think this increased friction might remove the remaining 10% front end movement at the critical speed, even with our present crude experimental mounting, if we can incorporate it without spoiling the self-centering of the steering. HEW/SM. | ||