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 column friction, road shock, and pivot design.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 38\1\ Scan109 | |
| Date | 9th January 1923 guessed | |
| contd:- -2- the column is so effective that we can run without the radius rods, having the front springs fitted up in the normal way and still get practically no shock on the steering wheel. It is necessary for us to find some means of reducing the amount of friction on the column. Although the first impression of 7-Coshawk-11 with radius rods was a trifle disappointing because of the fact that some road shocks could be felt, there is no doubt that the steering on that car is a very marked improvement over the standard cars. One can notice the improvement immediately with changing from one car to another. The amount of friction we require on the steering column can only be very little. We find on chassis with the steering new that there is considerably less road shock felt on the wheel and in analysing this down, we find that it is the friction between the nut and the worm. The steerings when erected are all tested in the same manner i.e., by pushing and pulling on the pendulum lever, the steering must be able to be rotated either way. With regard to the splaying of the pivots in the end gear - this has a similar effect only to a less degree as the backward lean for the pivots. It assists in the self-centering but at the same time increases the tendency for wobbles. We expect, however, that pivots made this way, less backward lean could be used, therefore the tendency for wobbles should not be increased. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||