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 performance tests, analysing the effects of different spring strengths on road shock absorption and driver control.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 17\3\ Scan049 | |
| Date | 21th August 1926 guessed | |
| Contd :- -2- starts from O in every case no matter what set up is employed. This means that when weak springs are fitted to absorb road shocks the steering becomes spongy as the drivers hand moves through an appreciable distance before any measureable load is transmitted to the steering arm. The 2500 lbs. springs are strong enough to obviate marked loss of control but they are not very good for cushioning road shocks. Tests were carried out with the standard tube fitted with these springs. Attached is a load graph for this arrange-ment (A.{Mr Adams}) shewing the thrust occasioned on the pendulum lever ball for any given movement of the steering arm. Under these conditions the steering was very good at all speeds on good roads. The control was quite good, there being a slight tendency for the steering to over-shoot the mark when bringing the car abruptly out of the gutter on to the crown of a highly cambered road. Normal selectiveness was good. On moderately bad roads at anything except maximum speeds, the steering was still very fair. We consider that these latter conditions represent the worst state of affairs likely to be encountered in England. On very bad roads at high speeds, the steering was definitely poor, the biggest potholes causing the drivers hands to receive sharp blows which are very unpleasant. This is really the only condition under which a customer would have emphatic grounds for complaint. It strikes us that the ball may be coming to the end of its spring controlled travel. We are increasing its available movement for further tests. contd :- | ||