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).
Concluding against the use of a 'Rectaskid' anti-skid device due to poor performance and negative side effects.
| Identifier | Morton\M20.3\ img019 | |
| Date | 20th March 1924 | |
| R.R. 493A (20H) (D.A. 652 20-3-24) J.H.D. -2- Expl. No. REF: Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}6/LG11.6.24. EXPERIMENTAL REPORT. It brings up all the complaints which we experienced with thick leave springs in a very exaggerated form. Over a bumpy road the car pitches and rolls. If the brakes are applied on a bumpy road, the car jaggers. There is very excessive chunking in the drive. We cannot appreciate the fact that the skidding is reduced when the brakes are applied. When the Rectaskid people demonstrate the advantage of this fitting they do so by driving round corners fast on a greasy road and showing there is less tendency to skid. Our impression is that there might be a slight advantage under this condition. If there is a slight advantage it is not worth considering, compared with the disadvantages. The only thing the Rectaskid fitting does is to reduce the spring friction to a minimum. We agree that reducing the friction in the road springs to a minimum does give an improvement in riding under very limited conditions. Even if the Rectaskid was an improvement, the balls would hammer themselves into the spring plates and become solid after a short time. We recommend that we definitely advise our custom- ers not to fit this device to our cars. We consider also that they should be taken off the Hooper Trials Car. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||