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 system issues, including friction, self-centering, and comparisons with American designs.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 17\4\ Scan033 | |
| Date | 4th July 1932 | |
| -3- The interesting fact about this steering was that it had quite reasonable directional stability and a slight tendency to return after cornering. This suggests that perhaps the Americans do most of their shock elimination in the steering box, coupled with their low over-all ratio. We could try a Cadillac steering box on our P.II. FRICTION IN THE SYSTEM. The first trouble we ran into when we raise the friction in the system above our existing standard, is absence of self-centring at low speeds. As previously explained, we believe the Americans could go further in this respect than we do because of their 7º transverse king pin angle. The size of their ball ends do not generally indicate that they do, however. If we put our Castor angle above 2º we run into high speed wobbles so that avenue is closed to us. We can, however, easily reproduce the American conditions with a V series axle mounted on ball bearings. Assuming that this enables us to increase the cross steering tube load, we shall have to have some provision for obtaining this, as our existing balls are about loaded to their limit. On the other hand, neglecting self-centring and temporary over-loading of the cross tube, we have carried out tests increasing the friction at this point until the steering lost all directional feel, and the resultant reduction in road shocks at the wheel was disappointing while the sogginess was intolerable. With regard to friction in the column, this was fully dealt with in He/Rn.{Mr Robinson}1/LS.7.2.27 and more recently in He/Lid.{A. J. Lidsey}J/AG.31.8.31. It is the only definite improvement that we know of that can be immediately available. FRANK ALLAN'S ASSISTANCY. We know that this has a marked effect on steerings. | ||