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).
History and complexity of steering faults on the Phantom model, referencing issues like road shocks and high-speed wobbles.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 72\3\ scan0326 | |
| Date | 20th May 1926 | |
| To BJ. from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} C. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} X9430 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}5/LG20.5.26. PHANTOM STEERING. X9430 Answering your BJ8/H13.5.26. We attach extracts from reports which show clearly that the faults on the Phantom steering were known right from the very first car which was built. It is definite that the blame for the complaint of unsatisfactory steerings being put on the cars cannot be attributed to the fault not being discovered either by the Expl: Dept: or Sales Officials. The urgency of improving the steering was realised by R.{Sir Henry Royce} a long time ago as you will see from the attached memos. The position was complicated because there were several faults on the steering which demanded different alterations to overcome them. One of the first faults which was noted was road shocks on the steering wheel. We then went through a consideration of stiff steerings. This was a very chronic complaint on the first Phantom cars which Sales tested. We then had high speed wobbles which were considered to be the most serious fault of all. On the top of all this we have got to remember that we were producing a new chassis and it was fully recognized by C.J. that we were taking risks on certain units but that the risk had to be taken for other reasons. We wish to make clear that the road shocks felt on the steering wheel are not peculiar to the Phantom car. Silver Ghost cars fitted with 4-wheel brakes were impossible to hold on French roads at high speeds. As we ran 100,000 miles on 4-wheel brake tests on Silver Ghost cars in France. contd :- | ||