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).
The fitting of non-skid chains to Bentley and R.R. chassis, with and without wheel discs.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 128\3\ scan0161 | |
| Date | 3rd February 1937 | |
| W/S. Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. BY/Cgh{W Clough} 1109 BY/Cgh.{W Clough}5/W.3.2.37. ALL CHASSIS : NON-SKID CHAINS. With reference to Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager}10/KW.1.2.37, the position in regard to non-skid chains as we see it, is as follows :- (1) Tyre grips can be used on all four wheels when discs are not fitted on Bentley and R.R. chassis, without any difficulty and without running the risk of them coming in contact with any part of the chassis. (2) If the wheels are fitted with discs then the only type of non-skid chain that we know of which can be fitted, is the continuous type and although in the case of R.R. cars there is not any disability with the continuous type on the rear road wheels, there does not appear to be sufficient clearance between the ends of the cross steering rod and the front road wheels; in addition, the continuous chains might foul the brake adjustment mechanism on the front brakes. (3) In regard to the Bentley, the same disabilities would arise with continuous chains on the front road wheels, but in addition the jack brackets which are fitted to the rear road springs, would also be fouled by the continuous type chain. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} has handed your memo to Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}, who will no doubt arrange for actual tests to be carried out with continuous type chains, but in the meantime we see no alternative but tyre grips and that discs will have to be removed in cases where they are fitted. BY/Cgh.{W Clough} | ||