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).
Findings on vehicle performance issues including pedals, engine roughness, oil consumption, and dampers.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 82\1\ scan0251 | |
| Date | 7th October 1933 | |
| Hotel de France. Chateauroux. Indre. To Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} From G.W.H. 7.10.33. I. B. IV. ---------- We received your memo of the 5/10/33. PEDALS We have cured the audible rattle from the pedals. This was found to be the slackness of the clutch pedal shank in the crank lover. The biting in bolt was not properly tightened up. There is however a very rough period felt on the pedals at speeds above 70 M.P.H. top gear. It follows at the respective engine speed using the gears. ROUGHNESS AT 4000 ENGINE REVS. We are not of the opinion that the roughness complained about is due to the propeller shaft. It follows the engine speeds choose what gear is used. OIL CONSUMPTION The oil consumption is gradually improving, most probably due to the piston rings bedding in. There is not sufficient leak through the distributor drive to cause the poor mileage we have been obtaining. SHOCK DAMPERS We shall not obtain what we require without putting the load of the dampers up to 80 or 90 Lbs. Then get the mean setting by washers. We know what the car was like before the lowering of the damper loads. CONTROLLED DAMPERS It is incomprehensible why, with a scheme of controlled dampers as fitted to the Peregrine is not used. I suppose it is a question that the scheme is too simple and gave too excellent results for it to be adopted. The solid contol rods gave what load you desired to obtain. The only snag in the system was the operating mechanism on the dampers should be at the back instead of at the front, so that dirt and water was not pilod on to them. The perfect automatic control is beyond the question for years. We require two settings soft, hard. The soft setting 70 lbs load leak .010 front;.020 rear, hard, probably 100 lbs, keeping the same leakage. G.W.Hancock. G.W.H. | ||