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).
Vehicle road test detailing issues with steering, engine vibration, and fuel starvation.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 17\3\ Scan388 | |
| Date | 10th February 1930 guessed | |
| We left Boulogne after lunch and drove to Paris, and PN{Mr Northey}'s first criticism, was the steering of the car. He said it was far too light, and not the same as when he passed the car, when the steering was acceptable, it certainly was not acceptable now. He also complained of the wheel position being wrong, and engine vibration at high speeds, particularly on the overrun. My own opinion of the car was taken from the passenger's seat in the back of the car, as PN{Mr Northey} drove all the way and his brother occupied the other front seat. The engine vibration does not seem at all bad in the back of the car, and when I drove the car from London to Folkestone I thought the steering quite good but on the light side. I noticed a lot of popping back in the silencer when coasting, although the throttle is closing correctly. On Sunday we drove to Chateauroux, and after PN{Mr Northey} had discussed the car with Hancock, the cross and side steering tubes were dismantled and examined. Hancock reported that there was no set up on the N/S spring in the cross steering tube. This was made O.K and a .010" washer fitted in each end. There appeared to be very little tension on the rear ball end in the side steering tube, and a 3/32" washer was fitted behind each spring. The pull on the steering wheel with the front axle jacked up was originally 8 LBS, and after Hancock's alterations 10 LBS. We also had trouble between Orleans and Chateauroux with petrol starving at high speeds, i.e.:- 75 MPH. We stopped on the road and cleaned the Autovac filter and Zenith filter, but it made no improvement. | ||