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).
Comparing the effects of steel artillery and wire wheels on steering and braking.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\L\Jan1924-March1924\ Scan57 | |
| Date | 27th August 1924 | |
| R.R. 403A (40 H) (SL 42 12-7-23). J.H. D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} STEEL ARTILLERY & WIRE WHEELS. - CHANGE IN CONTACT POINT (OFF CENTRE) ORIGINAL EXPERIMENTAL REPORT. Expl. No. REF: Hea/1027.8.24. To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to CJ. RO.{C. C. Rose - Export Manager} c. to DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} S E C R E T. X9430 X9820 EAC, STEERING. Whilst carrying out experiments on the steering, we have tried the effect of moving the point of contact off centre-point. We have been able to do this easily and quickly by fitting steel artillery wheels in place of wire wheels - both wheels fitted on to the same hubs. The steel wheels push the track line out 1 3/16" on each side. Comparisons made with each of these wheels show very little difference as regards road shocks. If anything, the steel wheels give slightly better results. This may have been due to the increase friction on the pivot pin bearings. We also carried out tests with unequal braking on the front with both sets of these wheels fitted, and under this condition the steel wheels were definitely worse. We consider it is so much worse that when we come to fit front wheel brakes, some action will have to be taken on cars fitted with steel wheels in order to get the point of contact nearer centrepoint. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||