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).
High-speed steering wobble observed during testing of a Lambda Lancia car.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 29\1\ Scan026 | |
| Date | 5th September 1925 | |
| R.R. 493a (50 H) (D.D. 31. 12-6-25) J.H.D. EXPERIMENTAL REPORT Expl. No. +457 REF: Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}1/LG5.9.25. To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to CJ. BJ. c. to BG. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} EY. c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} LAMBDA LANCIA CAR. +4048 We have had an opportunity of trying one of these cars. As will be seen from the illustration, each front wheel of the chassis is independently sprung by means of a coil spring and hydraulic shock absorber. There is no front axle to the car. There is no connection which follows the movement of the two front wheels with the exception of the cross steering rod, vertically their movement is entirely independent. We ran the car with 2 lbs. out of balance on the one wheel. There were continual shocks on the steering at low speeds due to this out of balance weight. At 55 m.p.h. to 60 m.p.h. a genuine high speed steering wobble developed. This wobble differed in the following particulars from those we have experienced on our cars. It would not build up beyond a certain small amplitude. At first the vibration on the steering wheel was so slight that we did not believe we were experiencing a true high speed wobble though the front of the car was shaking in an alarming manner. We removed the wings and then observed that the whole of the front of the car was taking up a criss cross vibration of small amplitude. The suspension of the wheels was not following this criss cross vibration - the impression was that the hydraulic damping would not follow such a rapid movement and that the wheels were vibrating practically solidly with the chassis. contd:- | ||