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).
Road tests of steering performance and inspection of front axle and brake components.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 4\9\ 09-page033 | |
| Date | 21th June 1928 guessed | |
| - 4 - Steering column & box - new stiffness support tube to Drgs. F.{Mr Friese} 58250/1/2/3/4 - otherwise to L.O.F. F.{Mr Friese} 3941. Steering column support bracket on dash - all bolts have remained tight since our last report. Steering box support on frame - these bolts are O.K. The steering column keeps very steady. Steering. Summary of tests on road, with no load on ball end of steering pendulum lever, i.e. springs set to give no initial load - the steering at high speeds is unstable on smooth & moderate roads, shocks on steering wheel being moderate. At low speeds wobbles develope easily, & are fairly violent. With one turn of adjusting nut, giving an initial load on ball end of steering pendulum lever, steering at high speeds on smooth roads is less unstable, on moderate roads, it is almost O.K., but shocks on steering wheel are increased. At slow speeds, wobbles are not so easily attained, and have on one occasion only built up themselves. Our daily reports on steering have been questioned. We have found that owing to the rapid wear of tyres, the front wheels have been balanced & unbalanced owing to different tubes (inner). At the first opportunity, we are going to drill the front wheels, so that these can be balanced when tyres are changed. We have found these to be as much as six ounces out of balance. Front axle to L.O.F. G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} 51580.- friction of pivots modified to H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} SCH. 1996 - lean of pivots 0.375" back. Pivots & bearings are in a good condition from outside feel & examination. Front axle is in a sound condition. Front brake operating shafts - G.5182. We do not consider that any more wear has taken place since our last report. These are in a good condition. Front brake drums. N.S. is in good condition. O.S. - slight score rings are now noticeable. Front brake shoes. These are in good condition. When drums were taken off, the O.S. shoes were covered with black dust. N.S. - clean. The reason for this is that on the N.S. shoes, at some time during the test, when cleaning & oiling car, a small amount of oil, or paraffin, has got onto shoes, (this has not come from the brake operating shafts, when oiling, as we have verified this.), which, although it lessens braking to a slight degree, preserves the fabric, and stops the powdering effect. The O.S. shoes have been perfectly dry, consequently these shoes have been doing more work than the N.S. We have adjusted brakes up one notch since our last report. | ||