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).
The investigation and resolution of a steering issue on a New 30 HP Chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 146\3\ scan0168 | |
| Date | 11th October 1936 | |
| F.J. Hardy 1245 HOTEL DE FRANCE, CHATEAUROUX. Indre. France. Please investigate in the works and let me know how this came about Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} To. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} a.{Mr Adams} G.W.H. Re Steering on Mrs. Rawitser's New 30 HP. Chassis at Paris. Further to my telephone conversation with you last Thursday morning I confirm that, acting on VA's request I had inspected the modified steering after it had been fitted to this chassis by one of their mechanics, and found that there was play between the cam and roller in the straight ahead position and a tight place on either side. I showed this to VA who agreed that it could not go out like that. Acting on your instructions, I fitted the cam from the original steering in the new box, and was able to arrive at the usual pre-load in the straight ahead position, but with this cam there was a tight place near each lock. These were not so tight as the central pre-load and did not affect the steering adversly in any way, so I let it go. With the cam alone mounted in the box, tightening the two halves together made the rotation of the cam tight and lumpy due to distortion of the outer races. It was necessary to enlarge the bores in the box until the races were a proper fit in order to overcome this trouble. Either the box had distorted or else the races had never been properly fitted. We were able to from the two boxes to select the necessary washers to adjust the end play on the cam and rocker shafts and pre-load. When the control tubes were replaced down the centre of the column, it was found that they were 1/4" too long. The explanation of this remarkable phenomenon was as follows:- When the Fitter removed the original box from the chassis, he found the steering wheel very tight on the splines. He therefore got his knees under the wheel and hit downwards on the top end of the column. This had the effect, unknown to him, of driving the column through the cam 1/4". A suitable drift was turned and the column was easily driven back through the cam to its correct position with no excessive force. We were so surprised at the ease with which it moved that we were reluctant to fit it. VA decided to try the same operation on the other cam. We found that it moved equally easily so we took it as normal and fitted the job up. We had previously understood that the cam was fitted by the low temperature process and was to all intents immovable. I tried the steering on the road and found it light and selective and about the same standard for joggles as the new steering fitted to the Paris Trial's car. GWH{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux}/ IMW.{Ivan M. Waller - Head of Chateauroux} Frank Waller. | ||