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 performance of a vehicle's brakes and steering systems.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 21\1\ Scan012 | |
| Date | 23th October 1925 | |
| EXPERIMENTAL REPORT. -3- Expl. No. REF: HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/RmI/LG231025 BRAKES. The side brake was singularly inaccessible and quite ineffective. The foot brake operates the shoes on all four wheels by means of a hydraulic servo driven off the rear of the gearbox. When this is not in action, at low speeds, direct pedal pressure applies the brakes. (See performance). STEERING. The steering column is very rigidly supported. The steering under the conditions of the test was not exceptionally light, nor particularly heavy. The very greasy and wet state of the roads was naturally conducive to giving an impression of lightness. Its behaviour indicated that there was a considerable amount of friction in the pivots, because it was never really finger-light even on a smooth greasy surface. It had a definite gentle self-centering action on corners. It is moderately low geared, but not so low as the latest Pkx Phantom. For normal driving it was not highly selective; it has a very slight tendency to stay 'put' when turned through small angles out of the straight. Though we had no opportunity of trying the car on a bad road, the general impression created was that the steering shocks would not be transmitted to the driver. We could not make tests for wobbles owing to the greasy state of the roads. The steering lock of this car is very good. We were informed by the Chief Technical man that the steering was worm and wheel. On the whole it is an interesting steering apparently designed for bad roads. | ||