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).
Rudge Whitworth wheels fitted to a 20 HP car, detailing issues with noise and rim flanges during testing.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 159\7\ scan0067 | |
| Date | 6th October 1922 | |
| Roy.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Y421 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}3/LG6.10.22. X3599 YCF1 REPORT ON RUDGE WHITWORTH WHEELS FITTED TO 20 H.P. CAR. We ran one set of the above wheels 15,500 miles on 7-Goshawk-11 car and a second set we ran 1200 miles on 6-Goshawk-1 car. During the whole time the wheels were running on 7-G-11 car we had trouble with the noise caused by the wheel creaking on the hub. The noise, under similar conditions, was the same at the end of the run as it was at the commencement. We admit that if we fixed the wheels to the Rudge Whitworth instructions - (1) oiling the nut (2) jacking up the car (3) tighten it with a 3 lbs. metal hammer - it would prevent creaking, but after the car had run 2/3000 miles or the noise would come on again. During the tests on 7-Goshawk-11 car, it was driven for approximately 10,000 miles by Amateur drivers - they all, without exception, criticised the operations they were expected to do when tightening these wheels. On 6-Goshawk-11 car we had the same trouble with the wheels making a noise. On one occasion the noise was a distinct knock and it was first imagined that the ball race in the front wheel had failed. After the wheel had been hammered up to instructions, the noise disappeared. There was trouble on 7-Goshawk-11 car with the straight-sided rims; the demountable flange supplied with these rims had not sufficient overlap - on two occasions when the tyre was deflated, the flange came right off. There was no trouble with the spokes breaking or damage to the wheels. We consider the spoking contd:- | ||