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).
Continued memorandum discussing steering ratios, subframe body mounting, and new hypoid axle gears.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 65a\2\ scan0150 | |
| Date | 17th December 1928 guessed | |
| contd :- -3- our standard production. This is not a serious feature because, as long as it is recognised and agreed by all concerned, it is one which can very easily be dealt with and modified. Our feeling is, that the steering is not sufficiently selective and that the amount of steering wheel movement relative to the road wheel movement is too great; this was quite well demonstrated by Mr. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} unintentionally. It is very easy to show that the ratio between steering wheel and road wheels, which is now on this car is quite happy and satisfactory whilst you are running along a straight road, but it is a very different matter to find this satisfactory when you have quickly to steer the car in and out of fast traffic, a condition which may arise at any moment. The fact remains that you simply have not got time to do this in safety. As regards the mounting of the body on a subframe which was the system adopted in this particular car, and it is understood is proposed for our standard in the future, we found no disadvantage arising from it. A certain movement which had been observed in many previous examples of the subframe method of mounting, between the body and the chassis, particularly between the body scuttle and the subframey bonnet, was not noticeable here, and in view of the advantages of the subframe, if its use is exploited to the full extent, we consider this method of fitting the body to be desirable. We had no reason to criticise the new hypoid axle gear at all, it just remained subordinate and quiet. The road wheels on this car are somewhat smaller than the proposed standard, making the net gear ratio about equivalent to 13.8 teeth, whereas we now fit mostly 14 teeth. PN{Mr Northey}/CMB. | ||