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).
Reduction of load on the cross steering tube for the 40/50-HP chassis to improve steering.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 67\3\ scan0041 | |
| Date | 14th November 1927 | |
| HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Y8425 Mx{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer}1/EC14.11.27. RECEIVED NOV 12 1927 Re. Cross Steering Tube - 40/50-HP. We are in agreement with the Experimental Department's suggestion that less loading on the cross steering tube is desirable, as conveyed in their Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/RM{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/LG6.7.27,copy attached. Our experience over a considerable number of chassis shows that less loading can be applied to the cross steering tube with advantage. Only sufficient loading is required to damp out steering wobbles, any excess of this load tends to make the steering very heavy and uncomfortable especially for use in town and shunting etc. In nearly every case the adjusting washers put in during erection, are all taken out when on test, and we still feel that less load can be applied. The poundage called for normally is 1250 lbs. and as usually despatched is round about 1000 lbs., this we feel will tend to increase in service. Incidentally on the 20-HP the load tends to decrease. In view of this we suggest that a poundage of 950 lbs. with three washers in position be adopted, we do not want to do away with the adjustment altogether as we do at the present time, and the provision of the three packing washers with a lower base poundage will enable us to obtain more easily the satisfactory poundage. Perhaps you would consider putting through a number of sets for trial. P.S. This is the minimum we can obtain without grinding the springs. Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} | ||