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Steering tendency effect caused by braking and front axle/spring configuration.


Identifier  ExFiles\Box 182\M20\M20.2\  img043
Date  15th May 1924
  
R.R. 493A (40 H) (EL 12 19-7-23). J.H. D. {John DeLooze - Company Secretary}

-3-
Expl. No.
REF: Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} 1/LG15.5.24.

EXPERIMENTAL REPORT.

vigorously, there is a distinct tendency for the steering wheel to turn and it requires considerable effort to prevent it.
This effect cannot be overcome with diagonal braking. It is worse when the pivots are vertical or are pointed forwards.
The effect can be produced when the car is running backwards. Under those conditions it is the opposite effect to when the car is running forwards.

We have taken a car and measured the wind-up on the front axle by actually measuring the lean on the pivots when the brake is applied. Attached herewith are the results.
The above phenomena on the steering occurs on the cars fitted with radius rods on the front axle, also with the original centre-point axles.

We found that this effect was not so bad on the Hispano car. We tried it again with three leaves removed from the front springs so as to allow more wind-up when the brakes are applied.

Making the front springs weaker made this car very bad for steering so that when one brake was applied the steering pulled as badly as any car we have tried.

HS. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}

This steering effect complicates the question of the strength of spring in the side steering tube. For instance

contd:-
  
  
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).


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