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).
Customer's persistent braking issues on Chassis 80-MS, the investigation, and the proposed solution.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 18\5\ Scan046 | |
Date | 15th March 1935 | |
W/S - C. c. to Wcr. c. to Hd.{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy} x7770 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}18/KW.15.3.35. Chassis 80-MS. MR. Thomas. You will recollect that we passed you the correspondence from this customer, who wrote personally to Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}, re his brakes, having complained continuously since the car was purchased in May 1933. He has actually had the brakes attended to by the Company four times already, and stated that no material improvement had been effected. We tried this car in company with the owner and there was no doubt at all that its stopping power was not up to that of a standard Phantom. We then took Mr. Thomas out on 28-EX, which we considered to have entirely representative braking. He agreed that this was far better than his own car, but pointed out that if he had the same brake distribution on 80-MS he would still lock his rear wheels too easily because he has little or no weight over the back axle, his car being a light, close-coupled Saloon. We have to agree that this is correct. When stripped it was found that his car was suffering from oil on the front brakes, also the servo lining was not satisfactory. These faults have been rectified and the car has now average Phantom braking. In view of the owner's comments, however, we feel that he will still not be satisfied. We have therefore prepared a brake lever which increases the proportion of front braking from 40% to 45% and have tried this on the car. We are sure that this will satisfy Mr. Thomas. However, as we are reluctant to fit any part to the car which is non-standard, we are returning 80-MS to Mr. Thomas with the standard brake leverage. We are asking him to try the car for a few weeks and if he is still not satisfied he can go to Cricklewood and the lever we have prepared can be fitted. The changeover will not take more than half a day. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||