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).
Experiments on side steering tubes to address issues with steering wander, stiffness and joggles.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 154\3\ scan0070 | |
| Date | 3rd January 1929 | |
| OY6.R.1.3.29 January 3rd, 1929. X3652 TO: Mr. Beaver, Mr. Poole, Mr. Knapton cc - Mr. Nadin, Mr. Caswell, Mr. Burton, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Ross, Mr. Ainsworth, Mr. Soutter, Mr. Bailey(Eng.), Mr. Hives (Eng.) FROM: Mr. Olley SIDE STEERING TUBE - SECTION 7070 Experimental Order - D-3611 On above Experimental Order we first produced six and fitted three side steering tubes of the present standard Derby type with spring-controlled stroke increased from .350" to .600". Our present side steering tube has a spring stiffness of 3500 lbs/inch. which is equivalent to saying that the stiffness of the tube considered as a whole is 3500 lbs/inch since the fact of using opposed springs doubles the stiffness, while the use of springs at both ends halves it. The Derby springs used were 1500 lbs/inch. After a few hundred miles all these tubes were taken off and replaced with standard because the steerings "wandered" i.e. car was sluggish in pulling onto the top of a cambered road, wheels tripped up in ruts and car tracks etc. (It is remarkable that on 32-CL with exactly the same side-steering tubes and the same characteristics although there were comments on the wandering some reports on the steering were enthusiastic.) We all agreed that the joggles at the wheel were less but we had the impression that the wandering of the steering might be dangerous particularly in winter. At a suggestion from England, and in view of the tendency to improve our steering ratio by using shorter and shorter pendulum levers, we got some springs A-1785 of 2500 lbs/inch and have run them 2400 mi. in MX{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer}-3 and 1500 mi. on 364-FM using the same tubes removed on the earlier experiment and 10" pendulum levers. Reports on these are wholly favorable as regards joggles and ease of steering generally, and the tendency to wander is not noticeable. -continued- | ||