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).
Serious complaints regarding the Phantom III model, including steering, gearbox, and clutch issues.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 82\4\ scan0370 | |
| Date | 28th September 1936 | |
| To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to Ax. XROD Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}14/KW.28.9.36. GENERAL CAR POSITION. Phantom III. We have now 15 to 20 Phantom III cars in customers' hands. There are three serious complaints :- (1) Steering. Several cases of low speed wobbles have occurred. These have been overcome satisfactorily by increasing the load of the cross steering tube. We shall, however, have to get experience on 35-EX now running endurance in London traffic before we can standardise the pieces. In the meantime they are available in cases of complaint. A report has been issued showing why we have run into low speed wobbles (Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}13/KW.23.9.36, and Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/FJH.{Fred J. Hardy - Chief Dev. Engineer}14/KW.23.9.36). (2) Gearbox coming out of gear. It is now clear that production cannot get gearboxes which are free from this trouble without further modifications in design. The position is serious, and several modifications are doing intensive experimental testing. We shall be in a better position to tackle this trouble when we get our road wheel dynamometer re-installed. (3) Clutch. As we anticipated, there have been several complaints of the clutch which was fitted to the first 50 Ph.III's. So far we have not had a case where, having fitted the latest R.R. centre plate, the clutch was not in our opinion reasonably good. We have heard expressions of opinion that the clutch fitted to Mr. Fass's car is not entirely satisfactory with regard to take-up. We want people who are dealing with customers to discourage them from complaining because the clutch is not perfection. We say emphatically that in thecase of Mr. Fass's car the clutch represents the average of what we expect from the Ph.III, and we can see no prospects of doing any better until we have carried out a lot more development work. Our concern at the moment is that we may have erred on the side of sacrificing durability to obtain a smooth take-up. | ||