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).
Letter providing feedback and suggestions on vehicle brakes and gearbox performance.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 47\3\ Scan451 | |
| Date | 16th June 1932 | |
| COPY Grasmere, Byfleet, Surrey. 16th June 1932. Dear Sir, I thank you for your letter of the 14th inst. I am glad to hear that you can now cure squeaky brakes, but trust you do not do this at the expense of their retarding power. While on this subject I would like to mention that even your latest demonstration "25" with synchro-mesh gearbox which I tried, last Friday, suffered from squeaky brakes. I cannot see how your brakes can possibly be first-class until the front are made at least as powerful as the rear. For the application of the brakes themselves throws the weight more on to the front than the rear. Further, good brakes are most necessary when descending, in which case again more weight is on the front wheels. It also was quite noticeable on my Phantom II that when driven hard the brakes heated up and lost power. Why did not rib the brake drums? This would serve the double purpose of dissipating the heat and strengthening the drums, thereby increasing the life of the liners, etc. and diminishing the tendency to squeak. I mention these points as I think that the brakes mar a very nice car. I would suggest that your Experimental Department would benefit considerably were they to try the brakes of a few cars such as Maseroh, Mercedes or the 8 cylinder Alfa Romeo. Yours truly, (Sd) E.M.Thomas. | ||