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).
Chassis 17-TM (Prince of Wales) detailing issues with a flexible coupling, high-speed steering wobble, and engine performance tests.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 72\4\ scan0257 | |
| Date | 11th December 1924 | |
| To CJ. from Hm.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} C. to C. C. to J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} C. to Or. C. to S. C. to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}✓ C. to MP. C. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} Chassis No. 17-TM - Prince of Wales. We have received the following telegram from R.{Sir Henry Royce}:- "You may fit Coupling on 17TM if you and BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} think wise we fear breakage of Springs stop. we are endeavouring to find a scheme with rubber blocks or fabric. Mr. Royce". BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} whilst agreeing with the principle of a flexible Coupling, and realising it's benefit as a means of overcoming groans, does not consider the design of the Coupling sufficiently sound to stand up to the work which it is called upon to do. S. Dept. should therefore, decide whether the spring Coupling should remain or the original Coupling be fitted, and let the car be turned out with groans. No doubt the Design Dept. and the Experimental Dept. will get out a suitable flexible Coupling as early as possible. High Speed Steering Wobble. The special Rapson tyres received yesterday are still wrong, the tyre as well as the tube being out of balance, and the best combination we can make by putting the heavy part of the tube opposite that of the cover still shows an error of approximately 7 ozs., and at 65 m.p.h. violent wobbles occur which we consider dangerous. This wobble does not exist with standard Dunlop tyres. S. Dept. will no doubt take this up with the tyre Makers, we having done all we can. Speed and Power. We have changed the Engine and fitted one with high compression Pistons. The best performance on the short straight roads round about here is 71 miles per hour with four passengers. The speedometer reading was on the low side of our limits, and we have altered the reading and taken full advantage of these limits. | ||