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).
Friction in steering and the performance of plain thrust washers on experimental cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 49\4\ Scan079 | |
| Date | 4th November 1920 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to CJ. c. to Bn.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to EWT. for R.R. Inc. X 4207 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}2/LG4.11.20. X.4207a/b. FRICTION IN STEERING. X.3971a. With reference to Mr.Olley's memo, Oy6/G7.10.20, we have examined the plain thrust washers which have been running on experimental cars. We have examined three cars which have run 6000, 7000, and 1000 miles respectively. We find that on none of these cars is there any sign of any of the parts having worked loose. The point which appealed to us in providing friction in the steering by means of a plain thrust washer, was that it could easily be applied to existing cars, much easier in fact than the spring plungers which they are using in America. With regard to Mr. Olley's points, we think that there is very little risk of the plain steel thrust washer turning round as it is gripped by a 5/8 nut on the top of the pivot pin. We think there is very little chance of the cup, which is pressed into the steering pivot, moving as this is fixed by means of a slow taper. As regards the pivot pin in the axle, we actually found on one of the old experimental cars we had fitted this plain washer too, that the pivot pin was slack in the axle. If we moved the wheel with the car jacked up, the pin turned in the axle but we found as soon as the load was on the wheel, the pin was held and the movement took placed on the plain thrust washer only. We consider there is no harm likely to arise from Contd. | ||