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).
Steering performance, issues, and modifications for the 15-EX car.
| Identifier | Morton\M10\ img039 | |
| Date | 30th March 1928 | |
| Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/GWH{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux}1/LG30.3.28 RE. 15-EX CAR. STEERING. The steering of this car when first taken over to France was very good. Its selectivity and freedom from shocks was the best we had ever tried in France. There was a vibration from the column but this did not in any way interfere with the steering. The steering became poor for shocks and tendency to wobble at 70 m.p.h. and the movement of the column increased after approximately 2000 miles, but at no time was the steering out of control. We found that one cause for this was the failing of the load on the N.S. front hydraulic shock damper, also loss of friction in the cross steering tube. These two faults were rectified and shocks from the steering were reduced, the chief fault then being the movement of the steering column. An experimental side steering tube with weak spring was tried but was not retained owing to the selectivity of the steering being poor. We then fitted a 9 1/4" pendulum lever and side steering tube brought over from Derby. Stays were fitted to the dash board to steady the column. A series of tests were made with lean of pivots and friction loads on the cross and side steering tube, the final compromise being a pivot lean of 2 1/2° friction load at steering wheel of 7 lbs. Under these conditions we obtained a steering that was good for road shocks - no signs of wobble at high speeds and self-centering. contd :- | ||