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).
Technical memo discussing the design, performance, and issues with the steering system on the 20/25 model.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 146\3\ scan0044 | |
| Date | 14th August 1936 | |
| γ 1245 To Sr. From Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}7/MJ.14.8.36. Replying to your notes and telephone call - Steering on the 20/25. We want to get a logical opinion on this steering. In the first place it is entirely wrong to imagine that we have gone to a cheap steering. We started with a steering that could be bought 'off the shelf', tested it out, and ran it 15,000 miles. It behaved quite satisfactorily but the Design Dept. decided that it was not a sufficiently well made design to put on a R.R. car, and up to a point we agreed with them. They therefore re-designed the whole outfit and it is now considerably more costly than the old steering and produced throughout by R.R. Ltd. It is exactly the same steering that is fitted to the Phantom lll with the exception that in one or two cases ball bearings are used instead of roller bearings. Since the Phantom lll is particularly good for directional stability it is a mistake to blame the steering basically. What then is the trouble? In the first place the new steering is much lighter than the old steering, and in the second place it is lower geared. You may say that under Continental conditions you cannot stand the lower gear ratio; that would be understandable, but before you pass an opinion on the steering you must drive it some considerable distance. We all thought this steering was a bit funny to start with. We are now used to it and nobody at the Works complains. Customers are mostly the same, they soon get used to it. I am the first person to admit that the 20/25 has a very modest sense of direction. This is all mixed up in the low rating front springs, flexible frame, narrow wheel base at the rear, etc. The easiest way to improve the car steering is to stiffen up the front springs slightly. If you say for Continental performance you would rather have the old steering and the less flexible front springs I do not see why in the least you should not have it. Now take the car a good run and form your own conclusions. I have asked Ll. Smith to give you a full resume of the present clutch position and also to send you a special centre plate. In the hands of hard fisted drivers this plate can be burned out but I doubt whether any French exponents would run into this trouble. It would be a great deal cheaper than fitting the propeller shaft damper. Now try it out and tell us what you think of it. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||