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).
Customer complaints and an analysis of issues with post-war cars, focusing on tyres, shock absorbers, and steering.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\E\September1920\ Scan42 | |
| Date | 7th September 1920 | |
| [Handwritten top distribution list] To Sd. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} Copy to EAC. LMS. GAY. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Goulding. GA. WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} F.H. HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} FR. DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} N.R. of Amstne. (America) (For attention of OY.) [Handwritten top notes] P ANSWERS CJ REF T-POC ORIGINAL (Stamp) SALES & SA R6/07/9/20 COMPLAINTS ABOUT POST-WAR CARS. MAINLY DUE TO 1) HARD c/o UNSUITABLE TYRES. 2) LACK OF REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS (R CONSIDERS ESSENTIAL) 3) CORONATION RATTLES - PALLIATIVE TO BE INTRODUCED. 4) IMPROVED ELECTRICS ON THE WAY. DEBRAY LUCAS TO BLAME FOR 5) NEW 3-SPEED CENTRAL CHANGE G/BOX, WITH DELAY! 6) ORTTODOT STARTER-GEARED TO FLYWHEEL 7) L.H. STEERING FOR LH{Mr Haworth} DRIVE COUNTRIES 7) O.S. CARBON ELECTRICS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR R-R 8) RR POST WAR CHASSIS NOT AS HEAVY AS COMPETITORS WHICH CAN DO SAME JOB? [Handwritten left margin] X2565 14/W [Typed body] RE PRESENT PRODUCTION CARS. * I am anxious to remove some wrong impressions of the present R.R. cars. * There has been *very little change in the designs of the parts which have been recently complained of,* and although one has the impression that the workmanship is not quite up to pre-War standard (*one cannot expect that it would be*) the chief cause of complaint against the present chassis has been largely due to the use of the American tyres of cord type, pumped up very hard, and made of very resilient rubber, and *in earlier cases of steering complaint they had (Mr. de Salamanca's) non-slipping treads made of high standing blocks of soft rubber, which allowed the rear of the car to roll sideways on the road. I know from experience that new cars often produce a poor impression because they are not sufficiently run-in, and one also knows that a driver fits himself and his driving to a car, and when this is changed he is inclined to think the new one worse rather than better. STEERING. Our steering has been blamed for two faults, at the | ||