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).
Report from A.J. Lidsey to 'HS' detailing investigations into carburettor, steering wobble, clutch, and oil consumption issues.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 71\4\ scan0068 | |
| Date | 18th March 1925 | |
| X8940 Hotel de France, CHATEAUROUX. Indre. France. March 18th, 1925. TO: "HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}" FROM: A.J.Lidsey. ---------------- I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 16th inst. Reference to carburettor throttle sticking open, we have not been able to find out why it should stick sometimes and not others. All the controls and rods are perfectly free. The throttle itself is also quite free when the springs are taken off. The mousetrap spring, which turns the camshaft, is quite strong enough to do its duty. There is no question of the governor cam preventing the throttle from closing. The tension in the throttle return spring is now 3.3 lbs. the throttle being fully closed. We are having no trouble as yet using this spring tension. In the daily report for the 3rd inst., we reported steering vastly improved after changing O.S.F. wheel. By very carefully balancing both front wheels high speed wobbles can be practically eliminated. This steering seems much more sensitive than the standard 40/50 HP. to wobbles, owing to the wheels being out of balance. We find that the steering becomes worse in this respect as the tread on the front tyres wears down. With two new tyres on the steering is reasonably good. We do not think that tyre pressures, or lubrication, can affect it in any way. Tyre pressures are checked every night, and kept up to 40 lbs. per sq. inch. The car is also lubricated regularly, and we have not found wobbling to coincide with lubrication, or non lubrication, of the steering parts. I do not remember a case of a 40/50 HP. wobbling as a result of the application of brakes, it may be possible that a 40/50 HP. would do it if the car speed were high enough. Our wobbling troubles occur at speeds over 60 m.p.h. We did not reach these high speeds nearly so often as we do on the E.A.Cs. It is usually the first light application of the brakes that causes the wobbles. If the brakes are applied fairly vigorously, the car speed is quickly slowed down below the wobbling speed, and no effect is noticed. We are dismantling the clutch again to-day, to try and find the cause of slipping. We are also looking for any possible cause of jaggering. With reference to the improvement in oil consumption, we think it is more likely to have been caused by removing the relief valve, than by fitting the new | ||