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).
Investigation into steering knock on a Phantom III, caused by a lubrication design fault in the Bakelite contact blocks for the cross steering tubes.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 131\2\ scan0245 | |
| Date | 19th August 1938 | |
| F.J.H Please see me Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} To Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}. from Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} c.c By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} 1113 Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux}5/N.19.8.38 Re: Bakelite Contact Blocks for Phan.III. Cross Steering Tubes. FJH{Fred J. Hardy - Chief Dev. Engineer} One of the Ph.III. with these blocks fitted has been returned with a complaint of knock in the steering. It was traced to the action of the bakelite contact block. The trouble is due to a high initial load which has developed at one end of one cross steering tube. When turning the steering a distinct thud is felt. This is caused by the breaking down of the load on the ball pin and occurs every time the steering is moved. Having dismantled the complete track rod from the car and holding the ball pin in the vice, a considerable effort was required to move the rod on the ball pin, but after breaking down, the intial load, the poundage to move the rod was normal viz. 3½ lbs. taken at the end of the rod. The cause of the initial loading was due to lack of lubrication on one pad. This led to investigate the reason, and the following shows the design to be wrong for lubrication. The two track rods have four ball pins. The two connected to the steering arms are alright being fitted vertically with the oil feed to the top of the ball. The two centre ball pins are fitted the reverse way so that oil is fed only to the bottom pad. The sketch enclosed will shew the position more clearly of the lubrication. GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} | ||