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).
Engine design modifications, starter motors, and transmission knocking caused by leaf springs.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\G\June1921\ Scan10 | |
| Date | 8th June 1921 | |
| To R.R. of America Inc. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} -4- R10/G8/6/21 Contd. mentioned above, the trouble of the difficulty of the engine should cease. Such an arrangement can be applied to existing cars and Mr. Platford has a model which can be used to demonstrate the efficiency. A better and more easily applied and more accessible design is required; this is in hand and has been applied to the new 20 H.P. chassis. X523 We are quite in agreement with you using a starter motor which you can purchase, that will turn the engine slightly faster, but do not forget that the strain on the battery would be greater. We do not recommend the modification of winding the starter motor for higher speed, but prefer to wait and see whether the small carburettor meets the condition. KNOCKING IN THE TRANSMISSION. X.1151 X 2628 X.1494 As is well known, there are two causes of the knocking in the transmission; one is the uneven roads vigorously throwing the axle up and down relative to the body. This causes speed variation in the transmission shaft, and hence a knock. It will be remembered that even with thin leaved springs the damping of the rear of the car is insufficient until the springs become dry and somewhat rusted. They have then considerably more friction between the leaves, and therefore damping effect than a new car, or in one in which the springs have been greased. It was for this reason we decided to change from the thick leaved springs to the thin leaved springs. This is ancient history, but I mention it because I would like to point out that you cannot expect new or freshly delivered cars to be much better than those with the springs having thick leaves. If, therefore, you find that the thin leaved springs do not obviate the trouble of unsteadiness in the rear of the car on your peculiar roads (Contd.) | ||