Front suspension noise and damper performance during a road test of a steel panelled body.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 123\4\ scan0249 | |
| Date | 18th April 1936 | |
| (sheet 2) E.5/HP.18.4.36. as this is a steel panelled body, there may be some contribution in body stiffness from this source, and we shall observe how this body compares in course of time with 32-EX. After about 270 miles, the front suspension suddenly started to make a lot of noise, and as I had taken away the car before it was ready I was not surprised to find on inspection that there was insufficient oil in the front dampers, in fact the oil was below the level of the bottom end of the filler spout, and therefore beyond visual observation. This would undoubtedly allow air to get into the system and set up noise. I filled up to the correct level on each side with Luvax shock absorber fluid, and found that the scheme we had arranged for filling worked admirably. The filler is accessible and the dip stick level device extremely convenient. After about 70 miles the noise completely disappeared and the car was satisfactory for the rest of the period. There was no sign of leakage, and I can only conclude, as I mentioned previously, that the dampers were not topped up as the car was unfinished as regards preparation. I mention the experience however, firstly to show that it is very easy and convenient to keep the level replenished to the correct height, and secondly that if air is allowed to get into the dampers it will evacuate itself. It might be possible to get quicker evacuation by bouncing the car on full bump, but I purposely ran the car on the road to get a measure for the self-evacuation period. We shall in any case see if it is possible to shorten this period. [Handwritten] This car was fitted with auto-lock dampers front & rear - no governor unit. Hand control to rear dampers only. Les E. {Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} | ||
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).