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 and comparison of various independent suspension systems, including Citroen's torsion bar and American designs.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 95\2\ scan0077 | |
| Date | 27th April 1936 | |
| X346 To E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c.c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c.c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} NOT SENT OUT Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}9/KW.27.4.36. Indpendent Suspension. Referring to E.2/HP.7.4.36, we agree that we ought to investigate torsion bar suspensions and Les.{Ivan A. Leslie} looked over the Citroen job in Paris at Easter. He is now following it up by linking up with the same company in England. We have sent you a weight analysis of the torsion system as far as he can estimate it and a further report will follow. We can buy a Saloon car for £345 or a front suspension only for £68. We must say, however, that we regard the torsion bar system as something that, however attractive in principle, has never yet been fitted to a chassis in large production quantities and given a good ride. We have not yet tried a Citroen when compared with a Packard for ride. Before we depart from the wishbone suspension as used in America we think it ought to be laid down very clearly what the customer will get out of any original scheme. We think that if this had been done two years ago, we should not now be using the present Ph.III arrangement. This may seem like being wise after the event, but a good deal of information was available before we were committed to the Phantom III scheme. As an example, we went to the U.S.A. in January 1934 to study independent suspension with a view to indicating the scheme R.R. should use. The considered conclusions arrived at in the summary of the trip given in Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}5/KW.4.4.34 was "We recommend that the Cadillac arrangement of independent front wheel suspension receives very careful consideration before any other is adopted". This recommendation was backed up by the purchase of a La{L. A. Archer} Salle front suspension complete and the Cadillac 16 and further followed up by this car being run 15,000 miles in France. The only defect shown up on this test was that the threaded shackles should be replaced by needle rollers. | ||