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).
The rear springing of cars, its performance, and the need for improved damping, possibly due to changes in tyre manufacturing.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\E\September1920\ Scan23 | |
| Date | 30th September 1920 | |
| To CJ. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} Copy to PN.{Mr Northey} " " HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} " " EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} " " R.R. of America Inc. (For attention of OY.) ORIGINAL 4 R2/G28/9/20. RECEIVED 30 SEP 1920 X.2628 b X.3461/h RE REAR SPRINGING OF CARS. On thinking this matter over further, it has occurred to me that the weights given by the American Sales Dept. for the cars have been heavier than the actual weights the chassis are carrying. I believe this has always been the point I have first looked for in the case of complaints. Mr. Platford also expressed this opinion. You will remember that there were many expressions of admiration of the way in which post-War cars were sprung. Most people in England express definite admiration for the springing of their cars, including the critics who were comparing our cars with others, even so recently as Mr. Sidgreaves when comparing the Napier. My own opinion was that the springing was generally satisfactory at slow speeds, but required damping for high speed work, and our experiments proved this, and that the best damping of the rear springs was that in which a certain amount of free movement was provided before the damping occurred. This induced us to fit the stepped shock damper. We now find that to obtain sufficient damping we are obliged to commence damping the smallest oscillations, and that this has been chiefly brought about by the changes made in the tyre manufacture seems conclusive. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||