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).
Test log documenting various modifications and their effects on vehicle 'jellying' and handling.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\U\January1930-April1930\ Scan138 | |
| Date | 30th April 1930 | |
| DATE | CAR TESTED | CONDITION OF CAR FOR TEST | RESULTS OF TEST 1 | 21.1.30 | 22 EX. | STANDARD S.S. ENCLOSED LIMOUSINE. | CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF JELLYING. ROAD SHOCKS EXCESSIVE. WINGS FLAP TOO MUCH. 2 | 21.1.30 | 22 EX. | 2 CWTS: ADDED CENTRALLY IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF RADIATOR. | STEERING HEAVIER. NO APPRECIABLE IMPROVEMENT IN JELLYING, IF ANYTHING THE REVERSE. 3 | 22.1.30 | 22 EX. | I CWT: ADDED AS DUMBEL IN MANNER INDICATED | THIS IS 100% CURE OF THE TROUBLE. 4 | 23.1.30 | 22 EX. | & WTS: IN LINE WITH WHEEL CENTRES. BAR ACROSS DUMB IRONS. | WING FLAPPING LARGELY ELIMINATED. 5 | 23.1.30 | 22 EX. | CROSS MEMBER IN FRAME CENTRE SLACKED OFF. | NO APPRECIABLE RESULT. 6 | 23.1.30 | 1. W.J. | NORMAL CONDITION THIS CAR JELLIES EXCEEDINGLY BADLY. VIOLENCE 75% GREATER THAN 22 EX. (BODYS) | THE FEATURE OF THIS CAR IS THAT IT JELLIES ON GOOD ROADS TO QUITE AN EXCESSIVE EXTENT. 7 | 23.1.30 | 1. W.J. | 20" WHEELS COMPARED WITH 21" | NO APPRECIABLE DIFFERENCE. THE TYRES ARE APPROXIMATELY THE SAME RUNNING DIA SO WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT MUCH DIFFERENCE. WITH 40 LBS TYRE PRESSURE JELLYING 20% LESS THAN WITH 35 LBS/D" 8 | 23.1.30 | 1. W.J. | RADIATOR WT. REDUCED BY 1/3. | NO APPRECIABLE DIFFERENCE. NO APPRECIABLE EFFECT ON JELLYING. 9 | 24.1.30 | 1. W.J. | CROSS STEERING TUBE LOADED UP SOLID. | ROAD SHOCKS REDUCED, BUT NO APPRECIABLE JELLYING NOT APPRECIABLY ALTERED TO ANY EXTENT. 10 | 24.1.30 | 1. W.J. | SIDE STEERING TUBE MADE SOLID. | ROAD SHOCKS NOT MUCH WORSE ON A GOOD ROAD BUT COME UP BADLY ON A BAD ROAD. STEERING NIBBLES SOMEWHAT JELLYING NOT MUCH IMPROVED. 11 | 25.1.30 | 1. W.J. | WHEELS TRIED GIVING .750 WIDER TRACK. | 20% IMPROVEMENT IN ROAD SHOCKS ON A BAD ROAD. JELLYING IMPROVEMENT PREVIOUSLY FOUND. ON A GOOD ROAD. SELECTIVITY IMPROVED. 12 | 27.1.30 | 1. W.J. | PHANTOM I AXLE FITTED. .750 WIDER TRACK WHEELS WITH THIS AXLE. | SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT IN JELLYING AND ROAD SHOCKS. SAME IMPROVEMENT WITH WHEELS AS PREVIOUSLY FOUND. SLIGHTLY WORSE. 13 | 28.1.30 | 1. W.J. | TORQUE ARM BALL END ALLOWED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MOVEMENT, SO AS NOT TO INTERFERE WITH GEOMETRY. | SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT IN JELLYING (5%) 14 | 31.1.30 | 20 EX. DIABOLO RUBBER FT. | ONE WAY FRONT SHOCK ABSORBERS TRIED. DOWNWARD LOAD ONLY. | LITTLE DIFFERENCE TO JELLYING - PERHAPS SLIGHTLY WORSE. NO JELLYING IMPROVEMENT OVER STANDARD WITH ANY LOAD. 15 | 31.1.30 | 20 EX. DIABOLO RUBBER FT. | SHOCK DAMPERS CONTROLLED FROM DRIVING SEAT. VARIOUS LOADING TRIED. 150 UP TO 0 DOWN. 150 DOWN TO 0 UP. | RIDES VERY HARSHLY. ONLY SLIGHT. 16 | 21.1.30 | 1 W.J. | ENGINE FEET TIGHTENED UP. | SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT IN JELLYING, BUT ONLY SLIGHT. 17 | 21.1.30 | 1 W.J. | PIVOT LEAN ALTERED FROM 3 1/2 TO 2 1/2 DEGREES. | SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT IN ROAD SHOCKS. 18 | 31.1.30 | 22 EX. | TUBULAR CROSS MEMBER IN FRONT OF RADIATOR | 25% JELLYING IMPROVEMENT. 19 | 6.2.30 | 20 EX DIABOLO RUBBER FEET | BALL PIN ON STEERING ARM RAISED 1.75" | JOGGLES ON A GOOD ROAD WORSE. NO IMPROVEMENT IN JELLYING. 20 | 12.2.30 | 20 EX. | SCUTTLE TIGHTENED UP. | JELLYING SLIGHTLY REDUCED (5%) ENGINE VIBRATIONS WORSE. EXHAUST BOOMS INCREASED. 21 | 11.2.30 | 1. W.J. | SCUTTLE TIGHTENED UP. SOLID WASHERS. | 30% IMPROVEMENT IN JELLYING. 22 | 11.2.30 | 20 EX. | SPARE WHEELS FITTED AT THE SIDE. | APPRECIABLE IMPROVEMENT - SAY 30% REDUCTION. STANDARD SHOCK DAMPER MOUNTING APPEARS TO BE APPRECIABLE BUT JELLYING STILL QUITE NOTICABLE. 23 | 7.3.30 | 20 EX. | SANDWICH FEET FITTED TO THE FRONT AND DIABOLO DAMPERS ON THE ENGINE. SCUTTLE TIGHTENED UP. FRONT OF FRAME STANDARD. | IMPROVEMENT OVER DIABOLO RUBBERS & SPARE WHEELS APPEARS TO BE 10% 24 | 7.3.30 | 20 EX. | TWO 3 1/2 TUBULAR CROSS MEMBERS FITTED IN FRONT OF THE RADIATOR AS WELL AS LARGE CROSS. ENGINE FEET AS ABOVE & SCUTTLE. | IMPROVEMENT NOT VERY GREAT. IMPROVEMENT APPEARS TO BE DETECTABLE - SAY 10% OVER 23. 25 | 7.3.30 | 20 EX. | AS 23 BUT TUBULAR CHASSIS MEMBERS SLACKED OFF, ONE BEHIND GEAR BOX AND LARGE ONE BEHIND THAT. | RADIATOR JELLYING FREQUENCY HIGHER. STEERING MUCH IMPROVED FOR SHOCKS & DIRECTIONAL STABILITY. RADIATOR JELLYING FREQUENCY LOWERED. STEERING WANDERS & IS MORE INCLINED TO HIGH SPEED WOBBLES. 26 | 18.3.30 | 22 EX. | 25% STIFFER FRONT SPRINGS FITTED. | JELLYING SLIGHTLY WORSE THAN 14 EX. JELLYING IS NOT IN EVIDENCE ON A GOOD ROAD. STEERING POOR FREQUENCY LOWER ON A BAD ROAD. STEERING WANDERS CONSIDERABLY MORE & KICKS BACK. 27 | 18.3.30 | 22 EX. | 25% WEAKER FRONT SPRINGS | JELLYING MUCH THE SAME. STEERING GREATLY IMPROVED. 28 | 6.4.30 | 20 EX. | SINGLE POINT RAD: MOUNTING FITTED. SINGLE POINT ENGINE MOUNTING IN FRONT WITH ONE TUBULAR MEMBER BEHIND RAD & TWO IN FRONT. DIABOLO TO REAR FEET. | JELLYING PRACTICALLY NON EXISTENT EVEN WITH SPARE WHEELS REMOVED FROM THE SIDES. FOR WANDERING. JELLYING AMPLITUDE GREATER BUT NOT PERIODICALLY. 29 | 7.4.30 | 20 EX. | AS 28. BUT SHOCK DAMPERS MOUNTED ON THE ENGINE. | SLACKING OFF TORQUE REACTION VIBRATION DAMPERS INCREASES RADIATOR MOVEMENT SLIGHTLY. 30 | 8.4.30 | 20 EX. | AMERICAN P.I. CHASSIS. BODY NOT MOUNTED ON SUBFRAME. | IMMUNE FROM JELLYING SHEWING UP THE INCONSISTENCY OF THE TROUBLE. 31 | 22.1.30 | 19 EX. | STANDARD CONDITION. CABRIOLET DE VILLE. FRONT OF BODY IS VERY FLABBY AND MOVES WITH THE DASH. | THIS CAR IS FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES IMMUNE FROM JELLYING WHEN THE WHEELS ARE PROPERLY IN BALANCE. THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE BODY OSCILLATES INSTEAD OF THE RADIATOR JELLYING. 32 | 16.4.30 | SEAGRAVES CAR 80 W.J. | STANDARD CONDITION. JELLYING BAD FOUND TO BE DUE TO OUT OF BALANCED WHEELS. | THIS CAR IS NOT NEARLY AS BAD AS 1 W.J. 33 | 10.4.30 | 20 EX. | CENTRE POINT RADIATOR MOUNTING. TEMPORARY SCHEME. | 60% JELLYING CURE ON THIS CAR AS FAR AS THE RADIATOR CAP IS CONCERNED. 34 | 17.4.30 | 1 W.J. | CENTRE POINT RADIATOR MOUNTING. W.W. DESIGN. | DISAPPOINTING. NOT MORE THAN A 30% CURE ON THIS CAR. 35 | 20.4.30 | 1 W.J. | CENTRE POINT MOUNTING TRIED WITH VARIOUS RATING OF RUBBERS AND INCREASED FRICTION ON CENTRAL SUPPORT. | SCHEME VERY SENSITIVE TO RUBBER RATING AND INITIAL COMPRESSION. WEAKEST RUBBERS GIVE BEST RESULTS. BEST PROPORTIONS 60% CURE. 36 | 25.4.30 | 1 W.J. | SPRINGS TRIED OF VARIOUS RATING IN PLACE OF DIABOLO RUBBERS. | BEST PROPORTIONS OF SINGLE ACTING SPRINGS AND CENTRAL FRICTION GIVE 90% CURE OF RADIATOR MOVEMENT. 37 | 27.4.30 | 80 W.J. | AS ABOVE. | SIMILAR RESULTS TO 36 BUT JELLYING SCUTTLE AND HIGH LAMPS SPOIL THE EFFECT OF THE CURE. Stamp: ROYCE, LIMITED PRINT ROOM, 30 APR 1930 DERBY. | ||