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).
Modifying bump buffers to prevent issues with coil spring compression.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 152\2\ scan0213 | |
| Date | 1st May 1940 guessed | |
| -6- the coil springs allowed the spring to close up too much. In this case either of two bad things might occur, either the torque arm would come up against its stop on the frame before the buffer was fully compressed, thus causing noise, or the cross steering tube might come up and hit the bolt head of the shock damper mounting bolt. To overcome this it was decided that 60 durometer bump buffers were necessary instead of the 45 durometer ones on production, and that the stiffening plates inside the buffer stops should be welded on the outside instead. The latter mod. has been carried out on 12.B.V. and 45 durometer buffers fitted. It requires testing to see if crashes can be produced. Longer and much softer buffers have been fitted to 9.B.V., 11.B.V. and I.R.I., Exs.1328. Although these appear to be satisfactory, it is doubtful whether they have enough rubber in them. They require further testing to see if they allow crashing on a car which is liable to it. ---- | ||