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).
Failure of a strengthened front shock absorber and proposing modifications.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 16\4\ Scan081 | |
| Date | 11th April 1929 | |
| To DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. to EY. X7520 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rml/LG11.4.29. S.S. SHOCK ABSORBERS. We are sending you pieces of the latest strengthened front shock absorber which was broken on the bumper test. We only had one failure of this shock absorber in 130 hrs. running. This occurred after 50 hrs. running. We therefore did not anticipate any road failures. We have now had a report from Hancock that he has broken one in France on 22-EX car. Whilst it is difficult to account for this, unless it is that more work is called for from these dampers due to the lubricated front springs, we think that the thickness of the casting should be increased at the point of fracture. Mr. Royce has specified that the dynamic restrictions should be removed from this damper. We do not think it will affect the strength required from the case because the total amount of damping required will be the same. The reversal of loads will be somewhat more violent. We should be glad if you could let us have the modifications you propose to make immediately as, of course, these dampers are in production at the Works. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||