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).
Adjustments to shock dampers and springs to improve ride quality and address complaints.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\T\2July1928-December1928\ Scan033 | |
| Date | 20th July 1928 guessed | |
| (2) increase the effectiveness of these dampers, especially on the recoil (high pressure side) until we lose slightly slow speed perfection of riding for a very large gain in high speed steadiness. You will remember that it has been decided to use still more flexible springs as standard until we have a much greater complaint of the cars bumping on the rubber buffers, that is to say, we ought to be changing the springs of an equal number of cars to stiffer springs, as we are changing cars to more flexible springs. Whereas I believe at the moment we rarely, if ever, have to change to stiffer springs, we are continually being obliged to fit more flexible springs. SHOCK DAMPERS. I think when-ever bad riding is complained of and we have done all we can to tyres and road springs, we ought to to replace the Hartford shock dampers with our own hydraulic dampers, and I feel sure that the low pressure side should be 50% or less than the high pressure side, to take full advantage of this system. Finally I recommend that the road springs be made more and more flexible until we are troubled with bumping on the buffers, and then increase the effectiveness of the shock dampers until the bumping is less frequent. I am sure that if the above was carried out the complaints at present so prevalent would nearly disappear, because I feel that with our hydraulic dampers, and the other features of our car's perfection, we are in a better position than any of our competitors. The Exp. Dept. or the Production Dept. should have a spring expert who can at once visit any unsatisfactory car. We ought not to wait for him to get really cross before we attend to his complaints (which we must take as being reasonable until we have proved otherwise.) I think Mr. Chandler would be very suitable for this, and he would collect a considerable amount of information so that we can put the matter directly before the owner before he has time to go about disgruntled, and so spoil what we hope is a good name. 14-EX. (EAC. 7.) is I think a beautifully sprung car, but could I believe have double the recoil (high pressure) damping with definite improvement at higher speed, without low speed being spoilt. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||