Rolls-Royce Archives
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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).
Car performance and stability, including comparisons between models and a formula.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 173\4\  img064
Date  20th November 1935
  
hotel Book-Cadillac
Detroit
NATIONAL HOTEL MANAGEMENT CO., INC.
RALPH HITZ - PRESIDENT
Telephone Cadillac 8000
HOTELS: NEW YORKER, LEXINGTON, NEW YORK; NETHERLAND PLAZA, CINCINNATI; RITZ CARLTON, ATLANTIC CITY; VAN CLEVE, DAYTON

To HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}
Please circulate to usual people

We went testing in the GM proving ground again on 'demountables' on various cars that oscillated and understeered.
I have found an answer to one question why a Bentley runs in - the Buick would not on a good short car. I found now on one car we had handled like a Bentley but on that understeered was the worst best. It is obvious that our method of measuring spring deflection for figures about 30% [?] soft the wheel is really about 5 1/2" ahe [?] round. Our car out here is stiffer than 9" i leave notes considerably.
To prove or use the following formula for roll stability on an orthodox front axle which should be useful for the low rates common in the ZIPS.
If the springs are differently low rates, the stiffer of a car GG makes up for the spring stiffness and the car will play on the wheel friction, no rolling couple existing.

α = FM1 / (Sc²/2 + Wh₂ - Wh₁)

[Text next to diagram]
R = Rolling centre
S = Spring rate
Le track
  
  


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