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).
Report analyzing vehicle riding comfort tests and proposing design improvements.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 16\7\ Scan335 | |
| Date | 26th November 1930 | |
| -3- HsHs/AJL.1/MJ.26.11.30.Contd. When studying the results of these tests it is necessary to take into account the degree of discomfort registered by a passenger as compared with that shewn on the graphs. For instance, an increase of say fifty points at 20 M.P.H. is much less noticeable and unpleasant than a similar increase at 40 M.P.H. At 20 M.P.H. the discomfort registered is due to short small road inequalities which the passenger scarcely notices if the car is well upholstered, but the discomfort at 40 M.P.H. is due to pitching which is very much more unpleasant and is not damped out by good upholstering. Again, an increase of fifty points over the 200 mark is very much more noticeable than an increase of 50 points over the 50 mark. All these points must be taken into consideration. From these results therefore it is evident that we must continually work for the following conditions in order to keep our standard of riding comfort high: (1) Use bodies where the rear seats are well forward. (2) Reduce weight on the front of the car. (3) Push as much weight as possible to the rear of the car, (two spare wheels and luggage at rear). (4) Do not use more rear damping than is necessary for control at high speeds. (5) Plenty of damping at the front is advantageous. The next tests to be carried out will shew the effect of road springs of greater deflection for the same load (lower rating). We may find it necessary to alter our standard of tests for lower rating springs, the improvement given by these springs (as were fitted to Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}'s car 58-GN) may not be shewn up by this test to be as large as personal impression registered. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/AJL. | ||