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).
Chassis and suspension development, focusing on subframe mounting, shock damper placement, and front spring stiffness.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 28\5\ Scan042 | |
| Date | 16th April 1934 | |
| -4- HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/RM.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}2/SJ.16.4.34. Contd. chassis as a whole and increased some of our front end problems. We have found no form of subframe mounting that gives sufficient improvement over standard with all types of body to be worth adopting, and in view of the diversity of coachwork used we do not think that this is a very promising line of development. We have confirmed that unless the body is held rigidly to the chassis the steering selectivity is spoilt. (D) SHOCK DAMPER MOUNTING CAP. We have tried these on the front engine feet with three and four point, semi-rigid and flexible engine mounting. We do not gain appreciably with regard to frame jellying. With semi-rigid four point engine mounting (which we are at present trying to avoid) we possibly benefit some-what by making better use of the engine inertia. With flexible engine mounting we are worse off for road holding, shocks and selectivity. Apparently the engine inertia alone is inadequate to damp the axle without assistance from the frame. We therefore do not recommend that the shock dampers should be mounted on the engine. (E) FRONT SPRINGS. We have tried 25% stiffer and 25% weaker front springs. The former raise the jellying frequency, the latter lower it, but neither reduces it much. The most noticeable feature is that the steering is much more selective and freer from road shocks at high speeds with the stiffer springs. | ||