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).
Visit to the U.S.A. automobile industry, discussing independent front wheel suspension systems.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 173\3\ img086 | |
| Date | 4th April 1934 | |
| To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson} c. to Wox. c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to Hdy.{William Hardy} c. to EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} VISIT TO U.S.A. JAN. - MARCH, 1934. THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY. RIDING COMFORT. Independent front wheel suspension as engineered by Olley of the Cadillac Motor Co. is undoubtedly the outstanding improvement of the year. The increase in riding comfort in both the front and rear seats is remarkable. Additionally both the steering and directional stability of the car have been improved for American road conditions. Undoubtedly the suspension as developed in America will require some modification to suit English road conditions, where the ability of a car to negotiate corners at speed is of paramount importance. Two schemes of front wheel control are in production, the fixed king pin type as pioneered by Dubonnet and the wish-bone or Mercedes-Benz type, the former being used on the Chevrolet and Pontiac, the latter on Cadillac, La{L. A. Archer} Salle, Buick and Plymouth. There appears to be general agreement here, now that it has been possible to analyse performance and production costs, that the wish-bone scheme is the lightest, most efficient and cheapest to produce. One of the major advantages claimed for the Dubonnet is that the front wheel assembly is a complete unit and therefore easy to ship from plant to plant. The only patents that G.M. appear to have relating to the Mercedes-Benz system concern details of construction such as the use of threaded shackles in the joints. On practical test we have not tried a Dubonnet type which gave such good results as the Mercedes-Benz scheme. | ||