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).
Development of independent front wheel springing for Bentley vehicles.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 87\4\ scan0112 | |
| Date | 27th March 1936 | |
| NOT SENT OUT To Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} & E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} C. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} C. to Dev. x246 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}.15/KW.27.3.36. Independent Springing on the Bentley. Even if we scale down the Ph.III suspension without altering the design principle appreciably, it seems hardly possible that with our commitments on the Wraith we should have a Bentley ready for the 1937 Olympia Motor Show with independent front wheel springing. Personally we feel that in 18 months' time it will be very difficult to sell a £1500 car without the comfort obtainable with this suspension. Already owners of our products have compared our suspension unfavourably with that of the even keel ride provided by Humbers. We should like to tackle the problem in two ways - (1) Improve the present Bentley frame as far as possible with the minimum modification. The object of improving the frame is to enable us to fit low rating road springs to give a comfortable ride without running into 'tramp' - our present limitation. A stiff frame would also enable us to employ a roll rod to regain any road holding qualities which might be lost with the low rating front springs. We have carried out a lot of experiments on our joggling rig which we think prove that this can be done, and shall shortly have a road test running to complete the experiment. Increasing the comfort of the Bentley by the minimum modifications might give us a breathing space for the development of the simplified front suspension. (2) Get all the information we can from the only sample available of torsion rod springing, as per the attached memo. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Les.16/KW.27.3.36. It may be that when we have actually analysed the torsion bar suspension we may find it is not as simple as the wishbone type of which we have examples; i.e., the Packard and Buick. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||