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).
Suspension tests, discussing damping, spring strength, and comparing various cars including the Phantom and Lancia.
Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\O\2April1926-June1926\ Scan015 | |
Date | 16th April 1926 guessed | |
contd :- -2- 20 and 30 m.p.h. All our tests so far go to shew that the factor of primary importance is the amount of damping employed on either the front or the rear of the car. As yet we have not done sufficient tests to be able to say what the true value, if any, of a 15% reduction in front spring strength is on the Phantom. It appears, however, that weaker front springs are an improvement. In view of our results so far we are fitting up a car with ball bearings after the type of 'Rectaskids' between the spring leaves and hydraulic dampers fore and aft. Whether these dampers will be able to cope with the resultant rolling, dither-ing on the rear axle when braking and other phenomena associated with rear springs having no internal friction remains to be seen. Our experiments with the 20 HP. have indicated that it is distinctly better than the 'Phantom' under the specified conditions of road surface and speed. The small car, however, is also very susceptible to increased friction on the dampers both on the front and rear. We hope, almost immediately, to be able to try EAC.1. with a suitable body to prove the value of semi-elliptics on the rear of the big car. The suspension of the Lancia is remarkably good in spite of the fact that as a whole it has obviously been arranged for negotiating the worst possible roads at the maximum speed. The front suspension behaves admirably under all conditions. The coil front springs, having no internal friction but hydraulic damping, give great comfort in the driving seat. The front of the car never appears to take up any periodic vibration. contd :- | ||