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).
Complaints of knocking sounds from hydraulic shock dampers, specifically on Bentley rear dampers.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 87\3\ scan0154 | |
| Date | 12th March 1936 | |
| Ex: H: Hsy. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Lor. Please see me Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Hd{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy}/SB{Mr Bull/Mr Bannister}3/HR.12.3.36. re COMPLAINTS OF KNOCKS FROM HYDRAULIC SHOCK DAMPERS. ------------------------ Complaints of knocks from shock dampers seem quite prevalent again, particularly on Bentley rear dampers. As a rule, it is impossible to find anything wrong with the actual dampers if any are stripped down, pointing to the fact that there is some external reason. We do not feel satisfied that the suspension of our dampers is adequate to deal with the high loads possible with the controlled system and we think a lot of these complaints are due to slackness in the bolt holes of the damper support plates. These plates generally seem extremely susceptible to develop slackness. It is noticeable that the 7/16" bolts through the shock damper body very rarely work loose but the same cannot be said of the bolts securing the anchor plate to the chassis. For instance, on the Bentley rear with only one support plate, we find quite a lot of evidence that the suspension is apt to work loose. The 7/16" hole where the plate is bolted to the cross member is not even reamed and is more or less a clearance hole before fitting to the chassis. The 5/16" bolt at the forward end of the damper is, we think, inadequate to prevent fidgetting. We think something should be done to improve matters generally. Hd{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy}/SB{Mr Bull/Mr Bannister}3 | ||